Criminology and Sociology (Placement Year) BA Hons

We have outstanding league table rankings for Criminology and Sociology, and a great track record for graduate prospects. These are two of the great reasons to take a Criminology and Sociology degree at Lancaster University.

What will you study?
Combine the two popular disciplines of Criminology and Sociology as you study some of the most contentious issues in contemporary life. This stimulating degree is jointly taught by the world-leading, research-active academics based in our prestigious Law School and Sociology Department.

Our Criminology and Sociology degree tackles the problems of crime, deviance, victimization and social harm and encourages critical questions about important issues in our society more broadly. This is your chance to get to grips with the big issues affecting our society. You will analyse the social, cultural, political and economic contexts of crime and criminal justice, and take an in-depth look at the social circumstances of offending, policies regulating crime, and the social response to criminal activity.

The degree draws on the expertise of two departments that are highly regarded in the fields of youth justice, policing, prisons and punishment, sex work, hate crime, inequalities, climate change, children and young people, disability, welfare and media.

80% of the Law School’s research was rated as internationally excellent or world leading in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014), and 83% in the Department of Sociology.

Programme overview

The first year is flexible, meaning that you can choose from a range of fascinating modules to study alongside your core modules. During your second year you will explore a broad range of criminological theories and perspectives, consider how to ‘do’ criminological and sociological  research and be able to choose a range of optional modules which explore various criminological and sociological controversies and issues. If you would like to take a global perspective on Criminology and Sociology, you may be able to apply for a semester abroad at one of our highly regarded partner institutions in the US and Canada. In your final year, you will have the choice to study specialist subjects in depth from our range of optional modules.

The placement year

You will have the opportunity to spend Year 3 on a placement with a public, private or voluntary organisation in the UK or overseas.  This experience should boost your employment prospects and help you to decide on your career direction and the kind of organisation in which you want to work once you graduate. You will be doing a real, responsible job – with all the satisfaction that brings.

Applying for a placement is a competitive process and our Placements Team will support you in finding and applying for a suitable placement. The preparatory modules you will complete in years one and two are designed to give you the best chance of success in both your placement applications and the placement itself.

The University will use all reasonable effort to support you to find a suitable placement for your studies. While a placement role may not be available in a field or organisation that is directly related to your academic studies or career aspirations, all placement roles offer valuable experience of working at a graduate level and gaining a range of professional skills.

If you are unsuccessful in securing a suitable placement for your third year, you will be able to transfer to the equivalent non-placement degree scheme and would continue with your studies at Lancaster, finishing your degree after your third year. The University offers a range of shorter placement and internship opportunities for which you would be welcome to apply.

Employability Skills

You will benefit from our excellent connections with NGOs, charities, and local criminal justice agencies such as Lancashire Police and HMP Lancaster Farms. There may be opportunities for you to visit the prison and engage in collaborative learning, and analyse data from Lancashire Police. All of this should helps you to make professional connections, learn more about criminal justice agencies, and get a head start on your career.

We’ll also support you if you wish to take on voluntary work experience, and we have previously offered opportunities with the Citizens Advice Bureau and Lancashire Constabulary's Special Constables. Additional voluntary opportunities could include community engagement organisations, media and creative industries and caring professions.

Throughout your degree, you will have the opportunity to gain important skills for a career within or beyond the criminal justice system. These include the ability to think critically, communicate, speak in public, work in teams, write for academia, carry out your own research and competently analyse data.