Criminology

Criminology is a discipline concerned with more than just crime. It explores the full social world of crime: how criminal behaviour is defined, who commits it and why, who is victimised and how they are affected, and whether the systems of policing, courts, and punishment that society has developed are fair, effective, or humane. Drawing on sociology, psychology, law, and social policy, criminology trains you to think critically about evidence and to engage seriously with some of the most contested questions in contemporary society.

At York St John University, this full-time programme includes a foundation year, a sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placement opportunities, providing both a supported academic starting point and substantial professional and international experience. You will explore how crime impacts the world, studying victimology and the social responses to different crimes, considering crime prevention, punishment, and rehabilitation. The programme challenges you to think about how crime is shaped by society and represented in the media, developing the analytical tools to look behind the headlines and interrogate how institutions respond to offending and deviance.

The typical entry tariff is 104 UCAS points.

Graduates from criminology programmes work across the criminal justice system, in probation, the prison service, the police, youth justice, victim support, and community safety. Social work, local government, policy analysis, research, and NGOs working on crime and justice issues are further destinations. The sandwich and placement elements of this programme significantly strengthen professional readiness and often lead directly to employment.

Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in criminology, criminal justice, social policy, or law, and the analytical skills developed during the degree are also valued in a wide range of other careers.