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BA (Hons) Criminology and Social Psychology

Understand how crime and the individual are shaped by social environments

Year of entry: 2026/27

UCAS code

L311

Institution code

Y50

Length

3 years full-time

Typical offer

ABB (full entry requirements)

Start date

September 2026 (semester dates)

UK (home) fees

£9,535 per year

International and EU fees

£25,800 per year

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Find out more about living and studying in York, online or on campus.

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Explore crime and selfhood in changing social contexts whilst tackling injustice and inequality.

By studying Criminology alongside Social Psychology, you'll interrogate how language, self and culture interplay with crime and deviance. Your preconceptions of criminality will be challenged as you engage with the latest criminological and social psychological thinking. You'll examine how external societal conditions shape individuals and the crimes they commit.

in the UK for Criminology

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025.

in the UK for Sociology research impact

Times Higher Education's ranking of the Research Excellence Framework 2021.

in the UK for Criminology Graduate Prospects

Times Good University Guide 2025.

Course content

Our teaching is led by our research and covers real-world issues. You'll engage with key aspects of crime and social psychology. You'll explore how different approaches have been used to explain the self and rule breaking. In the process, you'll learn how to think critically, craft arguments and become a creative thinker.

As you progress you'll focus your studies, choosing option modules to develop your expertise. In your final year you'll undertake independent research drawing on your expertise in criminology and social psychology through a dissertation.

Study abroad

There are opportunities for you to spend time abroad during your course:

Placements

There are opportunities to spend time in industry as part of this course.

Year 1

You'll be introduced to the foundations of criminology and social psychology, as well as the skills you need to understand the social world through your modules.

Core modules

Academic integrity module

In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.

Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.

Learning by design

Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.

Studying criminology has challenged me to think critically about these issues and push for meaningful change, making it a subject that’s relevant to everyone in society. Modules like Working in the Criminal Justice System were particularly valuable, as they offered practical insight into what a career in the criminological field might look like.

Isha, BA Criminology

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees

UK (home) International and EU
£9,535 £25,800

These fees are for students starting in the 2025/26 academic year. Undergraduate fees for 2026/27 will be confirmed later in the year.

UK (home) or international fees?

The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Fees for subsequent years

  • UK (home) fees may increase within the government fee cap in subsequent academic years. We will notify you of any increase as soon as we can.
  • International fees are subject to increase in subsequent years in line with the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate (up to a maximum of 10%).

More information

For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.

Additional costs

You may choose to buy textbooks, but this is not required. You may also incur some minor costs through occasional printing or photocopying, and the production of your final year dissertation.

Funding

Funding opportunities are announced throughout the year. For more information see:

Living costs

You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.

Teaching Excellence Framework Gold Award

York, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial

Just four UK universities are rated Gold for teaching and top ten for research* in the latest national assessment exercises.

* Awarded joint 10th in the Times Higher Education ranking of the Research Excellence Framework 2021.

Teaching and assessment

You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.

Teaching format

Our courses consist of a mixture of classroom-based lectures, seminars, and supervisor meetings.

Our research-informed curriculum will provide you with the ability to think critically, develop effective solutions to various work-based problems, and work both independently and as part of a team.

You’ll be taught in a range of specialist subject areas, allowing you to delve deeply into complex topics, explore a whole spectrum of social issues, and develop a resilient, adaptable and challenging mindset that will aid you both within, and beyond, your study. 

In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during semesters. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.

Teaching location

You will be based in the Department of Sociology on Campus East. Most of your teaching will take place at various locations across Campus East.

About our campus

Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can use the fast and frequent bus service. Take a campus tour.

Assessment and feedback

As you progress, you'll complete a range of assessments designed to help you develop the skills needed to be an effective scholar. Your assessments will be varied, ranging from essays and reports to observational exercises, podcasts and even visual analysis and communication skills workshop design. What assessments you complete will depend on what modules you take.

You’ll submit summative work, which counts towards your final degree score, and formative work, which doesn’t count towards your final grade but gives you the chance to practice techniques and identify areas to improve. We’ll provide detailed feedback on the work you submit, supporting you to develop your academic skills.

Careers and skills

Criminology at York is ranked 9th in the UK for Graduate Prospects according to the Times Good University Guide, 2025. We’ll help you focus your career goals, gain valuable experience, and meet the right employers. You’ll also have the opportunity to undergo internships, take part in volunteering, and even pursue a year away from York, either as a placement year or studying abroad.

By the time you finish your course, you’ll have a whole host of skills, experience and contacts that will prove invaluable in any workplace.

Career opportunities

  • Police officer
  • Prison officer
  • Teacher
  • Research and evaluation analyst
  • Support worker
  • Case manager
  • Admin officer
  • Wellbeing practitioner

Transferable skills

  • Problem-solving
  • Evaluating evidence
  • Forming reasoned arguments
  • Thinking creatively
  • Considering different viewpoints

Entry requirements

Typical offer
A levels

ABB

Access to Higher Education Diploma 30 credits at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher
BTEC National Extended Diploma DDM
European Baccalaureate An overall average of 75%
International Baccalaureate 34 points overall
T levels We will consider a range of T Level qualifications for entry. Please visit our dedicated T Levels page for a full list of accepted T Levels.
Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers Scottish Highers - ABBBB

Advanced Highers - not required for entry

We may also be able to consider three Advanced Highers or a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers, where an applicant does not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone. Please contact us to discuss your qualifications.
International foundation programme Foundation Certificate from our International Pathway College or an appropriate alternative.
Other international qualifications Equivalent qualifications from your country

Alternative offers

Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.

Criteria Adjustment
Widening participation If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Black Access Programme, Next Step York, Realising Opportunities. More about widening participation.
Contextual offer BBB
EPQ If you achieve C or higher at EPQ, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer.
Core Maths If you achieve B or higher in Core Maths, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer.
MOOCs If you successfully complete our online course Imagining York: Discovering the everyday do let us know, as you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about MOOCs.

English language

If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:

Minimum requirement
IELTS (Academic) 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component
IB English A score of 4 in English A or 5 in English B (Higher Level or Standard Level)
Cambridge CEFR 176, with a minimum of 169 in each component
Oxford ELLT 7, with a minimum of 6 in each component
Oxford Test of English Advanced 136, with a minimum of 126 in each component
Duolingo Integrated subscores: 120 overall, with a minimum of 105 in each component
GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) Grade C / Grade 4
LanguageCert SELT B2 with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component
LanguageCert Academic B2 with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component
Kaplan Test of English Language 478 Main Flight score with 444 in each component
Skills for English B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component
PTE Academic 61, with a minimum of 55 in each component
TOEFL 87 overall, with a minimum of 21 in each component
Trinity ISE III Merit in all components
Other English language qualifications We also accept other English Language qualifications, including various school-leaving certificates.

For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.

If you haven't met our English language requirements

You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.

The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.

After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.

Applying

To apply to York, you will need to complete an online application via UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service).

We consider applications for deferred entry, including requests made after taking up an offer.

We encourage mature students to email the Admissions Tutor for consultation and advice.

Next steps

Contact us

Get in touch if you have any questions

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Department of Sociology

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