BA Criminology
About this course
BA (Hons) Criminology, a criminology degree that examines crime, deviance, victimisation, and the criminal justice system through sociological perspectives. Core topics include Programming, Research Methods, and Policy Analysis. Students have the option to undertake a year abroad as part of their studies. The first year establishes foundational knowledge through compulsory modules such as SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY, BECOMING A SOCIAL RESEARCHER, and INTRODUCTION TO CRIME AND SOCIETY. The second year develops methodological skills and examines penal systems through modules including PUNISHMENT, PENALITY AND PRISONS: CRITICAL DEBATES, QUANTITATIVE SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS, and QUALITATIVE SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS, alongside optional choices like HATE CRIME AND ‘THE STIGMATISED OTHER’. The final year offers specialised optional modules such as CYBER CRIME, HARM, AND VICTIMISATION, DRUGS, CRIME AND SOCIETY, and SENTENCING: POLICY AND PRACTICE, as well as an optional dissertation or work-based learning portfolio.
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 points overall with no score less than 4 or pass the IB Diploma plus 5,5,5 in 3 HL subjects. BTEC: DDD. Must be in one of the following subjects:
Admissions (2022 entry, home applicants)
Offer rate 89%: 788 offers from 889 applications, from the university's Freedom of Information return.
What students say
Based on about 27 final-year students who answered (a small group: a rough guide only)
- Teaching on my course: 92%
- Learning opportunities: 90%
- Assessment and feedback: 79%
- Academic support: 92%
- Organisation and management: 79%
- Learning resources: 94%
- Student voice: 78%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 75 students who started
- Continued on course: 88%
- Gained a higher qualification: 1%
- Left higher education: 9%
- Moved to a lower qualification: 1%
What graduates do next
Based on about 151 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university
- Working: 68%
- Working and studying: 10%
- Further study: 8%
- Unemployed: 6%
Most common jobs
- Business and public service associate professionals: 18%
- Finance Professionals: 18%
- Administrative occupations: 14%
- Elementary occupations: 7%
- Business, Research and Administrative Professionals: 6%
- Find their work meaningful: 79%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 69%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 48%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 310 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North East: 1%
- North West: 43%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 6%
- East Midlands: 5%
- West Midlands: 7%
- East of England: 6%
- London: 18%
- South East: 6%
- South West: 2%
- Wales: 4%
- Scotland: 1%
- Northern Ireland: 2%
Who gets in
Based on about 105 students who started
- A levels: 99%
- Other HE qualification: 1%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Gold overall, Silver for student experience, Gold for student outcomes.
Modules
- SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY
- SOCIAL CHANGE AND SOCIAL POLICY IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY 1
- SOCIAL CHANGE AND SOCIAL POLICY IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY 2: CHANGING INEQUALITIES
- BECOMING A SOCIAL RESEARCHER
- INTRODUCTION TO CRIME AND SOCIETY
- QUESTIONING CRIMINAL JUSTICE
- PUNISHMENT, PENALITY AND PRISONS: CRITICAL DEBATES
- QUANTITATIVE SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS
- QUALITATIVE SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODS
- CRIMINOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES AND THEIR APPLICATIONS
- POLICING IN A DIVIDED SOCIETY
- HATE CRIME AND ‘THE STIGMATISED OTHER’
- COMPARING WELFARE STATES
- UNDERSTANDING VIOLENCE
- CRITICAL EDUCATION STUDIES
- CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL POLICY IN THE UK
- THE CITY: AN URBAN SOCIOLOGY OF LIVERPOOL
- THINKING SOCIOLOGICALLY: APPROACHES TO SOCIAL INQUIRY
- DISSERTATION
- INTERCHANGE PORTFOLIO: WORK-BASED LEARNING
- SOCIOLOGIES OF CLASS AND INEQUALITY
- CULTURE, ECONOMY AND CITIES
- GENDER AND THE WELFARE STATE
- INVESTIGATING INSTITUTIONAL DEATHS AND HARMS
- MILITARY, MILITARISM, IDENTITY AND PLACE
- THE VIOLENCE OF NEO-IMPERIALISM: STATE-CORPORATE CRIME IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH
- LOVE, HATE AND ANGER: EMOTIONS AND SOCIETY
- CYBER CRIME, HARM, AND VICTIMISATION
- GENDER, THE BODY AND IDENTITY
- COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
- CONTEMPORARY CULTURE AND THE SEDUCTIONS OF CRIME
- GENDER AND CRIME
- CRIME, JUSTICE AND THE SEX INDUSTRY
- MEN, MASCULINITIES AND SOCIAL CHANGE
- ARCHITECTURE AND POWER: PARLIAMENTS, PRISONS AND COURTS
- THE RISK SOCIETY: CRIME, SECURITY AND PUBLIC POLICY
- ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION: A CRITICAL EXPLORATION
- DRUGS, CRIME AND SOCIETY
- ALCOHOL, CRIME AND SOCIETY
- POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY: INCLUSION, EXCLUSION AND THE STRUGGLES FOR POWER
- RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY, AND THE SUPERNATURAL
- HEALTH, LIFECOURSE & SOCIETY
- 'RACE', COMMUNITY AND IDENTITY
- CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES IN DESISTANCE FROM CRIME
- EVERYDAY SOCIAL LIVES, EVERYDAY SOCIAL WORLDS: INTRODUCING ETHNOMETHODOLOGY
- DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY AS SOCIAL RESEARCH
- HACKING SOCIETY: PROGRAMMING AS SOCIAL SCIENCE
- SENTENCING: POLICY AND PRACTICE
- OUTER SPACE, SOCIETY AND FUTURE FRONTIERS
- HATE CRIME AND ‘THE STIGMATISED OTHER’
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA Criminology at University of Liverpool earn?
The median salary is £29,000 after 15 months, £25,500 after 3 years, £32,000 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £26,500 and £43,500. The £32,000 median after five years is £5,500 more than the UK median for Sociology.
What do graduates of BA Criminology at University of Liverpool do next?
87% 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 Liverpool?
92% 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 Liverpool?
The typical offer is BBB at A level, or 30 points in the IB. The average entrant had 129 UCAS points.
What is the offer rate for BA Criminology at University of Liverpool?
89% of home applicants received an offer for 2022 entry: 788 offers from 889 applications, according to the university's Freedom of Information return.
Does BA Criminology at University of Liverpool include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has an optional year abroad.
How many students continue on BA Criminology at University of Liverpool?
88% of students continued into their second year, and 9% left higher education.