BA Sociology and Criminology (Placement Year)
About this course
BA Hons in Sociology and Criminology (Placement Year), a sociology degree centred on the relationship between crime, social structures, and the criminal justice system. Core topics include Statistics, Research Methods, Fieldwork, Project Management, Communication & Writing, Critical & Analytical Thinking, Social & Cultural Analysis, and Global & Comparative Perspective. The programme incorporates a mandatory third-year professional placement allowing students to complete a graduate-level work placement in an industry sector. The first year covers core foundations through Thinking Sociologically, Explaining Criminology, Exploring the Criminal Justice System, Researching Society: Principles and Practices, and Doing Criminology: How We Know About Crime, alongside optional choices such as Framing Social Issues. The second year advances methodologies and theories via Global Social Theory: Connecting Sociologies, Criminological Thought, Research in Action: Methods for Investigating the Social World, Understanding Criminological Fieldwork, Designing Sociological Research, and Measuring Crime. Students can select optional subjects in both years, including Youth Justice, Cybercrime and Cybercriminality, and Race, Racism and Inequality. The final year focuses on independent research through the Sociology Independent Project and the Criminology Dissertation, complemented by optional modules such as Green Criminology, Drugs, Crime and Society, and Crimes and Harms of the Powerful.
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: BBB IB: 30 overall with 15 points from the best 3 HL subjects
What students say
Based on about 49 final-year students who answered, across similar courses at this university
- Teaching on my course: 92%
- Learning opportunities: 88%
- Assessment and feedback: 79%
- Academic support: 96%
- Organisation and management: 86%
- Learning resources: 92%
- Student voice: 78%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 95 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- Continued on course: 92%
- Left higher education: 7%
- Moved to a lower qualification: 1%
What graduates do next
Based on about 32 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university
- Working: 73%
- Working and studying: 7%
- Further study: 5%
- Unemployed: 8%
Most common jobs
- Administrative occupations: 20%
- Business and public service associate professionals: 15%
- Protective service occupations: 10%
- Elementary occupations: 10%
- Welfare and housing associate professionals: 10%
- Find their work meaningful: 80%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 80%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 50%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 75 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North West: 60%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 3%
- East Midlands: 1%
- West Midlands: 14%
- East of England: 5%
- London: 9%
- South East: 5%
- South West: 1%
- Scotland: 1%
Who gets in
Based on about 110 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- A levels: 93%
- Baccalaureate: 2%
- Access course: 1%
- Other HE qualification: 3%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Gold overall, Silver for student experience, Gold for student outcomes.
Modules
- Thinking Sociologically
- Explaining Criminology
- Exploring the Criminal Justice System
- Researching Society: Principles and Practices
- Doing Criminology: How We Know About Crime
- Framing Social Issues
- Public Sociology: Understanding and Creating Social Change
- Crime and Popular Culture
- A Brief History of Crime and Criminology
- Contemporary Social Issues 1: Power, Inequality and Everyday Life
- Policy Lab
- British Politics: Political Ideas in Action
- Media, Power and Identity
- Screens and Selves
- Global Social Theory: Connecting Sociologies
- Criminological Thought
- Research in Action: Methods for Investigating the Social World
- Understanding Criminological Fieldwork
- Designing Sociological Research
- Measuring Crime
- Youth Justice
- Cybercrime and Cybercriminality
- Race, Racism and Inequality
- Gender and Sexuality in Popular Culture
- Organised Crime
- Contemporary Issues in Policing
- Transnational Debates on Gender and Society
- Welfare States: Poverty, Policy and Politics
- Work Based Learning Year
- Sociology Independent Project
- Criminology Dissertation
- Green Criminology
- Drugs, Crime and Society
- Crimes and Harms of the Powerful
- Advanced Sociological Theories and Applications
- Health, Bodies and Social Reproduction
- Audiences, Fans and Participatory Cultures
- Prisons, Punishment and Society
- Gendered Harm and Justice
- Hate Crime
- Crime and Media
- Environment and Society: Crisis, Justice and Change
- Migration, Inequalities and Societies
- The Making of Media and AI Futures
- Mediating the Body
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA Sociology and Criminology (Placement Year) at Lancaster University earn?
The median salary is £26,000 after 15 months, £23,000 after 3 years, £26,500 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £21,500 and £33,000. The £26,500 median after five years is the same as the UK median for Sociology.
What do graduates of BA Sociology and Criminology (Placement Year) at Lancaster University 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 Sociology and Criminology (Placement Year) at Lancaster University?
92% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for BA Sociology and Criminology (Placement Year) at Lancaster University?
The typical offer is BBB at A level. The average entrant had 134 UCAS points.
Does BA Sociology and Criminology (Placement Year) at Lancaster University include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has a compulsory placement year.
How many students continue on BA Sociology and Criminology (Placement Year) at Lancaster University?
92% of students continued into their second year, and 7% left higher education.