Criminology

Criminology is the academic discipline that asks why crime occurs, how societies define and respond to it, and what the consequences of criminal justice policies are for individuals and communities. It draws on sociology, psychology, law, and philosophy to examine the full range of questions that crime and punishment raise, from the structural conditions that produce criminal behaviour to the experiences of victims, the workings of police, courts, and prisons, and the debates about what justice actually means. At the University of Bedfordshire, the BA Criminology with Foundation Year is a four-year full-time programme that has been recognised in national rankings for teaching quality and student experience.

The foundation year provides the academic preparation that students need before engaging fully with the main degree, making the programme accessible to a wider range of backgrounds. In the main programme, you will engage with the major theoretical perspectives that criminologists use to explain criminal behaviour and social responses to it: classical theories, strain and anomie, social control, labelling, feminist criminology, critical race theory, and the more recent contributions of cultural criminology and victimology. The criminal justice system, including policing, prosecution, courts, prisons, and community supervision, is studied in depth, with particular attention to how different groups are affected by criminal justice practices and whether outcomes are fair or equitable.

Research methods, including both quantitative and qualitative approaches, are taught as practical skills that you will apply in your own investigations.

Criminology graduates move into careers in criminal justice, social work, probation, the prison service, youth offending services, victim support organisations, policy research, and the charitable sector. Some pursue further training in social work, law, or policing. The analytical and research skills the degree develops are also applicable in roles in the civil service, journalism, community development, and the public sector more broadly.

Some graduates go on to postgraduate study in criminology, social policy, law, or related disciplines. Bedfordshire's programme provides a thorough grounding in one of the most socially relevant academic disciplines, with a strong record of teaching quality and student engagement.