Criminology

Criminology invites you to look beyond the headlines and ask the deeper questions: why does crime happen, who defines what counts as criminal, how do justice systems respond, and what do those responses reveal about the society in which they operate. It is a discipline that draws on sociology, psychology, law, and political theory to build a rigorous, evidence-based understanding of crime and social control, and it consistently finds that the answers are more complicated and more interesting than the familiar accounts suggest.

At Middlesex University, this three-year, full-time programme includes a foundation year, providing an accessible route into the degree for students who benefit from a structured introduction before entering the main programme. The programme itself takes you through the causes of crime, the social dynamics that shape criminal behaviour, the operation of policing and the courts, the experience of victims, and the debates about what effective and just responses to crime look like. A sandwich year and work placement opportunities are built into the programme, giving you professional experience in criminal justice, social care, policy, or related settings before you graduate.

Middlesex's location in London places you close to the institutions, organisations, and debates that criminology most directly engages with, from the Metropolitan Police and the courts to campaigning organisations and policy think tanks. Graduates go on to careers in the probation and prison services, youth offending teams, victim support, social work, policing, public policy, research, and journalism. Many continue to postgraduate study in criminology, law, forensic psychology, or social policy, and some pursue research careers that contribute to the evidence base that better crime policy depends on.