Criminology (including foundation year)

Why study this course?

Our Criminology (including foundation year) BSc will prepare you for study at undergraduate level, while providing you with the knowledge to examine the causes and effects of crime. This four-year course is designed for those who don’t meet the requirements to enter the three-year course or who have been out of education for a few years and would like to prepare for academic study at undergraduate level.

During Year 0 you’ll improve your critical thinking, essay writing and other academic skills to build your confidence and improve your learning techniques. You’ll be supported by a tutor and academic mentor to achieve all of your academic goals and settle into university. In the following three years you’ll engage in academic investigation of the criminal justice system and examine criminological theories.

More about this course

Our Criminology (including foundation year) BSc course is perfect preparation for a career in crime and justice related settings. You’ll not only study criminological theories and learn to research the causes and implications of crime, but you’ll also gain valuable academic skills that will help you progress to managerial roles or postgraduate study.

On this course you’ll receive excellent support to ensure that you settle into university life and achieve good academic outcomes. In your foundation year, your tutor and mentor will help you work on your strengths and weaknesses and prepare for the following three years of undergraduate academic study. During this year, your modules will focus on developing your academic literacy, critical thinking and analytical skills through the production of short texts about subjects in the field of social sciences and current affairs. You’ll also be joined by students studying the foundation year from other disciplines, providing a perfect opportunity to work with others to improve your skills.

We place great emphasis on our teaching quality and your lecturers will take their time to work with you to develop your skills and ensure you reach a good level of understanding of the topics.

During the foundation year you’ll also take a module that is more focused on criminology, so that you can get a view into the topics you’ll be studying and prepare for the following years. If at the end of your foundation year you decide that you’d like to specialise in a different area of study, there will be flexibility to move to a different course in the School of Social Sciences or the School of Social Professions subject to approval.

In the three years that will follow you’ll experience greater flexibility in choosing what you’d like to study and enjoy the opportunity to combine your criminology degree with the study of psychology, policing, sociology or law. The course content will also begin to be more specialised.

Want to experience university life in the world's greatest student city (QS 2025)? Then look no further.

London Metropolitan University is proud to be ranked first in the UK for the difference it makes to students’ lives (Guardian University Guide 2026). Dedicated to preparing graduates for the ever-changing job market, their courses are modern and vocational, with an emphasis on teaching transferrable workplace skills. Whether you're an artist or an engineer, you'll receive career-relevant teaching from industry experts, with clear paths for progression.

You've also got the best of both worlds – a buzzing campus community, and the excitement of life in London. There's always plenty going on at London Met for you to get involved in. You can meet like-minded people at a society, by becoming part of a sports team, or engaging in volunteering.

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