Studies & Degrees in Criminology
Criminology Study Programs
Criminology is the social science that studies crime, the people who commit it, its victims and the way society responds. Ghent University describes its research domain as deviant behaviour and criminality, and adds that the discipline does not only analyse crime but also looks for the most suitable public response to it. Criminology is not the same as forensic science, which examines physical evidence, or as law, which studies the rules themselves, although a criminology degree borrows from both.
The field has widened over time. According to Ghent University, criminologists now also study organised crime and less visible offences such as economic, tax and environmental crime, as well as the situation of victims, the willingness of the public to report a crime and the effect of the media on how crime is perceived. Students therefore work with several disciplines at once. The Universidad de Murcia lists criminology, law, psychology, sociology and medicine as the main ones, with subjects such as juvenile delinquency, victimology, criminal law, criminal psychology, legal and forensic medicine and forensic investigation techniques. Research methods and statistics are part of most programmes.
Qualifications and levels
The structure of the degree depends on the country.
- Spain. Criminology is a bachelor's degree (grado) of 240 ECTS credits, taken over four years. At the Universidad de Murcia it is taught in Spanish at the Faculty of Law. The Universidad de Alicante offers its 240-credit degree either on campus or online, and also as a double degree with Law.
- United Kingdom. Universities award a BSc or BA with honours. London Metropolitan University offers Criminology BSc (Hons) and joint honours degrees that combine criminology with law, policing, psychology, sociology or international security. Students there are assessed through essays, examinations, research projects and a dissertation.
- Belgium. Ghent University teaches a one-year Master of Science in Criminological Sciences of 60 credits, in Dutch, which includes a 300-hour work placement.
- United States and Canada. The subject is usually offered as a major within a bachelor's degree, often under the name criminal justice. The University of the Fraser Valley in Canada has a Criminal Justice diploma that leads into its Bachelor of Arts (Criminal Justice), with practicums built into the programmes. At graduate level, the University of Florida offers an M.A., a Ph.D. and a joint M.A./J.D. in Criminology, Law and Society.
Where to study criminology
SpainExchange lists 102 active schools for criminology. Most are in the United States (30), Spain (26) and the United Kingdom (17), followed by Australia and Canada with 4 each and Belgium with 3. There are also schools in the Netherlands, Mexico, Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kenya and Malaysia.
The language of instruction follows the country. Spanish universities such as the Universidad de Murcia, the Universidad de Alicante and the Universidad de Cádiz teach mainly in Spanish; Alicante states that some subjects are also offered in Valencian and English. Programmes in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada are taught in English.
Criminal law and the justice system differ from one country to another, and much of a criminology degree deals with the system of the country where it is taught. Students who plan to work in another country should check whether the positions they want, in particular in the police, the prison service or probation, set their own entry conditions.
Careers
Criminology rarely leads to one fixed profession. Ghent University says openly that few vacancies mention the word criminologist in the job title and that its graduates usually find work at government agencies and non-profit organisations: police forces, penal institutions, victim support, prevention and security policy. It also notes growing demand in the private security sector and in compliance roles in the financial sector. London Metropolitan University reports that its criminology and sociology graduates have become police officers, counter fraud investigators, support workers, probation officers and teachers. In Murcia, final-year students do their placements in prisons, with the security forces, in the media or in schools.
A degree is often one requirement among several. In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that probation officers and correctional treatment specialists typically need a bachelor's degree, with criminal justice, social science and psychology as common fields. For police and detectives the education required ranges from a high school diploma to a college degree, and most must also graduate from their agency's training academy. BLS projects that employment in both occupations will grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Frequently asked questions
Is criminology the same as forensic science or criminalistics?
No. Criminology is a social science about the causes of crime, offenders, victims and the response of society. Forensic science and criminalistics deal with physical evidence. Some criminology degrees, such as the one at the Universidad de Murcia, include introductory subjects in forensic investigation.
How long does a criminology degree take?
In Spain the bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits and takes four years. Ghent University in Belgium offers a one-year master's of 60 credits. Elsewhere the length depends on the national degree system.
Can I study criminology online?
Some universities offer it. The Universidad de Alicante teaches its degree in two modes, on campus and online.
Does a criminology degree make me a police officer?
No. Police forces select and train their own staff. In the United States, according to BLS, most police and detectives must graduate from their agency's training academy, whatever they studied before.