BA Criminology
About this course
Bachelor of Arts in Criminology BA, a sociology degree exploring the causes and consequences of crime, justice, and societal responses. Core topics include Data Analysis and Research Methods. Students complete a dissertation in the final year. The first year covers foundational concepts through compulsory modules such as Contemporary Criminological Issues, Causes of Crime, Discovering Social Problems, Social Research I, Crime, Justice and Society, and Violence in a Global Context. The second year expands into policing, punishment, and social context via modules including Criminology and its Critics, Social Research II, Contemporary Issues in Policing, Prisons, Punishment and Penality, Victimology, Histories of Criminal Justice and Empire, Youth, Crime and Justice, Social Psychology, Housing, Home and Place: Issues in Policy, Media and Society, Race and Racism, Enterprising Solutions to Social Problems, and Sociology of Health and Illness. The final year allows students to specialise through optional modules such as Crime and the City, Genocide and Mass Atrocities, Harmful Societies: Crime, Social Harm and Social Justice, Drugs: Society, Politics and Policy, Psychology and Crime, Wrongful Conviction, Mental Health and Society, Professional Development, Policing Migration: victims, villains and global border regimes, Social Policy, Inequality and the Life Course, Power, Control and Resistance, Quantitative Data Analysis, and Technology & Society, alongside the Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology Dissertation.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
A Level: ABB. IB: 6,5,5 at Higher Level with a minimum of 32 points overall.. BTEC: BTEC Extended Diploma, Diploma and Subsidiary Diploma are all considered.
What students say
Based on about 30 final-year students who answered
- Teaching on my course: 86%
- Learning opportunities: 92%
- Assessment and feedback: 86%
- Academic support: 93%
- Organisation and management: 95%
- Learning resources: 94%
- Student voice: 91%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 60 students who started
- Continued on course: 90%
- Left higher education: 10%
What graduates do next
Based on about 19 graduates who answered (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Working: 75%
- Working and studying: 5%
- Further study: 5%
- Unemployed: 10%
Most common jobs
- Business and public service associate professionals: 15%
- Elementary occupations: 15%
- Teaching and Childcare Support Occupation: 10%
- Protective service occupations: 10%
- Sales occupations: 10%
- Find their work meaningful: 65%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 50%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 25%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 65 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North West: 2%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 2%
- East Midlands: 2%
- West Midlands: 42%
- East of England: 15%
- London: 23%
- South East: 9%
- South West: 5%
- Wales: 1%
Who gets in
Based on about 80 students who started
- A levels: 100%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Silver overall, Bronze for student experience, Gold for student outcomes.
Modules
- Contemporary Criminological Issues
- Causes of Crime
- Discovering Social Problems
- Social Research I
- Crime, Justice and Society
- Violence in a Global Context
- Criminology and its Critics
- Social Research II
- Contemporary Issues in Policing
- Prisons, Punishment and Penality
- Victimology
- Histories of Criminal Justice and Empire
- Youth, Crime and Justice
- Social Psychology
- Housing, Home and Place: Issues in Policy
- Media and Society
- Race and Racism
- Enterprising Solutions to Social Problems
- Sociology of Health and Illness
- Social Policy, Sociology and Criminology Dissertation
- Crime and the City
- Genocide and Mass Atrocities
- Harmful Societies: Crime, Social Harm and Social Justice
- Drugs: Society, Politics and Policy
- Psychology and Crime
- Wrongful Conviction
- Mental Health and Society
- Professional Development
- Policing Migration: victims, villains and global border regimes
- Social Policy, Inequality and the Life Course
- Power, Control and Resistance
- Quantitative Data Analysis
- Technology & Society
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA Criminology at University of Birmingham earn?
The median salary is £29,000 after 15 months, £24,500 after 3 years, £31,000 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £25,500 and £39,000. The £31,000 median after five years is £4,500 more than the UK median for Sociology.
What do graduates of BA Criminology at University of Birmingham do next?
85% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2023-24).
Are students happy with the teaching on BA Criminology at University of Birmingham?
86% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for BA Criminology at University of Birmingham?
The typical offer is ABB at A level, or 32 points in the IB. The average entrant had 131 UCAS points.
Does BA Criminology at University of Birmingham include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has an optional placement year.
How many students continue on BA Criminology at University of Birmingham?
90% of students continued into their second year, and 10% left higher education.