BSc Criminology

About this course

Criminology is the social scientific study of crime, its causes, and the responses society makes to it. It is distinct from forensic science and criminal investigation: where those disciplines deal with the physical evidence of crime, criminology examines the social, structural, psychological, and political dimensions of why crime occurs, who is defined as criminal and by whom, how criminal justice systems operate, and what works in reducing offending and harm. It is a discipline that draws on sociology, psychology, law, and policy studies to build a critical and evidence-based understanding of one of the most important challenges facing any society. At the University of Salford, this part-time programme is designed for students who want to engage seriously with criminology while managing other commitments alongside their studies. You will explore how behaviour is defined as criminal, who holds the power to make those definitions, and how those definitions change over time and across different societies. The programme engages critically with the causes of crime and deviant behaviour, examining how social inequality, poverty, family structures, and cultural factors interact to produce the conditions in which crime occurs, and how the criminal justice system, including the police, courts, and prisons, responds. You will also examine what effective responses to crime look like and what the evidence tells us about rehabilitation, prevention, and justice. Salford's location in Greater Manchester, a region with a rich tradition of social scientific research and a large and complex criminal justice infrastructure, provides an engaging context for studying the discipline. Graduates go on to careers in probation, the police service, youth offending teams, prison and rehabilitation services, social work, policy research, and the voluntary sector. Many pursue postgraduate study in criminology, criminal justice, or social policy, and some go on to research careers in the discipline. The part-time format makes the degree accessible to those already working in criminal justice or related fields who want to develop their academic understanding alongside their practice.

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