About this course
In today’s world, social justice is essential in truly understanding and challenging inequalities within and beyond the Criminal Justice System. With this BA (Hons) Sociology and Criminology degree, you’ll see the world and the criminal justice system through a sociological lens. You’ll explore the issues that matter to you – empowering you to make meaningful change.
Sociology and criminology are distinct yet connected, which is why we’ve combined the insights of our BA Sociology and BA Criminology courses into one innovative, interdisciplinary degree. Moving beyond the content offered by these separate courses, the BA Sociology and Criminology degree includes bespoke modules. These modules challenge common images and explanations of crime, allowing you to interrogate justice and injustices in contemporary societies. Put simply, together we will turn the definition of justice on its head.
Studying with NTU, you’ll gain the skills and confidence to make you stand out and help shape future directions of policy and practice. You’ll challenge inequalities and enhance social justice within communities and organisations, allowing you to make a real difference in society – whether that's within the Criminal Justice System or in other areas such as education, the civil service or the third sector.
This is justice reimagined.
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We’re big on personalization and community. You’ll study an inspiring range of modules, including those unique to the Sociology and Criminology course in an environment which is friendly and supportive. -
Take on the latest issues including gender equality, race and ethnicity, green criminology, social and criminal harms, and the impact of digital technologies in a rapidly changing world. -
Our friendly and approachable team has a wealth of teaching and research experience. Their diverse backgrounds and expertise will guide and refine your studies. -
Pair up with a partner in the local community to work on a project and tackle a particular social challenge. Partners include organisations working in areas such as homelessness, domestic violence, human rights and asylum seeking.
What you’ll study
Our BA (Hons) Sociology and Criminology combines theory and hands-on practice. We'll work with you to really get to grips with applying sociological and criminological knowledge to the real world. We'll explore gender equality, race and ethnicity, green criminology, social and criminal harms, and the impact of digital technologies. We’ll encourage you to step away from the preconceived ideas of crime and justice and apply your knowledge and skills in innovative ways to challenge injustices and help shape future directions.
With a diverse range of compelling modules, you can shape your learning and take the path that’ll guide your future career.
Here’s a breakdown of the core and optional modules you’ll be studying across your course:
Images of Crime and Criminal Justice (20 credit points)
- You’ll be introduced to the study of criminology by looking at images of crime and the criminal justice system.
- You’ll develop an awareness of how crime is represented and approached in terms of crime control across local, national and international contexts.
- You’ll be introduced to the concept of sustainability, and its relevance to criminology, images of crime and crime control.
Constructing Crime (20 credit points)
- You’ll learn how crime, deviance and victimisation are legally and socially constructed.
- You’ll consider what is crime? Who determines this? What role for morals and ethics? How do different stakeholders shape the conversation about crime and why does this matter?
Foundations of Social Theory (20 credit points)
- You’ll develop an understanding of early sociological thought on modern societies and the still pervasive ideas that arose from that thinking.
- You’ll appraise the ‘modernity thesis’ and its principal ideas emanating from classical sociological thought.
- You’ll describe and explain the ideas and themes of non-western approaches to the discussion of social life (e.g. Islamic and Southern Theory) and their critiques of Enlightenment sociology.
What is Society? (20 credit points)
- You’ll examine how a variety of social structures and institutions shape society.
- You’ll develop an understanding of the relationship between structure and agency.
- You’ll examine strategies which have been used for challenging structural inequalities.
Working Lives (20 credit points)
- You’ll be introduced to sociological approaches to the study of work and employment, by connecting a reflexive approach to your own experiences of work with an awareness of broad societal trends.
- You’ll engage with a range of sociological modes of enquiry, including academic literature, fictional and documentary films, and role-play.
Foundations of Social Research and Academic Practice (20 credit points)
- You’ll be provided with the foundations of social research and academic practice that you require to study effectively in higher education.
- You’ll search for and evaluate different kinds of evidence, from primary and secondary sources.
- You’ll develop effective self-management, improve communication and help you to gain an awareness of how effective study and learning skills promote lifelong learning.
Core modules
Reconceptualising Sustainable Justice (20 credit points)
- You’ll outline and evaluate current approaches to justice.
- You’ll explore the opportunities and challenges around reconceptualising justice.
- You’ll reflect on the ethics and sustainability of different/developing ideas around justice.
Explaining Crime (20 credit points)
- You’ll assess the merits of competing theories relevant to crime, victimisation and responses to crime, together with the role of criminology in society.
- You’ll explore developments in criminological thought through the lens of disciplines such as sociology, psychology, and criminology.
Constructing Modern Societies (20 credit points)
- You’ll further develop your understanding of the modern world by applying contemporary social theory.
- You’ll adopt a decolonial approach to knowledge through the introduction to global sociological perspectives.
- You’ll apply reflexivity and critical awareness skills in the real world by integrating sociological thought and practice.
Sociology and Service Learning (20 credit points)
- You’ll work with social and civic organisations seeking to make a difference in a wide range of contemporary social issues.
- You’ll apply your sociological thinking to real-world issues and problems, working with practitioners, academics and community members as ‘public sociologists’.
- You’ll develop your ‘disciplinary identity’ as a public sociologist through the application of theory to practice contributing positively to a social justice issue.
Applied Social Research (20 credit points)
- You’ll develop your understanding of research in the Social Sciences and learn how research skills are applied in pursuit of social knowledge.
- There is a strong emphasis on application to provide an opportunity to highlight your research skills by developing a research portfolio.
- You’ll learn about research design, qualitative and quantitative methods, data analysis and appropriate presentation of research findings.
Optional modules
Gender, Sex and Sexuality (20 credit points)
- You’ll be introduced to the theoretical, political and cultural perspectives of gender, sex and sexuality.
- You’ll differentiate and evaluate a range of sociological approaches to understanding concepts of gender, sex and sexuality.
- You’ll identify and construct accounts of contemporary practices around, and representations of gender within a historical social context.
Sociology of Consumption (20 credit points)
- You’ll identify the social, cultural, political, and economic significance of consumption practices.
- You’ll consider and critique differing meanings of consumption and a variety of sociological and related theories that account for its significance.
- You’ll situate consumption practices within a broader analysis of capitalism, past and present, considering its social divisions and inequalities.
The Body in Society (20 credit points)
- You’ll explore how aspects of the human body relate to the social organisation of everyday life from a sociological perspective.
- You’ll consider the body in sociology through a focus on key theoretical perspectives relating to embodiment, and research addressing related issues.
- You’ll develop an understanding of the range of social and cultural factors that make the body more central to the contemporary self.
Sociology of Education (20 credit points)
- You’ll develop an understanding of the evolution of formal education, focusing particularly on policy developments designed to combat educational inequality.
- You’ll explore the sociological characteristics of lifelong learning and how these influence individual ‘learning careers’.
- You’ll reflect on your own ‘learning career’ as part of your ongoing career development.
Religion, Nonreligion and Everyday Belief (20 credit points)
- You’ll be introduced to some of the major discussions within the sociology of religion (e.g. concerning secularisation, individualisation and fundamentalism).
- You’ll consider contemporary debates concerning religion/spirituality (e.g. around issues of gender, sexuality, freedom of speech and violence).
- You’ll explore the role of religion/spirituality in the lives of believers and faith communities.
Politics and Social Justice (20 credit points)
- You’ll gain a critical understanding of how sociologists have studied political phenomena.
- You’ll examine a range of sociological approaches towards the state, society and power.
- You’ll engage political sociology in the analysis of contemporary politics, policy areas, and social justice.
Core modules
Theorising Contemporary Society (20 credit points)
- You’ll gain an understanding of contemporary sociological theory by demonstrating its usefulness in helping us to understand issues and social practices in contemporary society.
- You’ll critically reflect upon key concepts and emphases of contemporary sociological thought.
- You’ll identify both similarities and differences between issues in classical sociological theory and issues found in contemporary sociological theory.
Research Project (40 credit points)
- You’ll bring together your learning across your degree into a sustained piece of independent learning which can be delivered in the format of a dissertation or a research-based report for a local organisation.
- You’ll be supported with one-to-one supervision from a member of academic staff.
- You’ll develop analytical and presentation skills for future employability.
Sociology of Work and Career (20 credit points)
- You’ll make explicit sociological links between ‘work’ and ‘career’ – where the concept of ‘career’ will enable you to understand how work relates to other activities undertaken through the life course (e.g. volunteering, formal and informal learning, leisure.)
- You’ll apply career development theory as a means of understanding your personal experiences of ‘work’ and ‘career’.
- You’ll engage with formative and summative assessment opportunities that serve to facilitate your career and personal development.
Optional modules
Sociology of Harm (20 credit points)
- You’ll interrogate social harm as a lens through which to understand and explain injustices in contemporary society.
- You’ll take a broad sociological approach to (in)justice, moving beyond individualistic, legalistic, and traditional criminological explanations.
- You’ll develop a critical appreciation of crime, the possibility of agency and importantly new and emerging social justice insights.
Race, Culture and Society (20 credit points)
- You’ll critically analyse the construction of ‘race’, racial identity and racism in a historical and contemporary context.
- You’ll use sociological perspectives to investigate the relationship between ‘race’, other social identities and contemporary social issues including decolonisation.
- You’ll explore the contestability of apparently fixed concepts like ‘race’ ethnicity, culture and identity in order to understand how ‘race’, racism and colonial logic feature in contemporary social policy.
Popular Culture (20 credit points)
- You’ll expand your understanding of the social and political, to questions of power which shape our everyday experiences and the cultural representations of the world in which we live.
- You’ll be provided with the theoretical resources to critically analyse a range of cultural texts, including screen and other media cultures, youth cultures, and fashion, as well as the everyday experience of the home, sites of consumption, sport and leisure.
- You’ll draw on a wide range of theoretical traditions and empirical case studies from around the world, including cinematic, TV and musical traditions.
Identities and Intimacies (20 credit points)
- You’ll develop your understanding of the construction and management of personal and social identities in contemporary western society, and globally through the lens of personal life.
- You'll explore sociological approaches to the study of intimacy, sex, and love and their relevance to contemporary discussions of well-being.
- You’ll analyse a variety of contemporary close and personal relationships (e.g. marriage, family, friendship, sexual partners) across cultures and traditions.
Media & Crime (20 credit points)
- This module will help you develop a critical understanding of theories that shape the connections between criminology and media studies.
- You’ll discover distinct approaches and representations of crime by mass and new media.
- You’ll explore current issues faced by the media, such as discussions about fake news and how the media approach criminal and antisocial behaviours.
Gender & Crime (20 credit points)
- You’ll explore the theoretical links between gender, crime, justice and the socio-historical context in which these theories emerged.
- You’ll critically assess classical and contemporary feminist criminological perspectives.
- You’ll critically evaluate the debates surrounding the differential treatment of women and men in the Criminal Justice System as victims, offenders and/or professionals.
Cultural Criminology (20 credit points)
- You’ll explore the limitations of existing orthodox explanations of crime, deviance and transgression.
- You’ll understand the relationship of cultural criminology within a broader criminological theoretical landscape.
Crime, Race & Empire (20 credit points)
- You’ll develop an understanding of the relationship between punishment and society in colonial contexts and a familiarity with non-westernised perspectives of justice and punishment.
- You’ll develop a critical awareness of historical resistance to punishment.
- You’ll critically apply post and decolonial critiques of crime and punishment.
Digital Culture and Society (20 credit points)
- You'll develop an understanding of contemporary sociological perspectives in which the impact of technologies is an integral focus.
- You’ll evaluate social transition in relation to technological developments.
- You’ll develop critical skills in evaluating and developing digital content.
Political Violence and Terror (20 credit points)
Since 9/11 the so-called ‘War on Terror’ has dominated global politics, and whilst today it might appear to have taken a back seat to other issues, it continues to exert its influence. Throughout this module you will explore the evolving relationship between terrorism and political violence. Analysing the concept of ‘insecurity’ in a broad sense throughout, you will examine key theoretical approaches as well as a range of real-world cases, illustrating ultimately its increasingly complex use for political means.
We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
How you're taught
To make sure you get the most out of your time at university, you'll receive contact time through a diverse range of delivery methods.
Structured teaching will be delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops and computer room sessions. The smaller group seminars and workshops provide opportunities to develop problem solving skills, group working, analysis, debating skills, presentation skills and discussion about a wide range of views.
Tutorials with staff
As the relationship between students and tutors is an important one you can expect to have lots of direct contact and support through seminars and one-to-one tutorials. At these sessions you'll have the opportunity to:
- discuss and gain feedback about your work
- ask questions about the projects you're working on
- raise any difficulties you are experiencing relating to your work, personal circumstances or your university experience.
Independent study
Independent study is an important part of this course. Throughout the three years of your course the scheduled contact hours you receive will gradually decrease as you develop the skills required to undertake an independent study or dissertation in your final year. You'll still have regular contact with your tutors and if necessary ad hoc tutorials can be arranged.
Virtual learning environment
You'll also use our virtual learning environment, NOW, which is a flexible web-based system that allows you to have 24-hour access to module learning materials and reading lists. It allows you to discuss work with tutors and other students, and submit coursework electronically from anywhere in the world.
Learning from experts
You'll be taught by enthusiastic, engaged and expert staff. The courses all draw upon their expertise, research interests and experience and many have also published textbooks in their specialist area of interest. You'll develop specialist knowledge based on the teams expertise in several areas including:
- gender and sexuality
- race and ethnicity
- religion and spirituality
- digital media
- urban sociology
- work and career
- migration
- human rights
- environmental justice and sustainability.
Learn a new language
Alongside your study you also have the opportunity to learn a new language. The University Language Programme (ULP) is available to all students and gives you the option of learning a totally new language or improving the skills you already have.
Learning a new language can:
- enhance your communication skills
- enrich your experience when travelling abroad
- boost your career prospects.
Find out more about the University Language Programme.
How you're assessed
The majority of your work will be assessed through coursework-based essays, reports and a final year research-based dissertation. You'll also be assessed through a combination of formal examinations and practical assessments such as group and individual presentations and portfolios. The portfolio includes material demonstrating the student journey over three years to 'becoming a professional sociologist'.
All work placement learning is assessed by essays or presentations, not upon how you perform in the work placement itself.
In response to student feedback the University have introduced a policy ensuring marked work is returned to you electronically within three weeks of submission.
- Year 1 coursework, written, exams
- Year 2 coursework, written, exams
- Year 3 coursework, written, exams
Contact hours
Throughout your studies, your teaching will be a mixture of in-person teaching and independent study. You will have around 10-12 hours per week of contact time with our teaching staff, consisting of lectures, seminars, workshops and one-to-one supervision meetings. Approximately 90% of this teaching is in-person. Overall, contact time makes up around 30% of a full-time week, while the remaining 70% of your time will be devoted to independent study.
- Year 1 lectures/seminars/workshops, independent study
- Year 2 lectures/seminars/workshops, independent study
- Year 3 lectures/seminars/workshops, independent study
Careers and employability
The job titles below give an indication of the careers our recent Sociology and Criminology graduates are following:
- Housing and Welfare Officers
- Charity Officers
- Local Government
- Social Researchers
- Events Management
- Human Resource Managers
- Public Relations Professionals
- Education Professionals.
Excellent work experience opportunities
Employability is integral to this course and the modules it offers, helping you to develop a range of vital transferable skills that employers demand.
From your first year this course will help you to develop skills for career development. You will gain opportunities to complete project work for a local, national or international organisation and acquire valuable experience by working in collaboration with one of our community partners on a social justice project. Such experiences will provide the opportunity to apply sociological knowledge gained from the degree as well as gaining important transferable skills that will be desired by future work, voluntary and educational organisations.
Your career development
This is a major part of this course. You'll develop key transferable skills, including:
- communication
- time management
- problem-solving
- teamworking
- the ability to retrieve, manipulate and present information.
You'll also have the opportunity to develop links with relevant organisations and potential employers.
This course opens up careers in a wide range of fields in the public and private sectors. You may be keen to pursue a career in:
- Public relations
- Criminal Justice Professionals (Police, Probation, Courts)
- Welfare professionals within and beyond the Criminal Justice System
- Professionals in charity organisations
- Teaching/Educational professionals
- Social Researchers
- Civil Service professionals (local, national, international)
- Human Resources.
You may need to complete further training for some of these roles.
You may also consider studying a postgraduate sociology course to continue the intellectual curiosity and imagination the BA (Hons) Sociology will have fostered.
Our Employability team
We have a dedicated Employability team located on the City Campus. The team are well placed to give you specialist guidance and practical help that will really make a difference to your prospects once you do graduate.
Campus and facilities
You’ll mainly be studying in the Chaucer and Newton buildings, at the centre of our vibrant City Campus. As well as a range of classrooms and lecture theatres, the facilities including a mock prison cell, banks of open-access PCs, social spaces for either quiet study or busy group work.
NTU’s City Campus has everything you’ll need to stay busy between lectures. As well as the Boots Library and its beautiful roof garden, there’s our stylish Students’ Union building and two-storey, 100-station gym; a whole host of cafés, bars, restaurants and food outlets for every taste; our much-loved Global Lounge; performance and rehearsal spaces for musicians; and much, much more!
Take a few steps off campus and you’ll find yourself in the heart of Nottingham — one of Britain’s top 10 student cities, and one of Europe’s top 25. It’s stuffed with history, culture, and well-kept secrets to discover at your leisure. Enjoy lush green spaces, galleries, hidden cinemas and vintage shopping by day, and an acclaimed food, drink and social scene by night.
Take our virtual tour to get a real feel for the campus.
Entry requirements
UK students
Standard offer: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications
Contextual offer: 104 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications
To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.
Additional requirements for UK students
There are no additional requirements for this course.
Contextual offers
If you don’t quite meet our entry requirements, we might be able to make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (such as where you live and the school or college you attended), your experiences and your individual circumstances (you may have been in care, for example). This is called a contextual offer, and we get data from UCAS to help make these decisions. We do this because we believe everyone with the potential to succeed at NTU should have the opportunity to do so, no matter what barriers you may face.
Meeting our entry requirements
Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS Tariff points attached to specific grades, including A-levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to four different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our Tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.
Other qualifications and experience
NTU welcomes applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds, either for year one entry or for advanced standing beyond the start of a course into year 2 or beyond.
We consider study and/or credit achieved from a similar course at another institution (otherwise known as credit transfer), vocational and professional qualifications, and broader work or life experience.
Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route. If you wish to apply via Recognition of Prior Learning, please contact the central Admissions and Enquiries Team who will be able to support you through the process.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.
International students
Academic entry requirements: 112 UCAS Tariff points from up to four A levels. We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international entry requirements by country.
English language requirements: See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.
Additional requirements for international students
There are no additional requirements for this course.
English language requirements
View our English language requirements for all courses, including alternative English language tests and country qualifications accepted by the University.
If you need help achieving the language requirements, we offer a Pre-Sessional English for Academic Purposes course on our City campus which is an intensive preparation course for academic study at NTU.
Other qualifications and experience
If you have the right level of qualifications, you may be able to start your Bachelors degree at NTU in year 2 or year 3. This is called ‘advanced standing’ entry and is decided on a case-by case basis after our assessment of your qualifications and experience.
You can view our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy which outlines the process and options available, such as recognising experiential learning and credit transfer.
Sign up for emails
Sign up to receive regular emails from the International Office. You'll hear about our news, scholarships and any upcoming events in your country with our expert regional teams.
Getting in touch
If you need advice about studying at NTU as an international student or how to apply, our international webpages are a great place to start. If you have any questions about your study options, your international qualifications, experience, grades or other results, please get in touch through our enquiry form. Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world.
Policies
We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.
