Criminology and Sociology

Criminology and Sociology together offer a powerful set of tools for understanding the social dimensions of crime, deviance, and inequality. Criminology asks why crime occurs, how it is defined and measured, how the criminal justice system responds, and whether those responses are just and effective. Sociology provides the broader theoretical framework, examining how social structures, institutions, and power relations shape individual behaviour and collective outcomes.

Together, they enable you to understand crime not as an isolated individual act but as a social phenomenon embedded in wider patterns of inequality, marginalisation, and institutional response.

At Southampton Solent University, this three-year full-time programme includes a foundation year, making it accessible to students who need additional academic preparation. Across the programme you will develop critical perspectives on social behaviour, exploring the intersections of justice, crime, gender, race, class, and inequality. You will study the major theoretical traditions in both disciplines, from classical sociology to contemporary criminological debates, and develop the research skills, analytical capacity, and written communication abilities that professional and academic careers in this area demand.

The programme is designed to prepare you both for employment and for meaningful contribution to society, equipping you to understand and engage with the social forces that shape the communities you will work in.

Graduates of criminology and sociology programmes go on to careers in social work, probation and criminal justice, community development, policy research, youth work, education, the voluntary and charity sector, and journalism. The analytical and research skills developed in both disciplines are also valued in public sector roles in local and national government, in equality and diversity work, and in organisations concerned with social welfare. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in criminology, social policy, social work, law, or sociology to develop their expertise further or to qualify for specific professional roles.