BA Criminology / Course details

Our BA Criminology course enables you to understand how and why crime has become viewed as a dominant social problem and how issues of crime and deviance relate to other social issues.

Understanding the causes and consequences of crime will enable you to contribute to discussions about how some of these problems might be remedied.

Learn about how we can research the challenges that face the criminal justice system.

Under the guidance of our team of criminology experts, you will develop analytical skills to assess complex data related to experiences of crime.

You can take part in field trips and discussions with professionals to gain a real insight into how criminological knowledge is applied in a variety of sectors.

You will develop skills relevant to a variety of key professions concerned with criminal justice and crime reduction, including the police, prisons, offender management, youth justice and victimisation.

Societies

Benefit from networking and professional development opportunities through our student societies.

The Manchester University Criminology Society (MUCS) is a long-established society for those who have an interest in crime and criminal justice.

The Society promotes greater integration between students on different courses studying criminology.

Learning Criminology Inside

Learning Criminology Inside enables you to take your weekly seminars in a local prison to study a final year option alongside prison-based students.

Paid placement opportunity

Apply for a paid summer Q-Step internship between Years 2 and 3.

This is an excellent opportunity to gain work experience and make contacts, while putting the skills you learn into practice.

Recent placements include the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice, and the College of Policing.

Lectures are delivered to a large group of students, covering an overview of a particular subject.

Tutorials are small groups where you discuss in greater depth a topic you are learning.

You need to prepare in advance and submit written work for each subject.

We offer skills sessions to enhance your academic learning and employability.

If you apply to study abroad, you will complete course units in your host university, taught in English, which focus on criminology subjects or other topics of interest.

You will spend around 40 hours per week studying, inclusive of lectures and tutorials.

Methods of assessing your work are:

• essays;
• oral presentations;
• short exercises or written pieces, for example blogs and learning portfolios;
• project work;
• exams.

We provide helpful and detailed feedback on all written and oral work.

Read profiles of our students to find out about their experiences of studying at Manchester.

While you study with us, you have access to first-class facilities to interact, work, and practice your skills. 

You can also volunteer to work in our award-winning Legal Advice Centre

Here, you can work on real legal cases with solicitors and barristers to refine your practical application of law.  

Volunteering in our Miscarriages of Justice Review Centre enables you to work to support clients' claims of innocence.

Working alongside legal experts, you will gain access and review real case files.

This unique first-hand experience of criminal justice allows you to connect and engage with experienced practicing lawyers.