Crime and criminal justice are major social and political issues. Studying Criminology you address questions such as: why do people commit crime? How much crime is committed? What causes crime rates to rise or fall? How can crime be effectively prevented? How should we deal with offenders? Sociology provides ways of making sense of a world undergoing unprecedented social change and uncertainty. The Sociology element of this programme provides you with an understanding of core traditions and contemporary developments in sociological thinking and research. It also features a range of specialist areas such as race and ethnic identity, sociological approaches to violence, terrorism and society, new media technologies, the sociology of health, sex and gender and the sociology of science and technology. Combining these subjects gives a thorough, yet broad understanding of the surrounding issues, concepts and theories.