
BA (Hons) Criminology and Policing with Foundation Year
DURATION
4 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 9,250 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Sep 2024 fee: UK - ยฃ9,250 per annum; International - ยฃ17,550 per annum London, ยฃ16,700 non-London
Key Summary
Introduction
The course is a 4 year BA in Criminology and Policing including a Foundation Year. The course is aimed at students who may be critical of current criminal justice policies and who are seeking employment in either the criminal justice sector, the police service, or associated fields. This course benefits from both a theoretical basis as well as a vocational and applied nature.
There is a high level of face-to-face tuition delivered by practicing criminologists and former members of police forces who are currently active in this field of study. Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of criminological theorizing and will be able to apply this to current socio-economic policies and conditions. To achieve this, students will develop a critical understanding of the law about current issues such as terrorism, trafficking, and drugs from a variety of different perspectives including feminist, critical, cultural, and race. Students will also develop an understanding of the foundations of legal, psycho-social, and criminological knowledge about areas encountered in policing and investigative practice.
The introductory year focuses on developing the key skills required to study at the degree level. You will study six modules and on successful completion progress onto any of our three-year degrees. The modules covered will initially enhance your communication skills, digital and information literacy, and ability to think critically. You then have the added flexibility of switching your degree program if another discipline captures your interest, subject to availability and entry requirements.
The degree program is designed so that the Foundation Year provides an underpinning year, incorporating both academic and professional-related learning. Applicants need to improve their knowledge and understanding of the social sciences along with the necessary skills needed to participate in the undergraduate programs at levels 4, 5, and 6.
Students will develop the critical study skills required to progress onto the next stage of the degree and ultimately that will equip them for further study or employment. The Foundation Year will involve the study of 6 modules which will develop the necessary skills and introduce students to key concepts to enable progression onto the University's 3-year BA in Criminology and Policing or any of the undergraduate degrees in law or social sciences.
Students will be taught using a variety of digital media and resources. The final year will include a dissertation or research project and a research methods module. Students will have practical issues raised and develop relevant skills of analysis, research, problem-solving, and decision-making to resolve those issues but also the relevant skills to be able to communicate them.
Career Path
Careers in the criminal justice system, policing, security, probation service, customs, immigration, social research, the housing sector, and the NGO and charity sector.
Course Requirements
Foundation Year Entry
Applicants are required to possess 48 UCAS Points from a maximum of 3 A Levels or equivalent qualifications, plus GCSE English Language at Grade C/4.
International Students Foundation Year Entry
- An English language level equivalent to IELTS 6.0 or above with a minimum of 5.5 in each component.
- A non-standard application route is also available.
Route A (Sep 22 entry)
Applicants should demonstrate a minimum of 2 years of professional work experience evidencing management of people and/or processes and provide a professional reference. All applicants must successfully pass a formal interview. Any applicant without GCSE English language at grade C/4 will be invited to complete The University of Law English Test (ULET).
Route A (January 2023 and beyond)
Please note this route is only available for applicants who do not require a Student Route Visa to study with the University:
Applicants who do not possess 48 UCAS points from a maximum of 3 A Levels or equivalent but can demonstrate a minimum of 2 years of professional work experience evidencing management of people and/or processes and provide a professional reference will be considered. All applicants must successfully pass a formal interview. Any applicant without GCSE English language at grade C/4 will be invited to complete The University of Law English Test (ULET).
Course Details
BA Criminology and Policing
UCAS code: LN31
This three-year degree allows you to combine criminology study with policing modules that cover aspects of the national policing curriculum. You'll look at areas such as drugs, cybercrime, migration, terrorism, and trafficking in detail. Youโll consider how these areas are viewed by groups from various backgrounds, including how gender, race, and cultural perspectives can impact opinion.
Students will be taught by experts in criminology who have worked directly with government departments, as well as former police officers for practical, hands-on education. This course sets students up for a career in the criminal justice sector, the police service, or the NGO and charity sector, among others.
Please note that this program does not qualify as a pre-join degree to enable direct entry into the police service. Students wishing to pursue a career as a police officer on graduation would need to enter a service via the degree holder entry route.
You will learn through a variety of group sessions, workshops, digital media, and a wide range of learning resources, completing a research methods module and a dissertation or research project in your final year. In addition to your knowledge of criminology and policing, you will gain a wide range of analytical, research, problem-solving, and communication skills, which are in high demand by employers.
You will also learn through realistic scenarios and the use of a crime scene suite or pop-up facilities.
Foundation Year (Four years)
UCAS code: LN32
You can choose to take an additional Foundation Year before you start your course. This introductory year focuses on developing the key skills required to study at the degree level. You will study six modules and on successful completion progress onto any of our three-year degrees.
Course Information
Assessment
A wide range of assessment methods will be used across all modules to ensure that all program outcomes can be demonstrated by students. These include unseen essay-type exams, written coursework assignments, oral presentations, role plays, and a dissertation module.
This variety of approaches reflects the diversity of the curriculum and enables students a greater chance of success. It also helps to remove barriers to some students who may find that more traditional assessment methods do not truly reflect their abilities.
Classification
You must pass each module to be awarded your degree. A pass mark is 40% and above.
- 70%: 1
- 60-69%:2.1
- 50-59%: 2.2
- 40-49%:ย 3
Course Structure
Foundation Year
Semester 1
- Citizenship
- Academic and Report Writing
- Numeracy Skills in Context
Semester 2
- Foundations of Business Management
- Foundations of Law
- Foundations of Social Sciences
Year 1
Semester 1
- Foundations of Criminology
- Understanding the Police Constable Role and Professional Standards
- The Criminal Justice System: Key Legislation, Offences and Civil Matters
Semester 2
- Drugs in the Criminal Justice System
- Core Principles of Evidence-Based Policing, Information and Intelligence
- Contemporary Criminology
Year 2
Semester 1
- Gender, Sexuality, and Crime
- Community Policing, Antisocial Behaviour and Introduction to Road Policing
- Public Protection: Understanding Abuse and Impact
Semester 2
- Cybercrime
- Forensic and Criminal Psychology
- Response Policing and Police Investigations
Year 3
Semester 1
- Research Methods and Dissertation (double module across both semesters)
- Urban Criminology
- Responding to Major and Critical Incidents
Semester 2
- Research Methods and Dissertation (double module across both semesters)
- Investigating Serious Crime and Understanding Terrorism and Transnational Organised Crime
Choose one:
- Race, Ethnicity, and Religion
- Politics of Policing
- Terrorism
- Counter-Terrorism and Advanced Road Policing
How to Apply
Applications for all our undergraduate courses for September 2022 entry are open.
Fees
Sep 2024
- UK - ยฃ9,250 per annum / International - ยฃ17.550 per annum (London), ยฃ16,700 (non-London)
- Fees are locked for future study years i.e. the student will pay the same price each year.