BA (Hons) Criminology
Canterbury, United Kingdom
BA
DURATION
7 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
EUR 19,300 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for international students | UK students: TBC
Key Summary
You’ll study in a diverse, supportive environment and learn directly from expert researchers whose work spans everything from gang exit strategies to domestic violence, terrorism and dark web drug markets.
Get involved in unique opportunities like the UK’s first Restorative Justice Clinic, where students deliver real-world interventions. You can also learn from case-based activities set by our wide range of partner organisations.
Whether you're interested in careers in the criminal justice system, the civil service, or the third sector, this course gives you the academic knowledge and practical insight to make a difference.
We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
Stage 1
Compulsory modules currently include the following
- Theories of Crime and Harm
- Introduction to Criminology
- Developing the Criminological Imagination
- Making Sense of Society
- Introduction to Criminal Justice
- Careers in Criminology
Stage 2
Compulsory modules currently include the following
- Contemporary Issues in Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Investigating Social Issues
- Inequalities, Crime and Justice
Optional modules may include the following
- Contemporary Sociological Theory
- Inequalities
- Researching Digital Society and Culture
- Critical Issues in Policing Concepts, Theories and Debates
- Crime and Punishment in Britain from 1750 to the Present
- Prisons and Society
- The Psychology of Criminal Justice
- Restorative Justice: Theories and Practices
- Globalisation and Development
- Digital Culture
- ‘You think you’re better than me?’ The Sociology of Status
- Race and Ethnicity in Multicultural Societies
- Migration and Belonging
- Education in a Global World
Year in Industry
You have the option to add a year in industry to this course. We already know you have the confidence and commitment to thrive in the workplace and kick-start your career. This is your chance to prove it, to yourself and to employers.
Year Abroad
Taking a year abroad – whether you study at one of our prestigious partner universities or do an internship – is an amazing opportunity.
Stage 3
Compulsory modules currently include the following
- Applying Social Research
Optional modules may include the following
- Analysing Data in the Real World
- Philanthropy in Action
- Social and Criminal Justice Practice
- Drugs and Crime
- Offender Rehabilitation in Prisons and Probation
- Technology and Cybercrime
- The Politics of Criminal Justice
- Youth, Crime and Youth Justice
- Violence and Society
- Issues in Criminology: The Inside-Out Programme
- Multispecies Sociology: Animals and Society
- Protest, Activism, and Social Change
- Environmental Sociology: Politics and Protest
- Money and Power: Sociology of Economic Life
- Science and Society
- The Sociology of Urban Life
- Researching Bodies and Gender
- Sociology in the Global South=
- Research Project
Top-ranked research
Criminology at Kent achieved the highest score for research quality in The Times Good University Guide 2026.
Kent graduates go on to careers in policing, prisons, youth justice, the legal sector, the civil service and beyond.
Our graduates work for:
- The Civil Service
- Police forces across the UK
- HM Prison and Probation Service
- Charities focused on justice, youth, and rehabilitation
Typical roles include:
- Police officer
- Probation officer
- Youth justice worker
- Policy officer
- Victim support adviser
How you'll study
Our teaching staff bring the subject to life and draw you into the conversation through lectures, seminars, presentations and group work. You also have opportunities to learn in real criminal justice settings.
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Tutorials
- Independent Study
- Group Work
Teaching and assessment
Teaching methods
- You’ll learn through lectures, interactive seminars and hands-on workshops, with around four hours of contact time per module each week.
- Our teaching is grounded in real-world issues - from policing and prison reform to cybercrime and forensic psychology.
- Guest speakers from the police, prison service, charities and government bring lived experience into the classroom.
Independent study
- You’ll dig deeper into topics through guided reading, case analysis and critical reflections.
- Choose from a wide range of optional modules covering the most current issues in criminology and justice.
- You’ll also have the chance to complete a dissertation or creative project focused on a topic that matters to you.
Assessment methods
- You’ll be assessed in various ways that might include essays, reports, exams, presentations and evidence-led project work.
- Practical assignments and placement-based options allow you to apply your learning in meaningful ways.
Support and opportunities
- Train to deliver real restorative justice interventions through the UK’s first student-led Restorative Justice Clinic.
- Get a head start on your career through our Careers in Criminology module, employer talks, and professional practice schemes.
- You'll also have the chance to study abroad or take a year in industry, widening your perspective and experience.