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UWE Bristol · Undergraduate
BA (Hons) Criminology and Sociology Bachelor's degree at UWE Bristol
BA (Hons) Criminology and Sociology at UWE Bristol is a nationally recognised UK degree, holding Silver status for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 and.
BA (Hons)
Award
–
Years
Part-time
Study mode
85%
in work/study (15m)
About this course
BA(Hons) Criminology and Sociology (with Foundation Year) helps you gain experience through placements so you can develop your own ideas to improve lives. From the provider’s course page.
BA (Hons) Criminology and Sociology is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at UWE Bristol, based in University of the West of England. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For Social sciences graduates from this provider, 85% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 55% 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 Law, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
6.0
/ 10
2 of 3 official measures
Graduate outcomes
In work or further study 15 months after graduating
Excellent85
Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 85% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Fair35
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2021-23. Continuation 35% (2021-23; 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 zero 4 modules
- Essentials of Academic PracticeCompulsory
- Exploring the Social World and the Problems of CrimeCompulsory
- From Plato to NatoCompulsory
- Psychology, Policing and SocietyCompulsory
Year one 6 modules
- Foundations in Social TheoryCompulsory
- Introduction to Criminological TheoryCompulsory
- Critical Thinking (Sociology and Criminology)Compulsory
- Becoming a Social Scientist: Introducing Social ResearchCompulsory
- Introduction to Criminal JusticeCompulsory
- Understanding CrimeCompulsory
Year two 10 modules
- Theorising Social LifeCompulsory
- Research, Theory and Practice: Developing Skills for Life and WorkCompulsory
- Policing and Crime PreventionCompulsory
- Gender and SocietyOptional
- Criminal PsychologyOptional
- Drugs, Crime and SocietyOptional
- Crime, Media and CultureOptional
- Difference: 'Race', Ethnicity and Diversity in Contemporary SocietyOptional
- Mental Health, Crime and Criminal JusticeOptional
- Mind, Emotion and Society: An Introduction to Psychosocial StudiesOptional
Final year 12 modules
- Social Project and Placement Module or Criminology ProjectCompulsory
- Transnational Crime and Comparative CriminologyCompulsory
- Protest, Policing and Public OrderOptional
- Stop, Look, Listen! A Sociology of CultureOptional
- Digital Media and SocietyOptional
- Sustainable Futures: Environment and Society in an Age of CrisisOptional
- Sociology of Human, Non-Human and Environmental RightsOptional
- Sociology of Sexes, genders, and SexualitiesOptional
- Hate Crime and Criminal Justice SystemOptional
- Gender, Sex and Social ControlOptional
- Green Criminology: Environment, Crime and JusticeOptional
- Organised CrimeOptional
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 emphasises gaining practical experience through placements alongside academic study, enabling you to develop ideas for improving lives in criminology and sociology. You'll typically begin with foundations in contract law, public law and criminal law, exploring formation, constitutional frameworks and criminal liability. In your second year, you'll usually move into tort law, land law and international or EU law, building understanding of civil wrongs and how law operates beyond the UK. Later, specialist options allow you to focus on areas such as commercial law, human rights, criminal justice, family law, employment law and legal practice (SQE), often culminating in independent research or supervised work in a law clinic.
Who it's for
Most entrants to this course hold another higher-education qualification, 90% of accepted students came in with prior higher-education experience. The part-time study mode suits those balancing academic work with other commitments.
Careers & job market
Nationally, 85% of law graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating. Of those working, 55% are in highly skilled roles or undertaking further study. National graduate earnings data shows starting salaries (at 15 months) ranging from £23,000 to £30,000, rising to £24,225–£34,200 after five years. The course covers specialisations such as Criminology, Criminal Law, Human Rights, Public Law, Commercial Law, Corporate, Family, and Intellectual Property.
University & format
UWE Bristol is a public university founded in 1970, located in the University of the West of England. This BA (Hons) degree is taught in English on a part-time basis. The course is recognised as a nationally recognised UK degree-awarding body. UWE Bristol holds Silver for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 and is.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Published entry48 tariff points typical offer · English: IELTS (Academic) 6.0 (no band below 5.5)
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
2027 entry deadlineApply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
Contextual offersPublished by this provider
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
PlacementPublished placement option
Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
2026 entryLive availability check
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
Typical offer (from the provider)The university’s course page lists a typical A-level offer of 48 tariff points. Always check the provider for the current offer and subject requirements.
English languageThis course lists IELTS (Academic) 6.0 (no band below 5.5) (or equivalent). See the International students section below for the full picture.
Most entrants held another higher-education qualification90% of accepted students came in with another higher-education qualification (entrants over recent years).
Entry requirements are set by the universityGrades, subjects and contextual offers vary. Check UWE Bristol's official course page for the current offer.
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| another higher-education qualification | 90% |
| a previous degree | 5% |
| A-levels or equivalent | 5% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Offer-based entry
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
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.
Apply byApply directly to the providerfor this course
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. 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 Apply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. 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.
💡 Many universities make a contextual (reduced-grade) offer, for example based on your school’s results, time in care, or where you live. Ask UWE Bristol whether you’re eligible before you apply; it can lower the grades you need.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Homeup to £9,790 / yr
Internationalset by the university
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at UWE Bristol →For students who normally live in England
illustrative Maintenance Loan per year
Check providertuition used per year, no published course home fee, total not estimated
total borrowing, course length not published
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.
Funding matched to this course
All UWE Bristol funding →Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
Named awards published by the university. Compare the eligibility and application route before budgeting for one.
Amounts, exclusions and deadlines can change. An award is not guaranteed unless the university confirms it.
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Career quizApplication walkthroughSalary & CV check
Careers & earnings
What Law 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 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £23,000 | £18,500 – £28,000 | 25 |
| 5 years after | £27,500 | £22,500 – £36,000 | 25 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
85%
in work or further study 15 months on
55%
in highly skilled work or study
35%
continue past their first year
70%
find their work meaningful
65%
say work fits their future plans
- 1Paralegal / TraineeTraining contract or pupillage route · 0–2 yrs
- 2Solicitor / BarristerQualified practitioner · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior AssociateLeading matters and clients · 5–9 yrs
- 4Partner / In-house CounselPartnership or heading legal · 9+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Law nationally
Starting (15 months) HESA GO
£27,000
£23,000 – £30,000After 3 years LEO
£23,000
£19,550 – £27,600After 5 years LEO
£27,500
£24,225 – £34,200national rangethis course’s medianaxis £18,500 – £35,500
National figures for Law 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.
85 of 100
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
65% working10% working and studying10% in further study55% in highly skilled work or study
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. 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 Law courses at the same study level.
This course £27,500Peer median £28,000Middle 50% £25,500–£31,500
48th percentile
Compared with 1,352 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
Brunel University of LondonBSc (Hons) Criminology£27,500Brunel University of LondonBSc (Hons) Criminology with Placement Year£27,500Brunel University of LondonBSc (Hons) Criminology with Placements£27,500Canterbury Christ Church UniversityBSc (Hons) Applied Criminology with Forensic Investigation£27,500
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
- Managers, directors and senior officialsSOC 2020 1 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £51,733
- Teaching and Childcare Support OccupationDiscover Uni category · 10% of published destinations
- Information Technology ProfessionalsSOC 2020 213 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £55,357
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Nursing ProfessionalsSOC 2020 223 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £37,597
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: 25; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Law graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
85%
in work or further study 15 months after graduating, across Law courses nationally.
Graduate Outcomes55%
of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study.
highly skilled85%
of students continue past their first year (still enrolled or completed).
continuationHow 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
- First-pass document review
- Standard contract drafting
- Legal research summaries
- Routine due diligence
More human than ever
- Advocacy and negotiation
- Judgement on ambiguous facts
- Client trust and ethics
- Strategy in disputes and deals
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Law 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
- Law firms
- Barristers' chambers
- In-house legal teams
- Government Legal Service
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Law graduates.
Law Firm Associates of all Practice Areas: Discuss your Overseas Relocation with Duke and Rawson – Australia/Asia/Middle East/Europe/Offshore/UKDuke and RawsonLaw Enforcement Success SpecialistAurorLaw Firm HR & Operations Lead - 12-Month ContractCharalle GroupLaw Firm Finance & Practice Manager, Leadership & OpsMcKinlay LawLaw Internship: Disputes & IBC – In-OfficeCanon SphereLaw Firm Front Desk & Guest Services (Oxford)Owen ReedLive from the StudySmarter job board · as of 2026-08-01.See all matching jobs
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
85% 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.
⭐
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 6.0 out of 10: in work or study 85% · continued 35%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of the West of England, Bristol
All students36,380
International24.8%
Aged 25+34.8%
Law across the UK
Students144,525
Aged 25+24.3%
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around University of the West of England
547 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Violent Crime 188Anti Social Behaviour 89Shoplifting 50Other Theft 43Criminal Damage Arson 37
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Law right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to UWE Bristol from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by UWE Bristol; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
This course lists IELTS (Academic) 6.0 (no band below 5.5). 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 UWE Bristol’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 UWE Bristol and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at UWE Bristol
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
Set by UWE Bristol. Most accepted students held another higher-education qualification. Check the university's course page for the exact offer.
What do graduates go on to do?
For Social sciences graduates from this provider, 85% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 55% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £27,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
What will it cost me?
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. See Fees & funding on this page to work out your numbers.
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