• Join the 8th-ranked Criminology course in the UK (The Guardian University Guide 2018)
• Widen your perspective on this multidisciplinary course that draws from many fields of learning
• Improve your prospects by working towards your chosen career from the first module, with employability skills and CV work
• Feel supported in our close community of students and staff, including Criminology social media groups
• Get involved with regular events, such as field trips, forensic investigations, guest lectures and our end-of-year Criminology Conference

On our BA (Hons) Criminology degree, you’ll consider crime, victimisation and criminal justice processes from a range of multidisciplinary academic perspectives, such as sociology, psychology, politics and the law. The degree will give you the opportunity to challenge your existing opinions and attempt to evaluate contrasting evidence around the causes of crime, think critically about the effectiveness of punishment and craft arguments about the representation of crime and victimization.

During your first semester, in the module Skills for Criminal Justice, you will begin building a portfolio for your future career and CV, identifying potential roles available in the Criminal Justice sector and developing a focus for your degree, including participation in a volunteer and employment fair.

Using cutting edge theory, research and case studies, you’ll explore the most relevant crime issues of today, such as violence against women and girls, crimes of the powerful, opportunistic crimes, war crimes, corruption and urban culture; their possible causes, how the criminal justice system responds to them and how they are represented by the media.

Our links to organisations such as Rape Crisis, the National Crime Agency and the Police (through our Policing Institute for the Eastern Region) will give you scope for project and dissertation work, including opportunities to interview key figures in the local community and potential work experience.

Throughout the course, your studies will be supported by our close community of staff and students. Whether through one-to-one personal tutoring, other student support groups or our dedicated ARU Criminology social media groups, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, you’ll always be able to get in touch with someone when you need to.

You’ll find plenty of extra-curricular events to complement your learning. Our regular field trips have included Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, the Old Bailey and Royal Courts of Justice in London and, for the first time in 2017-18, a special simulated murder investigation at Wicken Fen.

We also host frequent guest lectures by key figures in criminal justice debates, such as Robert King and Albert Woodfox of the Angola Three, and authors of important criminology texts, including Professor Tim Newburn, Carlene Firmin and Professor Rod Morgan.

Finally, to celebrate the end of each year, we hold a Criminology Conference for all our students and staff, at which our graduating students are invited to present their dissertation findings, with certificates awarded to the best.

Course leader: Colleen Moore