Criminology with Policing

Criminology with policing is a discipline that examines crime and the criminal justice system from multiple perspectives, combining sociological and psychological analysis of why crime occurs and how it is distributed with a close examination of how policing, courts, and prisons respond. The policing strand gives particular attention to the theory, practice, and ethics of police work, asking how police organisations operate, what the evidence says about effective policing strategies, and how policing intersects with questions of race, community, rights, and accountability. It is a field that rewards critical thinking and a willingness to engage with difficult social realities.

At the University of Chester, this four-year programme includes both a foundation year and a year abroad, giving you a supported entry into the discipline's demanding intellectual content before progressing into the main degree, and the opportunity to study criminology and policing in another country before completing your final year. The foundation year is designed to develop the academic skills and conceptual grounding you need to engage fully with the degree's core material. You will study criminological theory, the sociology of crime, the criminal justice system, police organisation and strategy, crime prevention, and research methods, developing the analytical and communication skills that careers in policing, criminal justice, and related fields require.

A typical entry tariff of 120 points reflects the programme's accessible nature.

Graduates of criminology with policing programmes enter a range of careers in policing, probation, youth justice, prison and rehabilitation services, victim support, crime analysis, and social research. The degree also provides a strong foundation for postgraduate study in criminology, criminal justice, social work, or law, and for professional training routes into policing including the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship. The year abroad adds an international comparative dimension that is valuable in understanding different approaches to crime and justice.