About the programme

Psychology is the study of behaviour and mental processes – it is the study of what people think and what people do (and how and why). Psychology has many applications across a broad range of areas – clinical psychology, forensic psychology, educational psychology and occupational psychology to name a few.
Criminology is the study of crime and of society's response to crime. Criminology combines a number of social sciences, including sociology, legal studies and psychology. As a field of science it has developed rapidly in recent years, as society in general has become increasingly concerned with the problem of crime. Criminology students study all aspects of the criminal justice system (the police, the courts, prisons and probation work) as well as focusing on offenders and on victims. Students develop a critical approach to questions of crime and justice, an understanding of the meaning of crime, its effect on society and the impact of crime and punishment.
A degree in Psychology Studies and Criminology is highly relevant to a wide range of areas of work. The police force, private security and the probation service of course, but it's also a valuable qualification if you're interested in working in social welfare or education, local and national government, or community work.
As well as covering subjects that are specific to psychology, studying for this degree gives you excellent training in other areas, such as data collection, analysis, IT skills, communication skills and report writing – preparing you for work in areas unrelated to psychology and criminology.

Programme modules:

Level 1

• Skills for Psychology and Criminology
• Introduction to Psychology 1
• Criminal Justice Process
• Introduction to Psychology 2
• Research Issues, Methods and Ethics in Psychology & Criminology
• Contemporary Issues in Criminology

Level 2

• Individual Differences
• Crime and Social History
• Social Psychology
• Prison Studies
• Developmental Psychology
• Theoretical Criminology

Level 3

• Forensic Psychology
• Mentally Disordered Suspects and Defendants
• Clinical Psychology
• Crime Deviance and Culture
• Empirical Research Project (equivalent to 2 modules)

Learning materials

Textbooks are provided with specially written study guides containing interactive materials. Opportunities for student/student and student/tutor discussion are provided via our Student Community website.
Additional learning resources include access to the ATHENS database and the UK Libraries Plus system. We also provide a CD containing a statistical software package, SPSS for Windows.

Assessment and examinations

Assessment is through a mixture of coursework and examination. Coursework includes essays, logs, research projects, practical tasks and a final-year dissertation. Assessment at Level 1 is often by coursework, in order to provide you with maximum feedback and guidance. Across Levels 2 and 3, the emphasis shifts to examination-based assessment, but there will be no more than four exams per level.

Duration

Each module requires 200 study hours (approximately six months) but you can study more than one module at a time.

Award

BA (Hons) in Psychology Studies and Criminology on successful completion of the full programme. You can also study individual modules, or gain a Certificate of Higher Education, Diploma of Higher Education or an Ordinary BA degree, depending on the number of modules completed.