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Criminology and Psychology, BSc (Hons), University of Portsmouth

the United Kingdom

University of Portsmouth

Study options for this course

The award How you will study Study duration Course start Domestic course fees International course fees
BSc (Hons)Full-time, Sandwich3 - 4 yearsSeptember--

About Criminology and Psychology, BSc (Hons) - at University of Portsmouth

Overview

When you work with criminals and their victims, the ability to understand people's emotions, thoughts and actions is vital. This combined BSc (Hons) Criminology and Psychology degree gives you a deep understanding of criminal behaviour, for a competitive edge in your career.

You'll explore why people commit crimes, the psychological fallout, and how rehabilitation works. Studying in one of the UK's largest criminology departments, your diverse options will also include specialist subjects such as forensic psychology.

Course highlights

  • Tailor your criminology and psychology degree for a career path that fits your ambitions – from policing to probation, prisons to rehabilitation
  • Be taught by experts, including forensic psychologists and criminologists, whose ground-breaking research keeps your modules relevant and eye-opening
  • Develop practical skills, such as lie detection and effective interviewing, in our Forensic Interviewing Suite, founded by a researcher who works with emergency services to develop better ways of interviewing witnesses
  • Explore how virtual reality can make a difference to understanding criminal behaviour, inspired by our innovative VR research
  • Enjoy a sense of community with your peers, on course-specific socials and field trips – recent examples include visits to courtrooms and Bethlem Museum of the Mind, on the grounds of the infamous 'Bedlam' Hospital
  • Study alongside operational police units and learn directly from operational policing staff
  • Have the opportunity to do a criminology work placement year after your second or third year on this Connected Degree - we're the only UK university to offer flexible sandwich placements for undergraduates
  • If you’re interested in policing, probation work or community justice, you can choose modules that give you pre-entry qualifications for a career in those fields
  • Make the most of our links with agencies such as youth offender teams, the probation service and prisons, to build your network of potential employers
  • Choose to learn a foreign language for free as part of your degree, from a selection of Arabic, British Sign Language, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin or Spanish

Careers and opportunities

By studying aspects of two different but related disciplines – psychology and criminology – you’ll open yourself to a wide range of career options. You’ll be a natural fit for roles relating to work with offenders or victims of crime. Both are areas where there will likely always be a demand for skilled professionals.

The psychology aspects of your studies will broaden your career options. Your understanding of the human mind and behaviour could lead you to specialist jobs, such as forensic psychology (with further training). Knowledge of psychology can also be an asset in a diverse range of roles outside of criminal justice - from market research to human resources.

With transferable skills in communications, critical thinking and analysis on your CV, you’ll be a very employable graduate.

What areas can you work in with a criminology and psychology degree?

Organisations you could work for include:

  • the police force
  • the probation service
  • the prison service
  • academic research
  • victim and offender support charities

What jobs can you do with a criminology and psychology degree?

Our criminology and psychology graduates have gone on to jobs such as:

  • investigative data analyst
  • police officer
  • defence and security analyst
  • probation officer
  • counter fraud intelligence analyst
  • youth offending support officer
  • offender case administrator

Ongoing careers support

Get experience while you study, with support to find part-time jobs, volunteering opportunities, and work experience.

Towards the end of your degree and for up to five years after graduation, you’ll receive one-to-one support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy to help you find your perfect role.

Placement year (optional)

After your second or third year of study, you can choose to do a paid work placement year in a criminal justice organisation, either in the UK or overseas. This lets you put your new skills to work while developing valuable links with employers.

It's fantastic for your CV and will really help you stand out when applying for jobs.

We'll help you secure a work placement that fits your aspirations. With mentoring and support throughout your placement, you’ll have our support to get the most from the experience.

You could also choose to set up your own business, or take a voluntary placement.

Potential destinations

Previous criminology and psychology placement destinations have included:

  • a forensic psychology team
  • HM Revenue & Customs
  • Aurora New Dawn, a charity supporting survivors of domestic abuse
  • Hampshire Constabulary
  • Cabinet Office
  • Penal Reform Solutions, which supports rehabilitation in prisons, probation and correctional services
  • Circles UK, which supports the reintegration of sex offenders in the community

Study abroad

You can also spend this year studying overseas at one of our partner universities in Europe, South Asia or North America.

Notes about fees for this course

https://www.port.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/undergraduate-fees-and-student-finance

Entry requirements

112-120 points from 3 A levels, or equivalent.

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.0 with no component score below 5.5.

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Don't meet the entry requirements?

Consider a Foundation or Pathway course at University of Portsmouth to prepare for your chosen course:

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