Department of Sociology | BA Criminology (with Placement Year)

BA Criminology (with Placement Year) at Durham University

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What is crime? Why does it occur? And what are the best ways to address it? Study the answers to these kinds of questions with a degree in Criminology.

Criminology aims to understand Crime & Deviance from a Social Perspective, exploring how Crime and Society are connected. We seek to answer questions like: 'Why are some people more likely to commit crimes than others?' , 'Why are some people more likely to be victimised?'; 'How can crime be effectively prevented or controlled?', and so on.

From a more critical perspective we also consider why some activities are defined as ‘criminal’ in the first place and what this tells us about the workings of power and authority in society.

As a Criminology student, you will join a dynamic learning and research community, which includes internationally recognised experts actively engaged in shaping Criminal Justice Policy. Our degree will challenge your opinions and develop your critical understanding, both about crime as well as the social and politics contexts within which it occurs. You will study Theories of Criminality & Criminal Justice, the roles and operation of criminal justice institutions and explore specific topics such as Gender-Based Violence, Cybercrime and Sex Work.

You will also learn how to design and carry out criminological research through research projects carried out in the second and final year of study. We offer the option to undertake a placement with a local community organisation to deploy your knowledge in an applied setting.

In Criminology, as well as building detailed subject-specific knowledge of criminological issues, our courses are designed to develop transferable skills that are valuable for both personal and professional development including, how to assemble and evaluate evidence, how to turn evidence into an effective argument, how to design a research project and analyse data.

Our graduates work in a wide range of employment settings worldwide, including the criminal justice system, the Civil Service, local and national government, banking, academic research and law (through graduate conversion programmes).

Sociology provides the combination of sociological knowledge and transferable skills gained during your studies will prepare you for a career in many different sectors. From interpreting and evaluating information to analysing situations and constructing a persuasive argument, these skills are highly valued by employers and will give you a competitive edge.

Sociology graduates work in a wide range of settings all over the world, including health and welfare, local and central government and the Civil Service, education, the police, social research, the media and non-profit organisations. Many recent graduates from the Department have progressed to careers with high-profile employers including M&S, Mencap, Accenture and Unilever. Others have moved on to postgraduate study and academic research.

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