Find out what you could do with a degree in sociology and criminology, and discover some of the jobs Surrey criminology and sociology graduates have secured over the past few years.
Our Department of Sociology is one of the best in the UK with our sociology degrees ranked 6th in the Complete University Guide 2022 and our criminology degrees ranked 9th by the Guardian University Guide 2022. It is world-leading in the development of social-research methodology, and our courses focus on the development of your practical and analytical skills in addressing contemporary criminological and sociological problems.
Surrey graduates are highly sought after with 93 per cent in work or further education 15 months after graduating (Graduate Outcomes report 2021). This was a key factor in Surrey being named University of the Year for Graduate Employment in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.
"I worked in Paris as part of a non-governmental organisation that strives to promote the integration of refugees through employment. At times, it was brutally confronting but it made me grow immensely in maturity, become passionate about migration and helped me define my professional project, so I would recommend the Professional Training placement to others."
– Juliette Howard, BSc Sociology
Both sociology and criminology provide a broad social scientific base from which to explore and pursue a range of job opportunities. Students studying for a sociology and criminology degree at Surrey develop the expertise necessary for a range of different occupations.
Jobs directly related to an economics degree include:
However, a degree in sociology and criminology will also enable you to gain skills that would be highly relevant in other, more unexpected roles. These includes:
"The course is interactive and you are able to see how your knowledge relates to the world. I have enjoyed learning about prisons and youth offending, which I am basing my dissertation on. After graduation, I would love to discover more about criminal investigation."
– Alexandra Phelan, BSc Criminology and Sociology
Given the broad education and wealth of transferable skills a degree in sociology or criminology offers, one of the virtues of a degree in this area of study is flexibility in the job market.
Our pioneering Professional Training placement programme gives our students the opportunity to gain access to the world of work. This includes meeting employers, developing job search skills and acquiring the employability skills that employers look for.
We are proud to say that a considerable number of our students are offered work within the company/organisation they completed their Professional Training placement with. Placements normally begin at the end of the second academic year and finish in time for students to begin their third year of study. In recent years, our sociology and criminology graduates have secured roles including:
"During my degree I have particularly enjoyed discovering more about conducting social research. I love learning different approaches and methods in depth which will be transferrable skills when I graduate."
– Sophie Ruffett, BSc Sociology
