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Key facts

Entry requirements

112 or DMM

Full entry requirements

UCAS code

L390

Institution code

D26

Duration

Three years full-time

Fees

2025/26 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

2025/26 international tuition fees:
£16,250

Additional costs

Entry requirements

UCAS code

L390

Duration

Three years full-time

Study crime, justice, and social change at DMU—home to the UK’s only UN SDG 16 Global Hub. Gain critical skills, global experience, and industry insights for a meaningful career in criminal and social justice.

We offer more than a degree — every course is designed with employability and real-world experience at its core.

DMU is one of the few universities where you’ll benefit from a unique block teaching approach.

Examine the impact of crime on society and become empowered to question, challenge, and reshape the systems that surround it.

This course brings together sociology, law, philosophy, and social policy to deepen your understanding of criminology in today’s world—locally, nationally, and globally.

You’ll develop essential, transferable skills such as critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and reflexivity, preparing you for impactful careers across criminal justice, social justice, and advocacy sectors. From foundational theory to real-world application, this course equips you to confidently address the complexities of social change and contribute meaningfully to society.

  • Study at an SDG Global Hub: DMU is the only university in the UK to be a global hub for one of the UNs Sustainable Development Goals - SDG 11, Sustainable Communities and Cities. 
  • Industry-informed learning: Be taught by experienced criminologists with strong professional links to the British Society of Criminology and other criminal justice organisations.
  • Personalise your learning: You can choose from a range of optional modules including: Domestic Violence and Abuse, Animals and Criminology, Genocides and Mass Atrocities, and Alcohol and Other Drugs, Crime and Society. 
  • Become career ready: Our graduates thrive in roles such as probation service officer, detective constable, police officer, and business analyst - making an impact at organisations like His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service, the Metropolitan Police Service, West Midlands Police, South Yorkshire Police, Lichfield District Council, and Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.
  • Tailor your degree: Undertake an independent research project shaped by your own interests, values, and career ambitions within criminology.
  • Build key skills: Develop key personal, professional and criminological investigation skills that employers are looking for.
  • Global experience: As part of DMU Global, previous students have studied state crime at Auschwitz, subcultures in Chicago, and genetic education in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Block teaching designed around you

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive and nurturing community. That’s why most students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You’ll benefit from regular assessments – rather than lots of exams at the end of the year – and a simple timetable that allows you to engage with your subject and enjoy other aspects of university life such as sports, societies, meeting friends and discovering your new city. By studying with the same peers and tutor for each block, you’ll build friendships and a sense of belonging. Read more about block teaching.

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Saturday 28 June

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What you will study

Studying at University

This module introduces you to the key skills required to undertake an undergraduate degree programme in Criminology. You will learn practical skills enabling you to find and present academic sources, develop effective approaches to reading and writing in an academic setting. You will acquire presentation, team work, and referencing skills. 

Principles of Social Research

This module introduces you to the principles of social research. You will recognise and apply critical thinking, explore the concept of ethics in research, and reflect on biases and positionality. You will explore philosophical questions and how different world views shape our understanding of crime, harm and justice.

Contemporary Issues in Criminology

This module engages you with a range of issues pertinent to complex problems in crime, harm and justice. You will be able to describe the characteristics of these phenomena and identify the links between crime, politics and society. Lastly, you will explore how power inequality and exclusion link with crime harm and victimisation drawing on issues such as race, class gender and sexuality.

Journeys Through Justice

You will explore the concept of justice and what it means in the context of criminology. By mapping the institutions of criminal and social justice such as police, prisons, probation, courts and the community sector, you will explore pathways through justice and how it may or may not be achieved.  

Explaining Criminological Issues

In this module, you will explore core criminological theories in relation to crime, harm and victimisation. These criminological theories are situated in the context of and applied to a range of issues pertinent to complex problems in crime, harm and justice. The module builds a more critical awareness of from Level 4 Module Contemporary Issues in Criminology with a view to developing a ‘criminological imagination’.

Communities of Justice

This module explores the Institutions, practices & interactions of justice. You will explore the debates on the nature of imprisonment, punishment, rehabilitation and desistance. This module will consider debates on race, power, gender, criminalisation, youth justice as they apply to communities of justice. This module builds on the content of Level 4 module Journeys Through Justice. 

Year 2 optional module

Choose two from:

Domestic Violence and Abuse:

This module considers the changing social, political and legal recognition of domestic violence and abuse and its impact. Students are encouraged to examine the varying context, nature, signs, triggers and impact of domestic violence and abuse.

Children and the Criminal Justice System:

The module presents academic research, knowledge and understanding in an accessible way that better equips students to explore and discuss contemporary issues for children and the criminal justice system, across community and custody contexts.

Animals and Criminology:

This module covers the different ways in which animals are the topic of criminological examination. Students will be introduced to a broad range of topic areas such as animal abuse, wildlife trafficking, conservation, and animal advocacy and will critically explore if and what harm to animals drawing from research from subjects including criminology, sociology, law, and philosophy.

Genocides and mass atrocities: 

This module explores a range of genocides and mass atrocities. Students will understand the issues around defining genocide and in establishing what is and isn’t a genocide, and what this means in terms of prevention, intervention and justice.

Restorative Justice in Practice:

This module will be relevant to students interested in working with offenders and/or victims in a community justice setting. This module will explore the various origins and applications of Restorative Justice and the critical theoretical analysis which has followed.

Alcohol and Other Drugs, Crime and Society:

This module will explore the relationship between alcohol and other drugs (AOD), and crime. The overall aim of the module is to provide students with an understanding of how UK and international drug policy, localised drug usage and the international trade in both legal and illegal drugs are related.

Researching Justice Journeys

The aim of this module is to equip you with the knowledge, understanding and critical appreciation of research methodologies used in social science research. The module will explore a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, techniques, and forms of analysis; you will engage with the practicalities of a range of research methods.

Planning Social Research

In this module, you will identify a relevant criminological topic and design a final year research project. You will develop a series of appropriate research questions, describe and evaluate an appropriate research design and consider the ethical implications of a research project on a criminological topic. 

Justice in a Globalised World

In this module, you will explore advanced theoretical perspective to help you understand crime in a global context. You will critically evaluate how these ‘global’ crimes and harms impact crime, harm and victimisation in society. You will also develop knowledge and critical understanding of transnational crime prevention and justice organisations and institutions. 

Emerging Issues in Criminology

This module aims to promote a culture of curious and continuous enquires as part of a lifelong learning mindset. You will explore immediate issues that emerge within society and examine these using knowledge and understanding from their undergraduate degree programme. 

Final Project

This module is designed to enable you to complete an independent project. You will integrate your  knowledge and skills from across the degree programme to complete a final project. This project will be in the form of one of the following:

  • An extended essay
  • An empirical based research project
  • A social activism project based on your project proposal from module Planning Social research.

Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

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Our facilities

Criminology facilities

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Our expertise

Profile picture for John Mann

John Mann

Lecturer in Criminology (Programme Lead)

John is the Criminology programme lead at DMU. His research explores criminological theory, political economy, and human enhancement drug use. He teaches sociology and criminology, focusing on addiction and drug-related behaviours. He is a member of various substance use research networks.

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Brian McShane

Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice (Admissions Lead)

Brian specialises in youth justice, masculinities, and violence prevention. His research explores young people’s experiences of violence, music-based desistance, and non-statutory justice services. He has led funded projects with Youth Justice Services and worked on violence reduction programs in local government.

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Xiaoye Zhang

Senior Lecturer in Criminology

Xiaoye specialises in performance studies and social sciences, exploring crime and punishment in China’s modernization through ethnographic research. She has taught in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and the UK. With experience in theatre projects and special needs education, she facilitates drama workshops in criminal justice settings and supports domestic violence victims.

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Nicola Collett

Senior Lecturer in Criminology (Deputy Programme Lead)

Nicola specialises in identity construction among individuals with convictions. She has experience coordinating youth justice projects with Leaders Unlocked and conducting research funded by Police and Crime Commissioners. She leads on supporting undergraduate dissertation students and supports both MA and PhD students. Nicola is also the Chair of the Criminal Record Research and Reform Network.

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Ruth Mckie

Senior Lecturer in Criminology (Subject Lead)

Ruth expertise lies in environmental crime and harm. Her research focuses on climate change denial and criminology, exploring the impacts of environmental crimes and animal abuse. Ruth actively contributes to criminological research and policy discussions on these critical issues.

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Kim Sadique

Associate Professor

Kim specialises in genocide prevention and education, chairing the Academic Advisory Board of Remembering Srebrenica and leading initiatives to combat hate and promote community cohesion. A scholar-activist, she is committed to amplifying survivor voices. As a DMU SDG Fellow, she focuses on SDG 16, promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions.

What makes us special

DMU Global, students looking down over the city of Hong Kong from Victoria Peak

DMU Global

Our innovative international experience programme aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons, helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world. Through DMU Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK-based activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

Previous opportunities have seen Criminology students gain a better understanding of state crime at the Auschwitz concentration camp, explore sub-cultures in Chicago, visit Bosnia and Herzegovina to explore the experiences of victims of the Bosnian genocide, and travel to Malmö, Sweden, to engage in comparative police training and education alongside Swedish police trainees.

Where we could take you

Two students mid-conversation

Volunteering

Our strong links with criminal justice and allied agencies enable you to volunteer within the sector. You will be supported to find opportunities that suit your personal and professional development.

You can also access volunteering and research opportunities through De Montfort Students’ Union and DMU Local, develop your practical and professional skills, and enhance your employability upon graduation. Previous students have volunteered with local criminal justice agencies, including prison, probation offices, youth offending services and victim support. Students are also encouraged to visit the local magistrates’ courts and prisons.

Students in the DMU Careers Hub

Graduate careers

We have an employability lead for Criminology BA (Hons) who focuses on building up employment links and hosting events to encourage you to think your career.

Past events include a Frontiers for Future Careers webinar series where local and national organisations hosted session with our criminology students. Guests included CJS agencies, charities and career support services.

Graduate career opportunities are varied, with recent graduates securing roles at:

  • His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service as Probation Service Officers.
  • Metropolitan Police Service as Detective Constables and Customer Assistants.
  • West Midlands Police as Police Constables.
  • South Yorkshire Police as Police Officers.
  • Lichfield District Council as Business Analysts.
  • Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust as Healthcare Assistants.

Course specifications

Course title

Criminology

Award

BA (Hons)

UCAS code

L390

Institution code

D26

Study level

Undergraduate

Study mode

Full-time

Start date

September

Duration

Three years full-time

Fees

2025/26 UK tuition fees:
£9,535*

2025/26 international tuition:
£16,250

*subject to the government, as is expected, passing legislation to formalise the increase.

Additional costs

Entry requirements

GCSEs

  • Five GCSEs at grade C/4 or above including English

Plus, one of the following:

A levels

  • A minimum of 112 points from at least two A levels

T Levels

  • Merit

BTEC

  • BTEC National Diploma - Distinction/Merit/Merit
  • BTEC Extended Diploma - Distinction/Merit/Merit

International Baccalaureate

  • 24+ points

Access course

  • Pass in the QAA accredited Access to HE overall 112 UCAS tariff with at least 30 L3 credits at Merit.
  • We will normally require students to have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.5 overall is essential.

English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Contextual offers

To make sure you get fair and equal access to higher education, when looking at your application, we consider more than just your grades. So if you are eligible, you may receive a contextual offer. Find out more about contextual offers.

Contextual offer

To make sure you get fair and equal access to higher education, when looking at your application, we consider more than just your grades. So if you are eligible, you may receive a contextual offer. Find out more about contextual offers.

Additional costs

The core textbooks for all modules are available in the Kimberlin Library, and journal articles in your reading lists are also mostly available electronically from your myDMU login.

Some students like to purchase their own text books or print course documents and we suggest allowing approximately £200 per year for this.

All students are required to pay for their DBS check if required for your programme or placement.

In addition students will be required to pay for their travel costs to placements or project locations.

All students are provided the opportunity to participate in DMU Global trips. These trips are subsidised by the University, and the cost and subsidy varies by location.

Learn more about fees and funding information.