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Criminology and Sociology

BA (Hons)

Home Courses Undergraduate Criminology degree

Summary

Study level

Undergraduate

Award

Degree

Part time

3 years+

Location

Online

Course Overview

For students who want to learn more about the areas of crime and social values, our criminology and sociology degree invites you to study, examine, and debate the most pressing questions facing society right now.

Looking into questions such as: How is society organised? Why are certain kinds of behaviour considered crimes? And, how does social change impact on crime and our approaches to crime? – the course will greatly further your understanding of crime and crime control, and your understanding of the broader social contexts in which crime occurs.

The course also explores the consequences and social implications that crime has on modern society, giving you an insight into the world of human perceptions of crime and preparing you to become a well-rounded and informed professional in whichever career path you decide to pursue after graduation.

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Course details and modules

Our criminology and sociology degree gives you the opportunity to explore large-scale issues such as poverty and social injustice, alongside micro-studies of social policies. While studying, you’ll focus on ways to understand crime - including policing and the criminal justice system - as well as examining the complex relationship between victims and offenders.

As a working mum, I needed a course that would fit my busy life. My degree in Psychology complemented my role as a therapeutic counsellor beautifully and although I’ve just finished, it has already impacted my life greatly!

Cath Palmer

BA (Hons) Psychology

Modules

You have 3-9 years to complete this course, meaning that you can take up to 3 years to complete each level. However, many of our students complete their criminology and sociology course within 3-6 years. You will undertake the following modules.

Level 4

Effective Interdisciplinary Study
Crime & Society
Criminal Justice System
Introduction to Sociology
Medicalisation of the Self
Inequalities in the Modern World

Level 5

Research and Ethics in Action
Contemporary Debates in Criminology
Environmental Criminology
Abnormality & The Deviant Other
Policing and Police Powers
Protests, Mass Movements & Rebellion

Level 6

Cybercrime
Youth Justice
Consumer Society & The Commodification of Beings
Insecurity & Precariousness in the Globalised World
Research Planning & Project

How do we assess you?

The way we assess our students provides you with the opportunity to demonstrate your strengths in a variety of ways. That’s why we choose a range of different methods to keep track of your progress. These include:

Assignments
Essays
Presentations
Case studies
Portfolios of work

Study options

This course is available to students as a fully online programme, which gives you the convenience of being able to study from anywhere worldwide.

I chose online learning because I do not currently have the capacity to attend classes as my days are full with running my household, my elderly parents’ household and tending to the needs of my 3-year-old. Online studying has been extremely helpful because it provides the flexibility I need in order to study at random times during the day or night.

Cynthia Blow

BSc (Hons) Psychology

Online learning

How does it work?

Studying this course online gives you the ultimate in convenience. You can enrol with Arden from anywhere in the world and study your degree from the comfort of home, without the requirement to attend classes in a physical location.

Our online students study their degree through ilearn, Arden’s university campus in the cloud. ilearn provides everything you need to study at University. It offers an integrated virtual learning experience, including your virtual classroom, lecture theatre, and online library (which when used along with our supplementary library, Perlego, gives you access to almost half a million books and journals – yours for free while you study with us).

ilearn is also integrated with Zoom, making it easier to chat with your course tutor during your scheduled seminar sessions. You can even integrate our study materials into your Kindle, making it possible to study wherever you have you Kindle handy.

Studying online doesn’t mean studying alone. As well as receiving regular feedback and guidance from your course tutor, you’ll be studying with likeminded students who you can meet with through our Unitu community, and you’ll have access to community message boards to discuss your course and the topics being raised within it. We’ve even set up community boards embedded into each of the course modules so you can have discussions with your tutor and classmates on the topics you’re currently learning.

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Entry requirements

At Arden University we consider applications on a case by case basis. If you have significant work experience, have qualifications you have gained elsewhere, or a degree or qualification that isn't a clear pathway to this degree - we are more than happy to discuss your application.

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Eligibility

Our BA (Hons) Criminology and Sociology degree has standard entry requirements. To be able to study this course, we need to see that you have:

Two subjects at GCE A-Level or equivalent, plus passes at grade C or above in three subjects at GCSE level or equivalent; OR
Completed a recognised Access Programme or equivalent

English Proficiency

IELTS 6.0 (no less than 5.5 in any element); or TOEFL iBT 80; or equivalent

We also offer an internal English test for applicants. More information on this can be found here.

We are happy to consider an application from you if you can evidence that you have relevant work experience where you can demonstrate critical thinking and analysis skills.

We’ll ask you for a personal statement that demonstrates your ability to study the course. We may also want references and evidence of relevant experiences.

Before you start studying

Whilst you can read your study materials on your smart phone or tablet, to make the most of your learning experience, you will need access to a laptop or computer (we recommend one running the latest version of Windows), and a good stable internet connection.

Course fees and funding

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Meet the faculty

Arden’s psychology and social science degrees are designed to explore human behaviours across diverse areas of psychology and social science such as criminology, sociology, and criminal justice. These courses provide you with a range of transferable skills that are valued by employers from a wide range of industries. Our Psychology online courses are accredited by The British Psychological Society, which means they are internationally recognised. I look forward to welcoming you to the Arden University family.

Gail Steptoe-Warren

Head of School, Psychology and Social Sciences

Career prospects

This course teaches you a range of skills that will help you understand criminology and sociology in-depth, so you’ll eventually feel confident enough to make a decision about your career pathway. Whether you already have a future profession in mind, or want to enhance the career you are currently pursuing, we’re here to fully support you in your endeavours.

Related courses

What can a criminology and sociology degree do for me?

Studying a Criminology and Sociology course will open up a world of opportunity for your future. While studying, you'll cover a breadth of topics that will develop and enhance your skillset, including:

Analysis and evaluation of data
Effective written and verbal communication
Imaginative and creative thinking
Independent learning
Inter-disciplinary research
The ability to devise solutions to social issues
The presentation of research in a variety of formats

What can I do after Arden University?

A criminology and sociology university degree will help to launch your future as a confident, forward-thinking professional, so after graduating, you’ll be spoilt for choice on which career path to go for! Some of your career options could include:

Social work
Counselling
Crime prevention
Community work
Court services
Mental Health
Human Resources (HR)
Central and Local Government
Research
Marketing
Advertising

You can also go on to study at Master’s Level. Arden University offer a variety of Master’s programmes and we are developing many more. Keep looking for further developments!

Industry skills

Career development resources

Once you’ve enrolled with Arden, our careers centre is easily accessible directly from inside our online platform, ilearn. The careers centre is here to help you discover the areas of your academic and professional life that you find most meaningful and rewarding, and then apply this to your career pathway.
Just a few of the career tools you’ll find in the careers centre include:

CV360, which analyses your CV and provides instant feedback for improvement
Interview360, helping you practise your interview technique in a stress-free environment and tackle some of the most common interview questions - as many times as you need to
Aptitude tests to help your improve your critical thinking, numeric, and logical reasoning skills
100s of interactive courses focused on giving you the skills and confidence you need to excel in your professional life.
My Jobs, where you can search employment vacancies, browse employer profiles by location and, or connect with other employees on LinkedIn.

Fast-Track Your Career

At Arden University, we’re dedicated to your readiness for the future workplace, and are committed to helping you gain the skills and qualifications you need as you progress in your professional life. Our Fast-Track Your Career promise has been developed to allow you to pursue your master’s degree with us - with no tuition fees to pay - once you have successfully completed your Arden undergraduate degree course.

On successful completion of your bachelor’s course, you can simply apply for the Arden master’s degree of your choice and you’ll then be able to progress with your postgraduate education completely free of any additional course tuition fees.

We’ll provide you with advice and guidance about which master’s course meets your career needs and provides a meaningful pathway from undergraduate to postgraduate study.

To see the full terms and conditions, please visit https://arden.ac.uk/terms-and-conditions