Why study Criminology and Policing?
Our Criminology and Policing degree gives you an in-depth knowledge of sociology, modern policing and criminal justice. By immersing yourself in these fascinating subjects you’ll develop a thorough understanding of criminology and get a genuine feel for the issues involved in police work.
Through a detailed study of crime and society, you’ll cover topics like policing in practice, cybercrime, and drugs and addiction. You'll discover how well these two topics complement each other from academic experts and speakers with real-world experience.
Work placement option
You'll get an opportunity to do a placement that relates to the causes or the effects of crime. This gives you essential work experience and networking opportunities.
Our students have been on work placements with organisations like SACRO, Victim Support, Perth Prison, and Police Scotland (Special Constables). Others have worked with Tayside Council on Alcohol, With You (substance abuse support) and ones that support young people at risk of getting involved in crime.
If you are keen to work for the police, you’ll have the opportunity to apply to be a special constable. This experience puts you in a great position to pursue a career in the police force or to work in the police service after graduation.
What you'll study
We place a strong emphasis on developing your research skills, which are highly valued in the workplace. Whether it's collaboration, assessing evidence, writing reports, researching or completing project work, your criminology studies will make you extremely employable. You'll graduate with an an in-depth understanding of sociology, modern policing and criminal justice.
In the first two years you concentrate on the foundations of criminology and sociology. In years three and four you study the specific areas related to criminal justice and policing, such as:
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Criminal investigation and policing in practice.
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Cybercrime and policing technology.
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Drugs, addiction and society.
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Gender, crime and victimology.
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The sociology of race and ethnicity.
Flexible pathway degree
After the first two years of study, you can choose to specialise in other areas or carry on studying this pathway. See more in the 'How the Course Works' section below.
Our Criminology degree scored 85% for Teaching and Learning Resources in the 2021 National Student Survey.