Criminology and French Studies BA (Hons)

Combine two unique subjects in this joint honours degree delivered by a world-class university - we are listed 2nd in the UK for French in the 2017 Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide. You will acquire high level language skills and a thorough understanding of France’s historical, cultural, social and political background. And you’ll engage with contemporary debates on crime, deviance and punishment while critically appraising cutting-edge criminological research.

Taught by world-leading, research-active academics from our prestigious Law School and the Department of Languages, our unique approach to your first year introduces you to topics including drugs and crime, youth justice, sex offending, and the cultural context of the French language.

Year 2 is your chance to build on your language skills and study the culture, politics and history of the French-speaking world in more depth. You will also explore the ways that crime is measured and engage with the social and legal responses to crimes against the environment.

Your third year, a compulsory year abroad, provides you with a rare opportunity to develop your language and criminological skills in a new global context. You can study at a partner institution or conduct a work placement.

In your final year, you will consolidate your French language skills and tailor your degree to your personal and professional interests, selecting from a range of modules including Criminal Careers and Criminal Justice Research.

Throughout your degree, you will gain vital skills for your career. You will develop your ability to think critically, communicate, speak in public, work in teams, write for academia, carry out your own research and competently analyse data. Assessment is through coursework, presentations and exams with options to produce media portfolios, posters and dissertations. The duality of this course also means that you will be practiced at looking at issues from a multi-disciplinary, national and global perspective.

You will also benefit from our excellent connections with NGOs, charities, and local Criminal Justice Agencies such as Lancashire Police and HMP Lancashire Farm. You will be able to visit the prison and engage in collaborative learning, and analyse data from Lancashire Police; this data is then often used by the force. All of this helps you to make professional connections and get a head start on your chosen career.

We will support you if you wish to take on voluntary work experience, with the Citizens Advice Bureau or Lancashire Constabulary's Special Constables, or as a Criminology Student Ambassador undertaking admissions outreach work.

Your degree can open doors to a career in, or beyond, the criminal justice system. It could lead to jobs in the private, public and voluntary sector including the police and prison service, the Home Office, National Criminal Intelligence Service, and welfare charities. Or you may want to further your studies with a Masters Degree: MA Translation, Language & Cultures; LLM/MA Criminology and Criminal Justice; MSc Criminology and Social Research Methods; MSc Criminal Justice and Social Research Methods; or PhD-level studies.

French at Lancaster has been ranked 6th for graduate job prospects by The Complete University Guide 2018.

Careers

Your degree can lead to a wide choice of rewarding jobs in the public, private and third sectors.

Our criminology graduates are welcomed by the Police, the National Probation Service, the National Offender Management Service, and private providers within the Criminal Justice System (such as G4S). Your degree can also open doors to roles in the Home Office, Ministry of Justice, Department for Health, or with a charity linked to the Criminal Justice System, such as WomenMATTA (supporting women in prison).