Program Overview

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BA (Hons) Criminology with Foundation Year

Why study this course with LJMU?

• 93% of students surveyed said academic support on this course was good or very good (National Student Survey 2024)
• Opportunity to undertake international fieldwork visits to places such as Ljubljana, Slovenia and Gothenburg, Sweden
• Excellent research-led teaching from academics who have published books and articles on topics such as Prisons, Children's Residential Homes, Protests, Child Exploitation, Gendered Justice, State Violence and The War on Terror
• Opens up a diverse range of careers including probation work, youth justice, drug referral schemes, victim support, and police and prison services
• A variety of voluntary work experience opportunities in places such as Criminal Justice agencies, Police and third sector organisations to enhance your graduate employability
• Follow our student stories on Instagram

About your course

The BA (Hons) Criminology at Liverpool John Moores University is taught by research active experts and offers exciting opportunities for international fieldwork.

This interdisciplinary BA course gives you the chance to look at criminology from the perspective of other disciplines such as sociology, psychology, political science, social policy, geography and history which gives deeper understanding of the broad subject of criminology.

This is a critical criminology degree which means we are interested in challenging the established rhetoric about crime and punishment in the role of the state and the state institutions and the everyday experience of punishment.

Throughout the course, you will be encouraged to develop your critical thinking skills by questioning what we mean by the terms crime, criminals, punishment and justice and you will have opportunities to undertake independent international criminological study under guided supervision.

On the field trips you will be comparing the criminal justice infrastructure of Slovenia or Sweden and the UK - allowing you to reflect on challenging global perspectives.

You will develop strong and applied quantitative research and qualitative research methods and skills which are essential key transferrable employability skills.

Foundation Year

The Foundation Year is ideal if you have the interest and ability to study for a degree, but do not have the qualifications to enter directly onto the Criminology honours degree programme yet.

Once you pass the Foundation Year (level 3) you will progress directly onto the first year of the honours degree. If you are a full-time UK student, you will qualify for student financial support for the full duration of your course (subject to eligibility criteria).

Course modules

What you will study on this degree

Core modules

• Preparing for Academic Success (30 credits)
• Investigating Liverpool (30 credits)
• Contemporary Issues in Policing, Security and Criminal Justice (30 credits)
• Crime, Justice and Diversity (30 credits)

Core modules

• An Introduction to Criminological Theory (20 credits)
• Criminology Into Action (20 credits)
• Inside the Criminal Justice System (20 credits)
• Contemporary Issues in Criminology (20 credits)
• Researching Crime and Justice (20 credits)
• Media, Crime and Victimisation (20 credits)

Core modules

• Key Thinkers for Criminology (20 credits)
• Contemporary Perspectives in Criminology (20 credits)
• Research Project in Criminology (20 credits)
• Qualitative Research Methods (20 credits)

Optional modules

• Study Year Abroad - Criminology (120 credits)
• Criminology into Practice (20 credits)
• Global Crime and Harm (20 credits)
• Victims and Justice (20 credits)
• Crimes and Harms of the Powerful (20 credits)
• Social Divisions and Social Justice (20 credits)
• Dissertation – Part 1 (20 credits)
• Dissertation – Part 2 (20 credits)
• Green Criminology – Crimes and Harms to the Global Environment (20 credits)
• International Fieldwork in Criminology (20 credits)
• Police, Power and Social Order (20 credits)
• Drugs, Intoxication and Society (20 credits)
• Children and Young People 'at Risk' (20 credits)
• Theorising Sexed Violence (20 credits)
• Power, Politics, and Human Rights (20 credits)
• Crime Media Culture (20 credits)
• Child and Youth Justice (20 credits)
• Security, Terrorism, and War (20 credits)
• Criminology at Work 1 (20 credits)
• Criminology at Work 2 (20 credits)
• Understanding and Challenging Inequalities and Stigma (20 credits)

Your Learning Experience

• Teaching
• Support
• Assessment

Excellent facilities and learning resources

We adopt an active blended learning approach, meaning you will experience a combination of face-to-face and online learning during your time at LJMU. This enables you to experience a rich and diverse learning experience and engage fully with your studies. Our approach ensures that you can easily access support from your personal tutor, either by meeting them on-campus or via a video call to suit your needs.

Dedicated personal tutor, plus study skills support

It is often useful to discuss course-related issues on a one-to-one basis and for this reason we will assign you a personal tutor for the duration of your studies at LJMU. Your tutor will also help you put together your personal development plan so that you can monitor progress and set your own targets. Module tutors also provide support in the form of online learning materials, course guides and one-to-one consultations if you need them, and there will be study skills sessions to help you prepare for assessments.

Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose, but will usually include a combination of exams and coursework.

We understand that all students have different strengths and preferences when it comes to assessments, so we use a variety of methods to assess your work. These include:

• essays
• exams
• fieldwork projects
• reports
• case studies
• portfolios
• blogs and wikis
• workplace practice
• posters
• presentations (individual and group)
• debates
• reviews and group work

You will normally receive extensive written feedback on your assessments and regular verbal feedback.

All feedback is designed to help you achieve your full potential and get the most out of your studies, so staff will be available to discuss it with you and direct you to further support if you feel you need it.

Where you will study

Based within the John Foster Building, in the Mount Pleasant Campus, the School of Justice Studies is a leading provider of education in Policing Studies, Criminology and Criminal Justice. We provide specific training for policing students wishing to enter the service as a graduate recruit. The John Foster Building has many outstanding facilities, including well-equipped IT Suites, a light-filled Student Common Room and dedicated study areas. At the back of the John Foster Building is the Aldham Robarts Library, where you have access to an exceptional range of materials to support your studies.

Career paths

The choice of careers open to criminology graduates is diverse and exciting.

Your degree could be useful in a range of fields including:

• policy and administration
• government advice
• the children, young people's and youth justice workforces
• social work, prison and probation services
• research
• academia
• policing
• investigating miscarriages of justice
• media research
• crime documentary and fiction screenwriting/production
• writing and journalism
• teaching
• working in charities and community organisations

Student Futures - Careers, Employability and Enterprise Service

A wide range of opportunities and support is available to you, within and beyond your course, to ensure our students experience a transformation in their career trajectory. Every undergraduate curriculum includes Future Focus during Level 4, an e-learning resource and workshop designed to help you to develop your talents, passion and purpose.

Every student has access to Careers Zone 24/7, LJMU's suite of online Apps, resources and jobs board via the LJMU Student Futures website.

Tuition fees and funding

Home

• Foundation first year: £5,760
• Second and subsequent years: £9,535

International

• Full-time per year: £17,750

Entry requirements

Please choose your qualifications below to view requirements

• Grades/points required from qualifications: DDD (72)

Work out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth by visiting the UCAS Tariff Calculator.

GCSEs and equivalents

• Grade 4 or grade C or above in English Language and Mathematics/Numeracy.

GCSE Equivalences accepted:

• Key Skills Level 2 in English/Maths
• NVQ Level 2 Functional skills in Maths and English Writing and or Reading
• Skills for Life Level 2 in Numeracy/English
• Higher Diploma in Maths/English
• Northern Ireland Essential Skills Level 2 in Communication or Application of Number
• Wales Essential Skills Level 2 in Communication or Application of Number

A levels

• DDD Minimum Number of A Levels: 2 Maximum AS UCAS Points: 20

BTECs

• Extended Diploma: MMP

Access awards

• Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications
• Pass overall with a minimum of 72 points

International Baccalaureate

• Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications

OCR Cambridge Technical

• Extended Diploma: MMP

Irish awards

• Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications

T levels

• Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications.

You need to obtain the required UCAS points.

Further information

• DBS, Occupational Health requirements
• Reduced offer scheme

At LJMU, we are dedicated to widening participation in education. We understand that academic potential isn't always accurately represented by grades alone. Therefore, we consider additional information included in your application. If you meet certain eligibility criteria, we may make an offer lower than our typical entry requirements.

International requirements

• IELTS

6.0 overall with no component below 5.5, taken within two years of the course start date.

Further information

• DBS, Occupational Health requirements

Find your country

Please Note: All international qualifications are subject to a qualification equivalency check.

How to apply

Securing your place at LJMU

UCAS is the official application route for our full-time undergraduate courses. Further information on the UCAS application process can be found here

The following criteria are desirable but not essential. Please demonstrate your development of these attributes in the personal statement included in your application:

• A critical interest in how societies are constructed and the issues and challenges presented
• A questioning mind
• Good written and verbal communication skills, as you will be expected to convey knowledge to other people
• Good analytical skills, so that you can evaluate policies and practice
• Good reading and information retrieval skills - obtaining information from a range of sources and using it to support analysis

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At LJMU we want you to know you're making the right choice by studying with us. You can see what our students are saying about their experience with us through their reviews on the following websites:

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News and views

Browse through the latest news and stories from the university

News

• 20 June 2025 Report calls for genuine devolution to English regions
• 22 April 2025 How online sexual harassment can seriously harm victims’ mental health
• 17 April 2025 Research supports Liverpool gambling reduction strategy
• 18 March 2025 Police turn to wearable tech to improve sleep and fitness
• 11 March 2025 Pregnant women 'should not be jailed'
• 07 January 2025 LJMU explores research and collaboration to support veteran wellbeing
• 17 October 2024 Police 'pride' at graduation of new officers
• 09 October 2024 We are failing in a key cornerstone of democracy in the UK: justice
• 24 September 2024 Why do young men get embroiled in street gangs?
• 13 August 2024 New journal to share evidence for better policing

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