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How does crime impact our society, politics, and individual lives? How can crime be prevented? This course aims to provide you with a comprehensive overview of these questions and how you can make a positive impact.
Course option
Year of entry
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Sandwich
Duration
3 years full-time
4 years sandwich
UCAS codes
L370
Start date
September 2025
Criminology is a fascinating subject that helps us to understand the complex causes and impacts of serious crimes such as murder, human trafficking, and international terrorism.
On this course, we strive to produce graduates equipped for rewarding careers within criminal justice and beyond, including crime investigation and prevention; public protection; offender management and rehabilitation; intelligence; and witness / victim services. We are proud of our teaching quality and student support, reflected in Coventry University’s gold standard for teaching excellence. Our highly experienced academic staff are actively engaged in research, publication, and real-world practice, bringing cutting-edge developments directly to the course content (staff may be subject to change).
You will:
My experience of studying Criminology at Coventry University has been exceptional. Even during the unprecedented pandemic in which we had to switch to online learning, my course was able to efficiently improvise to continue to deliver remarkable and fascinating content.
Bradlee Subhan, third year Criminology BA (Hons) student, quoted in 2022
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.
Teaching and the way you learn will be provided in various ways, including the following:
The current teaching team comes from a range of specialist backgrounds including mental health, psychology, sociology, and criminal justice to name a few and these feed in to a rich and varied range of teaching and learning approaches (staff may be subject to change). The course also emphasises a global perspective on criminological and criminal justice issues.
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 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.
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 learnt 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.
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.
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module. Assessment methods may include:
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards the intended learning outcomes.
Emphasising inter-cultural awareness in all our students, the course content situates issues in a global context. It offers opportunity for international experience through collaborative international online learning projects where students work on a task jointly with students from an institution abroad (subject to availability). Study abroad forms part of the optional sandwich year which students normally take after successful completion of their second year2.
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.
The Criminology degrees at Coventry University really offer students a unique and exciting opportunity to delve into a range of fascinating topics, from criminal behaviour, policing and the prison system to global issues like the corrupt, illicit activities of states and other powerful actors. With an extensive and diverse collective experience in teaching and working in the field, the academic team bring a passion for helping students to achieve their potential from start through to graduation.
Dr Gabrielle Nugent-Stephens, Lecturer, quoted 2022
Typical entry requirements:
Not got the required grades? We offer this degree with an integrated foundation year.
Student | Full-time | Part-time |
---|---|---|
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man | 2025/26 fees TBC 2024/25 fees - £9,250 per year |
Not available |
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.
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. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.
The following are additional costs not included in the tuition 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.
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.
Teaching and learning take place in state-of-the art facilities on the main Coventry University campus near to the University Hub, Students' Union and library. Extensive use is made of seminar and workshop rooms for smaller groups to facilitate active group learning.
Two prison cells, one single and one double, are in the Richard Crossman Building on main campus and used to give a sense of the real-life experiences of inmates, and for role play learning.
Our dedicated subject librarian on main campus will provide guidance on searching and retrieving academic sources using the library systems and databases, as well as assistance and support with individual enquiries.
The Centre for Academic Writing next to the Library will offer individual advice on developing writing skills or dealing with writing problems.
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.
With a view to shaping your prospects as a graduate, teaching, learning, and assessments take a problem-based approach which means you get to deal with real-world issues and scenarios combining theory and practice delivered by our current teaching team who have a diverse range of experience including mental health, sexual offending, imprisonment, and probation to name a few. External speakers and visiting lecturer/practitioners also bring expertise to the classroom and help guide your choices towards a specific career path (subject to availability)2.
Assessments are coursework based and varied to test independent and team-working, communication, analytical and critical thinking, and other transferable skills designed to enhance your employment prospects within or outside the criminological sphere. With an emphasis on inter-cultural awareness, the course also offers opportunity for overseas experience through field trips and study abroad with the aim of making you a strong contender for a graduate level career in the global jobs market2.
Criminology not only provides you with the knowledge and skills for working within the criminological sphere – in areas such as the police in uniformed and civilian roles, courts, prison staff and outreach, probation, victim support, security, and community safety – but also develops transferable skills that equip you for a wide range of graduate level careers. For example, some roles previous students have undertaken have included teaching, retail management, and fraud investigation for the financial industry. Many students opt for postgraduate level study.
Previous graduates have gone on to pursue postgraduate qualifications and work for a range of organisations, including The National Crime Agency, the Independent Police Complaints Commission, HM Prison Service, Coventry Cyrenians, West Midlands Police and the Metropolitan Police.
Progression routes to courses for further study within Coventry University include:
My academic journey has been filled with encouragement from the moment it began. From supportive staff members to the structure and insight within the modules, my learning experience has helped me develop new skills and further understanding of not just criminology, but the world around.
Siobhan Super, Criminology BA (Hons) student, quoted 2022
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