Sociology and Criminology BA Honours
London, United Kingdom
DURATION
3 up to 4 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
18 Aug 2025
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 15,400 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* international | UK: £9,250
Introduction
Immigration, crime, social injustice and youth unemployment make headline news almost daily. These are the key issues of our time. If you’re interested in such issues and want to understand how societal structures impact on people's everyday lives and interactions or how criminal justice relates to social justice, then you should consider studying sociology and criminology. Combined, these two disciplines develop your sociological and criminological imagination and answer questions about society and its various institutions.
You’ll be taught by active researchers whose expertise includes human rights, migration, comparative and transnational criminology, convict criminology, youth justice, terrorism studies, psychology of crime, education, gender and sexuality, 'race' and ethnicity, social movements, families, media and cultural studies. You’ll have access to a wide range of specialist option modules in both disciplines, and you’ll have the opportunity to take a work experience module where you can put into practice the personal and professional skills you've developed while studying.
This combined degree enables you to sufficiently specialise in criminology to enter professions connected to the criminal justice system but also benefit from the broader careers available to sociologists. You'll also gain the transferable skills necessary for lifelong personal and professional development.
Our students go on to careers in the police and police-supporting organisations, crime prevention, the probation service, the charity and non-governmental organisations sector, local and central government, teaching, social work, youth work, and many more.
This course offers a unique curriculum. A distinctive feature of the course is our use of London as a learning and teaching resource, with several modules offering field trips around the city, such as museum visits and themed street walks. You’ll be part of diverse and international student culture, and you can also gain valuable experience studying abroad for a semester.
Top reasons to study with us
- Study in a multicultural city – London is one of the world's most diverse cities, making it a fascinating place to study sociology and criminology. We make the most of our central location with field trips around the city, museum visits and themed street walks.
- Thrive in an academically supportive environment – you'll be taught by friendly, dedicated lecturers who are all active researchers.
- Engage critically with contemporary issues – our curriculum focuses on social and criminal justice, and together with students from diverse backgrounds, you'll explore some of the most important issues facing the world today.
- A wide-ranging learning experience – by combining sociology and criminology, you'll have access to a broad range of specialist modules, giving you a well-rounded learning experience that enables you to pursue a variety of careers.
Why study this course?
- Graduates in work or further study
90% of students are in work and/or further study 15 months after the course. (Source: Discover Uni, accessed in December 2020) - A supportive environment
Our teaching staff are dedicated, friendly and supportive and challenge all our students to achieve to the best of their ability. - Wide-ranging learning experience
This course combines sociology and criminology to provide a well-rounded learning experience.
Career Opportunities
- Successful alumni
Previous graduates have found positions in companies and organisations, including the Department for Work and Pensions, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Save the Children. - Work experience
Some of the organisations with which previous students have found work placements include Prisoner Advice and Care Trust and Great Ormond Street Hospital. - Employers around the world
The University’s Careers and Employability Service has built up a network of over 3,000 employers around the world, helping all our students explore and connect with exciting opportunities and careers.
Career development
Sociology and Criminology BA students have the opportunity to take a work experience module in either the second or third year of their degree, where they are supported to find placements with a range of graduate employers.
Some of the organisations with which previous students have found placements include:
- George Mitchell School
- Great Ormond Street Hospital
- London Metropolitan Police
- Prisoner Advice and Care Trust
- Victim Support
Job roles
This course will prepare you for roles, such as:
- Charity/NGO worker
- Local government official
- Probation officer
- Social worker
- Teacher
- Youth worker
Graduate employers
Recent employers of our graduates include:
- Department for Work and Pensions
- Great Ormond Street Hospital
- Haverstock School
- Kent Police
- Medway Youth Trust
- Save the Children
Admissions
Curriculum
Teaching and learning methods include lectures, seminars, practical classes and workshops, online discussions, individual and group tutorials, and field trips.
We make use of a wide range of assessment methods to suit different learning styles, from essays and exams to portfolios, research reports, policy analyses, group presentations, and your final year dissertation.
The following subjects are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Year 1
Subjects of study include:
- Identity and Society
- Researching Crime and Society
- The Criminological Imagination
- Thinking Sociologically
- Controversies in Criminal Justice
- Crime and the London Underworld
- Gender and Sexuality Studies
- Justice and Human Rights
- London Explored
- Psychology and Crime
- Social Media, Culture and Society
- Understanding Race
Credit Level 4
Year 2
Subjects of study include:
- Modern Social Theory
- Radical Criminology
- Research Methods in Sociology and Criminology
- Work-based Learning
- Childhood Youth and Society
- Education Now
- Emotional Life
- Food, Taste and Consumption
- Forensic Criminal Psychology
- Gender, Crime and Justice
- Globalisation and the Media
- Globalisation, Crime and Control
- Leisure, Pleasure and the Sociology of Fun
- Race, Power & Criminal Justice
- The City, Community, and Belonging
- Youth, Crime and Justice
Credit Level 5
Placement Year
Between Years 2 and 3, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a professional placement year in the industry. Completing the placement year will lead to the final award of Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Sociology and Criminology with International Experience.
Alternatively, you can undertake a period of study abroad at one of Westminster’s partner institutions. Successful completion will lead to the final award of Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Sociology and Criminology with Professional Experience.
Year 3
Subjects of study include:
- Dissertation in Sociology and Criminology
- Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice
- Contemporary Social Theory
- Families, Intimacies and Personal Life
- Gender, Education and Identity
- Human Rights and Global Injustice
- Immigration, Borders and (In)Justice
- Issues in State Crime
- Making Bodies
- Making the News
- Media and Crime
- Psychology, Crime and the Popular Imagination
- Punishment and Modern Society
- Social movements, media and society
- Sociology of Religion
- The Cultural Politics of Race
- Work Experience in Criminology and Criminal Justice
Credit Level 6
International Opportunities
Many of our courses offer international study and work experiences, and the University provides other global opportunities that all students can apply for - so whatever you're studying, you'll have the chance to go abroad.
Opportunities could include:
- Taking part in a semester or year-long exchanges at institutions around the world
- Attending an international summer school or field trip
- Developing your CV through volunteering or work placements abroad
International experience broadens horizons, boosts self-confidence, and improves global understanding, alongside being fantastic for your career.
Program Tuition Fee
Scholarships and Funding
The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible undergraduate students, which cover all or part of your tuition fees.