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BA (Hons) Criminology
- Course Type: Undergraduate Degree
- Institution Code: P56
What can this course lead to?
Just some of the future careers for graduates after completing the course include:
- Probation Officer
- Prison Officer
- Youth Worker
- Victim Support Worker
- Police and Emergency Services
- Researcher
- Data Analyst
- Local Government Officer
Who is it for?
Are you interested in the problem of crime in contemporary societies? If so, our Criminology course may be for you.
As a Criminology student, you will investigate the nature of crime and criminality, as well as studying society’s response through the criminal justice system.
You will learn about the social and personal impacts of crime and what it means to be a victim of crime. You will understand how societies control and punish disorder and study forms of transnational crime that cross national borders. Criminology takes a social scientific approach to studying and classifying crime, as well as exploring theories around criminal behaviour. In addition to theory, you will study the institutions of the criminal justice system, including the police, law courts, prisons and probation services.
Students will have the opportunity to take trips to the Crown Court (including the Old Bailey) and participate in the Peterborough Crime Walk, police riot training and prison visits. As a Criminology student, you will learn how to conduct independent research, drawing on a range of methods utilised by social scientists. You will also be encouraged and supported to adopt an interdisciplinary problem-solving approach to social issues, working collaboratively with students from other disciplines to find solutions.
You will also refine your career path, testing your interests and skills while working with local organisations and building your professional network for when you graduate.
You will have the opportunity to undertake a live research project with a range of local partners and carry out research that makes a material difference in people’s lives. This will enable you to graduate not just with a good degree, but with a range of real-world experience which will help you progress into your desired career. The courses at University Centre Peterborough are studied in smaller class sizes compared with other universities; a typical class size is under 20 students.
To view the course specification, click here.
You can view The Open University regulations here.
What is covered?
You must take modules worth 120 credits at each level of the course. Each module is worth a specified number of credits.
Year one for full-time students (Level 4)
- Academic and Professional Skills for Social Scientists (30 credits)
- Introduction to Criminology (15 credits)
- Introduction to Criminal Justice (30 credits)
- Politics, Ideology and Society (15 credits)
- Exploring Crime and the Media (15 credits)
- Popular Culture Representations of Crime and Criminal Justice (15 credits)
Year two for full-time students (Level 5)
- Research Skills for Social Scientists (30 credits)
- Exploring Issues with the Courts (15 credits)
- Violence in Contemporary Society (15 credits)
- Prisons and Punishment (15 credits)
- Advanced Criminological Theory (15 credits)
- Policing and Investigation (15 credits)
- War, Globalisation and Security (15 credits)
Final year for full-time students (Level 6)
- Undergraduate Major Project (30 credits)
- Global Transnational Crime (15 credits)
- Contemporary Criminal Justice Policy and Implementation (15 credits)
- Investigative Psychology (15 credits)
- Youth Justice (15 credits)
PLUS CHOOSE 30 CREDITS OF OPTIONAL MODULES:
- Sex, Sexual Violence and Society (15 credits)
- Critical Studies in Race and Ethnicity (15 credits)
- Live Research Project (15 credits)
- Exploring Employment (15 credits)
- Deviance in Pleasure and Leisure (15 credits)
If it is unviable to run an optional module due to student demand, an alternative module will be offered.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
88 UCAS Points and 5 GCSE grades C/4 or above including English and maths.
Mature students or students who do not have the above qualifications can contact our admissions team on 01733 214466 or admissions@ucp.ac.uk to discuss equivalent qualifications or relevant work experience. For more information on EU and overseas qualifications, UCAS, accreditation of prior learning and failure to meet the entry requirements please visit www.ucp.ac.uk
A typical 15 credit module is 150 hours which includes 36 hours of tutor led delivery and 114 hours of recommended independent study. A typical 30 credit module is 300 hours which includes 72 hours of tutor led delivery and 228 hours of recommended independent study. A full-time student should expect to undertake 30 additional hours per week during term-time.
Over the duration of your course, teaching will be delivered by the following methods:
- Year one for full-time students (Level 4)
- Year two for full-time students (Level 5)
- Final year for full-time students (Level 6)
40% Lectures
20% Seminars
40% Workshops
Throughout the duration of your course you will be assessed by the following methods:
Year one for full-time students (Level 4)
- 90% Coursework
- 10% Practical Exams
Year two for full-time students (Level 5)
- 80% Coursework
- 20% Practical Exams
Final year for full-time students (Level 6)
- 90% Coursework
- 10% Practical Exams
Your final degree classification is calculate as an average of all Level 5 and Level 6 credits with the Level 6 credits given twice as much weighting as the Level 5.
Visit our published documents and policies page for The Open University regulations.
As the course is timetabled as full days during the week when studied full-time, this also gives you the flexibility to find a work placement, internship or volunteering opportunity which will improve your employability after you graduate. All students are encouraged to identify work experience to aid their career development.
Stephanie Richards is the Course Leader for the BA (Hons) Criminology degree at University Centre Peterborough. She joined UCP in 2024 and has been teaching criminology since 2019. Stephanie leads the programme with a real passion for making criminology accessible, relevant, and reflective of the world we live in today. She is committed to creating an environment where students feel inspired to think critically and see criminology as a living, breathing subject that connects directly to their everyday experiences.
She teaches a wide range of modules, including Introduction to Criminology, Introduction to Criminal Justice, Exploring Crime and Media, Youth Justice, Investigative Psychology, Global and Transnational Crime, Sex and Society, Prisons and Punishment, and Policing and Investigation. Stephanie’s sessions are known for being creative, discussion-based, and thought-provoking — encouraging students to question what they think they know about crime, justice, and power. Her classroom approach is highly interactive, often drawing on case studies, media analysis, and current debates to help students link theory with the real world.
Stephanie holds a BA in Criminology and a Master’s in Race, Education and Decolonial Thought, and she is currently completing a PhD in Sociology. Her research explores the links between gender, race, identity, policing, sexual violence, and resistance, looking closely at how colonial histories continue to shape the way justice operates today. She brings this perspective into her teaching, helping students understand that criminology is not just about studying crime but also about questioning systems, histories, and structures of inequality.
As a historical criminologist and co-founder of the Black Criminology Network, Stephanie is deeply committed to widening representation and changing how criminology is taught and understood. Her Afrocentric and decolonial approach aims to empower students to see themselves in the discipline — to recognise that their lived experiences and cultural backgrounds are valuable sources of knowledge. She encourages students to challenge conventional ideas, engage in open dialogue, and approach criminology as a space for both critique and creativity.
Stephanie’s vision for criminology at UCP is to build a learning community that values inclusion, curiosity, and social awareness. She believes criminology should not only study crime but also question who defines it, why, and how those definitions influence our communities and society. Under her leadership, the criminology programme continues to grow as a space where students are supported to explore complex issues, develop their voice, and graduate with the confidence to challenge injustice and drive positive change.Course information
Ucas Code
M900
Location
Peterborough
Start Date
September
Fees
Tuition fees are £9,000 per year for full-time students and £6,750 for part-time students, which is lower than many other universities.
There may be additional costs for this course which are not covered by the tuition fee.
Duration
Full-time: 3 years (2 full days a week over two semesters per year)
Part-time: 4 years (1-2 full days a week over two semesters per
year)
Validated by
The Open University
Tariff points
88
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