Social Sciences and Criminology

Why study with us? Our Criminology and Social Science courses are combined to offer you the opportunity to study two different, but interrelated subjects, at degree level. Your studies will be carried out against a framework of overarching debates and theories drawn from sociology, psychology, gender studies, human rights and criminology. The applied nature of the course means that you will focus on how social science and criminological approaches are used in the real world, to inform policy and practices and more generally work to enhance your understanding of the social world.

In the social science component we will consider social relations and social structures and the ways in which they shape our lives, social divisions and social inequalities, identity formation, human development and a host of other applications.

The criminological component will explore such topics as, crime, nature and nurture, the motivations for the treatment of offending behaviour, crime and media, social divisions and crime.

The interdisciplinary nature of this challenging and varied degree combination enables you to develop understanding and appreciation of alternative perspectives and their interrelationship.
What can this course lead to? You will gain skills, knowledge and understanding that can lead to a range of rewarding professions. Our graduates have gained career starts in Social Work, Teaching, Prison and Probation Work, Welfare Advice Work, Youth Work, Housing, and the Police Service. Resources and facilities

The course team have a wealth of experience from sociology, psychology, criminology and legal and policing backgrounds. They have worked in academic, community and organisational settings. The course has strong links with the Careers and Employability Service. Our links with local organisations provide a range of extra curricula volunteering opportunities that will enable you to gain practical experience while enhancing your employability.

Visit our staff pages here. You will also be taught by members of staff from the Psychology team and the Policing team.

Have a look at our learning resources for Criminology.

Entry requirements

80 UCAS tariff points

Find out more about qualification options from the UCAS tariff table.

Please check selection criteria for any additional entry requirements.

Credit and UCAS requirements UCAS code: LM3YF UCAS points: 80 Costs

Click to view information on your study type and home location.

Full-time students

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The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount).

As a full-time UK student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning £21,000 per annum (if you're from England) or £15,795 (if you're from Scotland). You may also be eligible for a maintenance loan (up to £5,500) and a maintenance grant (up to £3,354). For more information about student loans and grants, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Full-time students may be eligible for one of 110 NSP awards for full-time students worth up to £6,000.

Cumbria Bursary

The Cumbria Bursary is an annual cash award of £1,000 for up to three years of study. There are 300 Cumbria Bursaries available in 2013.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Access to Learning Fund
• Utilities trust

EU

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year has been set at £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount).

As a full-time EU student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning £21,000 per annum (or the equivalent in your country). For more information about student loans, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Full-time students may be eligible for one of 110 NSP awards for full-time students worth up to £6,000.

Cumbria Bursary

The Cumbria Bursary is an annual cash award of £1,000 for up to three years of study. There are 300 Cumbria Bursaries available in 2013.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Access to Learning Fund
• Utilities trust

International

The tuition fee for the 2013/14 academic year is £9,960.

Fees are billed annually and may be paid by the student or a sponsor. 75 percent of the annual tuition fees must be paid before or at registration. For students requiring a Tier 4 Student Visa, a deposit of £3,500 is expected as a minimum before a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) will be issued. For more information, visit our international student finance page.

Early payment discount

If you are paying your own fees, you may be eligible for an early payment discount of £1,000. This discount is awarded to students who pay in full before registration.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Full-time students may be eligible for one of 110 NSP awards for full-time students worth up to £6,000.

Cumbria Bursary

The Cumbria Bursary is an annual cash award of £1,000 for up to three years of study. There are 300 Cumbria Bursaries available in 2013.

International scholarship

If you are studying a full-time bachelor's degree (excluding teacher training and NHS-funded courses) or a top-up degree, you may be eligible for an international scholarship. The university has nine scholarships available. Find out more on our scholarships page.

Additional financial support

Our money doctors will be on hand throughout the year to help you manage your money while you’re in the UK. However, if you do happen to run into financial difficulty during your time here, you may be able to access a small emergency support fund.

Part-time students

Home

The tuition fee for students starting study in the 2013/14 academic year is £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount). This fee is billed annually. For part-time students, the annual fee is calculated based on the number of years you take to complete your course. For example, a student studying part-time for six years may expect to pay £4,125 per year.

As a part-time UK student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning over £21,000 a year (if you're from England) or £15,795 (if you're from Scotland). For more information about student loans and grants, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Part-time students may be eligible for one of 40 NSP awards worth up to £3,000.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Access to Learning Fund
• Utilities trust

EU

The tuition fee for students starting study in the 2013/14 academic year is £8,250 (including an automatic £750 fee discount). This fee is billed annually. For part-time students, the annual fee is calculated based on the number of years you take to complete your course. For example, a student studying part-time for six years may expect to pay £4,125 per year.

As a part-time EU student, you are entitled to a tuition fee loan which doesn’t have to be repaid until you start earning over £21,000 a year. For more information about student loans, visit our student finance page.

Additional funding

National Scholarship Programme

The National Scholarship Programme is designed to support students with a household income of less than £25,000. Part-time students may be eligible for one of 40 NSP awards worth up to £3,000.

More financial support

Access to financial support doesn’t end at registration. We have several awards and support funds available to our current students, including:

• Achievement scholarships
• Outstanding performance awards
• Utilities trust

UCAS Link

Visit UCAS

Modules

For detailed summary of all course content please read our programme specification for this course (PDF).

Course summary

The focus of this degree is on both academic and professional development and you will have the opportunity to study a range of social science disciplines, including criminology, psychology, sociology and social policy, apply your knowledge to a variety of topical issues and debates and explore your potential for employment.

The first year of the programme will introduce the key academic areas of criminology, psychology, sociology, social policy and the policies and practices of the criminal justice system. You will also be given the chance to start exploring the kinds of careers a degree in Social Sciences and Criminology might lead to and reflect on the skills and abilities you will need to enter these professions.

In the second year of the programme, you will have the opportunity to further expand your knowledge of criminology and the social sciences through modules such as globalization, current debates in social policy, psychology and crime, sociology and crime, and penology. The module ‘Applied Research Methods’ will provide an opportunity for you to develop your research skills and take part in a real research project. This experience is particularly good preparation for those who wish to develop a research project of their own in year three. In your final year there is an emphasis on independent study and there will be more opportunities for you to tailor your degree to suit your theoretical and professional interests.

The final year dissertation and the module ‘Investigating Professions’, together with option modules, allows you to concentrate your interest in criminology or pursue a more specialist area drawn from sociology, social policy or psychology.

Typical modules offered to year three students include:
Crime in modern Britain
Youth and crime
Crime and the media
The management and treatment of offenders
Community psychology
Identities, Social Divisions, Human Rights and Gender Studies.

Case studies When we asked our students about this course, they said...

“The course highlighted the complexities of topical social issues. I could make an informed decision about the direction of my career.”

"A thoroughly stimulating subject which will fascinate you and challenge you to develop new ideas about society"

"My time at the University of Cumbria helped me build enough confidence and develop my skills in the areas that I needed and without my time there I doubt I would be in a management position for a national mental health charity, making a difference to people's lives in the way that I aimed for when I began my studies."

"I have really enjoyed the lectures which have been taught in my social sciences degree, they have given me a realistic view of today's society through sociological and psychological perspectives."