Criminology has changed a lot over the past 200 years, and modern policing and justice systems must deal with ever-changing challenges and opportunities. The improvement of forensic psychology methods and appearance of new types of crime mean that a thorough understanding of criminological theory has never been more essential.Throughout your course you will examine a range of perspectives on race, gender, sex and class in the criminal justice system, and explore offences such as violent crime, sexual crimes and firesetting. Topics you’ll study include:the sociological approach to crime, criminology and criminological theorythe role of forensic psychology in manging mentally disordered offendersthe status of the victim throughout the criminal processthe historic relationship between psychology and policing, and what this means for modern policingcritical assessment of complex criminal investigations in accordance with national standards.Throughout the course you will develop your skills in critical evaluation, decision-making and prioritisation. Towards the end of your studies you will have the opportunity to advance onto the Masters in criminology and criminal psychology.Teaching methodsStudying online gives you the freedom to study when and where it suits you – at home, during your lunch hour or anywhere else you have internet access.Our courses are delivered through a virtual learning environment (VLE) instead of a traditional campus. International students residing in specific regions outside the UK may be eligible for a scholarship of up to 20% on the March and April 2026 intakes of our undergraduate and postgraduate online courses. Students residing in Africa can also enjoy a 20% scholarship for the March and April 2026 intakes of all eligible undergraduate and postgraduate courses.