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 the real world
• Develop transferable employability skills to support career progression
• Build a solid foundation for further study

A nationally recognised qualification in its own right, this diploma of higher education is also equivalent to the first two thirds of the BA (Honours) Criminology and Law (Q92).

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 diploma, you'll develop many transferable and work-related skills that are highly valued by employers. You will develop skills in critically scrutinising and reassessing everyday understandings of crime and criminal justice, as well as knowledge of the key institutions which make up criminal justice and legal systems. You will study some of the foundations of legal knowledge and develop legal research skills as well as skills of comprehension, analysis and presentation.

Career relevance

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

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

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

• banks and insurance companies
• charities
• the NHS
• educational institutions
• HR departments
• local and central government.

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):

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