Course summary
Our five-year BA Criminology and American Studies (including foundation year and year abroad), will be suitable for you if your academic qualifications do not yet meet our entrance requirements for the four-year version of this course and you want a programme that increases your subject knowledge as well as improves your academic skills in order to support your academic performance. This five-year course includes a foundation year (Year Zero), followed by a further three years of study, plus a study abroad year or term. During your Year Zero, you study three academic subjects relevant to your chosen course as well as a compulsory academic skills module, with additional English language for non-English speakers. You are an Essex student from day one, a member of our global community based at the most internationally diverse campus university in the UK. After successful completion of Year Zero in our Essex Pathways Department, you progress to complete your course with our Interdisciplinary Studies Centre. Our course gives you an excellent understanding of the global patterns increasingly found in criminal justice policies and criminal offences. We take a social view of crime, a view which links crime to issues of power, resources, rights, (in)equality, governance and culture. This leads us to ask, for example, why certain groups of people are more likely than others to become offenders, why certain kinds of offenders are more likely than others to be caught, how some governments commit ‘state crime’ and why so many people are simultaneously fearful of, yet fascinated by, crime. Crucially, you also have the opportunity to spend either a term or a full academic year studying in the United States, so you can explore and become immersed in American culture. The degree is built to be extremely flexible and student-led, and as you progress through the course you can choose from an enormous range of options from across the humanities and social sciences, including:
- Contemporary social issues, such as the struggles for racial justice
- The legacies of slavery and the civil rights movement
- Environmental protection of the ‘wilderness’ of the Far West
- Native American histories and rights
- Organised crime, surveillance and counter-terrorism
- Environmental harm
- Visual criminology
- Social history and crime
Modules
Many of our courses offer a choice of optional modules to tailor your learning experience. More information about these can be found on the University of Essex website.
How to apply
You can no longer submit a new application for courses starting in 2023.
If you already have a 2023 application and are in Clearing, you can add this course as a Clearing choice – contact the university or college first to check they have places.
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- MT28
- Institution code:
- E70
- Campus name:
- Colchester Campus
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Foundation
International applicants
Please note that this course is not open to international applicants.
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 72 points
A level - DDD
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - MMP
Access to HE Diploma - P: 45 credits
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 24 points
UK and EU applicants: All applications for degree courses with a foundation year (Year Zero) will be considered individually, whether you • think you might not have the grades to enter the first year of a degree course; • have non-traditional qualifications or experience (e.g. you haven’t studied A-levels or a BTEC); • are returning to university after some time away from education; or • are looking for more support during the transition into university study. Mature applicants and non-traditional academic backgrounds: We welcome applications from mature students (over 21) and students with non-traditional academic backgrounds (might not have gone on from school to take level 3 qualifications). We will consider your educational and employment history, along with your personal statement and reference, to gain a rounded view of your suitability for the course.
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
Student Outcomes
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
England | £9250 | Year 1 |
Northern Ireland | £9250 | Year 1 |
Scotland | £9250 | Year 1 |
Wales | £9250 | Year 1 |
Channel Islands | £9250 | Year 1 |
EU | £18585 | Year 1 |
International | £18585 | Year 1 |
Republic of Ireland | £18585 | Year 1 |
Additional fee information
Provider information
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
CO4 3SQ