Criminology Schools and Programs in Spain

Criminology Studies in Spain

Criminology studies crime, offenders, victims and the way society and the criminal justice system respond to them. It is an interdisciplinary subject: a Spanish bachelor's degree combines criminology with criminal law, psychology, sociology, legal medicine and research methods. In Spain it is taught as an officially recognised bachelor's degree (grado) and as a master's degree, at public and private universities in almost every region, and also by distance learning.

How the degree is organised

Royal Decree 822/2021 sets the structure of Spanish university education: bachelor's degrees of 240 ECTS credits, master's degrees of 60, 90 or 120 credits, and the doctorate. A bachelor's degree in Criminology therefore takes four years of 60 credits each. At the Universidad de Salamanca, for example, the degree lasts 4 years and is organised in one-semester courses; the university also offers a double degree in Law and Criminology.

Courses usually come from several fields. At the Universidad de Murcia, the curriculum includes criminology subjects (introduction to criminology, juvenile delinquency, victimology), law (criminal law, prison law), psychology (criminal psychology, psychological profiling in criminal investigation) and other areas such as legal and forensic medicine and forensic investigation. Final-year work placements can take place in prisons, with the national police and security forces, in the media or in schools.

Some universities give the degree a different name, such as Criminología y Seguridad (Criminology and Security). To check whether a programme is officially recognised, search the Ministry's Register of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT): a search for bachelor's degrees in criminology returns 45 records, including some degrees that are being phased out. A university's own qualifications (títulos propios) do not appear in RUCT.

Where to study Criminology in Spain

Madrid and Barcelona have the most schools, but the offer is spread across the country. Some examples, all with an official bachelor's degree listed in RUCT:

• Andalusia: Universidad de Granada, Universidad de Sevilla and Universidad de Cádiz (Criminology and Security)
• Region of Murcia: Universidad de Murcia and Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM)
• Valencian Community: Universidad de Alicante
• Castile and León: Universidad de Salamanca (joint degree with the Universidad de Valladolid) and Universidad Europea Miguel de Cervantes
• Madrid: Universidad Europea de Madrid and Universidad Camilo José Cela (Criminology and Security)
• Catalonia: Universitat de Barcelona and Universitat Abat Oliba CEU (Criminology and Security)
• Basque Country: Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea
• Castilla-La Mancha: Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha
• Distance learning: Universidad Internacional Isabel I de Castilla

The usual language of instruction is Spanish. In Catalonia and the Basque Country some courses are taught in Catalan or Basque, so check the curriculum before applying. At the Universidad de Murcia, for example, the degree is taught on campus in Spanish, with 55 places for new students. The Universidad Europea de Madrid lists its degree in RUCT under the English name Bachelor in Criminology as well.

For specialisation after the bachelor's degree there are officially recognised master's degrees, such as Ciencias Criminológicas y Seguridad at the Universidad de Granada, Criminología y Delincuencia at the Universidad de Murcia, Criminología y Delincuencia Juvenil at the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Intervención Criminológica y Victimológica at the Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche and Criminología Aplicada at the Universitat de Barcelona.

Admission for international students

Students who finished secondary school outside Spain usually apply for an accreditation from UNEDasiss, the UNED service that assesses international students' academic records and runs the specific subject tests. They then apply for a place at each university within its own deadlines; UNEDasiss reminds applicants to submit the admission application on time even if the accreditation has not yet been issued. Admission criteria depend on the university, the previous studies and the country of origin. Public universities publish a cut-off mark (nota de corte); in Murcia it was 9.634 for the 2025-26 academic year.

The Universidad de Salamanca sets no special entrance tests for the degree and recommends an interest in the social sciences and basic English to read scientific texts.

Recognition of the qualification

For holders of a foreign degree, Royal Decree 889/2022 sets out three procedures: homologación, which gives access to a regulated profession in Spain; declaración de equivalencia, which certifies the academic level (bachelor's or master's); and convalidación, which allows a student to continue university studies in Spain. If you plan to return home with a Spanish degree, check how your own country recognises it.

Careers

The Universidad de Salamanca describes several career profiles: officer in the public police and security forces, civil servant in prison administration and in the justice system, and public and private security adviser, carrying out studies on crime and prevention plans. Other common paths are victim support, social reintegration and research. Joining the police or the prison service also requires passing each body's own selection process.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a bachelor's degree in Criminology in Spain?

Four years and 240 ECTS credits, the general length of Spanish bachelor's degrees under Royal Decree 822/2021. This is the case, for example, at the Universidad de Salamanca and the Universidad de Murcia.

How can I tell whether a Criminology degree is officially recognised?

Look it up in the Ministry's RUCT register. Official degrees are listed there with their university; a university's own qualifications are not.

How do international students get into the degree?

Most apply for an UNEDasiss accreditation, which assesses their school record and, where needed, tests them in specific subjects. With it they apply to the universities of their choice, within each university's deadlines.

Can I study Criminology online in Spain?

Yes. Some distance-learning universities offer an official bachelor's degree in Criminology listed in RUCT, such as the Universidad Internacional Isabel I de Castilla.