BA (Hons) Criminology and Law

Do you want to understand better how society works? Are you keen to know more about the purpose, processes and outcomes of social welfare, both here and abroad? Why and how do people break the law? How can the criminal justice system define this and how do we police, prosecute and punish people? Our courses look at the nature of social change, social differentiation, the construction and definition of social problems and the maintenance of social order as well as broader questions of process and policy. And we offer an international and comparative approach covering topics that analyse society and welfare issues in various countries. We have particular expertise covering Scotland, the UK, the European Union, Western and Central Europe, Australasia, North America and Latin America. In your first two years you will take three subjects each semester. One of these is a core subject for your degree, but you can choose the other two from Faculties across the University. For example, you could take Sociology with English or another language, Social Policy with Marketing or Criminology with Law. What are the advantages of studying law as a BA? Firstly, it means you develop even further the intellectual skills needed for what is a demanding yet rewarding subject. These include autonomy, determination, intellectual curiosity, clear thinking and concise expression. All are highly valuable, whatever profession you pursue. Secondly, it’s also a chance to study a range of subjects reflecting the importance of law in all areas of society. For example, the BA Law enables you to understand how law interacts with society. This degree provides a broad university education in law in a wide range of areas, such as crime, the family, business, the media, and government.