Criminology with Youth Justice
Learn criminology theory and how to apply it in the pursuit and delivery of youth justice.
How to apply Register for open day Chat to us/filters:format(webp)/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/03-courses/criminology/criminology-bsc-criminology-and-criminal-justice-and-youth-justice-placeholder-01.jpg)
UCAS Code
L611
Start Date
September 2026
Location
Pontypridd
Campus Code
A
UCAS Points
96
Fees
Home students: £9,790*
International students: £17,200*
UCAS Code
Start Date
September 2026
Location
Pontypridd
Campus Code
A
UCAS Points
96
Fees
Home students: £804*
UCAS Code
Start Date
September 2027
Location
Pontypridd
Campus Code
A
UCAS Points
96
UCAS Code
L611
Start Date
September 2027
Location
Pontypridd
Campus Code
A
UCAS Points
96
International students: £17,600*
Course Overview
Our BSc Criminology with Youth Justice focuses on one of the most important questions in criminal justice: how should society respond when children and young people are affected by crime, harm, vulnerability or offending?
You will explore why some young people come into contact with the justice system, and how factors such as trauma, poverty, exploitation, education, family, care experience, substance use, mental health and inequality can shape their lives. The course examines youth offending, safeguarding, child criminal exploitation, youth violence, prevention, rehabilitation and the balance between welfare and punishment.
At USW, you will study youth justice through real-world issues, case studies, scenario-based learning and professional insight. This is a course for students who want to understand crime and justice through a youth-focused, social justice lens.
Why study this course?
What you'll study
Our Criminology and Youth Justice degree starts with a year that introduces you to perspectives in criminology and what’s involved in becoming a criminologist.
It will give you an insight into the criminal justice system and explore key themes like diversity and power.
Explore the legal system in England and Wales, covering criminal law, court procedures, criminal justice and key organisations and crime statistics reporting.
This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
Explore criminological theory, from evolution to contemporary contexts. Debate and delve into how crime is socially, culturally, and historically constructed and perceived.
This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
Cultivate essential research skills. Understand the role of research and research skill development in both academic and professional contexts.
Focus on a new form of crime each week. Explore the complexities and challenge your understanding and the common categorisations of crime.
How do opportunities, advantages and disadvantages shape crime governance? Dive into essential theories and explanations for crime inequalities.
Enhance your academic, personal and professional skills in this wide-ranging core skills module.
This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
Your introduction to victimology covering key theoretical concepts, the nature and extent of victimisation, and the changing role of victims.
In year two, you’ll learn about prisons and imprisonment, protecting the public and managing risk and the probation service.
We’ll explore youth crime and juvenile justice and investigate applied criminological inquiry.
What social constructions influence criminal justice and social policy? Assess underlying factors and perceptions.
This module can be studied 100% through the medium of Welsh
Appreciate models and approaches to risk management and best practice for safely dealing with cases relating to society’s most vulnerable.
Develop an understanding of the role of research and evaluation within the Criminal Justice Sector, while building your research skills and knowledge of formal research methods in preparation for your final year research project.
Understand violent crime, from UK historical evolution to definitions and typologies of violence, root causes, risk factors, prevention and early intervention strategies.
Examine the historical context of substance misuse, types of substances, causative factors, addiction, societal perceptions, health consequences and media portrayal.
Study money laundering, fraud, modern slavery, and terrorism plus extremism, radicalisation, the far-right, and the dark web’s role.
Put your theory into practice and develop your critical thinking, teamwork, and communication in a 70-hour professional placement.
In your final year, you will build on what you have already learnt and develop knowledge in rehabilitation and working with young people.
A selection of optional modules lets you tailor your learning to suit your future career.
Assess underlying factors influencing youth offending, including individual, social and environmental factors.
Investigate trauma’s inter-related impacts on offender populations, covering post-traumatic growth and sensory criminology interventions.
Pursue your interests with your social science research project, developing competence in research design, data collection, and analysis.
What are the aims of imprisonment? Dive into theories of punishment and rehabilitation.
Explore homicide’s social and legal aspects, patterns and characteristics, the investigative processes, evidence and potential challenges.
Understand theoretical perspectives and policy responses to violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence.
We regularly review our courses to keep pace with changing skills and employer needs. If a review leads to significant changes, we’ll contact you to explain what’s changing for the coming year.
Teaching and Assessment
Teaching and assessment on our BSc Criminology with Youth Justice is applied, engaging and focused on real-world youth justice issues. You will explore how children and young people experience crime, harm, vulnerability and justice through case studies, safeguarding scenarios, simulated decision-making exercises, policy briefings, presentations, reports and reflective portfolios. Assessments are designed to help you apply theory to practice, analyse complex youth justice cases, consider risk and need, and communicate your ideas clearly. You will develop the critical thinking, empathy, confidence and professional judgement needed for future work with young people, families and communities.
You will learn through interactive lectures, seminars, workshops, case studies, guest speakers and scenario-based activities that focus on the real experiences of children and young people in contact with justice, safeguarding and support services.
You will also have opportunities to use USW’s specialist learning facilities to explore complex youth justice scenarios in a practical and engaging way. Spaces such as the Cipher Room, Hydra Simulation Centre and Moot Court can help you examine how information is shared, how risks are assessed, how decisions are made, and how different agencies respond to young people affected by harm, vulnerability or offending.
Alongside taught sessions, you will develop as an independent learner through reading, research, project work and reflective activities, building the confidence, critical thinking and communication skills needed for future work in youth justice, criminal justice, safeguarding and youth support services.
We always make sure that our assessments are aligned with today’s industry standards and work with professionals to create innovative and up-to-date methods of assessment. Rather than relying heavily on exams, you will apply your learning through case studies, safeguarding scenarios, intervention plans, policy briefings, presentations, reports, reflective portfolios and research projects.
Thanks to our extensive network of industry partners, we’re able to bring the real world to your learning. As well as guest lectures and field trips, we do all we can to provide work placement opportunities to help you test your new knowledge and skills in the real world. In the second year, we have an optional work experience module and in year three you can choose a working in industry module. Throughout your course, we’re focused on your future employability and will facilitate networking and work placements to support that.
Our specialist learning facilities give you hands-on experience in realistic professional environments. From investigating simulated crime scenes and analysing live case evidence in the Cipher Room, to testing decision-making in the Hydra Simulation Centre and presenting cases in our immersive Moot Court, you’ll develop practical skills alongside academic knowledge. Designed to mirror real-world policing, criminology and legal settings, these facilities help build the confidence, communication and critical thinking skills needed for careers across the criminal justice sector.
Course Leader
Daniel Welch
Daniel Welch is Head of Subject for Policing, Criminology and Public Services, and Course Leader for the undergraduate Criminology courses at the University of South Wales. His academic interests focus on the police service response to domestic abuse, particularly victim experience, Coercive Control and related police policies. Daniel is passionate about applied, scenario-based learning and helped develop CIPHER, USW’s interactive learning space for crime, justice and public service education.
“The strong networking opportunities at USW were invaluable - securing a job as a prison officer straight from a lecture was an unexpected but welcome start to my career.”
Euan Thomas, Criminology graduate
Entry Requirements
Additional
GCSEs: The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.
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.
How to applyContextual admissions policyAsk us a question96 UCAS points or above
Typical qualification requirements
A Level:
CCC
Welsh BACC:
Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales Grade C and CC at A Level
BTEC:
BTEC Extended Diploma Merit Merit Merit
Access to HE:
Pass an Access to HE Diploma and obtain a minimum of 96 UCAS tariff points
T Level:
P
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.
International studentsPre-Sessional EnglishEnglish 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.
Fees and Funding
per year
per 20 credits
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).
*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.
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.
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. 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 travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
Text books
Textbooks will be available in the library, but students may wish to purchase their own copies. Up to £200
Work Placement
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. Up to £300
DBS
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. £55.42
per year
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).
*Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee is anticipated to remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course except as described below.
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.
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. 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 travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
Text books
Textbooks will be available in the library, but students may wish to purchase their own copies. Up to £200
Work Placement
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. Up to £300
DBS
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. £55.42
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Explore our facilities
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How to apply
All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS
You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time).
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Apply direct
Criminology with Youth Justice
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Full-time, 3 years
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September
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Pontypridd
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Apply direct
Criminology with Youth Justice
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Part-time, 6 years
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September
-
Pontypridd
-
-
Apply direct
Criminology with Youth Justice
-
Full-time, 3 years
-
September
-
Pontypridd
-
-
Apply direct
Criminology with Youth Justice
-
Part-time, 6 years
-
September
-
Pontypridd
-
If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.
Applicants accepted through advanced entry may study a different combination of modules to those advertised, as they will be joining a course already in progress. You will be contacted and advised about these modules once your application has been processed and an offer made.
International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.
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