Sociology and Criminology BA (Hons)

Study level: Undergraduate
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Combining two exciting and complementary disciplines, this fascinating interdisciplinary degree explores social issues and problems, focusing on crime, victimisation, justice and punishment.

Year of entry

2025-26

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Part-time
Sandwich

Duration

3 years full-time
4 years sandwich
Flexible part-time

Course code

LM39

Start date

September 2025


Course overview

You will study how sociology and criminology intersect and explore key issues such as how crime relates to inequality, marginality, identity, power and control.

  • Consider the individual motivations which cause criminal behaviour in order to gain an understanding of the reasons for and consequences of crime.
  • Gain knowledge and skills that can help you pursue a career in criminal justice or related fields.
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Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

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5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

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Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

Why you should study this course

  • Engage with content that challenges typical preconceptions about the nature of crime and disorder (e.g. about who commits crime, the harm it entails and how it is punished). In doing so, you can develop strong analytical and critical abilities.
  • Visiting speakers and links with organisations and practitioners will give you insight into the real world of practice in criminal justice, community organisations, the public and charitable voluntary sectors (subject to availability)2.
  • Optional modules in your final year allow you to tailor your degree to suit your interests in sociology and criminology.
  • Our course has been designed by experienced teaching staff, qualified educationalists, former criminal justice practitioners, active researchers and experts in areas such as race, gender, media, sexuality and class.
  • Student support is one of our top priorities and you’ll be joining a lively, welcoming and friendly community.

What you'll study

This course has a common first year.

The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn.

If you discover an interest in a specific subject you have studied, upon successful completion of your first year, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements).

Common first year courses

  • Sociology BA (Hons)
  • Sociology and Criminology BA (Hons)

In the first year, the curriculum is shared across related courses allowing you to gain a broad grounding in the discipline before going on, in the second and third years, to specialist modules in your chosen field.

Modules

In your second year, you will develop more advanced knowledge and skills including critical issues in crime and justice, policing and political activism, among others topics.

Modules

There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement2 can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur between your second and final years of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future.

If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee3 of £1,250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time, you will receive guidance from your employer or participating institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement.

Modules

Your final year prepares you to enter the world of work by consolidating your knowledge and skills from your first and second years. You could also work on a large final project in an area of your interest, with the support of a mentor.

You will be asked to choose optional modules on top of the compulsory modules, ‘Final Project’, ‘Crime, Victimisation and Harm’ and ‘Punishment and Penology’, to total 120 credits in your final year.

Modules

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.


How you'll learn

Teaching contact hours

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 20 credit module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching hours:

Teaching hours vary each semester, year of study and due to module selection. During your first year you can expect 15-18 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend optional sessions including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Guided and Independent study:

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You’ll be digging deeper into topics, review what you’ve learned and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you’ll spend more time in independent study.

Online learning:

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.

Part-time study:

This course can be offered on a part-time basis. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our part-time offering here, it is tailored for each course each year depending on the number of part-time applicants. Therefore, the part-time teaching arrangements vary. Request further information about part-time study.


Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.

The assessment methods may include:

  • phase tests
  • essays
  • group work
  • presentations
  • reports
  • projects
  • coursework
  • individual assignments.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.


International experience opportunities

There are opportunities for study or placements abroad2. For example, in recent years, students have studied on a range of courses at universities in Sweden, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.

Please note that all international experience opportunities may be subject to additional costs, competitive application, availability, and meeting applicable visa and travel requirements, and are therefore not guaranteed2.


Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements:

Requirement What we're looking for
UCAS points 112
A level BBC
GCSE Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 4 / C or above including English
BTEC DMM
IB Diploma 29 points
Access to HE The Access to HE Diploma. Plus GCSE English at grade 4 / C or above.

Other qualifications and experience

Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, each with a unique story. We recognise a breadth of qualifications. If your qualifications differ from the above, contact our Admissions Team who will be happy to discuss your qualifications and routes into your chosen course.

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Contextual offers and Fair Access Scheme

If you meet the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme, you could automatically receive a contextual offer that may be up to 24 UCAS points lower than our standard entry requirements. View the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:


You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

English language requirements

  • Applicants must possess a minimum IELTS of 6.0 overall (with no component part lower than 5.5).

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

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Fees and funding

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £9,250 per year
Request fee information
EU 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £9,250 per year with EU Support Bursary**
2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £16,800 per year without EU Support Bursary**
Not available
International 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - £16,800 per year
Not available

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement2 or study abroad year, you will need to pay a tuition fee3 of £1,250 to cover your academic support throughout your placement year.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see the university’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permits an increase in tuition fees, the university may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

  • any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip
  • any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.


Facilities

Students will benefit from studying on our well-equipped, modern campus4.

The entrance of Lanchester Library

Lanchester Library

The library offers a team of academic liaison librarians who provide specialist help and support. You’ll also have access to subject specific databases of journal articles related to criminology and forensics.

A student taking notes in a prison cell

Prison cells

Criminology students can use our mock cells to experience the practical aspects of life in prison.

 

 

 

Academic support staff assisting student at desk

Academic support

No matter which degree you’re studying, you’ll find a lot of support on campus, including the Centre of Academic Writing and sigma, which offers mathematics and statistics support.

 

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.


Careers and opportunities

Upon successful completion of this course you will be able to:

  • demonstrate systematic knowledge and understanding of criminological and sociological thought and how this develops from empirical research and theorising.
  • evidence systematic knowledge and critical understanding of social issues and problems that are central to sociological and criminological debates.
  • develop critical knowledge and awareness of the ethical, political, socio-economic, cultural and global contexts that frame criminological and sociological investigation.
  • recognise and demonstrate your ability to locate, generate, critically analyse and interpret data and information and construct evidence-based and theoretically informed arguments.
  • reflect on your own perspectives and positionality in relation to the viewpoints expressed in the learning community of social science.

Our courses have been designed to provide practical hands-on experience and to give you an opportunity to develop a range of skills and competencies that will help to make you attractive to potential employers2.

We’re committed to preparing you for your future career and giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The university's dedicated careers and employability support, Talent Team, provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career (subject to availability).

Where our graduates work

Recent graduates are now employed in a range of private and public sector industries. Examples include banking, finance, media, education, the civil service, police local authorities and in community and non-governmental organisations in the charitable and voluntary sectors.

Further study

You can choose to continue your studies at Coventry University with the Sociology and Social Research MA. You may be entitled to an alumni discount on your fees if you decide to extend your time with us by progressing from undergraduate to postgraduate study.

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