Course summary

This programme provides a solid grounding in the wide range of approaches that constitute modern Psychology as a social, cognitive, forensic, and biological science to help us explain human behaviour, integrating with wider sociological and criminological concepts, approaches, and methodologies. It will support students to consider key contemporary and historical issues at an individual and systemic level. In Psychology, you will develop knowledge of psychological concepts and their supporting evidence within the domains of the subject required for British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditation for Graduate Basis of Chartership (GBC). You will learn about historical and cutting-edge research – its methods, applications, and unresolved issues, and learn how to evaluate research and carry it out yourself, with staff research expertise providing stimulation, guidance, and high-quality facilities. In Criminology, you will develop knowledge of a range of criminological concepts, approaches, and methodologies, supporting you to develop a critical understanding of processes of criminalisation and victimisation, the causes and organisation of crime, crime management and prevention, the interrelationship between crime, social inequalities, and rights, punishment, and media representations of crime. By completing modules in both Psychology and Criminology, students will engage with key questions from each discipline and explore how they relate to one another. This interdisciplinary study encourages students to consider how psychological theories of behaviour inform criminological questions about offender motivations, criminal justice processes, and rehabilitation, providing a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between individual behaviour and broader social issues. Throughout this programme, you will have the opportunity to develop various skills, in particular relating to research methods, written and oral communication, interpersonal skills, learning skills, numeracy, self-management, self-awareness, personal effectiveness, use of IT, critical thinking and problem-solving, project management and reporting, as well as encouraged to explore further opportunities available outside the curriculum, which will prepare you for further study and the world of work.