BSc (Hons) Criminal Justice Bachelor's degree at Edge Hill University
BSc (Hons) Criminal Justice at Edge Hill University. You'll engage with core theory, research methods, and applied practice, then shape your learning through specialist options and an independent project.
About this course
Develop an understanding of the criminal justice system and the treatment and management of offenders in our criminal justice degree. From the provider’s course page.
BSc (Hons) Criminal Justice is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at Edge Hill University, based in Ormskirk. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Social sciences graduates from this provider, 95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 40% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £27,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Sociology & Social Sciences, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 80; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 95% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 88% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 8 modules
- Multi-agency Work in Criminal JusticeCompulsory20 credits
Module details
designed to enhance your learning about the core agencies of the criminal justice system, their role and function, and how they interact with each other to prevent and reduce crime, assess risk, and safeguard and protect (potential) victims of crime. The key bodies and their roles will be examined, and the processes by which they share information and work together to achieve goals will be explored. Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs), Multi-Agency Public Protection Assessments (MA
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Practical
- Addictions and OffendingCompulsory20 credits
Module details
explores the key policy, practice and societal drivers which currently direct responses to addictions and offending. The Government strategy, 'Reducing Demand, Restricting Supply, Building Recovery' (Ministry of Justice, 2010), recognises the impact that addictions such as drug and alcohol dependence have on societal harm and crime. The strategy sets out to tackle dependence on all drugs including prescription and over the counter medicines, as well as severe alcohol dependence. The relationship
Assessment: 100% Exam
- Mental Health and OffendingCompulsory20 credits
Module details
aims to provide you with a contemporary and detailed understanding of the pivotal issues pertaining to the mentally disordered offender (MDO). The module will specifically focus on those individuals detained under Part III of the Mental Health Act (1983) who will be frequently detained under Section 37 MHA (1983), which is a Home Office restriction order.
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Practical
- Professional SkillsCompulsory20 credits
Module details
provides you with structured opportunities to develop essential academic, graduate attribute, and early professional skills. You will explore your individual learning styles, engage in supported skill-building activities, and apply these to academic and professional tasks. Through guided practice, and authentic tasks informed by employer partnership insights, you will gain confidence and competence in academic communication, research, professional behaviour and reflective practice.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Criminal JusticeCompulsory20 credits
Module details
introduces you to the criminal justice system. You will consider the function of the criminal justice system and the police role within it, as well as examining various pieces of associated legislation. You will focus on victims, the victims commissioner, codes of practice, and the role of the family liaison officer. You will also explore the custody process, in particular the detention, custody, charging, disclosure and escorting of detainees. Sentencing, out-of-court disposals and restorative
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Public Protection, Vulnerability and Risk 1Optional20 credits
Module details
equips you with an understanding of the main legislation, theories and concepts surrounding vulnerability and vulnerable people in society as it relates to public protection policing. Examining contemporary issues such as child abuse, child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation, online abuse, domestic abuse and elder abuse, you will consider the impact of these types of offences on victims, their families and wider society. You will also critically assess legislation, policies and gui
Assessment: 100% Practical
- Cyber Security Fundamentals and EthicsOptional20 credits
Module details
provides an introduction to the principles of cyber security. Focus is particularly on how to prevent cyber attacks, and the protection, confidentiality and integrity of information across both human and technology dimensions. The module tackles cyber security as a multidisciplinary issue and introduces important cyber hygiene concepts needed to remain safe in the digital world. Cyber security is covered from both a theory-based and applied understanding of how to reduce the likelihood of harm c
Assessment: 50% Coursework 50% Practical
- Language 1Optional20 credits
Module details
is ideal if you want to learn a new language, or further develop your current language skills, as an integrated part of this degree. The module will be taught in an interactive, communicative manner, using authentic materials in the target language. Emphasis will be placed on all four areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening. You will play an active role in the classes, engaging in role-plays, short conversations, videos, authentic texts and listening materials. You will also be encoura
Assessment: 85% Coursework 15% Practical
Year 2 7 modules
- Doing Criminal Justice ResearchCompulsory20 credits
Module details
provides you with a thorough grounding in understanding and undertaking policing research. It considers the development of policing research and explores different qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The module considers the theoretical context of approaches such as positivism and interpretivism. It also explores the skills necessary to evaluate policing research, particularly in terms of research ethics and politics and the practical skills necessary to undertake the research p
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Introduction to Probation StudiesCompulsory20 credits
Module details
has been designed to provide an introduction to probation services and processes within criminal justice. The role, function and purpose of probation in the management of offenders will be explored and a historical and theoretical contextualization of probation as a concept and a criminal justice tool will be provided. The module will also explore aspects of probation work and will include tasters on commonly studied topics in this field. It will also consider contemporary challenges faced withi
Assessment: 60% Coursework 40% Practical
- Gender, Sex and ViolenceCompulsory20 credits
Module details
explores the concept of violence and the various forms it can take. Specifically, the module will focus on the relationships between gender, sex, sexuality and violence, and the ideological, cultural and religious underpinnings of such violent acts. You will be encouraged to look beyond established understandings of what constitutes a violent act to explore more abstract forms of violence such as harm, denial of rights, and poverty. Criminological and social science theory will form the basis of
Assessment: 100% Exam
- Rehabilitation and Treatment of OffendersCompulsory20 credits
Module details
recognises that there is much debate focused around the concepts of punishment and treatment in the UK and the wider world. The module will equip you with a detailed understanding of the key theoretical and practical arguments in the contemporary fields of criminal justice and health and social care. You will explore a variety of treatment options which are available to offenders across the criminal justice and health and social care services. You will assess their effectiveness and consider how
Assessment: 100% Practical
- Work PlacementCompulsory20 credits
Module details
develops your employability skills by engaging you in work experience, either with industry (whether legal or non-legal) or with a voluntary organisation. After a few weeks of preparation for your placement, the placement will typically run throughout the second year of the course, commencing in October and running through until the end of April. Following completion of the placement, you will compile a reflective report illustrating the skills and experience demonstrated and acquired. This will
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Cyber Crime and Criminal JusticeOptional20 credits
Module details
explores cyber crime both in theory and practice to analyse the intersection between criminal behaviour and justice processes. Common cyber attacks, offending methodologies, online harms and victimisation will be examined as you develop your understanding of the nature of these crimes and how the cultural worlds of hackers, crackers and trackers work. Cyber criminality, and its impact on society, will also be explored in-depth.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Public Protection, Vulnerability and Risk 2Optional20 credits
Module details
equips you with an understanding of the main legislation, theories and concepts surrounding vulnerability and vulnerable people in society as it relates to public protection policing. Examining contemporary issues such so-called honour-based abuse, sexual offences, sex workers and hate crime, you will consider the impact of these types of offences on victims, their families and wider society.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This degree develops your understanding of the criminal justice system and how offenders are treated and managed within it. You'll usually begin with foundations in sociology, social problems and policy, and social research methods, examining how societies define and respond to harm and inequality. In Year 2, you'll move into social theory, advanced research practice, and applied criminology, with scope to explore specialisations such as criminology, social policy, gender and identity, migration, or social work routes. Year 3 typically emphasises specialist options, research-led seminars on contemporary criminal justice debates, and a dissertation where you'll conduct your own empirical or theoretical research project in an area of criminal justice that interests you.
Who it's for
You're drawn to how society responds to crime, and you're curious about the institutions and people who make that response work. You're comfortable with reading widely across sociology, law, psychology and policy; you can handle nuance and competing perspectives. If you're aiming for a career in criminal justice, whether in policing, probation, the courts, prisons, or policy, this course will give you a structured foundation. You might equally be interested in allied fields such as social work, victim support or criminological research. Studying this will feel methodical but not narrow; you'll be encouraged to question what you're learning and to test theory against real-world evidence.
Careers & job market
Across Sociology & Social Sciences nationally, 85% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of those working, 55% are in highly skilled roles or undertaking further study. Starting salaries nationally range from £23,000 to £30,000; after five years, this rises to £24,650–£34,800. Your actual career path will depend on the roles you pursue and your own development, but criminal justice opens doors in enforcement, corrections, victim services, research and policy.
University & format
The BSc (Hons) Criminal Justice is a 3-year full-time degree taught in English at Edge Hill University, a public university in Ormskirk. Edge Hill is a recognised UK degree-awarding body whose degrees carry national recognition. The course received a Silver award for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Work placement. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 90% |
| an Access course | 10% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code C816). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at Edge Hill University →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Sociology & Social Sciences graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £27,000 | £23,000 – £32,000 | 80 |
| 3 years after | £20,500 | £15,500 – £25,000 | 350 |
| 5 years after | £24,000 | £19,500 – £29,000 | 355 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 80; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in sociology & social sciences · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Sociology & Social Sciences nationally
National figures for Sociology & Social Sciences graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 80; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Sociology & Social Sciences courses at the same study level.
Compared with 751 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Welfare and housing associate professionalsSOC 2020 322 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,937
- Protective service occupationsDiscover Uni category · 10% of published destinations
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 60; response rate: 50%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Sociology & Social Sciences graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Sociology & Social Sciences graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Local authorities
- Charities & NGOs
- Research organisations
- Government & universities
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Sociology & Social Sciences graduates.
Is this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £27,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 9.0 out of 10: NSS 88% · in work or study 95% · continued 88%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Edge Hill University
Social sciences across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Ormskirk
220 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Sociology & Social Sciences right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Edge Hill University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £14,500 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Edge Hill University’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Edge Hill University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Edge Hill University
Sociology & Social Sciences at other universities
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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