BSc (Hons) Psychology with Criminology

Forensic psychology is continually growing as a field and skilled graduates are in high demand. Our BSc in psychology with criminology is tailored towards the student who has ambitions to work within the criminal justice system.

This degree allows you to combine the study of criminology with modern scientific methods of psychology so you can gain an understanding of criminal behaviours and their effects.

The kind of person interested in this course will be one who wants to investigate and support the psychological elements of legal proceedings in court and criminal investigations.

This course aims to give you a wealth of skills to support you in your future career including analytical, research and communication skills along with a thorough understanding of human behaviour. Graduates from this course have gone on to work with the likes of the Home Office, Met Police, and local authorities.

During the course, when possible, you’ll learn in our award-winning Hatchcroft Building which includes the state-of-the-art facilities you would expect, including psycho-physiology, observation, and virtual reality laboratories. Even in eventualities where we are unable to be in the laboratory or classroom together, we aim to use virtual tools to help you develop key practical skills.

You’ll build up a range of skills by examining theoretical and scientific approaches to criminology, human behaviour, and psychology. You’ll also gain understanding of the psychological issues associated with criminal behaviour and the treatment of people who have committed criminal offences.

During your degree, you’ll take part in work placements with forensic psychologists, police forces, prisons and hospitals so you can build up a portfolio of professional experience. You can expect to engage in activities like running anger management courses for prisoners, while you also perform clinical research in areas such as eating disorders and autism, among others.

We ensure every student has adequate support throughout their time with us. That’s why you’ll get matched with a Personal Tutor as well as a Student Learning Assistant and a Graduate Academic Assistant. They’ll have experience in your subject area and will be able to help whenever you need.

We are regularly reviewing and updating our programmes to ensure you have the best learning experience. We are taking what we've learnt in recent years by enhancing our teaching methods with new and innovative ways of learning.

You will be taught through a combination of Lectures, Seminars, laboratory practicals, workshops, and tutorials. Lectures allow you to gain and develop knowledge in specific subjects. You can discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures and practicals in smaller seminar groups usually made up of 25 students. In addition, you can arrange one to one sessions with your personal tutor or module leader. You will also have access to and use resources to support your learning including; specialist software and dedicated laboratories throughout your course.

During your first year (level 4), your weekly timetable will typically consist of:

When not attending your teaching, sessions mentioned above, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework, presentations and examinations. Your independent learning is supported by the facilities available including the library and Study Hub, Laptop hire, and with online materials in MyUniHub (see student support section below).

Your overall workload will include the activities listed above, and with each credit being completed equating to 10 hours of study time (You will complete 120 credits per level of study, which are broken down into modules of typically 30 credits). While your actual hours may depend on the optional module that you choose (if available), the following information will give you an indication of how much time is allocated to teaching and independent study on your course;

Level 4

22% of your time is spent in timetabled Teaching and learning - typical structure activity:

Level 5

23% of your time is spent in timetabled Teaching and learning - typical structure activity:

Level 6

17% of your time is spent in timetabled Teaching and learning - typical structure activity:

The course will provide you with opportunities to test your knowledge and understanding informally through ‘formative’ assessment. This will be completed before your formal ‘summative’ assessment which will count towards your final marks. Each module normally contains at least one piece of formative assessment from which you will receive feedback from your tutor. Formative assessments are developmental and any grade you receive from formative assessment does not count towards your final marks.

There is formal ‘summative’ assessment as part of the module, usually towards the end of the module. Assessment methods could include practical tests, a range of coursework assignments including essays, laboratory reports, portfolios, and your main final year project. The grades from the summative assessments count towards your module mark. Assessments are reviewed annually and may be updated based on student feedback, to suit content or based on feedback from an external examiner.

The balance of assessment will depend on the modules that you complete throughout your course. The approximate percentage of the course which is assessed by coursework is outlined below: