Criminology and Social Policy

Criminology focuses on the causes and consequences of crime, as well as how the criminal justice system responds to crime. Criminologists are interested in how activities come to be defined as criminal, and why definitions of crime vary across countries and over time. The subject includes a wide range of social and psychological theories that attempt to explain criminal behaviour and the effective operation of the criminal justice system. Social Policy is an applied and critical Social Sciences subject. Students learn how to identify, but also how to tackle, major policy problems and challenges that we face in our world today. They do this by applying core social sciences concepts to social problems such as gender, ethnic and other inequalities, eldercare, children's rights and sustainability. As Social Policy student you will gain knowledge of how governments and other sectors make policies, how they affect people’s welfare, and how to consider if these measures are fit for purpose and how they can be improved. To find out more about studying Criminology and Social Policy at Queen’s University Belfast, hear from students about their experiences of studying at Queen’s University Belfast, meet the criminology and social policy staff, as well as read about our research, please visit https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/ssesw/subject-area/criminology