BA (Hons) Criminology and Sociology

Why study Criminology and Sociology at ARU?

• Study on a well-regarded course – our Sociology courses ranked 18th in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2024.
• 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.

On this degree you will explore the most recent ideas, issues and debates in Criminology and Sociology such as the media, its moral panics and promotion of fear; sex, violence and the profiling of such offenders; deviant behaviour; youth offending; war and terror and genocide, giving you a specialist perspective on crime and society.

You can tailor your BA (Hons) Criminology and Sociology degree to your interests and career goals through a wide choice of optional modules. You might choose to focus on issues from corporate crime to human rights, and sexual violence to burglary. Or you might want to explore the link between intoxicants and crime, or religion and crime.

Our Criminology and Sociology degree will equip you with skills in independent, creative, critical and analytical thinking. These are valued in industries as wide-ranging as journalism and the media, business administration and management, health management, the Civil Service, teaching, social care, social research, the police, prison and probation services.

Specialist modules in years 2 and 3 and our excellent links with employers such as Cambridgeshire Police, the National Crime Agency and the Probation Service will help you tailor your degree towards your career goals.

You could also learn more about sociology, develop a specialism or start an exciting career in research with our MA Sociology or MA Criminology. 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.

You will need to dedicate time outside of your course to develop your employability, through placements, internships or volunteering or through our partner scheme Students at the Heart of Knowledge Exchange (SHoKE). You can evidence this experience on your CV and talk about it in interviews to give you that all important edge.

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.