Criminology (Top-up Degree)

Engage with criminology at an advanced level and convert your current qualifications into a full undergraduate degree. Our one-year Criminology BA will develop your understanding of key areas such as punishment, migration and state crime, providing you with the skills and knowledge to progress onto further study or to pursue career opportunities in the field.

Why choose this course?

• Transform your current qualifications into a ‘top-up’ undergraduate degree

• Keele pioneered the teaching of undergraduate Criminology in the UK

• Benefit from established links with criminal justice practitioners

• Top 15 in the UK for graduate employability (Uni Compare Rankings 2026)

Achieve a full honours degree in just one year with our BA (Hons) Criminology Top-Up. If you’ve already achieved a relevant UK, international or professionally recognised qualification, and meet our entry requirements, you can top up your existing knowledge and achieve the credits required for a degree.

This programme provides a platform to careers within criminal justice, related public service roles or progression to postgraduate study. Core modules will advance your criminology knowledge and professional skills with the option to adapt your studies to specific areas of interest.

You’ll undertake an independent research project to explore a criminology theme of your choice, with hands on research training enabling you to put your knowledge into practice.

Different perspectives on justice and power are explored, and you’ll learn about how you can apply these to themes such as state crime, hate speech, austerity and borders and migration.

Emerging challenges and issues in policing are analysed, such as public protection, counter terrorism, digital investigations and response policing, a particularly useful module if you’re considering a career in the police.

You’ll advance your knowledge of how multi-agency partnership working impacts crime prevention and reduction looking at local government, criminal sector, public sector and beyond.

Optional modules further explore key issues in criminology and provide opportunities to build your practical experience and professional skills to support your future career aspirations.

About Keele
Keele University was established in 1949 by the former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. Founded to meet the needs of a changing world, Keele has always had a pioneering vision to be a different kind of university.

We excel in both teaching and research, with some of the most satisfied students in England, and research that is changing lives for the better at a regional, national and global level.

Our beautiful 600-acre campus is one of the biggest in Britain – but all the most important services and facilities are on your doorstep, with accommodation, teaching spaces, facilities including a medical centre, sports centre and pharmacy, and a range of shops, eateries and entertainment venues – including the Students’ Union – clustered around the centre.

For a list of indicative modules please visit the course page on the Keele University website