Program Overview

Criminology with Foundation Year BSc (Hons)

Course Description

The BSc (Hons) Criminology with Foundation Year is a four-year undergraduate degree that provides students with a comprehensive understanding of criminology, including the causes and consequences of crime, the criminal justice system, and the role of law enforcement agencies.

Study Options

• Full-time: 4 years
• UK fee: £5,760 (2025/26)
• International fee: £16,900 per year (2025/26)
• UCAS points: 72 (September 2025 entry)
• UCAS code: ML94
• Start date: September
• Location: One Friar Gate Square, Derby Campus

Course Highlights

• Examine the causes and consequences of crime, how crime is measured and defined, and how criminals are managed and controlled
• Strong links with practice, including the HM Prison Service, Youth Justice Board, and local Police Constabularies
• Tailor 100% of your final year options to suit your career aims and passions
• Expert teaching from a team that includes criminologists, criminal psychologists, sociologists, experienced police officers, and lawyers

Foundation Year

• The foundation year offers the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge, and confidence before advancing to stage one of your honors degree
• The foundation year is continuous, meaning you won't need to apply again once you have successfully completed the first year

Why Criminology?

• Criminology is a fascinating academic discipline that opens up pathways into a wide range of careers where you can have a real impact on society
• Debate major philosophical ideas about retribution, rehabilitation, and punishment, exploring why people commit crime and how laws are created and broken
• Bringing together disciplines such as sociology, law, psychology, and philosophy, our BSc (Hons) Criminology encourages you to think creatively, challenge established beliefs, and develop your own research interests

Hands-on Learning

• Make direct links between complex theories of criminology and the day-to-day demands of working practice
• Exciting opportunities for you to apply your skills and knowledge to 'real-world' situations
• Past students have taken part in mock murder investigations, contributed to hate crime scrutiny panels, explored the causes of wrongful convictions, joined riot training with the constabulary, and observed how cases are taken from crime scene to courtroom

Global Thinking

• International perspectives are an integral part of the BSc (Hons) Criminology
• Explore how other countries approach criminal justice at first hand
• Hosted international debates with Criminology students from across the globe, enriching your learning and helping shape your future career

Expert Teaching

• Learn from a teaching team that includes criminologists, criminal psychologists, sociologists, experienced police officers, and lawyers
• Many staff are still actively engaged with practice, which helps you keep up to date with contemporary issues
• The degree is closely aligned to the research activities of our staff, who have a growing international profile for shaping understanding and practice in the criminal justice sector

What You Will Study

• Foundation Year
• Year 1
• Year 2
• Year 3

Core Modules

• Study Skills
• Law
• Fundamentals of Human Behaviour
• Sociology

Optional Modules

• English
• Mathematics
• Culture and Ideas
• Political Studies

Careers

• Huge career scope, with graduates going on to diverse roles in the police, Crown Prosecution Service, courts, probation and prison services, youth offending teams, and other law enforcement agencies
• Also, careers in the voluntary sector, working with offenders or victims, and in social research, public sector management, or third sector roles such as victim services
• Some graduates use their qualification as a springboard into teaching or academic research

Further Study

• Postgraduate study at Derby, with MSc qualifications in subjects such as Forensic and Criminal Psychology, Criminal Investigation, Criminal Justice and Criminology, and Intelligence, Security and Disaster Management
• Expand your knowledge into more specialist areas and help accelerate your progress to senior and leadership roles

Entry Requirements

• UCAS points: 72
• A Level: DDD
• T Level: Pass
• BTEC: MMP
• GCSE: Maths and English are preferred, however, if you don't have these qualifications, you will be able to undertake Maths and English at Level 2 as part of your course of study
• Access to HE: Pass Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits: 45 at Level 3 with a minimum of Distinction: 0, Merit: 30, Pass: 15
• English language requirements: IELTS: 6.0 (with at least 5.5 in each skills area)

Fees and Funding

• UK: £5,760 (2025/26)
• International: £16,900 per year (2025/26)

How to Apply

• UK students: Apply through UCAS or directly to the University
• International students: Apply through our online application portal or contact one of our trusted local representatives

Additional Information

• Teaching hours: Extended teaching hours, with contact time with lecturers and tutors anytime between 9am and 9pm
• Course updates: The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication, but course content, costs, and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible
• Discover Uni: 69% of students say staff value students' views and opinions about the course, 79% of students say teaching staff have supported their learning well, and 86% are in work or doing further study 15 months after the course.