Criminology and Policing

Why study Criminology and Policing at ARU?

• Explore the latest themes in crime and crime prevention with a wide range of modules to suit your interests and career direction, including cyber crime, the dark web and trafficking and exploitation.
• Prepare for your career from the first semester: build a portfolio and CV, attend volunteer and employment fairs, attend our annual Criminology conference, and hear from key figures in criminal justice.
• Get hands-on with the latest case studies and research, interactive sessions, and opportunities for field trips.
• Receive support from staff with real-world experience: a significant part of your teaching in some modules will be delivered by policing and criminal justice practitioners such as former and active crime scene investigators.
• Take advantage of our links to local and national organisations, including regional police forces, which give you the chance to gain relevant work experience and engage with professionals from the criminal justice sector.
• Attend events organised by our International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute (IPPPRI), including conferences, workshops, study trips and research projects.
• Join a university at the forefront of investigating and initiating cultural change in uniformed services: our record £11million research grant from Research England is allowing us to extend our links with organisations within the sector.

As a BA (Hons) Criminology and Policing student at ARU, we’ll help you work towards your career goals from day one.

Through our relationship with regional police forces and practitioners, you’ll have opportunities to engage with professionals from the criminal justice sector through guest lectures (including those organised by our International Policing and Public Protection Research Institute), workshop events, study trips and research projects.

You may also have opportunities to work closely with local police forces. A recent student project, sponsored by Cambridge Constabulary, carried out research on police officer demographics and recruitment.

You can also choose to take an optional placement year.

You’ll be joining a university at the forefront of investigating and initiating cultural change in uniformed services, following a record £11million research grant for ARU from Research England for a project that will also further extend our links with organisations within the sector.

Our graduates go on to work in the police force, probation, prisons and youth justice, as well as the Border Force, the military, security, charities and NGOs, local government, and the public sector more generally. Others are using their skills in areas such as policy, PR, communication and the media.

If you’re already working in the criminal justice sector, you could follow in the footsteps of former students who’ve been able to progress their careers to graduate level.

You could also develop a specialism or start a career in research by taking part in our academic shadowing scheme or Cambridgeshire County Council’s violence prevention analysis programmes.

Or there’s the option to study for a Masters, such as our MA Contemporary Policing, MA Criminology or MA International Relations. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees.

Employability and personal career development

Informed by employers, our courses support an integrated approach to employability. You’ll have opportunities to develop the skills and abilities they are looking for and gain a deeper understanding of how your academic learning relates to the world of work through Live Briefs and Ruskin Modules.

To amplify your career ambition, you will need to actively dedicate time outside of your studies, whether you choose to explore placements, internships or volunteering. Or you could make a social impact by collaborating with our partner organisations through our volunteer scheme Students at the Heart of Knowledge Exchange (SHoKE). These all give you an edge, providing you with experience that you will be able to evidence on your CV and talk about in interviews.

Our Employability and Careers Service offers a range of expert advice and support to build your unique professional profile, including tailored career appointments, advice on writing your CV, and help to complete job applications. You’ll have 24/7 access to the Careers Centre, our comprehensive online digital resource, which empowers you to start building a Personal Career Development Plan from the very start. Design your future at ARU.