Criminology and Law

Key features of the course

• Explore the complex issues behind today’s crime, law and justice headlines.
• Understand, interpret and apply concepts about crime and law to 'real world' problems
• Develop transferable employability skills to support career progression.
• Identify where criminal justice and law is failing to provide social justice, fairness and equal opportunities in society. 

We also offer a Diploma of Higher Education in Criminology and Law (W52) that is the same in structure as the first two-thirds of this degree.

Entry requirements

There are no formal entry requirements for this qualification.

At The Open University we believe education should be open to all, so we provide a high-quality university education to anyone who wishes to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential.

Even though there are no entry requirements, there are some skills that you'll need to succeed. If you're not quite ready for OU study we can guide you to resources that prepare you, many of which are free.

Answer a few quick questions to check whether you're ready for study success

Skills for career development

As well as the specific knowledge gained from studying this OU degree, you'll develop many transferable and work-related skills that are highly valued by employers. These include:

• analytical and problem-solving skills
• IT skills
• search, retrieval and interpretative skills
• self-reflection skills
• responding to feedback skills
• personal and career development skills.

You will also develop subject-specific skills, such as critically scrutinising and reassessing everyday understandings of crime, law and criminal justice, as well as in-depth knowledge of key concepts in law and criminology, and the key institutions which make up criminal justice and legal systems. You will develop legal research skills as well as skills of comprehension, analysis and presentation. Independently plan, study and manage a sequence of work to an agreed timetable which includes the meeting of deadlines.

Please note that this degree does not cover all seven Foundations of Legal Knowledge. If you want to become a barrister in England and Wales or a solicitor or barrister in Northern Ireland, you will need to complete a conversion course before starting your professional training.

Career relevance

This degree opens up a diverse range of career paths, including:

• advice work
• community development
• the crown prosecution service
• housing services
• human resources
• local and central government
• mental health support and drug rehabilitation
• the police, prison and probation services
• refugee and victim support
• social research and policy analysis
• social and youth work. 

You might use your degree to access a law conversion course, to qualify as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales. Some students choose to undertake further study, such as a postgraduate course.

Outside of criminal justice and legal professions, typical employers include:

• banks and insurance companies
• 'third sector' organisations such as charities
• the NHS
• educational institutions
• HR departments
• local and central government. 

Some career paths relate directly to criminology and law, others draw upon the graduate skills that you’ll acquire through this qualification. This degree does not provide direct entry to the career fields listed, but it may ease access and increase your employability in relation to them. It may also enhance your prospects for progression within a chosen field once you are qualified for entry.

Exploring your options

Once you register with us (and for up to three years after you finish your studies), you’ll have full access to our careers service for a wide range of information and advice. This includes online forums, website, interview simulation, vacancy service as well as the option to email or speak to a careers adviser. Some areas of the careers service website are available for you to see now, including help with looking for and applying for jobs. You can also read more general information about how OU study enhances your career.

In the meantime if you want to do some research around this qualification and where it might take you, we’ve put together a list of relevant job titles as a starting point. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree):

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