University of Brighton
Print

Criminology
BA(Hons)

  • Course summary and entry requirements

    Course duration Help

    Full-time: 3 years

    Part-time: 5 years

    UCAS code L611

    About the course

    It is impossible to listen to the news without coming across crime stories. We seem fascinated by crime: from TV, cinema, and popular literature, stories about crime and justice grab our interest. Although recorded crime is now falling in the UK, it still remains a major social problem. Politicians always want to be tough on crime, it is a popular stance, but is tough the same as effective?

    This degree is for students interested in crime and in societies' responses to it, who wish to look deeper, behind the usual who and what, and instead explore crime as a social, political and cultural problem. Whereas crime scenes are surrounded by tape saying Police Line: Do not Cross, as criminologists we always have to cross those lines.

    Criminology appeals to people interested in getting to grips with a major current social issue, and how our responses to crime and our institutions of justice provide important insights into society.


    Typical entry requirements Help

    The entry requirements listed here are for students starting their course in 2014. Entry requirements for students thinking about starting a course in 2013 can be found in the online prospectus. Individual offers may vary

    A-levels:
    ABB.

    BTEC
    DDD.

    International Baccalaureate:
    34 points.

    Access to HE Diploma
    pass with 24 credits at merit or above. Sociology or law units preferred.

    GCSE (minimum grade C) or Access Equivalent
    at least three subjects including English language and mathematics or a science.

    For non-native speakers of English:
    IELTS 6.0 overall, with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

  • Course content

    Areas of study

    Defining Crime and Deviance; Explaining Crime and Criminal Behaviour; Exploring the Criminal Justice System (Policing, Courts, Penal System, Offender Management, Support for Victims); Examining Crime Prevention; Comparing Crime and Justice across Cultures; Exploring Contemporary Issues and Dilemmas in Criminal Justice.

    A new module developed specifically for this course explores Global Issues: Crime, Power and Harm, focusing upon environmental crime (green criminology); trafficking (drugs, people, weapons) and conflict.

    In year 2, placement and exchange opportunities are available with relevant agencies and many students undertake voluntary activities including mentoring training and working with young offenders. School research projects enable students to acquire practical research experience: project management, fieldwork and interviewing, data handling and analysis.

    Syllabus

    Year 1
    From Crime Scene to Court Room
    Explaining Crime and Criminals
    Penal Policy and Offender Management
    Criminological Theory

    Year 2
    Criminologies of Crime Control
    Critical Perspectives on Criminal Justice
    Criminal Law
    Policing and Society

    Year 3
    Cross-cultural Criminology
    Global Issues: crime, power and harm
    Challenges for Criminal Justice (options, for example: Youth Justice, Domestic Violence, Prison Reform, Gender and Justice, Effective Community Punishment, Supporting Victims; Prosecuting powerful offenders; Race and Justice)
    Contemporary Issues In Criminology (research-based including, for example, Riots and Protest, Gangs, Gender Violence, Cultural Criminology, Gun violence)

  • Fees and costs

    The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2013-14. Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and may be subject to small increases, in line with inflation.

    The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

    What's included in the fee?

    When costs such as health or criminal record checks, field trips or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

    You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply please check with the school that provides your course using the contact details on the left of this page for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

    Our website www.brighton.ac.uk/money provides advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee paying status.

    BA(Hons) Criminology

    Please contact us directly for exact tuition fees for this course.

     

  • Location

    Location Help Falmer

    Our Falmer campus is located on the edge of the South Downs National Park on the outskirts of Brighton. Approximately 7,000 students are based here.

    View campus maps and directions

    Living in Brighton

    Brighton’s rich mix of historic architecture, lively arts scene, varied shopping and cosmopolitan community make it a vibrant, enjoyable place to live. It is no wonder that many Brighton graduates choose to stay here.

    Social scene

    Alongside the traditional seaside attractions, Brighton is famed for its exciting social scene with a wide choice of pubs, clubs and restaurants.

    Music event on the beach

    Arts

    The highlight of the city’s cultural year is the Brighton Festival. The event is held each May and is England’s biggest arts festival, which showcases arts and performance from around the world. Brighton is also home to the UK’s oldest working cinema, the Duke of York’s, which shows alternative and mainstream films. The city is also well known for its exciting music scene and hosts The Great Escape music festival.

    Burning the Clocks winter solstice festival

    Sports

    Whether you take your sport seriously or just want to keep fit, Brighton offers all kinds of sports opportunities and facilities, on and off campus. You can also make the most of the location, and play volleyball, basketball and windsurfing down by the beach. The seafront is also the finishing point for the famous London – Brighton bicycle ride and the quirky veteran car run.

    Playing volleyball on the seafront

  • Career opportunities

    Graduates may follow careers in policing, security (including research, crime and data analysis), criminal justice, crime prevention, community safety planning, tackling youth offending, youth services, research, evaluation, voluntary agencies and government.

    Visit the careers service website.

  • More...

     Excellent Facilities

    The School of Applied Social Science is located on the attractive Falmer campus, only four miles from central Brighton.  Facilities at Falmer include a state of the art computer centre, extensive library and a media resources centre for student use.

    Other student support services include the university’s careers centre, welfare service, a counselling service, chaplaincy and childcare provision.

    Research

    To keep our teaching well-informed, interesting and dynamic, our dedicated criminology and sociology lecturers are involved in national and international research and are frequently reported in local, national and international media

    SASS criminology professor quoted in the Wall Street Journal

    Peter Squires: Straight shooter, The Guardian, October 2007

    Crimestoppers UK

    Our degrees enable students to acquire the essential research skills needed for investigating experience and behaviour. They are supported in developing the ability to conduct research independently.

    Community participation and development

    Teaching and research within the School of Applied Social Science is supported by our links with local communities.

    The School’s close working relationship with the university’s Community University Partnership project (Cupp) allows us to offer our undergraduate students the opportunity to combine practical experience within a community or voluntary organisation with academic study. 

    The Community Participation and Development (CPD) module offers the opportunity to explore some of your personal values and aspirations while working for 30 to 50 hours on a relevant placement.  Staff and students provide their skills and expertise, working alongside community organisations to help them achieve their aims.  For example students on criminology courses may wish to work with a crime prevention organisation while sociology students may wish to work in a homeless shelter or a local pressure group.

    It is offered in 10- and 20-credit modules at levels 2 and 3, and assessment is based on reflective as well as analytical assignments which encourage you to look at your own personal journey as well as the policy and practice of the organisation in which your placement is based.

Criminology

Applying for 2013 entry

We have limited places available on this course.

Please call us for advice 01273 644644

Application process
Book your open day place
Find out more

01273 643988
Email sassenq@brighton.ac.uk

Crime, its causes and how we respond to it

Taking a degree in criminology at Brighton will give you a cutting edge grasp on new theories, methods and approaches to crime, its prevention and its consequences.

Visit our criminology pages for more information.

Visit the school that delivers this course