Best Universities for Criminology and Criminal Justice in Africa

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Africa ranked based on their research performance in Criminology and Criminal Justice. A graph of 77.1K citations received by 12.4K academic papers made by 49 universities in Africa was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Cape Town

South Africa | Cape Town

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#1 in South Africa

#145 in the World

Founded: 1874

2. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#2 in South Africa

#157 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

3. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#3 in South Africa

#162 in the World

Enrollment: 420,000
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1873

4. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#4 in South Africa

#218 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

5. University of Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#5 in South Africa

#284 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

6. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#6 in South Africa

#334 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

7. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#7 in South Africa

#355 in the World

Founded: 1918

8. University of the Western Cape

South Africa | Bellville

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#8 in South Africa

#403 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 24,754
Founded: 1959

9. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#9 in South Africa

#436 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Enrollment: 37,000
Founded: 1904

10. University of Ibadan

Nigeria | Ibadan

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#443 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1948

11. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#10 in South Africa

#519 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Enrollment: 26,439
Male:Female: 42:58
Founded: 2004

12. University of Ghana

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#1 in Ghana

#617 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 67,914
Male:Female: 51:49
Founded: 1948

13. Makerere University

Uganda | Kampala

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#1 in Uganda

#661 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1922

14. University of Limpopo

South Africa | Mankweng

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#11 in South Africa

#681 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

15. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#12 in South Africa

#721 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

16. University of Nigeria

Nigeria | Nsukka

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#724 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1960

17. University of Nairobi

Kenya | Nairobi

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#1 in Kenya

#748 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1970

18. Obafemi Awolowo University

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#766 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Founded: 1962

19. Addis Ababa University

Ethiopia | Addis Ababa

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#818 in the World

Founded: 1950

20. University of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe | Harare

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#1 in Zimbabwe

#875 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 18,040
Founded: 1955

21. University of Fort Hare

South Africa | Alice

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#13 in South Africa

#886 in the World

Founded: 1916

22. University of Ilorin

Nigeria | Ilorin

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#921 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 1975

23. University of Botswana

Botswana | Gaborone

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#1 in Botswana

#926 in the World

Founded: 1964

24. University of Lagos

Nigeria | Lagos

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#950 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1962

25. University of Calabar

Nigeria | Calabar

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#965 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1975

26. University of Benin

Nigeria | Benin

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#966 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1970

27. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#14 in South Africa

#979 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

28. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#15 in South Africa

#1014 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

29. University of Cape Coast

Ghana | Cape Coast

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#2 in Ghana

#1026 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1962

30. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#3 in Ghana

#1045 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Enrollment: 85,000
Founded: 1951

31. University of Dar es Salaam

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#1077 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 24,000
Founded: 1970

32. University of Jos

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#1089 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 24,169
Male:Female: 54:46
Founded: 1975

33. Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#1100 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 2007

34. Olabisi Onabanjo University

Nigeria | Ago Iwoye

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#1106 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Founded: 1982

35. Ain Shams University

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#1 in Egypt

#1116 in the World

Enrollment: 220,000
Founded: 1950

36. University of Gondar

Ethiopia | Gondar

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#1122 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Enrollment: 49,103
Male:Female: 58:42
Founded: 1954

37. University of Uyo

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#10 in Nigeria

#1152 in the World

Founded: 1991

38. Durban University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#16 in South Africa

#1164 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 10,213
Founded: 2002

39. Nnamdi Azikiwe University

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#11 in Nigeria

#1181 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1991

40. University of Zambia

Zambia | Lusaka

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#1 in Zambia

#1185 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1965

41. Kenyatta University

Kenya | Nairobi

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#2 in Kenya

#1189 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1985

42. Lagos State University

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#12 in Nigeria

#1197 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1983

43. University of Malawi

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#1 in Malawi

#1200 in the World

Founded: 1964

44. University of Venda

South Africa | Thohoyandou

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#17 in South Africa

#1212 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1982

45. Babcock University

Nigeria | Ilishan-Remo

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#13 in Nigeria

#1215 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1999

46. Covenant University

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#14 in Nigeria

#1216 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2002

47. Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti

Nigeria | Ado Ekiti

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#15 in Nigeria

#1233 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1982

48. University of Zululand

South Africa | Kwadlangezwa

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#18 in South Africa

#1237 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1960

49. University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Criminology and Criminal Justice

#16 in Nigeria

#1278 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1975

Liberal Arts & Social Sciences subfields in Africa

Anthropology227

Broadcast Journalism40

Classics and Ancient History76

Communications and Public Relations170

Early Childhood Education37

Education Majors190

Forensic Science47

Gender Studies85

Human Rights Law50

Intellectual Property and Patent Law25

International Law44

International Relations and Diplomacy27

Journalism and Digital Media51

Law Enforcement37

Library and Information science85

Media Studies37

Military science19

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution28

Occupational Safety and Health50

Political Economy48

Political Science351

Public Policy / Administration95

Radio and Television broadcasting65

Special Education24

Sports / Exercise science21

Theology / Divinity / Religious studies169

Urban and Regional planning29