Why Choose Lincoln
Options to study abroad for a year
Undertake voluntary placements in local councils
Conduct research alongside our expert academic team
Choose from optional modules to suite your preferences
Brayford Pool
3 - 4 Years
6 Years
LM49
Drawing on insights from sociology, policy, law, and the social sciences more generally, criminologists specialising in social policy not only consider how crime is defined, experienced, or explained: they explore society's responses to it, tackling the complex social problems that can lead to crime.
This degree enables students to study the nature, causes, control, and prevention of crime, alongside an examination of how social policy is developed and how it influences the way we live. Students may use a variety of approaches to examine crime, criminal justice, poverty, social exclusion and inequality, and other social issues, tackling difficult and often controversial topics.
Throughout the course, students can explore issues such as identity, citizenship, and social justice in order to evidence the ways in which criminal justice approaches are dependent on a broad network of political, economical, and social controls. These subjects draw on links with local employers, such as criminal justice agencies and councils, to enable students to learn from real-world knowledge and practices.
Teaching is informed by the research expertise of academic staff, who regularly contribute to national policy debates in these fields.
Options to study abroad for a year
Undertake voluntary placements in local councils
Conduct research alongside our expert academic team
Choose from optional modules to suite your preferences
The first year of the degree provides students with a solid knowledge base, covering images of crime and criminal justice, key social science concepts, social issues and justice, and the application of research skills to social problems. A range of optional modules builds on these foundations in year two, enabling students to tailor their degree to match their individual interests. In their third and final year, students can go on to study punishment theory and policies, community, and policy making. They can also choose to specialise in diverse topics including families, human rights, genocide, and civil society.
Studying Criminology and Social Policy at the University of Lincoln aims to combine aspects of both directed and independent learning. Each module is delivered by means of a weekly lecture and an associated seminar. These seminars are a space for students to discuss and debate issues raised in the lecture and engage in critical reflection on the set readings related to such issues. Further methods of delivery include visits from practitioners and guest speakers, collaborative workshops, and hands-on IT sessions.
Students also have the opportunity to meet with staff in individual tutorial sessions to explore in greater details their own individual learning needs. As well as this directed study, students are expected to undertake independent learning utilising traditional library material as well as a wide range of electronic resources.
Criminology and Social Policy at Lincoln is organised and taught by a team of academic staff who have extensive qualifications, as well as research and publication experience.
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and what you want to study. In addition to the information provided on this course page, our What You Need to Know page offers explanations on key topics including programme validation/revalidation, additional costs, contact hours, and our return to face-to-face teaching.
The assessment on the course is designed to test and enhance students' knowledge, skills and abilities, and aims to help prepare them for their future careers.
The way students are assessed on this course may vary for each module. The course aims to develop written communication skills through essays and examinations, oral communication skills through presentations, literature searching and review through essays, examinations and presentations, and computer literacy skills through word-processing and use of electronic resources. In the final year, students have the opportunity to combine their skills and undertake their own chosen area of study in the preparation of an Independent Study.
A notable feature of Criminology and Social Policy at Lincoln is the way in which the degree is both taught and assessed involving student-centred work. This might include group-based and individual research projects, multimedia presentations, case studies, auto-critiques, self-appraisal, vocationally relevant 'live' projects, oral examinations, and conferences. In the final year, students have the opportunity to combine their skills and undertake their own chosen area of study in the preparation of an Independent Study.
These methods are designed to make a significant contribution to the consolidation of important transferable skills - all of which are valued by employers across a range of sectors.
The University of Lincoln's policy is to ensure that staff return assessments to students promptly.
You'll have the opportunity to apply for the voluntary, competitive work placements scheme which is run with a local council. This offers valuable experience of a professional policy environment and a chance to observe how policy is set by central government and executed by local authorities, including how competing priorities can result in different decisions about where to allocate resources. Please note, this opportunity is subject to the council’s ongoing commitment to the scheme, and that students are responsible for their own travel, accommodation, and general living costs while undertaking a placement.
A Placement Year Fee is payable to the University of Lincoln during this year for students joining in 2025/26 and beyond.
An optional year abroad is available for full-time students between the second and third years. Successful completion results in a BSc (Hons) Events Management (International Study Year). A Study Abroad Tuition Fee is payable to the University of Lincoln during this year for students joining in 2025/26 and beyond. No extra tuition fee is payable to the host university, but students are expected to cover their own travel, accommodation, and living costs. Travel grants and an overseas rate maintenance loan may be available for eligible students from Student Finance. The University’s Global Opportunities Team can provide further support and guidance.
The teaching team have excellent links with local criminal justice agencies, including the Lincolnshire Police, local youth offending service, local councils, policy makers, and the third sector. These provide opportunities for partnership delivery of modules, guest lectures offering professional insights, as well as volunteering, dissertations and additional student projects.
Graduates have gone on to positions in a diverse range of areas, including roles in the probation and prison services, health and social services, police authorities, youth work, victim support, government policy, and education. Some students progress to further study at Master’s and doctoral level.
96 UCAS Tariff points from a minimum of 2 A Levels.
International Baccalaureate: Pass Diploma from a minimum of 2 Higher Level subjects.
BTEC Extended Diploma: Merit, Merit, Merit, or equivalent
T Level: Pass (A*-C)
Access to Higher Education Diploma: 45 Level 3 credits with a minimum of 96 UCAS Tariff points
Applicants will also need at least three GCSEs at grade 4 or above, which must include English. Equivalent Level 2 qualifications may also be considered.
The University accepts a wide range of qualifications as the basis for entry and do accept a combination of qualifications which may include A Levels, BTECs, EPQ etc.
We will also consider applicants with extensive and relevant work experience and will give special individual consideration to those who do not meet the standard entry qualifications.
We also consider applicants with extensive and relevant work experience and will give special individual consideration to those who do not meet the standard entry qualifications.
Non UK Qualifications:
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages for information on equivalent qualifications.
https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/
EU and Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page.
If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-sessional English and Academic Study Skills courses.
If you would like further information about entry requirements, or would like to discuss whether the qualifications you are currently studying are acceptable, please contact the Admissions team on 01522 886097, or email admissions@lincoln.ac.uk
Going to university is a life-changing step and it's important to understand the costs involved and the funding options available before you start. A full breakdown of the fees associated with this programme can be found on our course fees pages.
For eligible undergraduate students going to university for the first time, scholarships and bursaries are available to help cover costs. To help support students from outside of the UK, we are also delighted to offer a number of international scholarships which range from £1,000 up to the value of 50 per cent of tuition fees. For full details and information about eligibility, visit our scholarships and bursaries pages.
The best way to find out what it is really like to live and learn at Lincoln is to visit us in person. We offer a range of opportunities across the year to help you to get a real feel for what it might be like to study here.
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