BSc (Hons) Criminology with Psychology
Student profile
Starie Uwins - Criminology with Psychology
Choosing the University of Portsmouth as my first choice was not a hard decision because the university has such a variety of great facilities and Portsmouth as a whole is bursting with the energy. At the open day the staff were really passionate and had so much to offer I knew that Portsmouth university was the right choice. I chose to study the BSc (Hons) Criminology with Psychology because, having studied Psychology and a crime module in Sociology at A-level, I found that there were theories that linked the two subject together which was fascinating and my interest in studying crime further grew from there. Once I graduate I hope to carry on to a Masters degree programme before moving on to work in a prison, supporting the rehabilitation offenders.
The course content is always up-to-date with what is happening in the world as well as drawing on previous events, which provides for some really interesting links. From the second year, you are able to choose elective modules and topics which you find really interesting and can help focus your studies towards what you want to do after university. The use of guest speakers adds so much to the course, providing for a really valuable and eye-opening experience, which enables learning about topics from a personal perspective. The course also offers a large variety of different opportunities for work experience which is really beneficial as its helps you gain some hands-on skills while studying and again, proves helpful in giving you an idea of what you might want to do when you finish your degree.
The university facilities are really great; the library has loads of textbooks, journals and electronic sources that relate to the subject and the lecturers make sure to give you a list with a variety of sources to look at in case some of the books have already been taken out of the library. The virtual learning environment is also a really helpful tool when you need to keep up to date with deadlines, find references for pieces of work and the discussion boards are great for getting help from other students and your lecturer.
Outside of lectures, I am a student representative and I volunteer as an Appropriate Adult where I sit in on police interviews of vulnerable individuals to ensure their rights are being respected. It is a great opportunity which I gained through applying to another volunteer role which the university helped me find. Work experience is a really important part of being at university and Purple Door and lecturers are really great at helping you find a role that suits you and your interests. I am also part of the Criminology Society which organise trips and days and nights out for everyone.
The Union is a really good place for social events and they serve amazing food! The university also has great sports facilities at the University Gym and there are loads of sports and dance clubs to join. I lived in Margaret Rule Halls in my first year which was awesome. It is also really close to university buildings as well as the night life so you are right in the middle of everything which makes it is really easy to meet all the other new students. Once you move out of halls, all of the student houses are still in walking distance of everything as Portsmouth is a relatively small area.
Portsmouth is pretty well known for its great night life and it definitely lives up to it. There are loads of bars and pubs if you want a quiet night as well as the bigger clubs. The night life has a great atmosphere and everyone has a really good time out. Portsmouth is a really nice location and has loads to see and do and there is always something going on. The beach and Southsea common are not far away which is an added bonus!