Course summary

Are you interested in crime, those who commit crime, and how we respond to crime and social disorder? The BSc Criminology and Criminal Justice at Birkbeck aims to provide you with an education that is critical, questioning and creative. This research-led criminology and criminal justice degree is taught by internationally recognised academics. Their expertise will give you an in-depth understanding of the social, political, economic, theoretical and cultural contexts of all aspects of crime. Led by principles of social and racial justice, the course focuses on contemporary social problems, from prison abolition, policing and racism, migration and deportation and social welfare, to gendered violence, terrorism and drugs. Themes you will engage with range from punishment, policing, security and surveillance to organised, corporate and state crime. You will analyse real-world events through a focus on national and international criminal justice policy, institutions and practices. You will also think about the people who make, and those who are subjected to, these systems and processes. This course gives you the opportunity to develop:

• your capacity to apply knowledge gained to complex, abstract and practical situations

• your ability to recognise alternative and creative solutions to particular problems and the ability to produce well-supported conclusions in relation to them

• your capacity to apply knowledge to situations that engage with academic and policy debates.

• Dedicated academic skills workshops are run by our Learning Development Tutors, who can advise on a range of study skills.

• We understand that our students want to make a change through higher education. You can participate in our year-round Criminology Careers Events: Work for Social Justice, Work for Criminal Justice. You can achieve support from Birkbeck alumni through our Mentoring Pathways scheme.

• You can hear from scholars within and beyond Birkbeck including the esteemed Annual Criminology Lecture, Law on Trial events week and our Criminology Research Seminars. These showcase prominent academics carrying out path-breaking research on crime, criminal justice and related themes.

• You may be eligible for the Birkbeck cash bursary scheme to assist with the costs of study, such as purchasing books, printing and travelling to classes. Cash bursaries do not have to be paid back.

• community development worker

• prison or probation officer

• social worker

• adult guidance worker.