Every crime leaves a question. Who commits it, why, what circumstances allowed it, and what happens next, to the victim, to the offender, to the community. Criminology is the discipline that asks and answers those questions, and it sits at the intersection of law, psychology, sociology, and public policy. The Access to HE Diploma (Criminology) is your entry point.
This Level 3 qualification is awarded by OCN London, a QAA-recognised Access Validating Agency. It is for adults aged 19 and over who want to study Criminology, Law, Social Sciences, or Criminal Justice at a UK university but do not hold traditional A levels. UK universities accept it in place of A levels for a wide range of degree programmes.
You will study 60 credits across criminological theory, the UK criminal justice system, psychology of criminal behaviour, victimology, social policy, research methods, and law. By the end of the diploma you will be able to analyse crime through multiple disciplinary lenses, and to argue your position with evidence, structure, and precision.
Studied 100% online over 12 months, with no exams and no fixed lecture times. Assessment is through essays, case studies, policy critiques, and a final independent research project. You choose when and where you study. Your tutor provides written feedback within 2 working days on every assignment.
Criminology graduates go into probation, policing, the prison service, policy research, social work, law, and academia. The discipline is broader than it sounds, and the skills it develops, critical analysis, research, and written argument, transfer across almost every professional sector.
You earn up to 144 UCAS points. A Distinction profile is equivalent to three A levels at grade A*. Most criminology and law degrees in the UK ask for between 96 and 128 UCAS points, which you can achieve with a solid Merit-to-Distinction profile across the diploma.
Start anytime. Study around your existing life. Pay £99 a month interest-free over 24 months. If you want to understand how society deals with wrongdoing, and you want a career at the centre of that, this is your route in.
