Criminology and Sociology BA(Hons)

Course in brief

Criminology and Sociology is the ideal joint honours degree for those seeking to understand the changing world in which we live and combines the study of two academic subjects that share many theories and concepts.

The criminology part of the course focuses on one specific social phenomenon: crime. You will explore important questions about criminalisation, crime causation, crime control and the criminal justice system in both the UK and elsewhere, and will be encouraged to move beyond superficial understandings of crime and justice.

The sociology component of the degree enables new ways of thinking about the social world. During the three years of the degree you will have the opportunity to explore diverse perspectives on the relationship between the individual and society, with teaching staff who are active in researching social changes and concerns.

In both criminology and sociology there are a wide range of specialist topic options on contemporary issues to choose between and you have the opportunity to specialise further in your final year dissertation. Second year students can opt to take the Community Engagement module which involves a short placement with a community organisation.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

UCAS code LM39

Full-time 3 years

Applying for 2015?

Read our personal statement top tips, and find out how we take personal experience and potential into account when we make our offers. Find out more...

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course and should be used as a general guide. We operate a flexible admissions policy – this means that you could receive a lower conditional offer than the typical offer, informed by our assessment of your complementary non-academic achievements and experiences. For any courses that require interview or portfolio review, this may also be considered in the level of any conditional offer that follows if your application is successful.

A-levels
BBB. Applicants with only two full A-levels or a double award will be considered on an individual basis.

BTEC
DDM.

International Baccalaureate
30 points.

Access to HE Diploma
pass with 60 credits overall. Level 3 units in law or sociology preferred. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 18 credits at merit or above.

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

Foundation degree/HND/HNC
direct to year 2.

English language requirements
IELTS 6.0 overall, with 6.0 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

Otherrelevant professional experience.

International equivalencies

International equivalencies by country

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We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language institute |

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College |

For academic preparation courses

Course in detail

Course structure

The course covers the following areas of study:

deviance and control
youth and delinquency
the relationship between gender and crime
the relationship between race and crime, and
cross-cultural issues in crime and justice.

You are taught through a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshops, but there is an increasing emphasis on independent study as the course progresses. Although assessment is split between essays and exams in year 1, your second and final years consist mainly of coursework.

You have the opportunity to do a work placement in year 2 and also to enrol on our international exchange programme, which allows you to study in Spain or Sweden for a portion of your degree.

Year 1

In your first year, you will study modules that introduce you to both sociology and criminology. You will also begin to develop the research skills which you will use throughout your degree.

Modules

Contemporary Social Inequalities
Foundations of Sociology
Introduction to Criminal Justice Studies
Research Methods
Sociological Imaginations
Theories of Crime

Year 2

In your second year, you will build on the knowledge and skills you gained in year 1, and learn about the different ways in which societies try to control crime.

Community Engagement: Theory into Practice gives you the chance to do a voluntary work placement with a local organisation. It is an opportunity to put your knowledge and skills into practice and to gain insight into working life.

Previous students have worked with organisations including Sussex Police and Sussex Pathways, a mentoring scheme that aims to rehabilitate local offenders.

Modules

Community Engagement: Theory into Practice OR Critical Analysis
Criminologies of Crime Control
Critical Perspectives on Criminal Justice
Researching Social and Cultural Life
Sociology and the Life Course
Theorising the Social World

Final year

In your final year at Brighton, you will write a dissertation on a topic in criminology, sociology or both. The dissertation is an opportunity to develop an idea independently, with the support of an academic supervisor throughout.

Global Issues: Crime, Power, Harm is new and focuses on environmental crime, trafficking and international conflict.

Modules

Contemporary Studies in Crime and Justice
Cross-Cultural Criminology OR Global Issues: Crime, Power, Harm
Dissertation
Sociology Topic 1
Sociology Topic 2

Cupp

The Community University Partnership Programme (Cupp) aims to create sustainable partnerships that provide an enduring benefit to local communities and the University of Brighton.

They are the first point of contact for anyone with ideas for new ways of working together, helping to turn those ideas into projects, provide start-up funding and develop professional networks and communities of practice.

Cupp has been part of the University of Brighton since 2003. Through its strong community engagement programme and a range of local and regional initiatives, the project now encompasses over 130 academics, 1,000 students and 500 community partners.

Careers and employability

Alongside specialist subject knowledge, this degree provides the opportunity to develop a broad range of transferable skills that are relevant to numerous career pathways. Our graduates are working in diverse roles in the public, private and voluntary sectors including social research, social work, policing, probation, crime prevention, community safety planning, tackling youth offending, journalism, environmental management, teaching, housing and welfare services. Each year a number of graduates progress to postgraduate study at Brighton and other institutions.

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (Full-time) 9,000 GBP

International (Full-time) 13,500 GBP

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2015–16. 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 DBS 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 check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Visits and contacts tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee paying status.

Location and living here

Location

About Brighton

A cosmopolitan city famed for its nightlife, bohemian atmosphere and beautiful surroundings, Brighton is a great place to be a student.

Whether you prefer the natural delights of the sea and South Downs or the bustle of the North Laine shopping district, there are fantastic events throughout the year that reflect the huge amount of character – both historic and modern – that the city possesses.

Brighton is host to three university campuses: Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb and Falmer. Grand Parade is in the centre of town, while Moulsecoomb and Falmer are just ten minutes away by bus or by train.

Social scene – Most students head into the lively centre of Brighton for its mix of bars, pubs, clubs, theatres, comedy houses and live music venues. In the summer the seafront buzzes with activities and impromptu BBQs and picnics on the beach.

The Shakedown Festival brings big names to one of the last major festivals in the UK music calendar. The Great Escape meanwhile has been firmly established as the leading event for showcasing new music, with over 300 bands playing 30 venues across the city over three days.

Arts – Brighton hosts England’s biggest arts festival in May each year, and has a selection of highly regarded theatres, galleries and events, not to mention the quirky Royal Pavilion which has become a symbol of the city's eccentricities.

The Brighton Festival is now the largest arts festival in England, and is one of the major milestones in the international cultural calendar. The Brighton Fringe is one of the largest fringe festivals in the world.

Find out more about Brighton

Campus information

Falmer campus

Our Falmer campus is on the edge of the South Downs National Park, just four miles from the Brighton seafront.

With around 7,000 students based here, we've invested £60 million in this campus in the last 10 years, equipping it with outstanding modern facilities.

Over 600 students live in halls of residence, Great Wilkins and Paddock Field, both within walking distance. On this campus and there are a number of areas of Brighton that are popular with students a short cycle or bus ride away.

The campus has excellent sports facilities including:

a floodlit astroturf football pitch,
netball courts,
tennis courts,
a sports centre with a fitness suite,
two activity studios,
a sports hall with six badminton courts.

The campus is right next to Brighton & Hove Albion's Amex Stadium which houses not only football matches, but a number of events throughout the year.

Find out more about living in Brighton |

Maps

Accommodation

University building

Falmer campus and Brighton and Sussex Medical School map

Unistats

Unistats and key information sets

Unistats is an organisation that collects specific data about university courses in the UK which enables you to compare information that is important in your decision-making when choosing a university. All universities publish Unistats data on their online course pages.

Wherever we can we have provided extra information here to help put the data into context so that it is as useful as possible when you are making decisions.

Programme specification

Programme specifications are the official university documents that describe each course in detail. They reflect the course as it is being taught to students who started their course in this academic year. They are updated every summer, and give a very detailed breakdown of what your course might look like.

Programme specification

Visits and contacts

Find out more

School of Applied Social Science
01273 643988
sassenquiries@brighton.ac.uk

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Student views

Aderonke Alao

"I really enjoyed my degree, in particular the work placement in the second year where you have the opportunity to spend 50 hours working in a not-for-profit organisation.

"I worked for a children's charity, helping to engage local children through art. It was an independent placement that I found myself. The charity was based in Staffordshire but I worked on my own in the Brighton area.

"The placement gave me a really valuable experience of managing my own time, working with other professionals and working with children with disabilities."

Emine Ali-Jackson

"A personal highlight of the course was the Community Engagement module. For this I undertook a work placement at Varndean School, where I helped to mentor the pupils. This was a great experience as it allowed me to develop essential everyday skills such as patience, planning and communication.

"My overall university experience was excellent. I had quite a few ups and downs but it has really helped me to mature. The nature of independent living and looking after yourself prepares you for the real world. I also feel that working to deadlines is excellent preparation for life after university."