BA Criminology

Start date
September
Duration
3 years
UCAS code
M901
Course Type
Undergraduate
Fees

For 2024/25:
£9,250 (UK students) 
£22,380 (International Students) 
More detail on Fees and Funding.

Criminology at the University of Birmingham is about understanding the social implications of crime – and its impact on local and global communities.

Criminology as a discipline helps us to make sense of crime and related issues of punishment and victimisation. A unique aspect of the BA Criminology programme at the University of Birmingham is the focus given to social harm, as well as the social drivers and social origins of crime. We are interested in the social context within which crime is committed and the relationship between crime and other social problems such as poverty and inequality. 

Our BA Criminology degree has been carefully constructed to provide you with a unique opportunity to develop your skills in explaining complex social problems in terms of criminological theory, and to be able to apply conceptions of human rights in order to evaluate efforts to prevent harm and ensure personal safety. 

By studying a Criminology degree at the University of Birmingham you will be confident in both applying and understanding:

  • the traditional criminological questions from various standpoints. You will be able to contextualise the causes of crime within their societal context and re-evaluate criminal justice responses on the basis of the harms caused.
  • contemporary debates around harm and crime and be challenged to consider how our societies should respond to pressing problems, such as domestic violence, knife crime, or drug related crime, as well as supranational issues like genocide and transnational crime.
  • the development of criminal justice institutions (police, prisons and courts) in the UK and a comparative context, as well as the relationships between these systems, as mechanisms to respond to crimes and social harms
  • the construction and representation of crimes and social harms, and of responses to these in policy making, mass media, social media and public opinion
  • the understanding and appropriate use of research strategies and methods in criminological research

Modules

The first year will provide an introduction to Criminology and within your second and final years you will have more options to tailor your degree. By your final year, you will be prepared to conduct your own research project. You will have the opportunity to explore knowledge and policy in an area of your choice and particular interests. Additionally, module options at this level draw upon the research expertise of the Department and its research centres, which brings contemporary policy debates and research directly into the programme and further enables you to benefit from excellent, world-leading, contemporary research.

Throughout your degree, you will have the flexibility to tailor your options towards your career choice. During your second year you will have the opportunity to undertake an optional placement with a criminal justice agency/voluntary sector organisation.*

First year modules

Compulsory

  • Criminological Theory I
  • Violence in a Global Context
  • Crime and Society
  • Contemporary Criminological Issues 
  • Social Research I (Part 1)
  • Social Research I (Part 2)
  • Social Problems and Social Policy: Social Science in Action Part 1
  • Social Problems and Social Policy: Social Science in Action Part 2

Second year modules

Compulsory

  • Social Research II
  • Criminological Theory II

You will choose your remaining credits from a range of optional modules, such as:

  • Terror, Threat and Security
  • Media and Society
  • Doing Justice
  • Histories of Criminal Justice and Empire 
  • Enterprising Solutions to Social Problems 
  • Youth, Crime and Justice
  • Sociology of Health and Illness
  • Contemporary Issues in Policing
  • Punishment in a Global Context

Third year

Compulsory

  • Dissertation
  • Harmful Societies: Crime, Social Harm, Social Justice

You will choose your remaining credits from a range of optional modules, such as:

  • Crime and the City
  • Quantitative Data Analysis
  • From Beveridge to May: The Political History of the Welfare State From the Second World War to the Present Day
  • Divided Publics?
  • Prospects for Social Policy in the UK
  • Your Money and Your Life: From Welfare State to Personal Finance
  • Technology and Society
  • Power, Control and Resistance
  • Genocide and Mass Atrocities
  • New Migration and Superdiversity 
  • Mental Health and Society 

Unless indicated otherwise the modules listed for this programme are for students starting in 2024.


Please note: The modules listed on the website for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules; in this event we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

Fees

For UK students beginning their studies in September 2024, the University of Birmingham will charge the maximum approved tuition fee per year. The fees for your first year of study will therefore be £9,250. Visit our tuition fees page for more information.

Learn more about fees and funding.

UK students

Full-time: £9,250

International students

Full-time Band 1 (Classroom): £22,380

Scholarships

At Birmingham we ensure that fears about finance do not constrain prospective students from considering university and that excellence is rewarded.

The University offers a range of additional financial support for students studying at Birmingham in the form of bursaries, grants and scholarships.

Learn more about our Scholarships and Bursaries.

How To Apply

Apply through UCAS at www.ucas.com using code: M901.

University of Birmingham's UCAS code number is: B32.

Learn more about applying including information on how to write a great Personal Statement and how to make your application stand out.

Standard offer

International Requirements



Number of A levels required:
3
Typical offer:
ABB
General Studies:
Not accepted

BTEC Extended Diploma, Diploma and Subsidiary Diploma are all considered.

Learn more about entry requirements

Alternative offers through our Pathways to Birmingham programmes and our Contextual Offer scheme

Students who are eligible and successfully complete a Pathways to Birmingham programme will receive special consideration from admissions tutors and an alternative offer (typically two grades below the standard offer). In addition, our Contextual Offer Scheme recognises the potential of students whose personal circumstances may have restricted achievement in school or college. If you are eligible to benefit from the contextual offer scheme, you will receive an offer which is one grade lower than the standard offer.

International Students

International Baccalaureate Diploma: 6,5,5 at Higher Level with a minimum of 32 points overall.

Standard English language requirements apply. 
Learn more about international entry requirements (IELTs : 7.0 with no less than 6.5 in any band).

Depending on your chosen course of study, you may also be interested in one of our foundation pathways, which offer specially structured programmes for international students whose qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to UK universities. Further details can be found on Birmingham International Academy web pages.

We advocate an enquiry-based approach to learning, which means that we encourage you to become an independent and self-motivated learner. Through the programme of study we offer, we will develop the qualities that employers value in today's university graduates - qualities that will set you apart in your future career.

How will I be taught?

During your time as a Criminology student at Birmingham, your learning will be facilitated through a blend of teaching, learning and assessment methods, and you will experience teaching through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops, and tutorials.

Learning settings

Your learning will take place in a range of different settings, from scheduled teaching in lectures and small group tutorials, to self-study and peer group learning (for example preparing and delivering presentations with your classmates).

Personal tutors

You will be assigned your own personal tutor who will get to know you as you progress through your studies. They will provide academic support and advice to enable you to make the most of your time here at Birmingham.

Support

We have dedicated wellbeing officers who provide professional support, advice and guidance to students across a range of issues. They can meet with you to discuss extensions, disabilities, reasonable adjustments, extenuating circumstances, or talk through any problems you might be experiencing, and help you access wider support on campus and beyond.

Our Academic Skills Centre also offers you support with your learning. The centre is a place where you can develop your mathematical, academic writing and general academic skills. It is the centre's aim to help you to become a more effective and independent learner through the use of a range of high-quality and appropriate learning support services. These range from drop-in sessions to workshops on a range of topics including note-taking, reading, writing and presentation skills.

Contact hours

For all undergraduate modules students attend 1 lecture and 1 seminar per week. In total, this will comprise 20 hours of lectures and 20 hours of seminars for each module during the course of the year. 

Internships and work experience

We have developed a range of internships and funded work experience placements that will enhance both your professional and personal skills whilst giving you the practical experience that is required by almost all graduate employers. In addition to funding and support, we offer unique opportunities to help you to rise above the competition, with global internships and placements available.

A degree in Criminology prepares you perfectly for a career in the criminal justice system, policy or the third sector:

  • Neighbourhood Police Constable – West Midlands Police
  • Policy Advisor – Ministry of Justice

We are recognised for our commitment to supporting you throughout your studies and beyond. This has been possible with a multi-million-pound investment into our student employability services and national award-winning internships and placements both in the UK and overseas.

In the latest Complete University Guide league table for 2023, Birmingham is ranked 14th out of 130 institutions surveyed. We are ranked the 3rd most targeted university of top UK employers (High Fliers Research 2023).

Our Careers Network works with a range of partners to ensure that professional and skilled roles are advertised to our students and graduates, with links to the world’s top graduate recruiters. We host over 200 major events each year, which include industry specific careers fairs and individual employer presentations.

As a BA Criminology student, you will be able to take part in our skills series programme, giving you the opportunity to enhance your skills through workshops with key employers. We have the unique Birmingham Award, which is the University of Birmingham’s recognised employability programme for undergraduate students. It enables you to develop, recognise and articulate your professional skills in preparation for real-world recruitment processes. We have developed a range of internships and funded work experience placements that will enhance both your professional and personal skills while giving you the practical experience that is required by almost all graduate employers.

In addition to funding and support, we offer unique opportunities to help you to rise above the competition, with global internships and placements available. Mentoring is a unique opportunity that allows students to receive one-to-one advice from a professional working in an area they are interested in. This can be a great way to understand how to succeed in this area and be better prepared for the workplace as well as receive practical advice on employability.

Visit the University of Birmingham Careers pages for further information on how we are 'connecting you to your future'.