Home Courses Criminology and Sociology BSc (Hons) Criminology

BSc (Hons) Criminology

Examine the causes and impacts of crime

Examine the causes and impacts of crime

UCAS Logo
L370
3 years full-time
Bishop Otter Campus (Chichester)
  • Explore who commits crimes and why 
  • Understand the law and judiciary system
  • Learn to handle data and predict criminal behaviour
  • Gain career insights from working professionals
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Top 40

UK University

Guardian University Guide 2024

Gold

rated university in the Teaching Excellence Framework

TEF 2023

7th

in the UK for teaching quality

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022

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Overview

Explore the psychological and social factors that cause people to commit crimes

Our BSc (Hons) Criminology degree explores the scientific study of crimes and why people commit them, the justice system, and the duty of care we have to those who have engaged in deviant behaviour.

Study innovative and ground-breaking criminology topics

Using the latest research and practice, you will explore the psychological and social factors behind deviant behaviour in relation to variety of crimes, as well as the judicial consequences and processes that come with them.

Discover a range of topics that include:

  • Criminal law
  • Cyber-crime and security
  • Mental health and forensic psychology
  • Penology
  • Policing and police investigation
  • Terrorism
  • Young people and crime

Understand the law and the criminal justice system

Throughout your degree you will gain an in-depth knowledge of the operations of the criminal justice, as well as learn more about criminal law and its applications within the judiciary system.

Examine the impacts of crime

You will consider the impact of crime upon individuals, communities, and wider society, as you use the latest research to examine how crime can be prevented and the rehabilitation of offenders.

Use scientific data to predict criminal behaviour

During the course, you will receive scientific and statistics training to develop critical and analytical skills, as you learn how to handle data that you can use to predict criminal behaviour.

Learn from expert active researchers and ex-police staff

Our team of active researchers and experienced experts bring their knowledge and research directly into the classroom with them to ensure that you engage with the latest innovations and theories.

Small teaching groups for more personalised support

Our small, interactive seminars mean you are seen as an individual, not just another face in the crowd as our lecturers get to know you and how best to support your academic and personal development.

Gain vital professional insights on future careers

Our dedicated ‘Criminology in Professional Practice’ module in your third allows you to hear directly from working professionals about the career opportunities relevant to a criminology degree.

On this course you will:

  • Examine the psychological and social causes of crime and its consequences.
  • Understand the role of the law and the inner workings of the criminal justice system.
  • Gain key scientific skills in data handling and analysis as you learn to predict criminal behaviour.
  • Learn from ex-police staff and expert researchers who really get to know you and your needs.
  • Hear about your future career options from professionals working within criminology-related fields

The Course

Gain an in-depth understanding of crime, criminals, and the systems that deal with them

Year One

Your first year will introduce you to the foundations of criminological study, as you gain insights into the key issues and debates, consider how society manages crime and criminals, and explore the broad concepts that underpin human rights, diversity, and duty of care.

In addition, you’ll begin to gain the scientific and statistical skills required to conduct research in criminology.

Year Two

In your second year, you will examine more specialist topics as you broaden your understanding of aspects including criminal law, mental health and forensic psychology, cybercrime and security, and classic criminology case studies.

In addition, you will further your knowledge of and skills in statistical data management, as well as the design and implementation of research experiments.

Year Three

In your final year, you will work to apply your acquired subject knowledge and research skills ahead of a final year project on a topic of your choice, as you also investigate young people and crime and wider international law.

Criminology in Professional Practice module

Our careers-focused module in your third year introduces you to the practice in real life of criminology and give you an idea of where you could apply your skills, as you explore jobs relating to criminology degrees.

Indicative modules

You will study a selection of core and optional modules in each year. Each module is worth a number of credits and is delivered differently depending on its content and focus of study.

This list is indicative and subject to change.

Select a year

Crime and Punishment

This module explores key issues and debates in criminology and gives you a solid foundation in these topics.

You will explore:

  • The origins of crime
  • Categorisation of crime
  • Theories of crime
  • Psychological frameworks of crime.

Crime and Society

This module examines how society manages crime and criminals and introduces you to the wider judicial and prison systems.

You will consider:

  • The role of the media
  • Moral panics
  • Emerging crimes
  • World approaches to crime.

Crime, Diversity and Duty of Care

This module will explore the broad concepts that underpin human rights, diversity and duty of care.

You will focus on the development of social identities and the relationship between diversity, discrimination and oppression.

Your research will be based on the initial premise that British society is diverse and includes a wide variety of cultures and will explore racism to exemplify the impact of oppression on marginalised people.

Criminal Law I

This module introduces you to the different aspects of criminal law, which examines the theory underpinning criminal law and the elements of criminal liability, as well as providing an understanding of a range of criminal offences and the ability to analyse and evaluate related case law. You will also continue to develop legal reasoning, research and referencing skills.

Everyday Experience & Psychological Methods: Exploring Positive Psychology

The module explores the experience of positive psychology relating the need to understand one’s own motivation, aspirations, and goals to:

  • Self-development
  • Personality
  • Need for achievement
  • Self-efficacy
  • Self-esteem.

You will explore psychological theories and empirical findings from investigations into needs, motivation, and self-concept.

Foundations of Research Methods

This module will introduce you to the statistical skills required to conduct research in criminology. You will learn to generate a research question and hypotheses as well as sources and types of error. You will examine additional parametric statistics including the application of t-test to compare experimental conditions.

Religion, Ethics and Violence

This module will introduce you to the historical study of religion and ethics and investigate the important contemporary question of the relationship between religion, ethics and violence.

Study & Research Skills for Social Scientists

This module is an opportunity to advance your personal, research and study skills and will support other content-led teaching. You will be assessed through a report and research participation.

Contemporary Security Studies

This module will give you a critical understanding of security studies that goes beyond the disciplinary boundaries of International Relations.

You will question the meaning of security, its referent objects and issues, and how security is supposed to be achieved. You will engage with various theoretical approaches to security, ranging from the realist tradition and game theory to peace studies and critical theory.

You will also explore contemporary security challenges, such as counterterrorism, migration and human security.

Criminal Law II

This module continues to develop your understanding of criminal law, including how to examine homicide and non-fatal offences, understanding a range of defences and developing your ability to analyse and evaluate related case and statutory law and proposed reforms.

Criminology Classics and Controversies

In this module, you will develop your critical knowledge of classic and contemporary criminological cases and your understanding of the role of criminology in understanding different forms of crime. You will have the opportunity to compare and contrast profiles of criminological cases.

Cybercrime and Security

In the age of technology and digitalisation, crime has become more diverse and often easy commit. This module introduces cybercrime and cybersecurity and will cover key emerging research on this contemporary topic.

Mental Health and Forensic Psychology

This module is an opportunity to explore a comprehensive range of key constructs, theories, and research in mental health and forensic psychology. You will examine the numerous ways that psychological research, methods, and expertise are applied to the study of criminal behaviour and the issues that psychopathology create within the context of the criminal justice system.

Research Methods: Experimental Designs & Analysis

This module will develop your understanding of experimental designs and associated methods of analysis, and introduce you to research ethics.

Research Methods: Survey and Qualitative Designs and Analysis

The module aims to develop your understanding of survey and qualitative designs and associated methods of analysis related.

Law of Evidence

This module will introduce the legal, procedural, and evidential rules relating to criminal evidence from arrest to court. You will study a fictional case study to examine the different types of evidence, the admissibility of evidence, the use of evidence in court, and its probative value. In addition, you will continue to develop legal reasoning, research and referencing skills.

Criminology in Professional Practice

This will introduce you to the practice in real life of criminology and give you an idea of where you could apply your skills.

You will explore jobs relating to criminology degrees, including:

  • Community development worker
  • Detective
  • Police officer
  • Prison officer
  • Probation officer
  • Social worker
  • Youth worker.

Independent Project

You are encouraged to adopt a problem-oriented approach. the first stage is to identify a problem in Criminology of interest. You will determine an appropriate approach to addressing the problem through discussion with tutors who have relevant theoretical and practical expertise. Your investigation may be based within a single discipline or it may involve more than one discipline, but it must be based within your chosen degree programme.

International Law

This module introduces you to international law: the body of law which governs the legal relations between or among states and nations.

You will study the theories, principles and processes of international law, including its sources, legal personality, jurisdiction and realms of responsibility.

In addition, you will also be introduced to debates about the regulation of international activities, including the use of force, dispute settlement processes, human rights, and the role of the UN.

Project Management and Presentation Skills

This project will support you to develop a wide range of skills from project management to the ability to present your research results in an accessible form. You will develop their scientific reasoning and reporting skills and produce a poster to present your research work.

Sexual Offenders: Across the Life Course

This module will introduce you to the theoretical models that underpin sexually problematic behaviours perpetrated across the life course, while considering the typology of offenders in this cohort.

Young People and Crime

You will examine the factors that contribute to young people becoming involved in crime and consider crimes committed against them. You will explore the Youth Justice System in the UK and the interventions offered to young people to reduce their offending behaviour.

Cyber Law

This module will help you develop an understanding of a range of contemporary legal and regulatory issues relating to the internet, internetrelated technologies, the web and various online ecosystems.

The module will consider discrete thematic, contemporary topics connected to the online cyber sphereSome of the topics are regulatory, others concern civil law, and some involve criminal offences.

It is a highly topical module and ever-changing as human engagement with these online ecosystems is in a constant state of flux and development.

During this module you will examine domestic, comparative and international legal and regulatory responses, offering a contextual, critical perspective on the subject matter. 

Teaching and Assessment

Feel the support of our expert and experienced staff

Smaller class sizes for better learning

You will build your subject knowledge and practical experience through lectures, workshops, and tutorials in small classes, which means our expert teaching staff really get to know you and what support you need.

Learn more about our teaching staff

Stephanie Jane Bennett

Programme Coordinator for BSc Criminology; Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Forensic Psychology

Stephanie is a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society as well as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

As well as a BSc, MSc and PhD in Psychology, she also has a MSc Degree in Crime Science Investigation and Intelligence. Stephanie has experience of working for the NHS, NGOs as well as extensive experience of teaching and researching across both Criminology and Psychology.

Moitree Banerjee

Head of Psychology and Criminology/ Reader in Clinical Psychology.

Moitree is the Head of Psychology and Criminology Programme in the Institute of Psychology, Business and Human Sciences. She is a Reader in Clinical Psychology.

Benjamin T. Sharpe

Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology, Programme Coordinator for the BSc Criminology and Forensic Psychology, and Academic Board Member

Benjamin is a lecturer and a researcher in cognitive psychology at the Institute of Psychology, Business, and Human Sciences of the University of Chichester. Ben is currently a member of the Universities Academic Board and the Research and Innovation Committee, and staff CPD coordinator and technology officer within his institute.

James Stiller

Senior Lecturer in Psychology

James has taught, developed, and led on a range of undergraduate and postgraduate psychology modules and courses.

James has a diverse range of research interests, including:

  • Social network analysis and the evolution of social groups
  • The connection between engaging with nature and wellbeing
  • Visual perception
  • Reading and maths comprehension in children
  • Bullying behaviour in schools

Roy Spina

Senior Lecturer in Psychology in Cultural and Individual Differences Psychology

Roy completed his BSc in Psychology at University of British Columbia, before undertaking his MSc and PhD in Social and Personality psychology at Queen’s University (Canada), acquiring a strong background in research methodology and statistics, with an emphasis on quantitative experimental research.

In addition to being Academic Advisor and Research Degrees Co-ordinator, Dr Spina is the Research Lead for the department.

Rachel King

Lecturer in Biological Psychology

Rachel leads several second-year modules in the Department, in addition to supervising extended project qualification and BSc dissertation projects.

Currently, Rachel is interested in the functional impact of prospective memory deficits and the potential of hyperthermic conditioning for slowing the progression of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease.

She is also a graduate member of the British Psychological Society.

Michelle Cleveland

Senior Lecturer in Psychology

Michelle is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Institute of Education, Social and Life Sciences.

Michelle has taught, developed, and led on a range of undergraduate modules and courses, including Organisational Psychology, Qualitative Research Methods, Social Psychology, and Applied Psychological Skills.

She is a Chartered Psychologist, a Chartered Scientist, an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society as well as a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Contact Time

Each module has three hours of contact time per week and includes lectures, seminars, and workshops.

Assessments

You will be assessed through a range of assignments, including:

  • Scientific reports
  • Essays
  • Group and individual presentations
  • Poster design
  • Multiple choice papers
  • Short answer papers
  • Research participation
  • Case studies

Experience

Discover our range of specialist research equipment and facilities

Kasia

Criminology student
"I chose to study at the University of Chichester after coming to an open day and instantly falling in love with the university. I instantly got the feeling that this is the right university for me and where I can see myself spending the next years of my life, belonging. I met and spoke to a few lecturers and even just from few minutes of speaking to them I could tell that they care about all students on an individual basis. The atmosphere on campus is amazing, it really is a home away from home. "

Integrated Foundation Year Option

Build your academic confidence and skills with an initial foundation year

We also offer our BSc (Hons) Criminology with Integrated Foundation Year course.

This four-year course includes an integrated, introductory foundation year that develops your academic skills and confidence, as well as provides you with an overview of core topics that you will build upon in your further years of study.

Study Abroad

Explore the opportunity to study part of your course abroad

As a student at the University of Chichester, you can explore opportunities to study abroad during your studies as you enrich and broaden your educational experiences.

Students who have undertaken this in the past have found it to be an amazing experience to broaden their horizons, a great opportunity to meet new people, undertake further travelling and to immerse themselves within a new culture.

You will be fully supported throughout the process to help find the right destination institution for you and your course. We can take you through everything that you will need to consider, from visas to financial support, to help ensure that you can get the best out of your time studying abroad.

Careers

Where you could go after your studies

Our BSc (Hons) Criminology degree provides a strong foundation for a wide variety of careers, in particular areas including the police, prison service, youth justice, probation service.

Careers routes after this degree include: 

  • Policing
  • Justice or legal systems
  • Probation service
  • Home Office or civil service
  • Social welfare
  • HM Revenue and Customs
  • Data analysis
  • Market, government, or social research

Further Study

You may decide to continue your study at the University of Chichester and undertake a postgraduate degree. Our postgraduate courses offer you the opportunity to deepen your knowledge and greatly improve your career prospects. Postgraduate study options available at Chichester include Masters, PGCE and PhD.

Course Costs

Course Fees 2024/25

UK fee
£9,250
International fee
£15,840

For further details about fees, please see our Tuition Fee page.

For further details about international scholarships, please see our Scholarships page.

To find out about any additional costs on this course, please see our Additional Costs page.

Entry Requirements

Typical offers (individual offers may vary):

UCAS
104-120
tariff points from A levels or combination with AS / EPQ / BTEC/ Cambridge Technical.
A Levels
BBB-BCC
BTEC/Cambridge Technical
DDM-DMM
GCSEs
C/4 or better
English language, mathematics, and a science.
Access to HE Diploma
Pass
IB
26-28 points
IELTS
with no element lower than 5.5.

Are you interested in this course and would like to learn more? Please email Professor Esther Burkitt on e.burkitt@chi.ac.uk for admissions queries.

Integrated Foundation Year

We offer an integrated foundation year with BSc (Hons) Criminology. This option is for you if you are interested in Criminology but do not meet the course entry requirements yet, or if you want more time to prepare for higher education.

Non-standard Application Entry Routes

The University has an alternative entry route for applicants who have relevant skills and experience but who do not hold the formal minimum entry qualifications required. Applicants who demonstrate the necessary skills and experience to enter a course of higher education will be asked to complete an entry task involving the completion of specially set assignments

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