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Criminology and Criminal Justice

What crime is, why some people commit it and what happens when they do.

Our Criminology courses

We offer Criminology and Criminal Justice as a single subject degree, or in combination with another subject as a joint honours award. We offer our courses with a foundation year, if you don't have the necessary qualifications to start at level 4. Or you could do your degree as a sandwich course, with a year of work experience.

Take your study of Criminology to the next level. Apply for our Master's course MA Comparative Criminology - to start September 2021.

Why study Criminology at the University of Wolverhampton
Why study Criminology at the University of Wolverhampton
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Our courses offer a mix of practical and theoretical academic learning opportunities. You will cover a wide range of topics drawing on the expertise of our academics and researchers.

  • Criminal law, the police, the courts and penal system - how to control and prevent crime.
  • Human rights and social policy; victimology and the effects of crimes on communities.
  • Domestic violence, serious and organised crime, sex work, racism, terrorism, and youth crime, amongst many others.

In your final year, you will complete a dissertation on a subject area of your choice, which may be directly related to your future field of work.

"Each Criminology lecture leaves you wanting to learn and know more about the content of the module." Student.

Boost your career prospects - add experience

If you want to get ahead, it's crucial that you gain work experience and transferable skills as you study. As part of your degree, you can take volunteering modules in an area that interests you – such as working within the Criminal Justice System or with victims of crime.

As part of your degree, you will also complete the modules needed to gain the Wolverhampton Enterprise and Employability Award. This demonstrates to future employers some of the transferable skills which you have gained. For example written communication and research methodologies including essays, report writing, data analysis and specialist IT packages to presentations and teamwork.

You can also spend a year out of your academic studies working in a placement, or spend the summer break gaining relevant work experience in the UK or abroad.

Learn from the real world

On campus...Criminology VR experience

Together with lectures, seminars and tutorials from staff who are actively researching their specialist areas, you will have the opportunity to attend lectures from leading experts in the field, including police officers, magistrates and judges.

"The staff make learning interesting and relate each lecture to current events." Student

Recent guest speakers have included the former Chief Inspector of Prisons and Chair of the Parole Board, Trailblazers from HMP YOI Brinsford, a representative from the English Collective of Prostitutes, and Frances Crook from the Howard League for Penal Reform.

A visit to the Tower of London...and beyond

Other events have included the 3D augmented Timelock virtual reality experience, field trips to local and national prisons and courts, such as the National Justice Museum, Gloucester Prison, Dartmoor Prison Museum, Bodmin Prison, the Tower of London, Krakow and the Holocaust Centre in Auschwitz.

"Extra-curricular trips offer students the opportunity to bring the degree to life, by seeing first hand what Criminology and Criminal Justice has to offer in the real world." Student.

Make friends and learn together

We have an active Criminology student society (SOCAP). Students arrange socials, speakers, films and other events.

"SOCAP offers students studying Sociology, Criminology and Policing the opportunity to come together socially outside of timetabled lectures, to engage in social fun activities relevant to module content, and to gain support from each other as well as from experts in the field." SOCAP member