Sociology and Criminology

Sociology and criminology examine two aspects of the same social reality. Sociology asks how societies are organised, how inequalities of class, race and gender are produced and reproduced, and how institutions shape the lives of the people within them. Criminology applies these analytical frameworks to the specific domain of crime, asking which behaviours are criminalised, who is most likely to be targeted by the justice system and whether punishment and rehabilitation actually achieve their stated purposes.

Studied together at Coventry University they give you a sharply critical and broadly informed perspective on some of the most contested questions in contemporary public life.

You will engage with the major theoretical traditions in both disciplines, from classical sociology through to contemporary debates about race, gender, inequality and power, and with criminological approaches spanning offending behaviour, victimology, policing, sentencing and the politics of criminal justice reform. Research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, are a core component of the programme, equipping you to work with evidence and to conduct your own social research rather than simply consuming the work of others. A sandwich year provides a substantial period of professional experience, and work placements and a year abroad are also built in, developing the professional capability and international perspective that employers value.

Graduates pursue careers across criminal justice, social policy, advocacy and education. Probation, prison and youth offending services, victim support and the police draw those with a focus on criminal justice. Social work, housing, community development and the charity sector draw others.

Policy analysis, equality and diversity roles, research in think tanks and NGOs, and journalism focused on social affairs are further paths. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in criminology, social policy, social work or law.