Criminology with Foundation Year

Criminology is the systematic academic study of crime: what it is, who defines it, why it occurs, and how individuals, institutions, and societies respond to it. It draws on sociology, psychology, law, history, and political science to examine criminal behaviour and the criminal justice system from multiple angles, taking seriously both the causes of crime and the often contested responses to it. This is a discipline that challenges common assumptions, asks difficult questions about power and inequality, and takes seriously the experiences of victims, offenders, and communities alike.

At the University of Law, this degree is offered with a foundation year, providing a supported entry route for students who would benefit from additional academic preparation before entering the full criminology curriculum. The programme is designed by expert criminologists with extensive research and professional experience, offering comprehensive coverage of prisons, probation, policing, cybercrime, terrorism, the media, migration, gender, race and ethnicity, culture, and forensic psychology. You will explore how crime, justice, and social control are understood and experienced by different groups, examining how structural factors and cultural perspectives shape policies and outcomes.

The foundation year ensures that students arrive at the degree-level content with the analytical and academic skills required to engage with it fully.

Criminology graduates are well prepared for careers in the criminal justice system, including probation, youth justice, victim services, the prison service, and policing, as well as in social work, policy research, journalism, and the voluntary sector. The analytical and communication skills the degree develops are valued across the public sector and in organisations working on social issues. Postgraduate study in criminology, social policy, forensic psychology, or law provides routes to more specialised roles.