Criminology and Sociology BA (Hons)

University of Keele

Criminology and Sociology at Keele covers the core, grounding concepts of Sociology whilst exploring the various areas of the criminal justice system including policing, prisons, and rehabilitation. Keele was at the forefront of offering a named Bachelor's degree in Criminology in the UK and has many years experience of teaching Criminology to undergraduate students. In Criminology and Sociology we are committed to innovative, imaginative, and problem-solving approaches, you will be encouraged to become an independent and critical thinker.

Why choose this course?

• Global Top 300 for Social Sciences (Times Higher Education World University Subject Rankings, 2022)
• Keele was the first UK university to offer a named undergraduate degree in Criminology
• Option to study abroad to experience a different culture and society at a partner university
• Sociology is taught by specialists in areas such as migration, cultural studies, consumer culture, family, anthropological perspectives, and environmental sociology
• Criminology explores specialisms such as policing, prisons, drugs and alcohol dependency, youth justice, probation and transnational crime

This combined honours degree allows you to consider major global challenges through both a sociological and criminological lens.

Within the Sociology element of the programme, you will gain insight into various aspects of the social world and how these areas influence the social challenges faced by individuals. You will explore topics such as ethnicity, class, migration, and feminism, and consider the historical explanations and developments for these areas in the contemporary world. You will investigate how these topics promote inclusion in society or create social divisions based on different opinions and experiences. This will encourage you to have an analytical approach to different theories and explanations and develop fair arguments based on data and your individual critical viewpoint.

Within Criminology you will explore what crime is and how it is defined by the law and public opinion. You will build your awareness of a range of different perspectives and explore why it is important to think about crime, its impacts and how it could be prevented in future.

You will research the theoretical explanations to understand the motivations for criminal behaviour and the subsequent investigation process. You will consider the many factors that may influence a person to commit crime such as socio demographic issues, peer groups and culture. You will evaluate how these influencing factors may differ internationally, for example, what is perceived to be a crime and the way it is controlled and dealt with by authorities across the globe.

About Keele

Keele University was established in 1949 by the former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. Founded to meet the needs of a changing world, Keele has always had a pioneering vision to be a different kind of university.

We excel in both teaching and research, with some of the most satisfied students in England, and research that is changing lives for the better at a regional, national and global level.

Our beautiful 600-acre campus is one of the biggest in Britain – but all the most important services and facilities are on your doorstep, with accommodation, teaching spaces, facilities including a medical centre, sports centre and pharmacy, and a range of shops, eateries and entertainment venues – including the Students’ Union – clustered around the centre.