This programme is currently under development and may be subject to change
Key information
Duration: 3 years full time
UCAS code: M900
Institution code: R72
Campus: Egham
The course
Criminology (BSc)
How do societies define, investigate, and respond to crime in an era of rapid technological change? BSc Criminology equips you to engage seriously with that question. You’ll examine the core concerns of the discipline: victimisation, punishment, prisons, and policing, alongside the issues reshaping justice today — from cybercrime and international terrorism to environmental harm and AI-driven surveillance.
Drawing on international case studies and critical theory, you’ll develop practical skills in social research: collecting and analysing data, interpreting evidence, and communicating findings on complex real-world problems.
Graduates go on to careers across the criminal justice system, government, the civil service, NGOs, and organisations working in human rights, advocacy, and social justice.
Understanding criminology
- Study the criminal justice system, the socio-legal contexts of crime and criminal behaviour
- Analyse global justice challenges facing society
- Develop analysis-, debating-, and research skills
- Gain access to career support from staff, employability consultants or careers coaches
From study to career
Develop the professional skills you need to work within the criminal justice system or another relevant field. Learn in a department with leading academics and with contributions from external academics and professionals. And you’ll build up a range of skills, such as researching and presenting which you can use in any career.
Teaching & assessment
Teaching and learning will be through a mix of formal lectures, seminar discussions and verbal presentations as well as guided independent research, guided independent study, coursework essays, and a dissertation. A variety of assessments are used and include verbal presentations and essays after which you’ll be provided with detailed comments. The combination of quality and range of assessments helps students to develop a wide range of skills and learning.
Entry requirements
A Levels: ABB-BBB
Required subjects:
- We require English Language and Mathematics GCSE at grade 4 (C)
HL 655 (without Diploma) or 32 overall (with Diploma)
EUROPEAN BACCALAUREATE 77%
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Year 12 High School Certificates: ATAR: 88, Queensland OP: 5
Reifezeugnis/Maturazeugnis: 2
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Bachelor degree studied for 2 years or less than 3: GPA of 3.25
Certificate D Enseignement Secondaire Superieur (CESS) (score out of 10) or Diploma van Hoger Secundair Onderwijs (score out of 20): 7/10 or 16/20 or 65%
Secondary School Leaving Diploma: 4/5
Diploma za Sredno Obrazovanie 5.5
Year 12 High School Graduation Diploma: 85%
National College Entrance Examination (NCEE) (Gaokao): 73%
Svjedodzba o Maturi: Overall grade of 4
Apolytirion of Lykeion: Average of 18 in Apolytirion
Maturitni Zkouska / Maturita: 2.0
Bevis for Studentereksamen or Hojere Forberedelseseksamen (HF) or Hojere Handelseksamen (HHX) / Hojere Teknisk Eksamen (HTX): Average grade of 7
Certificate of Nile Secondary Education (CNISE) Level 3: ABB
Gumnaasium Ioputunnistus (Secondary School Certificate) with Riigieksammid (state exams): 4 in Gumnaasium Ioputunnistus and 70% in Riigieksamid
Ylioppilastutkinto / studentexamen: EMMM
Baccalaureat / International Option Baccalaureate (OIB): 13/20
Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife / Abitur: 1.7
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Apolytirion of Lykeion: Average of 18 in Apolytirion
Achieve grades 5,5,4 overall in your Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education with a grade 5 in any A-level subject specified above
Achieve a grade of 4.5 overall in your Erettsegi / Matura with a grade 5 in any A-level subject specified above
Achieve a grade of 8/10 overall in your Studentsprofwith a grade 9 in any A-level subject specified above
Achieve a grade of 80% overall in your Higher Secondary School Certificate with 80% in any A-level subject specified above
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Achieve a grade of 16/20 or 80% overall in your National Entrance Examination (Konkur) with a grade 16 or 80% in any A-level subject specified above
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Achieve a grade of 8/10 overall in your Bagrut with a grade 8 in any A-level subject specified above
Achieve a grade of 85 overall in your Esame di Stato with a grade 18/20, 14/15 or 9/10 in any subject specified above
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS) Grade 12 Certificate: ABB
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Achieve a grade of 4 overall in your Diplome per Kryerjen e Shkolles se Mesme te Larte with a grade 5 in any subject specified above
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Achieve a grade of 8.5 overall in your Atestats par visparejo videjo izglitibu with a grade 9.5 in any subject specified above
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Achieve a grade of 5/6 overall in your Matura with a grade 5 in any A-level subject specified above
Achieve a grade of 8.5 overall in your Brandos Atestatas Secondary School Diploma / Maturity Certificate with a grade 9/90% in any subject specified above and at least 85% in three state exams.
Achieve a grade of 40 overall in your Diplome de Fin d'Etudes Secondaires with a grade 48 in any subject specified above
Achieve a grade of ABB overall in your Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia with a grade A in any subject specified above
Achieve a grade of ABB overall in your Advanced Matriculation with a grade A in any subject specified above
Achieve ABB in the Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate/General Certificate of Education Advanced Level with grade A in any subject specified above.
Achieve ABB in the Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate (COHSC) with grade A in any subject specified above.
Achieve a grade of 7 overall in your Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs with a grade 7 in any subject specified above
Achieve a grade of Excellence overall from three subjects in your NCEA level 3 with a grade of Excellence in any subject specified above
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Achieve a grade of 4.5 overall in your Matura with a grade 5 in any subject specified above
Achieve a grade of 70% overall in the final two years in your Devlet Lise Diplomas with a grade 80% in any subject specified above
Achieve a grade of 4 overall in your Videregaende Opplæring with a grade 5 in any subject specified above
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Achieve a grade of 75% overall including 70% in three extended level subjects in your Matura with a grade 80% in any subject specified above
Achieve a grade of 17 overall including 18, 17, 17 in 3 year 11 or 12 exams in your Certificado de fim de Estudos Secundarios with a grade 18 in any subject specified above
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Achieve a grade of 8 overall in your Diploma de Bacalaureat with a grade 9 in any subject specified above
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Achieve a grade of 4.5 overall in your Secondary School Leaving Diploma with a grade 4 in any subject specified above
Achieve a grade of 2.9 overall in your Polytechnic Diploma with a grade 3.5 in any subject specified above
Achieve a grade of 2 overall in your Maturita with a grade 1.5 in any subject specified above
Achieve a grade of 4 overall in your Matura with a grade 5 in any subject specified above
Achieve grades 66655 in at least 6 subjects overall in your National Senior Certificate (state board) or 65555 (IEB board)
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Achieve a grade of 7.5 overall in your Titulo de Bachillerato with a grade 8 in any subject specified above
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Achieve a grade of ABB overall in the Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education (CSEE) with a grade A in any subject specified above.
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Achieve a grade of 70% overall in the final two years in your Devlet Lise Diplomas with a grade 80% in any subject specified above
Achieve ABB in the Ugandan Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) with a grade A in any subject specified above.
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Achieve a grade of 4 in at least two relevant AP Examinations; or a composite score of 25 in the ACT Examinations (including the ACT writing test) with an AP grade 4 or College Class B in any A-level subject specified above; or SAT 1100 with an AP grade 4 or College Class B in any A-Level subject specified above.) Please note AP Calculus BC required for Computer Science or Electronic Engineering, or relevant College class.
Achieve a grade of 18 or B overall in your Avgangsbetyg or Slutbetyg with a grade 5 in any subject specified above
If you have completed Secondary or High School in this country then you will need to take our one year International Foundation Year , or the equivalent from another institution, before beginning your undergraduate studies.
Achieve a grade of 122 overall in your Caribbean Advanced Proficency Examination with a grade 1 in any subject specified above
English language requirements
All teaching at Royal Holloway (apart from some language courses) is in English. You will therefore need to have good enough written and spoken English to cope with your studies right from the start.
The scores we require
- IELTS: 6.5 overall with 6 in Writing and minimum of 5.5 in each subscore
- Pearson Test of English: 67 with 61 in writing (no other subscore lower than 54)
- Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE IV.
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.
- TOEFL iBT: 88 overall, with Reading 18 Listening 17 Speaking 20 Writing 19
- Duolingo: 120 overall, 115 in Literacy, 115 in Production and no sub-score below 100.
Country-specific requirements
For more information about country-specific entry requirements for your country please visit here.
Undergraduate preparation programme
For international students who do not meet the direct entry requirements, for this undergraduate degree, the Royal Holloway International Study Centre offers an International Foundation Year programme designed to develop your academic and English language skills.
Upon successful completion, you can progress to this degree at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Your future career
A Criminology degree from Royal Holloway opens doors to a wide array of career paths. Critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills, combined with experience handling and analysing diverse forms of data means you will be able to work across many sectors, including the Criminal Justice System, Government and Policy and any organisation or charitiy focused on human rights, advocacy, and social justice.
Fees, funding & scholarships
Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £9,790
EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £23,700
Other essential costs***: There are no single associated costs greater than £50 per item on this course
How do I pay for it? Find out more about funding options, including loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students who have already taken out a tuition fee loan for undergraduate study should check their eligibility for additional funding directly with the relevant awards body.
*The tuition fee for Home (UK) undergraduates is controlled by Government regulations. This figure is the fee for the academic year 2026/27 and is shown as a guide. The fee for the academic year 2027/28 has not yet been confirmed.
**This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2026/27 and is shown as a guide. The fee for the academic year 2027/28 has not yet been confirmed.
Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase tuition fees annually for all students. For further information see fees and funding.
*** These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2026/27 academic year and are included as a guide. Refers to specific individual items of £50 or more, and excludes accommodation, commuting, food, books/other learning materials and printing costs.
