Sociology with Criminology with Foundation Year

With this foundation year course, you'll gain all the credentials you need to begin your career in sociology and criminology. It's ideal for you if you don't yet meet the entry requirements of our undergraduate degree, if you're returning to study after a break away, or you need a bit of extra support to get uni-ready.

You'll spend a year studying with us on campus, through ICP. You'll get the knowledge and academic skills needed to take on a bachelor's degree, learning how to analyse information, do research, and improve your academic writing.

The skills you'll learn will help you work in teams as well as on your own in culturally diverse workplaces. You'll develop your understanding of new workplaces and environments, and how to adapt to new environments.

After your foundation year, you'll be ready to move onto the first year of BA (Hons) Sociology with Criminology.

A guaranteed place
Once you’ve successfully completed your foundation year, you'll be ready to progress onto BA (Hons) Sociology with Criminology with a guaranteed place.

Course highlights

• ICP is based on the University of Portsmouth campus so you'll have access to all facilities, support and societies

• When you finish your foundation year successfully, you get a guaranteed place on BA (Hons) Sociology with Criminology

• Get used to how lectures, seminars and tutorials work, so you can move onto your degree ready for success

• Learn how to meet the demands of taking on a bachelor's at university

Careers and opportunities
When you complete this foundation year, you'll be all set to continue on to our BA (Hons) Sociology with Criminology. Studying a combination of sociology and criminology opens up a wide range of potential careers, both in and out of the criminal justice system. Whether you’re attracted to careers that involve working closely with other people, or roles that call for rigorous and structured thinking, you’ll be well prepared.

This is because you’ll graduate with a set of skills that are transferable to all kinds of professions. Those skills include:

• insight into people and social dynamics

• critical thinking and analysis

• qualitative and quantitative research

• the ability to shape and communicate an argument

For proof that a wide range of employers value these skills, look at the diversity of roles our recent graduates have taken on. They include: police officer, recruitment consultant, litigation paralegal, digital forensics assistant and victim support caseworker.

What areas can you work in with a sociology with criminology degree?

You’ll graduate ready to pursue a career or further training in areas such as:

• health and social care

• law enforcement

• probation

• counselling

• advertising, marketing and media

• teaching and lecturing

• human resources and recruitment

• business administration and personnel management

You could also progress into research-related jobs or pursue further research and study at postgraduate level.

What jobs can you do with a sociology with criminology degree?
Job roles you could take on include:

• social researcher

• probation officer

• investigative analyst

• police officer

• human resource manager

• counsellor

• teacher

• charity worker

• detention custody officer

Course Modules

The University of Portsmouth is passionate about creating career-focused modules that do more than support your studies, they empower your academic journey and prepare you for what comes next.

We design modules that have:

• Clear themes and skills development as you progress through each year
• Assessments that feel meaningful, often based on real-world tasks rather than isolated exams
• Career-enhancing opportunities such as placements, live projects, enterprise and volunteering

For a full list of the modules you will study on this course, please visit the link to the course page.

https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/undergraduate/bsc-hons-sociology-with-criminology?studyMode=4-years-with-foundation-year&startDate=september-2026#modules