Undergraduate courses/Criminology and Policing courses/Criminology with Psychology
Key facts
Typical offer
Contextual Offer:
Minimum of one to two grade reduction from our typical offer. Full details at dmu.ac.uk/contextual
Key facts
Duration:
3 yrs full-time
Contextual Offer:
Minimum of one to two grade reduction from our typical offer. Full details at dmu.ac.uk/contextual
Overview
Our Criminology with Psychology degree explores crime's causes, responses, and legal frameworks, blending criminological, sociological, and psychological theories. It develops your critical thinking, ethics, and professional skills to challenge inequality and promote social justice. This programme prepares you for diverse careers in criminal and social justice, offering practical knowledge to understand global criminological issues and create meaningful change in society.
- Study at a SDG Global Hub: ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ is the only university in the UK to be a global hub for one of the UNs Sustainable Development Goals - SDG 16 to promote peace, justice and strong institutions.
- Industry-informed teaching: Gain knowledge and insight into local, national and global criminological contexts from experienced academics working at the edge of criminological research, many of whom have strong links to criminal justice and professional organisations like the British Society of Criminology.
- Build key skills: Develop key personal, professional and criminological investigation skills that employers are looking for.
- Personalise your learning: Undertake a self-designed research project that aligns with your personal values and interests in criminology.
- Become career ready: Our graduates thrive in roles such as police constable, criminology lecturer, health adviser, and support worker - making an impact at organisations like Leicestershire Police Authority, Loughborough College, Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, and Cygnet Health Care.
- Global experience: As part of ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ Global, previous students have studied state crime at Auschwitz, subcultures in Chicago, and genocide education in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Focused learning: Block teaching lets you focus on one subject at a time.
Scholarships
ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships and bursaries to help you realise your academic ambitions.
International student scholarships
Find out about available international scholarships or visit our fees and funding page for more information.
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The Best Careers Support
ÐßÐßÊÓÆµâ€™s Careers Team won Employability Team of the Year at the TargetJobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards for helping students reach their ambitions.
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The First University to Achieve a Silver Race Equality Charter Award
Our work to improve equality and diversity, challenge racism and build an anti-racist community earned us the award.
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2nd for Sustainability
ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ was named 2nd in People & Planet’s University League Table for our commitment to environmental sustainability.
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The Best University for LGBTQ+ staff
A staff survey by Stonewall saw us ranked the top university, and 2nd across all employers, for our work to create an inclusive environment where everyone has a voice.
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The Best Autism Support
The National Association of Disability Practitioners Award identified ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ as the best at supporting autistic students.
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25th Best University
Student reviews and independent data from Uni Compare rankings placed us as the 25th best university.
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11th Best for Accommodation
Uni Compare describes our accommodation as A+, rated 11th best by students in its rankings.
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Best for Work Experience
Students rated ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ as the best university in the UK for work experience in both the 2024 and 2025 RateMyPlacement Awards.
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What you will study
Introduction to Criminology
This module introduces you to the key skills required to undertake an undergraduate degree programme in Criminology. You will learn practical skills enabling you to find and present academic sources, develop effective approaches to reading and writing in an academic setting. You will acquire presentation, team work, and referencing skills.
Principles of Social Research
This module introduces you to the principles of social research. You will recognise and apply critical thinking, explore the concept of ethics in research, and reflect on biases and positionality. You will explore philosophical questions and how different world views shape our understanding of crime, harm and justice.
Applied Psychology
Introduces students to the discipline of psychology, an overview of five core areas: biological, cognitive, developmental, personality and social psychology.
Journeys Through Justice
You will explore the concept of justice and what it means in the context of criminology. By mapping the institutions of criminal and social justice such as police, prisons, probation, courts and the community sector, you will explore pathways through justice and how it may or may not be achieved.
Block 3 for this year is currently to be confirmed.
Explaining Criminological Issues
In this module, you will explore core criminological theories in relation to crime, harm and victimisation. These criminological theories are situated in the context of and applied to a range of issues pertinent to complex problems in crime, harm and justice. The module builds a more critical awareness of from Level 4 Module Contemporary Issues in Criminology with a view to developing a ‘criminological imagination’.
Communities of Justice
This module explores the Institutions, practices & interactions of justice. You will explore the debates on the nature of imprisonment, punishment, rehabilitation and desistance. This module will consider debates on race, power, gender, criminalisation, youth justice as they apply to communities of justice. This module builds on the content of Level 4 module Journeys Through Justice.
Researching Justice Journeys
The aim of this module is to equip you with the knowledge, understanding and critical appreciation of research methodologies used in social science research. The module will explore a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, techniques, and forms of analysis; you will engage with the practicalities of a range of research methods.
Planning Social Research
In this module, you will identify a relevant criminological topic and design a final year research project. You will develop a series of appropriate research questions, describe and evaluate an appropriate research design and consider the ethical implications of a research project on a criminological topic.
Justice in a Globalised World
In this module, you will explore advanced theoretical perspective to help you understand crime in a global context. You will critically evaluate how these ‘global’ crimes and harms impact crime, harm and victimisation in society. You will also develop knowledge and critical understanding of transnational crime prevention and justice organisations and institutions.
Choice of modules
You will be able to choose one of two 15 credit psychology modules.
Final Project
This module is designed to enable you to complete an independent project. You will integrate your knowledge and skills from across the degree programme to complete a final project. This project will be in the form of one of the following:
- An extended essay
- An empirical based research project
- A social activism project based on your project proposal from module Planning Social research.
Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.
Our facilities
Hawthorn Building
Home to students and staff from Health and Life Sciences courses spanning pharmaceutical, healthcare, lab based and social science disciplines.
The facilities and spaces in the Hawthorn Building are designed to replicate current practice in health and life sciences, including contemporary analytical chemistry and formulation laboratories, audiology booths, and pharmacy practice, nursing and midwifery clinical skills suites.
Purpose-built clinical skills areas allow you to practice in a safe environment. You will receive guidance and support from expert academic and technical staff.
Recently renovated, the Undercroft offers dedicated break out spaces and study spaces allowing for collaborative and interprofessional learning beyond the classroom.
Our expertise
For Psychology academics please see our Psychology BSc programme.
John is the Criminology programme lead at ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ. His research explores criminological theory, political economy, and human enhancement drug use. He teaches sociology and criminology, focusing on addiction and drug-related behaviours. He is a member of various substance use research networks.
Brian specialises in youth justice, masculinities, and violence prevention. His research explores young people’s experiences of violence, music-based desistance, and non-statutory justice services. He has led funded projects with Youth Justice Services and worked on violence reduction programs in local government.
Xiaoye specialises in performance studies and social sciences, exploring crime and punishment in China’s modernization through ethnographic research. She has taught in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and the UK. With experience in theatre projects and special needs education, she facilitates drama workshops in criminal justice settings and supports domestic violence victims.
Nicola specialises in identity construction among individuals with convictions. She has experience coordinating youth justice projects with Leaders Unlocked and conducting research funded by Police and Crime Commissioners. She leads on supporting undergraduate dissertation students and supports both MA and PhD students. Nicola is also the Chair of the Criminal Record Research and Reform Network.
Ruth expertise lies in environmental crime and harm. Her research focuses on climate change denial and criminology, exploring the impacts of environmental crimes and animal abuse. Ruth actively contributes to criminological research and policy discussions on these critical issues.
Kim specialises in genocide prevention and education, chairing the Academic Advisory Board of Remembering Srebrenica and leading initiatives to combat hate and promote community cohesion. A scholar-activist, she is committed to amplifying survivor voices. As a ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ SDG Fellow, she focuses on SDG 16, promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions.
Additional costs
The core textbooks for all modules are available in the Kimberlin Library, and journal articles in your reading lists are also mostly available electronically from your myÐßÐßÊÓÆµ login.
Some students like to purchase their own text books or print course documents and we suggest allowing approximately £200 per year for this.
All students are required to pay for their DBS check if required for your programme or placement.
In addition students will be required to pay for their travel costs to placements or project locations.
All students are provided the opportunity to participate in ÐßÐßÊÓÆµ Global trips. These trips are subsidised by the University, and the cost and subsidy varies by location.
Learn more about fees and funding information.