Bachelor of Science (Honours) - Criminology and Policing

New for the 2022 academic year, the BSc Criminology and Policing degree will allow students to explore the criminal justice system and the wider context of policing, while developing a strong understanding of how the justice system operates.

Students will be taught by leading scholars in a Faculty driven by innovative research. The University of Roehampton team has extensive criminal justice experience, and what students will be taught is directly informed by research and consultancy work acting as advisors to the Government, Home Office, Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service. This degree will focus on developing students as a professional, equipping them with the skills and qualities they need for a career in the field of criminology.

Students will first be introduced to the key perspectives in criminology and supported to question and debate challenges within the criminal justice system through shared modules with the BSc Criminology and Criminal Justice course. As students progress, they will develop their ability to apply their knowledge through a range of authentic assessments – which could include digital campaigns and community engagement projects.

In the second and third years, students will be able to choose from a range of diverse, optional modules so that they can specialise in interests identified in their first year, including victim support, managing conflict situations, the handling of intelligence, interviewing victims and conducting investigations.

Students will be introduced to historical and contemporary theories of race, gender, ethnicity, religion and immigration, as well as the ongoing criminological debates surrounding the experiences of discriminated individuals within the justice system, and how over criminalisation amplifies social inequalities.

The course is designed to mould students into a well-rounded criminologist, meaning that they will also be able to develop their knowledge in areas such as the crimes of the powerful, media representations of crime, cybercrime, drug policy and family criminology.

A central feature of this programme is real-world engagement. Through connections with criminal justice agencies, students could study within a prison in the module ‘Prisons and Penal Policy’ alongside serving prisoners while engaging with community agencies, prisons and the police service. Students will have the opportunity to connect with experts in the sector and gain valuable work experience in an optional placement year between second and third year.

Students will graduate with an excellent grasp of indispensable skills in criminology and the social sciences, and the skills required to challenge current key ethical, political and moral questions about crime, justice and policing.

This course offers all students the option of a one-year paid work placement, to boost their employability even further. If students choose this route, they will take the placement following year two of their course, and then return to complete their degree.