Criminology and Theology

Criminology and theology are disciplines that engage, from very different starting points, with some of the most fundamental questions about human nature, justice and moral responsibility. Criminology examines why crime occurs, how societies define and respond to it, how the criminal justice system works, and how communities might be made safer and more just. Theology engages with systematic thought about belief, ethics, suffering, responsibility and the traditions that religious communities bring to questions of punishment, forgiveness and restoration.

Together they create an unusual framework for thinking about crime, justice and the values that underpin how we respond to wrongdoing.

This four-year degree at the University of the Highlands and Islands allows students to engage with both disciplines in the context of the university's distinctive regional character in Scotland. The programme can be studied in different modes to suit individual circumstances, making it accessible to students who benefit from flexible learning arrangements alongside on-campus attendance. You will develop criminological knowledge about crime, punishment and criminal justice alongside theological and philosophical inquiry into ethics, meaning and the grounds of moral judgement.

The combination asks you to bring both sets of tools to questions about justice, rehabilitation, restorative practice and the values that should inform how society responds to those who offend.

Graduates are well placed for careers in criminal justice, probation, community chaplaincy, prison ministry, social work, voluntary sector organisations working with offenders and victims, youth justice, restorative practice and education. The combination of criminological knowledge and theological depth is particularly relevant in organisations where questions of justice, redemption and community are taken seriously alongside the practical demands of professional practice. Further study in criminology, theology, ethics or social work is a natural progression for those seeking specialist expertise.