Criminology & Criminal Justice

We offer two routes to a Criminology BA (Hons), both of which draw upon a broad range of disciplines such as Criminology, Sociology, Psychology, Law, Social Policy and Philosophy to actively encourage the development of strong analytical, reasoning and reflective skills.

The Crime, Criminology and Criminal Justice route is an exciting mainstream academic programme suitable for anyone who is interested in what drives people to commit crime and how society responds to this behaviour.

We are proud partners of CrimeCon UK – quote “Unitas” to claim your 10% discount on tickets.

CrimeCon UK

Crime, Criminology and Criminal Justice courses

The Criminal Justice route is suitable if you already work or volunteer in a criminal justice or allied role and would like to develop your skills and gain a vocationally relevant qualification.

Criminal Justice courses

Build Your Course

Our flexible progression routes mean that you can build up to a full BA (Hons) in Crime, Criminology and Criminal Justice or the BA (Hons) in Criminal Justice, gaining standalone, recognised qualifications along the way. If you are not ready to commit to a degree, you can start with the Certificate of Higher Education and then either choose to leave with an accredited qualification or keep adding modules to progress step-by-step to the Foundation Degree/Diploma of Higher Education, BA and BA (Hons). You can see how the individual building blocks combine together here. Hover over the title for highlights of each qualification and click on the module names for what you’ll study.

Progression to the BA (Hons) in Crime, Criminology and Criminal Justice

Certificate of Higher Education in Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

Level 4 120 credits
Duration 60 weeks

Certificate of Higher Education in Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

  • One third of an honours degree
  • Shows that you can study at university level
  • Credits count towards other qualifications – Foundation Degree, Dip HE or Degree

  • Studying crime, criminology and criminal justice
  • The Criminal Justice System: an introduction
  • The rational actor model
  • The predestined actor model
  • The victimised actor model
  • Crime prevention and community safety

  • History of crime and punishment
  • The criminal justice system – an overview
  • The English legal system
  • The measurement of crime
  • Cybercrime and policing of ‘the dark web’
  • Psychology of crime

Diploma in Higher Education in Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

Level 4 120 credits
Level 5 120 credits
Duration 120 weeks

Diploma in Higher Education in Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

  • Two-thirds of an Honours degree
  • Top up to a BA in just 30 weeks
  • Top up to a full BA (Hons) in 60 weeks

  • Studying crime, criminology and criminal justice
  • The Criminal Justice System: an introduction
  • The rational actor model
  • The predestined actor model
  • The victimised actor model
  • Crime prevention and community safety

  • History of crime and punishment
  • The criminal justice system – an overview
  • The English legal system
  • The measurement of crime
  • Cybercrime and policing of ‘the dark web’
  • Psychology of crime

  • Criminologies of the right and left
  • Gender, crime and justice
  • Serial killers
  • Crimes of the rich and powerful
  • The social construction of guilt and innocence
  • Researching crime

  • Policing and society
  • Prisons and prison policy
  • Youth offending and youth justice
  • Diversity issues in criminal justice
  • Non-custodial responses to crime
  • Volunteering in criminal justice – theory and practice

  • Why young people offend
  • Working effectively
  • Assessment and planning interventions
  • Engagement and participation
  • Custody and resettlement
  • Desistance

BA Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

Level 4 120 credits
Level 5 120 credits
Level 6 60 credits
Duration 150 weeks

BA Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

  • Requirement for many jobs
  • Extend your understanding of criminal justice
  • Develop the ability to think critically, form arguments and solve problems
  • Top up to a full BA (Hons) in just 30 weeks

  • Studying crime, criminology and criminal justice
  • The Criminal Justice System: an introduction
  • The rational actor model
  • The predestined actor model
  • The victimised actor model
  • Crime prevention and community safety

  • History of crime and punishment
  • The criminal justice system – an overview
  • The English legal system
  • The measurement of crime
  • Cybercrime and policing of ‘the dark web’
  • Psychology of crime

  • Criminologies of the right and left
  • Gender, crime and justice
  • Serial killers
  • Crimes of the rich and powerful
  • The social construction of guilt and innocence
  • Researching crime

  • Policing and society
  • Prisons and prison policy
  • Youth offending and youth justice
  • Diversity issues in criminal justice
  • Non-custodial responses to crime
  • Volunteering in criminal justice – theory and practice

  • Why young people offend
  • Working effectively
  • Assessment and planning interventions
  • Engagement and participation
  • Custody and resettlement
  • Desistance

6 blocks from:

  • Drugs and society
  • Victims of crime
  • Hate crime
  • Policing protest and disorder since 1945
  • Terrorism past and present
  • Transnational crime
  • Tackling recidivism & promoting desistance
  • Riots in England since 1980
  • Covert research in theory and practice

  • Political ideology
  • Children in care
  • Childhood and social policy
  • Diverse groups and needs
  • Children & young people’s rights
  • International youth justice systems

BA (Hons) Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

Level 4 120 credits
Level 5 120 credits
Level 6 120 credits
Duration 180 weeks

BA (Hons) Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

  • Requirement for many jobs
  • Extend your understanding of criminal justice even further
  • Develop the ability to think critically, form arguments and solve problems
  • Conduct your own research project with support from a Learning Coach.

  • Studying crime, criminology and criminal justice
  • The Criminal Justice System: an introduction
  • The rational actor model
  • The predestined actor model
  • The victimised actor model
  • Crime prevention and community safety

  • History of crime and punishment
  • The criminal justice system – an overview
  • The English legal system
  • The measurement of crime
  • Cybercrime and policing of ‘the dark web’
  • Psychology of crime

  • Criminologies of the right and left
  • Gender, crime and justice
  • Serial killers
  • Crimes of the rich and powerful
  • The social construction of guilt and innocence
  • Researching crime

  • Policing and society
  • Prisons and prison policy
  • Youth offending and youth justice
  • Diversity issues in criminal justice
  • Non-custodial responses to crime
  • Volunteering in criminal justice – theory and practice

  • Why young people offend
  • Working effectively
  • Assessment and planning interventions
  • Engagement and participation
  • Custody and resettlement
  • Desistance

6 blocks from:

  • Drugs and society
  • Victims of crime
  • Hate crime
  • Policing protest and disorder since 1945
  • Terrorism past and present
  • Transnational crime
  • Tackling recidivism & promoting desistance
  • Riots in England since 1980
  • Covert research in theory and practice

  • Political ideology
  • Children in care
  • Childhood and social policy
  • Diverse groups and needs
  • Children & young people’s rights
  • International youth justice systems

  • Choose an area of interest to you and conduct your own research project
  • Investigate the theory and academic debate around it
  • Develop a research question, strategy and methodology
  • Report your findings and make recommendations

Progression to the BA (Hons) in Criminal Justice

Certificate of Higher Education in Criminal Justice

Level 4 120 credits
Duration 54 weeks

Certificate of Higher Education in Criminal Justice

  • One third of an honours degree
  • Shows that you can study at university level
  • Credits count towards other qualifications – Foundation Degree, Dip HE or Degree

  • History of crime and punishment
  • The criminal justice system – an overview
  • The English legal system
  • The measurement of crime
  • Cybercrime and policing of ‘the dark web’
  • Psychology of crime

  • Multi-agency working
  • Working effectively
  • Relationship-based practice

Foundation Degree in Criminal Justice

Level 4 120 credits
Level 5 120 credits
Duration 108 weeks

Foundation Degree in Criminal Justice

  • Combine academic and workplace skills
  • Two-thirds of an Honours degree
  • Top up to a BA in just 30 weeks
  • Top up to a full BA (Hons) in 60 weeks

  • History of crime and punishment
  • The criminal justice system – an overview
  • The English legal system
  • The measurement of crime
  • Cybercrime and policing of ‘the dark web’
  • Psychology of crime

  • Multi-agency working
  • Working effectively
  • Relationship-based practice

  • Criminologies of the right and left
  • Gender, crime and justice
  • Serial killers
  • Crimes of the rich and powerful
  • The social construction of guilt and innocence

  • The needs of people who offend
  • Assessment & planning for care, safety & rehabilitation
  • Rehabilitation
  • Transitions

BA Criminal Justice

Level 4 120 credits
Level 5 120 credits
Level 6 60 credits
Duration 138 weeks

BA Criminal Justice

  • Requirement for many jobs
  • Extend your understanding of criminal justice
  • Develop the ability to think critically, form arguments and solve problems
  • Top up to a full BA (Hons) in just 30 weeks

  • History of crime and punishment
  • The criminal justice system – an overview
  • The English legal system
  • The measurement of crime
  • Cybercrime and policing of ‘the dark web’
  • Psychology of crime

  • Multi-agency working
  • Working effectively
  • Relationship-based practice

  • Criminologies of the right and left
  • Gender, crime and justice
  • Serial killers
  • Crimes of the rich and powerful
  • The social construction of guilt and innocence

  • The needs of people who offend
  • Assessment & planning for care, safety & rehabilitation
  • Rehabilitation

6 blocks from:

  • Drugs and society
  • Victims of crime
  • Hate crime
  • Policing protest and disorder since 1945
  • Terrorism past and present
  • Transnational crime
  • Tackling recidivism & promoting desistance
  • Riots in England since 1980
  • Covert research in theory and practice

  • Political ideology
  • Children in care
  • Childhood and social policy
  • Diverse groups and needs
  • Children & young people’s rights
  • International youth justice systems

BA (Hons) Criminal Justice

Level 4 120 credits
Level 5 120 credits
Level 6 120 credits
Duration 168 weeks

BA (Hons) Criminal Justice

  • Requirement for many jobs
  • Extend your understanding of criminal justice even further
  • Develop the ability to think critically, form arguments and solve problems
  • Conduct your own research project with support from a Learning Coach.

  • History of crime and punishment
  • The criminal justice system – an overview
  • The English legal system
  • The measurement of crime
  • Cybercrime and policing of ‘the dark web’
  • Psychology of crime

  • Multi-agency working
  • Working effectively
  • Relationship-based practice

  • Criminologies of the right and left
  • Gender, crime and justice
  • Serial killers
  • Crimes of the rich and powerful
  • The social construction of guilt and innocence

  • The needs of people who offend
  • Assessment & planning for care, safety & rehabilitation
  • Rehabilitation

6 blocks from:

  • Drugs and society
  • Victims of crime
  • Hate crime
  • Policing protest and disorder since 1945
  • Terrorism past and present
  • Transnational crime
  • Tackling recidivism & promoting desistance
  • Riots in England since 1980
  • Covert research in theory and practice

  • Political ideology
  • Children in care
  • Childhood and social policy
  • Diverse groups and needs
  • Children & young people’s rights
  • International youth justice systems

  • Choose an area of interest to you and conduct your own research project
  • Investigate the theory and academic debate around it
  • Develop a research question, strategy and methodology
  • Report your findings and make recommendations

Careers

If you already work in a paid or voluntary capacity in the criminal justice system or allied services, or would like to in the future, then our courses will enable you to improve your knowledge and skills and progress your career.

The skills you will develop, through formulating criminological questions and summarising and explaining theory and research findings, are relevant to a wide range of careers in addition to those directly related to criminology, such as local government work and social research.