Criminology

Criminology investigates crime as a social phenomenon, asking not only what crime is and how it is defined, but why it occurs, who commits it, who is victimised, and how the systems societies build to respond to it actually work. It is a discipline that draws on sociology, psychology, law, and philosophy to examine how and why crime has become viewed as a dominant social problem, and how issues of crime and deviance connect to broader questions of power, inequality, race, class, and gender.

At the University of Manchester this three-year, full-time BA develops your understanding of criminology through engagement with theory, empirical research, and critical analysis. You will examine the causes and patterns of crime, the functioning of criminal justice institutions, the experiences of victims and offenders, and the policy debates that surround punishment, rehabilitation, and prevention. Manchester is one of the UK's leading research universities, and the criminology programme benefits from the active research culture of a department that takes these questions seriously and brings current scholarship directly into the teaching.

Graduates of criminology at Manchester pursue careers in the criminal justice system, social research, policy, education, the third sector, and the many fields where an understanding of crime, deviance, and social control is valuable. Many move into probation, youth justice, victim support, community safety, and social work. Others work in policy research, journalism, advocacy, and the civil service, particularly in organisations concerned with criminal justice reform, equalities, and social justice.

The research and analytical skills the degree develops are also valued in data analysis, communications, and public administration. Further study in criminology, law, social work, or a related discipline is a natural next step for those who want to develop specialist expertise or move into research and academic careers.