Criminology and Social Policy with a Year in Industry

This degree in Criminology and Social Policy combines two exciting and rapidly developing subject areas that each have an enormous influence on all of our lives.

You won’t just learn theories-you will apply them to real-world issues: from health inequalities to gendered violence, cybercrime to poverty, family dynamics to victimology. By the end, you’ll have a deep understanding of how societies tackle their toughest social challenges.

And you’ll build skills that employers value. Throughout the programme, you’ll sharpen research, analysis, communication, and ethical reasoning-transferable skills that open doors in any career. This degree equips you to think critically, act with integrity, and make a real impact in relation to crime, social policy and beyond.

Our flexible degree structure gives you the scope to tailor your studies to your particular interests, career goals, or ambitions for postgraduate study.

You will benefit from a diverse and dynamic research environment with many opportunities to build connections across disciplines.

This programme also offers hands-on experiences that bring theory to life, such as:

• Field Trips to sites such as the Senedd, Big Pit, South Wales Police HQ, Swansea Prison.

• Guest Speakers from organisations including Avon and Somerset Constabulary, The Bevan Foundation, Wales TUC, and Just Stop Oil.

This programme includes opportunities to undertake a Semester or Year Abroad, spent in locations such as the USA, Canada, China, Hong Kong, or Singapore, enhancing your learning and offering invaluable life experience.

This course also offers you the opportunity to spend a Year in Industry, in the UK or overseas, enabling you to gain valuable workplace experience. The University advocates for paid-only placements, which on average have a salary of over £20,000. Unpaid placements are considered on a case-by-case basis.

In Year 1, you will typically study areas including: Criminology, Crime and Society, Introducing Social Policy, The Sociological and Criminological Imagination, Law, Criminal Justice and Human Rights, The Politics and Philosophy of Social Policy.

In Year 2, you will typically study areas including: Research Methods in Criminology, Housing Policy, Homes and Homelessness, Penology and Punishment, Poverty and Social Justice.

In Year 3, you undertake a Year in Industry.

In Year 4, you will typically study areas including: Principles of Social Policy, The Family and Children: Ethics and Policy. You could also undertake an Optional Dissertation.

The Criminology Department offers a broad range of assessment types. These range from traditional assessments such as examinations, to group-based tasks, and more contemporary and innovative assessment methods such as blog and poster writing, meaning you’ll have to take less exams.