Criminology and Sociology
BA (Hons)
Introduction
1st in Scotland and 4th in the UK for Criminology
The Guardian University Guide, 2018
2nd in Scotland and top 15 in the UK for Sociology
The Guardian University Guide, 2018
Why and how do people break the law? How can the criminal justice system define this and how do we police, prosecute and punish people?
This course looks at the motivations and careers of law-breakers and also broader questions of process and policy in criminal justice.
You will attain a strong training in criminology and the theory and methods of applied social science. If you are considering a career in the police, prison service or human rights agencies, it will provide a strong academic base.
Criminology is based in the Faculty of Social Science and can be studied as a joint degree only. It can be combined with: Law (MM91); Philosophy (MV95); Politics (ML92); Social Policy (LL64), or Sociology (LM39).
This subject may be studied in combination with a number of other subjects - learn more.
What makes us different?
Why study Criminology and Social Policy at Stirling?
Our Expertise
Our modules are taught by acknowledged experts in their various academic fields and teaching is closely informed by the latest developments in social research.
Our Location
You will benefit from the very strong practical/applied focus at Stirling and the strong links between research (notably through research centres such as the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, The Salvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research, The Centre for Child Wellbeing and Protection and the Dementia Services Development Centre) and teaching.
Our Flexibility
The Stirling degree structure is very flexible in the first two years allowing students to experiment with new subjects.
World-class library and teaching facilities
Studying for a degree means learning in different ways; managing your own time; conducting research; mastering new computer skills. We have the facilities and advice on hand to help you do all this - and do it well.
Life at Stirling
Of the many reasons students come to Stirling, such as academic reputation and research standards, one factor is always cited: the outstanding beauty of the University's Stirling campus. View our online films to get a picture of what it's like to live and study on our beautiful campus.
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Entry requirements
Academic requirements
Four-year Honours degree
ABBB - one sitting.
AABB - two sittings.
GCE A-level:
BBB
IB Diploma:
32 points
Three-year Honours degree
ABB
GCE A-level:
ABB
IB Diploma:
35 points
Essential subjects:
To include Sociology.
Other qualifications
Minimum entry
Scottish HNC/D - Bs in graded units
English, Welsh and NI HNC/D - Merits and Distinctions.
Advanced entry
Advanced entry is possible with an HNC/D in Social Sciences
Access courses:
Access courses and other UK/EU and international qualifications are also welcomed.
Essential subjects:
As listed above or equivalent.
Additional information
Mathematics Standard Grade (3), National 5 (C), Intermediate 2 (C), GCSE (C) or equivalent.
If examinations are taken over two sittings, or there are repeats or upgrades, the entrance requirements may be higher.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS: 6.0 with 5.5 minimum in each skill
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): Grade C
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE): Grade C
- Pearson Test of English (Academic): 54 with 51 in each component
- IBT TOEFL: 80 with no subtest less than 17
More information on our English language requirements
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this course, our partner INTO University of Stirling offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to this degree.
Fees and costs
Fees 2017/8
| Overseas students (non-EU) | £11,845.00 |
|---|---|
| Scottish and EU students | £1,820.00 |
| Students from the rest of the UK | £6,750.00 per year for a maximum of 4 years |
Fees 2018/9
| Overseas students (non-EU) | £12,140.00 |
|---|---|
| Scottish and EU students | £1,820.00 |
| Students from the rest of the UK | £9250 – with a generous package of scholarship options |
From 2016/7 onwards, the fees for overseas undergraduates will be held at the level upon entry.
Please note: Scottish and EU students can apply to the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to have tuition fees paid by the Scottish government. Students from the rest of the UK can apply for financial assistance, including a loan to cover the full cost of the tuition fees, from the Student Loan Company.
You should expect to pay fees for every year you are in attendance and be aware fees are subject to revision and may increase annually. Students on programmes of study of more than one year should take this into account when applying.
Please note there is an additional charge should you choose to attend a graduation ceremony. View more information
Cost of Living
Find out about the cost of living for students at Stirling
Payment options
Find information on paying fees by instalments
Scholarships & funding
Structure and teaching
Structure and content
You will take Sociology, Social Policy modules plus two other modules in Year 1.
Semesters 1 - 3
You are required to take the following core
modules:
- Social Differentiation: The effects that differences in gender, age, ethnicity and status have on the way in which people are treated in different societies
- Social Problems: Contemporary social issues and policy responses including crime, white collar crime and immigration crime,
- Understanding Social Policy: Historical and theoretical perspectives on social policy analysis including crime policy
Semesters 4 - 8
You must take core advanced modules in:
- Crime and Criminal Justice: The architecture of the criminal justice system, and evidence on, and explanations for, crime and offending
- Development of Social Theory
- The Research Process: Introduction to methods of social research and analysis, including practical and project work
- Honours Seminar: Doing Social Research: This module develops your ability to synthesise theoretical, methodological and empirical work in Criminology and centres on the process of research.
Honours students are required to produce a 10,000 word dissertation in Criminology and take two further advanced modules.
Optional modules currently include:
- Crime, Risk and Modernity
- Crimes of the Powerful
- Punishment and Society
- Criminological Theories in Context
- Gender, Crime and Justice
- Drugs, Crime and Society
- Urban Society
Delivery and assessment
Teaching for each course in Criminology usually consists of two lectures plus one workshop per week. Assessment in each course is normally based on a combination of coursework and examinations for example, one essay (30 percent) and an examination (70 percent). The final-year dissertation counts for two modules and provides an opportunity to put research methods studied into practice while focusing on an area of particular interest to the student.
Your will receive tuition in both qualitative and quantitative research methods and this learning is applied in the Year 4 dissertation module. Year 1 modules aim to bridge the gap between school and university study through coursework assessments, which will provide you with a trial run before attempting coursework essays.
A mentoring system is also in place for Year 3 students entering Honours.
Combined degrees
| Course | UCAS Code |
|---|---|
| Law | MM91 |
| Philosophy | MV95 |
| Politics | ML92 |
Learn more about studying these subjects
Related degrees
Criminology and Social Policy; Sociology and Social Policy.
Recommended reading
- Carrabine, E., Iganski, P., Lee, M., Plummer, K and South, N. (2004) Criminology: A sociological introduction. Routledge
- Croall, H. Mooney, G. and Munro, M. (2010) Criminal Justice in Scotland London: Routledge
- Hale, C., Hayward, K., Wahidin, A. and Wincup, E. (2009) Criminology, Oxford: Oxford University Press
- Maguire, M., Morgan, R. and Reiner, R. (2007) The Oxford Handbook of Criminology, Oxford: Oxford University Press
- McLaughlin, E. and Muncie, J. (2001) Controlling Crime London: Sage
- Muncie, J. and McLaughlin, E. (2001) The Problem of Crime London: Sage
- Newburn, T (2007) Criminology Devon: Willan
Modes of study
Full-time (three modules per semester).
Part-time (one or two modules per semester).
Example timetable
The timetable below is a typical example, but your own timetable may be different.
|
Year |
Modules |
|
1 (Autumn) |
Social differentiation |
|
|
Any two optional modules from across the University |
|
1 (Spring) |
Social problems |
|
|
Any two optional modules from across the University |
|
2 (Autumn) |
Understanding social policy |
|
|
Two optional modules from combined degree course |
|
2 (Spring) |
Crime and Criminal Justice |
|
|
The Development of Social Theory |
|
|
One optional module from combined degree course |
|
3 (Autumn) |
Research Process 1 |
|
|
Two optional modules from combined degree course |
|
3 (Spring) |
Research Process 2 |
|
|
Two optional modules from combined degree course |
|
4 (Autumn) |
One optional module from combined degree course |
|
4 (Spring) |
One optional module from combined degree course |
|
4 (Autumn/Spring0 |
Dissertation Honours seminar (Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy combined degree students only) |
Why Stirling?
Rating
1st in Scotland and 4th in the UK for Criminology (The Guardian University Guide, 2018)
2nd in Scotland and top 15 in the UK for Sociology (The Guardian University Guide, 2018)
International Students
The University of Stirling welcomes applications from all countries.
Our staff
Our modules are taught by acknowledged experts in their various academic fields and teaching is closely informed by the latest developments in social research. This ensures that our teaching engages with real-world issues in a critical, informed and engaging manner. Lecturers on and related to the course also work on, for example, police practice, dementia, children affected by parental substance use, substance use, development or economic cooperation draw on this research in their teaching.
Careers and employability
Career opportunities
Criminology provides a good academic base if you are considering careers in the police, the prison service, probation, social work, community care and law, regulatory fields such as the factory and tax inspectorates, human rights agencies, charitable foundations and lobby groups.
As well as specific subject-based knowledge, you will graduate with a wide range of experience and skills; in particular, communication skills, self management skills and interpersonal skills. These give graduates a competitive edge with employers across the private, public and voluntary sectors. You will learn how to identify and recognise the inherent importance and value of a discipline from an economic, social and cultural perspective, and making links between the discipline and professional opportunities. You will also learn how to become a critical thinker with analytical and problem-solving abilities, able to reshape and transform knowledge to generate new understandings, which you can then apply creatively in different contexts.
Stirling Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy graduates have a higher-than-average (in the UK) employment rate in degree relevant careers.