This is an archived page and for reference purposes only
By combining the study of Criminology and Social Policy, you examine issues such as the causes of crime and crime prevention, as well as exploring the ways society promotes the welfare of individuals and families.
Overview
Crime and criminal justice are major social and political issues. On our Criminology degree you address questions such as: why do people commit crime? How much crime is committed? What causes crime rates to rise or fall? How can crime be effectively prevented? How should we deal with offenders?
Social Policy looks at the ways in which we as a society promote the welfare of individuals and families. You study central issues such as poverty, health, crime, education, homelessness and child protection. This includes looking at both the nature of social problems and also at the policies directed towards them by government, and at the role of voluntary and private welfare. Studying social policy, you develop the knowledge and skills to succeed in your future career
Studying both subjects gives a thorough, yet broad understanding of the surrounding issues, concepts and theories.
Term or year abroad
Students undertaking Criminology joint degrees can apply to spend a Term or Year Abroad as part of their degree at one of our partner universities in North America, Asia or Europe. You are expected to adhere to any progression requirements in Stage 1 and Stage 2 to proceed to the Term or Year Abroad. For more information, see Go Abroad.
Think Kent video series
In this talk, Dr Marian Duggan discusses her current research project which is an analysis of how the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (also known as ‘Clare’s Law’) is operating in Kent. Billed by the Government as a domestic violence ‘prevention policy’ and regularly referred to in the media as a ‘success’, she evaluates exactly how this scheme is operating in practice, whether it is achieving its aims of violence prevention and how useful a tool it is in reducing the average of two women a week who are killed in the UK as a result of domestic violence.
Independent rankings
Criminology at Kent was ranked 2nd overall, 2nd for graduate prospects and 1st for research quality in The Times Good University Guide 2017. In the National Student Survey 2016, 91% of Kent students studying Law and related subjects such as Criminology were satisfied with the overall quality of their course.
Social Policy and Administration at Kent was ranked 3rd in The Complete University Guide 2017 and 4th in The Guardian University Guide 2017.
Of students taking Law and related subjects such as Criminology, who graduated from Kent in 2015, 94% were in work or further study within six months (Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey).
Social Policy at Kent was ranked 2nd for graduate prospects in The Guardian University Guide 2017.
Course structure
The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
On most programmes, you study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also be able to take ‘wild’ modules from other programmes so you can customise your programme and explore other subjects that interest you.
Year abroad
Going abroad as part of your degree is an amazing experience and a chance to develop personally, academically and professionally. You experience a different culture, gain a new academic perspective, establish international contacts and enhance your employability.
Students can apply to spend a Term or Year Abroad as part of their degree at one of our partner universities in North America, Asia or Europe. You are expected to adhere to any progression requirements in Stage 1 and Stage 2 to proceed to the Term or Year Abroad.
To be eligible for the year abroad all students must obtain an average of 60% in the first and second years of their degree. In addition, those students studying on a Tier 4 visa must ensure they comply with the prevailing UKVI visa regulations governing course changes that are applicable to their individual circumstances.
The Term or Year abroad is assessed on a pass/fail basis and will not count towards your final degree classification. Places and destination are subject to availability, language and degree programme. To find out more, please see Go Abroad.
Teaching and assessment
We use a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, case study analysis, group projects and presentations, and individual and group tutorials. Many module convenors also offer additional ‘clinic’ hours to help with the preparation of coursework and for exams.
Assessment is by a mixture of coursework and examinations; to view details for individual modules click the 'read more' link within each module listed in the course structure.
Programme aims
The programme aims to:
- produce graduates with analytical and knowledge-based skills relevant to employment in the professions, public service and the private sector
- provide a broad knowledge and understanding of key concepts, debates and theoretical approaches in criminology and social policy, and the relationship between criminology and social policy
- develop new areas of teaching in response to needs of the community
- explore the distribution of welfare and well-being within societies, and the ways in which different societies meet the basic human needs of their populations
- understand the emergence of social problems (including crime) and the responses of welfare and criminal justice institutions, including analysis of the theoretical, political and economic underpinnings of these responses
- help students to link theoretical knowledge with empirical enquiry and to identify and understand different ideological positions
- develop problem-solving skills and an understanding of the nature and appropriate use of research methods used in social science research
- teach students key writing, research and communications skills
- give students the skills and abilities to enable them to become informed citizens, capable of participating in the policy process and equipped for a dynamic labour market.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
- the origins and development of UK criminal justice policy institutions
- the principal concepts and theoretical approaches in criminology and social policy
- the ways in which images of crime and notions of crime are constructed and represented
- the origins and development of UK welfare institutions
- the principles that underlie criminal justice and social policy, how they have changed over time and how they relate to the workings of particular agencies of welfare and crime control
- contemporary issues and debates in specific areas of criminology and criminal justice
- knowledge of the main sources of data about crime and social welfare and a grasp of the research methods used to collect and analyse data
- knowledge of the local, regional, national and supra-national dimensions of social policy and understanding of the links between them
- an understanding of interdisciplinary approaches to issues in criminology and social policy and the ability to use ideas from other social sciences.
Intellectual skills
You develop the following intellectual skills:
- problem-solving and the ability to seek solutions to crime, criminal behaviour and other social problems and individual needs
- research, including the ability to identify a research question and to collect and manipulate data to answer that question
- evaluation and analysis, to assess the outcomes of criminal justice, crime prevention and social policy intervention on individuals and communities
- sensitivity to the values and interests of others and to the dimensions of difference
- interpretation of both research data and official statistics.
Subject-specific skills
You gain the following subject-specific skills:
- identification and use of theories and concepts in criminology to analyse issues of crime and criminal justice
- identification and use of theories and concepts in social policy to analyse social issues
- seeking out and using statistical data relevant to issues of crime and criminal justice.
- seeking out and using statistical data relevant to social issues
- undertaking an investigation of an empirical issue, either on your own or with other students
- understanding the nature and appropriate use, including the ethical implications, of diverse social research strategies and methods
- distinguishing between technical, normative, moral and political questions.
Transferable skills
You gain the following transferable skills:
- studying and learning independently, using library and internet sources
- developing an appetite for learning and being reflective, adaptive and collaborative in your approach
- making short presentations to fellow students and staff
- communicating ideas and arguments to others, both in written and spoken form
- preparing essays and referencing the material quoted according to conventions in social policy
- using IT to word process, conduct online searches, communicate by email and access data sources
- time management by delivering academic work on time and to the required standard
- working with others: developing interpersonal and teamworking skills to enable you to work collaboratively, negotiate, listen and deliver results.
Careers
Of students taking Law and related subjects such as Criminology, who graduated from Kent in 2015, 94% were in work or further study within six months (Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey).
Social Policy at Kent was ranked 2nd for graduate prospects in The Guardian University Guide 2017.
Recently, our Criminology graduates have gone into police forces, criminal justice services, social services, and the crown court; more general areas such as banks and financial services; or on to further study.
Our Social Policy graduates have found employment in directly related areas such as social work, health care and policy analysis in the public and voluntary sectors as well as human resource management and advice services; education and research; management in the Civil Service, local authorities and other public agencies, and the voluntary sector.
If you have chosen to take the Year Abroad option you will have further increased your portfolio of skills by gaining experience of living and studying in a different culture. You will have learnt to appreciate and assess different approaches to criminology and social policy giving you a uniquely global perspective.
Entry requirements
Home/EU students
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications. Students offering alternative qualifications should contact us for further advice.
It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.
New GCSE grades
If you’ve taken exams under the new GCSE grading system, please see our conversion table to convert your GCSE grades.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| A level | BBB |
| Access to HE Diploma | The University will not necessarily make conditional offers to all Access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If we make you an offer, you will need to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma) | Distinction, Distinction, Merit. Health and Social Care or Public Services preferred. |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall or 15 at HL |
International students
The University welcomes applications from international students. Our international recruitment team can guide you on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about entry requirements for your country.
If you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes.
Meet our staff in your country
For more advise about applying to Kent, you can meet our staff at a range of international events.
English Language Requirements
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of 'pre-sessional' courses in English for Academic Purposes. You attend these courses before starting your degree programme.
General entry requirements
Please also see our general entry requirements.
Fees
The 2017/18 tuition fees for this programme are:
| UK/EU | Overseas | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | ||
| Part-time |
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
UK/EU fee paying students
The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.
In accordance with changes announced by the UK Government, we are increasing our 2017/18 regulated full-time tuition fees for new and returning UK/EU fee paying undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses will also rise from £4,500 to £4,625. This was subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. This fee will ensure the continued provision of high-quality education.
For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.*
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Fees for Year Abroad/Industry
As a guide only, UK/EU/International students on an approved year abroad for the full 2017/18 academic year pay an annual fee of £1,350 to Kent for that year. Students studying abroad for less than one academic year will pay full fees according to their fee status.
Please note that for 2017/18 entrants the University will increase the standard year in industry fee for home/EU/international students to £1,350.
General additional costs
Find out more about accommodation and living costs, plus general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Funding
University funding
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. See our funding page for more details.
Government funding
You may be eligible for government finance to help pay for the costs of studying. See the Government's student finance website.
The Government has confirmed that EU students applying for university places in the 2017 to 2018 academic year will still have access to student funding support for the duration of their course.
Scholarships
General scholarships
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. The scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications (including BTEC and IB) as specified on our scholarships pages.
The scholarship is also extended to those who achieve AAB at A level (or specified equivalents) where one of the subjects is either Mathematics or a Modern Foreign Language. Please review the eligibility criteria.