South East Technological University
BA (Hons) in Criminal Justice Studies
Waterford, Ireland
BA
DURATION
3 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
EUR 13,500
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
What is the BA (Hons) in Criminal Justice Studies?
The BA (Hons) in Criminal Justice Studies is a three-year degree course designed to equip the student with general knowledge and transferable skills while focusing on the broad theme of criminal justice. It is a multidisciplinary course.
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Applied Criminal Justice Studies
You can choose to spend an extra year (Year 3) where you will undertake a criminal justice placement as part of the academic year. Students who take this option will graduate after four years with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Applied Criminal Justice Studies.
Special features of the course
While this course is both inter-disciplinary and multidisciplinary in order to help students develop general academic skills, it is designed with those in mind who would like to enter the criminal justice professions and seeks to cater for their specific educational requirements.
Completion of a level 8 programme will also enable students to undertake taught Master's programmes or Master's degrees by research at SETU Waterford or other third-level colleges
Year 1
Semester 1
- Critical Thinking and Academic Skills
- Introduction to Criminal Justice Studies
- Introduction to Psychology
- Introduction to Sociological Problems
- Irish Law and Governance 1
- Social Policy, Poverty and Social Exclusion
Semester 2
- Applied Forensics
- Introduction to Research
- Irish Fundamental Rights
- Irish Law and Governance 2
- Irish Social Policy
- The Sociology of Contemporary Ireland
Year 2
Senester 3
- Applied Criminal Law 1
- Child and Family Protection Law
- Criminology 1
- Foundations of Ethics: Philosophical and Theological
- Human Rights Law
Semester 4
- Applied Criminal Law 2
- Criminology 2
- Criminological Research
- Policy and practice of youth justice in Ireland
- Prison Law
Year 3
Semester 5
- Introduction to Comparative Criminal Justice Systems
- Personal and Professional Development for Criminal Justice
- Psychology and Crime
- Social Ethics
- Victimology
Semester 6
- Criminal Trials
- Independent Study for Criminal Justice
- Policing and The Police
- Prisons, punishment and society
- Probation
Graduates from the BA (Hons) in Criminal Justice Studies may find employment in fields such as:
- The Probation Service
- The Security Industry
- The Civil Service
- An Garda Síochána
- The Prison Service
- Research
- Journalism
- Non-Governmental Organisations
- Banking


