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UCAS Code

L61F
Start Date

September
Location

Pontypridd
Campus Code

A

Fees

Home students

£5,760*
International students

£17,200*
Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits.

Overview
Module Overview
Course Highlights
Entry Requirements
Fees and Funding
How to Apply

Prepare for a career in Criminology and Youth Justice while building the academic skills needed to succeed at university. 

Career Paths

Probation Officer
Criminologist
Youth Worker
Social Justice
Youth Justice Service

Skills taught

Critical Thinking
Analytical Skills
Problem Solving Skills

USW is the only university in Wales and the South West to operate a Cold Case Unit. Our students have the opportunity to work on live cases and aid police investigations. Students will also have a chance to take part in Innocence Project, examining real cases where potential miscarriages of justice have taken place to establish reasonable grounds for appeal.

students working together looking at evidence on a wall

Police in uniform walking through the University's Hydra Simulation Centre.

Course Highlights

Gain a strong academic foundation

Develop a range of essential skills such as IT skills and critical thinking that will prepare you for your degree.

Taught by experts

You will be supported by passionate academics who are leaders in their field of study.

Outstanding facilities

Access to the Hydra Simulation Centre is available to students progressing onto the full degree, offering immersive, real-world learning experiences.

Interactive learning

Our degrees will give the opportunity to learn in technology-enhanced and innovative ways, including crime scene simulations and working on real world investigations.

Module Overview

Prepare for university study by developing academic skills and exploring real-world issues linked to crime and justice. Through teamwork, reflection and applied learning, you’ll build confidence and understanding across the foundation year. 

Starting your University Journey
Develop academic, personal and professional skills for university study. You’ll reflect on your progress, build confidence, and create an evidence-based portfolio to support your future learning.

Crime, Media and Culture
Focusing on crime and justice in society, this module examines how media, identity and public opinion shape understanding and policy. You’ll engage with key debates and propose evidence-informed reforms.

Inside the Investigation: Understanding Crime and Policing Practice
An introduction to criminal investigations in England and Wales, exploring investigative processes, ethical decision-making and professional practice. You’ll apply investigative thinking to realistic scenarios across different types of crime. 

The Impact Challenge: Shaping Real World Solutions
The Impact Challenge is a Foundation Year project module where students work in teams to tackle real-world issues, developing solutions through research, curiosity, teamwork, and responsible problem-solving.

Course Highlights

How you'll learn

You will learn through active, real-world learning experiences that encourage curiosity, collaboration and independent thinking. Teaching helps you understand how learning works at university, while building academic confidence, critical thinking and self-reflection. You’ll work independently and with others through discussions, practical activities and guided reflection, supported by digital tools. Regular feedback helps you recognise progress and plan next steps, supporting wellbeing, resilience and a strong sense of belonging as you prepare for a higher level of study.

How you'll be assessed

You’ll be assessed in different ways, including short tasks, coursework, presentations, and group work. Early assessments are designed to support your learning and help you understand what is expected at university. Most assessments are coursework-based and help you develop key skills such as research, academic writing, teamwork, and communication. You’ll also reflect on your progress and use university systems and digital tools. Clear, timely feedback will help you understand how to improve and support your next steps.

Placements

We have designed our Courses with over 40 industry partners, so that you will graduate with the skills and knowledge you need for employment. As well as volunteering opportunities, you can complete a work placement module, which could help your secure employment when you graduate.

Facilities

We truly believe that you can't learn everything in the Classroom. This is why we have invested in our facilities, because we know that they’ll help you put your knowledge into practice in realistic settings. Our Facilities that include the Crime Scene House, Mock Court Room and Hydra Minerva.

Careers and Employability

Graduate careers

Our Criminology graduates have gone onto a range of related careers in criminal justice.
Others have followed a variety of career paths including research, teaching, policing, legal professions, social work and social care, administration and management.

Industry partners

Many of our teaching staff have come from industry and make it a priority to maintain their industry contacts for the benefit of our students. We draw on these relationships to provide guest lectures, work placements and industry tools for your learning.

We have partnerships with local police forces and youth justice teams as well as the probation service, the Department for Work and Pensions, prisons, the National Crime Agency and youth justice charities.

Careers support

We also offer bespoke career support to our students at every stage of study as well as after they have graduated with us. Our dedicated careers advisors deliver a tailored range of careers events throughout the year.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

UCAS points: 48 (or above)

Typical qualification requirements:

A Level: DD, 48 tariff points to exclude General Studies.
BTEC: BTEC Extended Diploma Pass Pass Pass.
Access to HE: Pass the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 48 UCAS Tariff points
T Level: Pass (D or E)

Additional requirements include:

GCSEs: The University normally requires a minimum 3 GCSEs including Mathematics and English at Grade C/Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent but consideration is given to individual circumstances.

How to apply

International applications welcomed:

We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages.

English language requirements

International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 4 overall and a minimum of 4 in each component or equivalent.

Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.

If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.

If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.

Contextual offers

We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.

USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.

Contextual Admissions Policy

Fees and Funding

Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).

Foundation Year Tuition Fee

The Tuition Fee for UK students on classroom-based foundation years is £5,760. Fees for subsequent years of the degree course will be charged in line with our standard full-time Home undergraduate fees. Where applicable, the Tuition Fee for international students is £16,200 per year.

Further Information

Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy. We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.

Fees and Funding

Additional Costs

Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of stationery, printing, or equipment during your foundation year. For costs after you progress to year 1 of your degree programme, please see the list below.

Textbooks will be available in the library, but students may wish to purchase their own copies.

Cost: £0-200

2nd-year students can undertake a period of work placement if they take the Professional Practice module. Students undertaking placement may incur costs associated with travel, and expected workplace attire will vary according to the placement.

Cost: £0-300

For 2nd year students electing to do the Professional Practice module where their placement requires it. The fee covers the cost of the enhanced check, online admin fees and the post office checks.

Cost: £55.42