BSc (Hons)
Criminology with Psychology
Study the workings of the mind and criminal behaviour
Course Overview
Why take this course?
This degree offers you the opportunity to complement the study of criminology with psychology as a minor subject. You will study a range of subjects from law, criminal justice to sociology, with a particular emphasis on psychology, in order to examine why crime occurs, the impact of crime and how to respond to it.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Engage with and evaluate current critical debates surrounding the ways in which social, criminological, psychological and cultural factors affect offending behaviour
- Discuss career options with our panel of recent graduates working in the criminal justice sector
- Study languages or gain work experience placements alongside your degree study
What opportunities might it lead to?
The course will equip you for careers in the police service, probation service, prison service and the legal profession. Other areas you could go into include crime and safety partnerships, criminological research and crime analysis, as well as careers in other public and private industries.
I took this course so I could qualify and one day practise as a forensic psychologist.
Vanessa Williams, BSc (Hons) Criminology with Psychology student 2013
Key Facts
- UCAS Course Code:
- M9C8
- Duration
- 3 years full time
- Entry
240-300 points from 3 A Levels or equivalent, to include a minimum of 100 points in a relevant subject.
Other qualifications- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £8,750 p/a*
International full-time students: £10,500 p/a*
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.- Contact
- humanities.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 8299 - Department
- Institute of Criminal Justice Studies
Subject:
Law and Criminology
Find out what our students say about studying at Portsmouth, including:
- Putting their knowledge into practice in real and mock situations
- Practical hands-on opportunities to extend experience and practical skills
- Lecturers with practical experience in the subjects
Visit us at our open day
Wed 10 Jul
Structure & Teaching
Year one
- Introduction to Criminology
- Introduction to Criminal Justice
- Psychology of Everyday Life
- Key Ideas in Human and Animal Behaviour
- Skills for Criminologists
- Researching Criminology 1
Year two
Core units:
- Questioning Criminology
- Researching Criminology 2
Psychology options include:
- Biological and Cognitive Psychology
- Social and Developmental Psychology
- Individual Differences and Psychometrics
Criminology options include:
- Key Issues in Criminal Justice
- Punishing Offenders
- Police, Law and Community
- Criminal Law and Psychology
- Crime, Media and Culture
- Victims of Crime: Key Players
- Crimes of the Powerful
- Substance Use and Misuse
- Youth Crime, Youth Justice
- Policing a Diverse Society
- Crime Reduction, Partnerships and Community Safety
- Global, State and Corporate Security
- Contemporary Terrorism and the Global Response
- Language
- Learning from Experience
Year three*
- Dissertation
Psychology options include:
- Language and Communication
- Introduction to Forensic Psychology
- Issues in Clinical and Health Psychology
Criminology options including:
- Contemporary Criminologies
- Crime, Exclusion and Mental Health
- Safer Communities and Neighbourhood Policing
- Forensic Psychology
- Dangerous Offenders and Criminal Justice
- Treatment and Rehabilitation of Offenders
- Fighting Fraud and Corruption
- Advocacy, Presentation and Persuasion
- Cyber Crime: Virtual Realities, Control and Mitigation
- Hate Crime
- Miscarriages of Justice
- Learning from Experience
*It is important to note that the psychology units included as the minor route in the programme are not intended to meet the British Psychological Society (BPS) criteria for accreditation.
Teaching and Assessment
Our teaching approach involves your participation in lectures, seminars, tutorials, group discussions, practical workshops and forensic crime scene examinations. We support your learning experience by teaching the skills necessary for degree level work through study skills tutorials in year one and two, and focus on dissertation supervision in year three. You will also be introduced to the software and web-based learning materials that will support your educational experience.
How are you assessed?
Assessment is through a combination of coursework, practical crime scene assessments and examinations. These include open, pre-seen papers and closed traditional examinations. Coursework involves seminar papers, presentations, group projects and the 10,000-word dissertation. Full support is given to help students develop the techniques necessary for their assessed work.
Tutor's view
Mr Andy Bain
Institute of Criminal Justice Studies
You will have the opportunity to study the not only the criminal justice system and each of its related departments, but through the study of psychology you will also learn of the relationship of the individual and their place within the social group. You will also have the opportunity how the to examine why crime occurs, the impact of crime – upon the victim and society – and how to respond to crime and deal with the behaviour of offenders.
Visit us open day
Facilities & Features
ICJS
One of the UK's leading centres for research and course provision in criminology, criminal justice and police studies
Professional Links
Links with the criminal justice sector: local, national and international
University Library
Our library offers a wealth of information including
ICJS
The Institute of Criminal Justice Studies was founded in 1992 and has since grown to comprise 50 academic staff and more than 1,800 students. Now an internationally-renowned focal point for the study of crime and criminal justice processes, it draws together expertise in criminological analysis, applied psychology, police governance and management, victimology, penology, risk and security.
Professional Links
Our extensive experience and close professional relationships with the police service and criminal justice agencies ensure that our courses reflect the changing needs of the profession. You may benefit from these links by hearing guest speakers, listening to leading-edge research and being helped to find professional work placements.
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
Guest speakers add so much to the course, providing for a really valuable and eye-opening experience, which enables learning about topics from a personal perspective.
Starie Uwins, BSc (Hons) Criminology with Psychology student
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
You can expect to work within the police, probation and prison services, in the fields of community safety, crime prevention and criminological research, or the forensic science services.
Our graduates have gone on to jobs as:
- paralegal executive
- investigative data analyst
- police officer
- probation officer
- youth offending support officer
- emergency planning officer
- offender case administrator
Work experience
This course allows you to take the Learning From Experience (LiFE) option, which lets you earn credits toward your degree for work/research placements, volunteer roles or internships undertaken alongside your studies. This gives you the opportunity to enhance your employability skills, reflect on the ways in which you've done so and learn to express this to potential employers.
Career planning
6.04 minutes
Finding a job is a competitive business, but the statistics show that 89 per cent of our 2011graduates went into employment, further study or training within six months of finishing their degrees.
To make sure you take the right steps on your career path, we’re here to give you help, support and advice throughout your study. Even after you’ve graduated, we continue to give you support for up to five years.
Employers tell us that they want graduates to be able to demonstrate certain skills when they come out of university. Our courses take account of this. We make sure we prepare you for employment through work-related learning, projects, placements and working in simulated environments that are designed to prepare you for the working world.
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.
Starie Uwins, BSc Criminology and Psychology student 2011
Open Day
Our next open day is Wed 10 July
VISIT US! Have a look around and get a feel for what it’s like to live and study here. We’ll be on hand to talk to you about your course interests and show you all of our amazing facilities. You’ll also get to meet tutors and other students…
Application, Fees and Funding — find out more