Our course has an applied focus, with opportunities to work with the police and to investigate. You'll engage with the everyday experiences of dealing with crime: the impacts on the victim, the implications for society, forensic investigation, policing in the community, the workings of the criminal justice system, and approaches to preventing and deterring criminal behaviour. Explore the causes and implications of different types of crime, including environmental crime, homicide, terrorism, organised crime, domestic violence and crimes against humanity.

You’ll investigate mock crime scenes, collecting and analysing evidence and discovering how it is presented in court.  You will have access to a forensic interviewing suite and  virtual reality equipment to study issues such as the  reliability of eye-witness testimony. Our lecturers include a leading expert who advises the police on domestic violence and homicide and makes regular media appearance including BBC One’s Panorama.

In their first year, our students study the relevance of criminology on a GB-based residential field week.  Later you can choose field-week modules that will take you to Belfast, where you will explore how restorative justice is helping to rebuild broking communities, or to Canada where you will learn about different criminal justice systems.

You can also develop real-world skills through work experience. Some students currently work with Gloucestershire Police, the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, and Gloucester City Safe. You can gain credit from these experiences towards your degree.  Join our Homicide Research Group to analyse homicide risks, or help the police tackle anti-social behaviour by volunteering for our Student Community Patrol