Criminology (with Foundation Year)

Foundation course

Foundation

The information presented on this page relates to the 1 year Foundation degree

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Key facts

UCAS code

LL31

Start dates

September 2025 / September 2026

Course length

Full time: 1-year foundation course leading to 3-year undergraduate degree (or 4-year undergraduate degree if it involves a work placement or you take a study abroad year)

Overview

Are you fascinated by the world of criminology? Would you like to learn about how crime impacts the world today? At Oxford Brookes you'll experience an exciting blend of theoretical and practical study as you explore criminology in real world situations. You'll investigate who commits crime, why they commit it and how to prevent it.

Criminology with a Foundation Year is a unique integrated degree programme, enabling you to develop academic skills crucial to university study, such as critical analysis, academic writing and collaboration. We'll support you as you grow your confidence, get to know your strengths and build your knowledge. 

In your first year, you'll undertake our Foundation in Humanities course, and you'll then progress to the three year undergraduate programme in Criminology, with an opportunity to do an optional study abroad or work placement, as an additional year. With the diverse experience and skills you'll gain, you'll be fully prepared for a career in a variety of sectors.

Group discussion

How to apply

Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. The combination of A-level grades listed here would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.

Standard offer

UCAS Tariff Points: 72

A Level: DDD

IB Points: 24

BTEC: MMP

Further offer details

Applications are welcomed from candidates with alternative qualifications, and from mature students.

Entry requirements

Specific entry requirements

Please also see the University's general entry requirements.

English language requirements

Applicants whose main language is not English should have IELTS 6.0.

Please also see the University's standard English language requirements.

English requirements for visas

If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.

Terms and Conditions of Enrolment

When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.

Credit transfer

Many of our courses consider applications for entry part-way through the course for students who have credit from previous learning or relevant professional experience.

Find out more about transferring to Brookes. If you'd like to talk through your options, please contact our Admissions team.

Application process

Full time Home (UK) applicants

Apply through UCAS

Part time Home (UK) applicants

Apply direct to the University

International applicants

Apply direct to the University

Full time international applicants can also apply through UCAS

Tuition fees

Please see the fees note
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Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

Tuition fees

2024 / 25
Home (UK) full time
£9,250

Home (UK) part time
£1,155 per single module

International full time
£15,950

2025 / 26
Home (UK) full time
£5,760

International full time
£16,750

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 534400

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Please note, tuition fees for Home students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning Home students at the maximum permitted level.

For further information please see our 2025-26 tuition fees FAQs.

Tuition fees for International students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students.

The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support. 

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

  • For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
  • For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page

Additional costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

Learning and assessment

On this course you’ll:

  • explore subjects across the humanities
  • follow your interests
  • and get the skills you need for a undergraduate degree 

In your first semester you'll focus on the oral, written and interpersonal skills you’ll need to succeed at university. And you’ll take three modules that combine the latest thinking in:

  • English Literature and Drama
  • History and History of Art
  • English Language and Communications.

In semester 2 you’ll be able to explore subjects you care about most. You might examine international development or global politics. You might study an additional language - like French or Spanish. You might explore philosophy, education or even the history of medicine and disease.

You’ll also be able to follow your interests through a research project, which will prepare you for degree-level study.

Students studying

Study modules

Teaching for this course takes place face to face, and you should also anticipate a workload of 1,200 hours per year. Teaching usually takes place Monday to Friday, between 9.00am and 6.00pm.

Contact hours involve activities such as lectures, seminars, practicals, assessments, and academic advising sessions. These hours differ by year of study and typically increase significantly during placements or other types of work-based learning.

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Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.

Learning and teaching

You’ll experience a wide range of humanities disciplines through:

  • Lectures
  • Workshops
  • Tutorials
  • Project work
  • Presentations
  • Group seminars
  • Supervised independent learning
  • Critical thinking tasks
  • Skills acquisition sessions.

You’ll have a dedicated academic advisor throughout your course, for support and guidance when you need it. You’ll also have 1-1 academic supervisor for your second semester research project, providing support and guidance as you need it.

Assessment

Assessment methods used on this course

You’ll be mostly assessed by coursework, including:

  • essays
  • reflective logbooks
  • critical commentaries
  • video assignments
  • e-portfolios
  • small group projects.

After you graduate

Career prospects

The Foundation in Humanities fully prepares you for degree-level study, and guarantees you a place on the majority of Oxford Brookes undergraduate courses in Humanities, Law and Social Sciences.

You’ll also build skills that are directly relevant to university-level study, like:

  • time management
  • independent thinking
  • presentation skills
  • interpersonal and communication skills
  • written, digital and oral literacy.

This will set you up to hit the ground running on a three-year degree programme.

You’ll also have full access to the Oxford Brookes Careers Services, co-curricular activities and peer mentoring schemes

Further study

Successful completion of the course will give you a place on any one of the courses in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences listed below:

You’ll be able to progress directly to the courses above and many Joint Honours courses in these subject areas at Oxford Brookes without further application. You’ll be advised and assisted in this process by your Academic Advisor and/or your Student Support Coordinator.

*All applicants will be screened for fitness to practise and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be made.

The courses below are not eligible for automatic progression from Foundation in Humanities. Please visit the relevant course pages to view their entry requirements: 

Learn a language

Our university-wide language programme is available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.

Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website. For more information, please visit our changes to programmes page.