BSc (Hons) Psychology and Criminology with Foundation Year

Course Overview

The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate degree.

Unlock the secrets behind the criminal mind

Criminology sheds light on the contexts in which crime and social life are discussed. Having criminology as a secondary discipline brings a sociological perspective on crime to core areas of psychology, which can be applied to understanding criminal behaviour.

The course will give you insights into social diversity and inequality. You’ll understand their implications for crime and the criminal justice system. You’ll also learn about the ethical issues related to working with vulnerable people in the criminal justice system or researching issues related to crime and victimisation. This course is also available part-time.

More placements, more choices

Bucks is a Placements Plus university. So, whatever degree you do, you can be sure there’ll be plenty of industry-relevant opportunities on offer, to help you get into your chosen field.

We’ll also prepare you for work beforehand, with special skills for work training, further boosting your CV, and building skills employers will value. In recognition of the value we place on these skills we have incorporated this experience into your study time.

Placements Plus is all about helping you get some valuable experience under your belt while you’re a student. To increase your choices later, and help you get the graduate-level job you want.

Employability

What are my career prospects

Taking this course will make you eligible (subject to achieving a 2:2 or above) to apply for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society. It’s the first step to starting postgraduate study in any area of practice (including clinical, educational, forensic, counselling, health, cognitive neuropsychology and sports psychology).

After you graduate, you won’t be limited to psychology careers. The skills that you gain are wonderfully transferable skills for diverse areas such as health, education, sports, and local government.

Students on this programme, however, benefit from being able to move into a range of roles suitable for Criminology graduates or Psychology graduates. Specifically, given the 50/50 split between Psychology & Criminology, graduates are ideally suited for a career with Probation given the new Probation Qualifications Framework which requires a relevant honours degree with a minimum of 50 per cent in Criminology, Police Studies, Community Justice or Criminal Justice. In addition to this ideal career possibility there are other opportunities in the public and ‘not for profit’ sector. Some of the key employers may be the Civil Service, Local Government, NGOs, the NHS, Probation Service (NPS and CRCs), Prison Service, Social Services, Housing Associations, social research, the education sector and legal system.

How will you help me prepare for my future career?

Throughout your time with us we’ll support you on the route to your chosen career. We’ll help you to develop crucial skills, encouraging you to become enterprising, employable and good leaders. Our modules and teaching expertise will help you become more independent as a learner and more certain of your discipline expertise.