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Forensic Psychology at University of Portsmouth - UCAS

Course options

2025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

University of Portsmouth has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

Open days

7Dec
University of Portsmouth Open Day
Undergraduate

Course summary

This is a Connected Degree Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course. Overview Explore how psychological knowledge informs criminal investigations and forensic practice, and help to understand offending behaviour on this BSc (Hons) Forensic Psychology degree, accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). While a psychology degree covers the mind and behaviour in a wider sense, studying forensic psychology means focusing on the way people think, act and feel in relation to crime and legal issues.

  • Put your investigative techniques to the test in our Forensic Interviewing Suite, which features thermal imaging cameras, eye tracking and virtual reality (VR) technology and advanced digital and video analysis
  • Use our motion capture studios, which feature the latest Vicon optical system, to explore the mechanics and perception of human movement
  • Have the chance to study abroad or take part in a year-long work placement, boosting your employability prospects after the course
  • Learn from forensic psychology practitioners involved in the International Centre for Research in Forensic Psychology, the largest academic research centre for forensic psychology in the UK
  • Become eligible to apply for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society (with a 2:2 or higher) – an essential first step to becoming a professional forensic psychologist
Accredited by: This degree confers eligibility for Graduate Membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the Graduate Basis for Registration. Careers and opportunities When you complete the course with a 2:2 or higher, you'll be eligible for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS), which is an essential first step to becoming a Chartered Forensic Psychologist. To become Chartered, you'll also need to do further academic training for up to 5 years, including an MSc Forensic Psychology. What can you do with a Forensic Psychology degree? Many graduates go on to do an MSc in Forensic Psychology after the course. You could also start a career in areas such as:
  • teaching
  • health associated professions
  • social welfare
  • police work
  • probation service
  • research
Graduate roles and destinations Roles our previous graduates have gone on to include:
  • clinical psychologist
  • forensic psychologist
  • educational psychologist
  • counsellor
  • health planning analyst
They've taken roles in the following organisations:
  • National Probation Service
  • Ministry of Defence
  • North East London NHS Foundation Trust
Placement year After your second year, you can do an optional work placement year to get valuable longer-term work experience in the field. A placement year gives you the opportunity to apply your knowledge in a real workplace, boosting your employability and making you stand out to employers after the course. You can work for a company or organisation here in the UK or overseas, or you could go independent by setting up and running your own business with other students. Potential prison placements Previous students have completed work placements in medium secure units, youth offending teams and prisons, including:
  • HMP Bronzefield
  • HMP Ford
  • HMP Winchester
Potential placement destinations Other students have taken placement roles in organisations including:
  • Broadmoor High Security Hospital
  • Hampshire Constabulary Student Watch
  • Catch 22 - a not-for-profit business involved in offender management, rehabilitation and victim services
  • Motiv8 - a charity working for safer communities for young people and their families

Modules

Year 1 Core modules in this year include:

  • Applying Psychological Research Skills (40 credits)
  • Exploring Psychology (40 credits)
  • Forensic Psychology in Context (20 credits)
  • Perspectives in Psychology (20 credits)
There are no optional modules in this year. Year 2 Core modules in this year include:
  • Biological & Cognitive Psychology (20 credits)
  • Individual Differences & Psychometrics (20 credits)
  • Professional Development and Employability (20 credits)
  • Psychological Research Methods (20 credits)
  • Quantitative Data Analysis (20 credits)
  • Social & Developmental Psychology (20 credits)
There are no optional modules in this year. Placement year Boost your employability by taking an industry-based work placement year with a relevant organisation or immerse yourself in another culture by studying for a year at one of our partner universities worldwide. This is an amazing opportunity to either put everything you’ve learned so far into action in a real workplace or expand your horizons and set yourself up for your future career by studying abroad and becoming a student ambassador for our university. Depending on what you choose, we’ll help you find and secure an exciting placement opportunity within an appropriate company or organisation, or you’ll expand your global perspective and develop additional skills to boost your future career during a study abroad year. This is a Connected Degree We're the only university that gives you the flexibility to choose when to take a work placement. Take it after your 2nd year, before returning to finish your studies. Or after your final year, connecting you into the workplace. If you're not sure if or when to take your placement, don't worry. You'll have plenty of time to settle into your studies and explore your options before making your choice. Psychology Sandwich Year Study Placement – 120 credits Psychology Final Year Work Placement – 120 credits We’ll help you secure a work placement that fits your situation and ambitions. You’ll get mentoring and support throughout the year. Year 3 All modules in this year are optional:
  • Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology (20 credits)
  • Cybercrime, Policing and Security (20 credits)
  • Educational Psychology (20 credits)
  • Exploring Data for Psychology (20 credits)
  • Introduction to Teaching (20 credits)
  • Issues in Clinical and Health Psychology (20 credits)
  • Neuroscience (20 credits)
  • Psychology of Criminal Investigations (20 credits)
  • Psychology of Offending Behaviour (20 credits)
  • Psychology Research Project (20 credits)
  • Psychology Research Project (Extended) (40 credits)
  • Psychology Work Placement (20 credits)
  • Social Construction of Disability (20 credits)
  • Trauma, Memory & Law (20 credits)
Changes to course content: We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies. Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry. If a module doesn't run, we'll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.

Assessment method

You’ll be assessed through:

  • written examinations
  • practical reports and essays
  • poster presentations
  • oral presentations
  • self-led research project
You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future. The way you’re assessed may depend on the modules you select. As a guide, students on this course last year were typically assessed as follows:
  • Year 1 students: 25% by written exams, 22% by practical exams and 53% by coursework
  • Year 2 students: 38% by written exams, 8% by practical exams and 54% by coursework
- Year 3 students: 33% by written exams, 13% by practical exams and 54% by coursework

Professional bodies

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

  • British Psychological Society

How to apply

29Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1
  • Year 2
  • Year 3

Entry requirements for advanced entry (i.e. into Year 2 and beyond)

We welcome applications for advanced entry. If you’d like to apply for advanced entry, you need to select the required year when you complete your UCAS application.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6.5English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.
PTE Academic65An overall score of 65 with a minimum of 62 in each skill.
TOEFL (iBT)9191 with a minimum of 20 in Reading, 19 in Listening, 21 in Speaking and 20 in Writing.
Cambridge English AdvancedCambridge English: Advanced (CAE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 169.
Cambridge English ProficiencyCambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 169.
Trinity ISETrinity College Integrated Skills in English (ISE) Level III with a Pass in all 4 components.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
65%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
85%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

EU £9535 Year 1
England £9535 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9535 Year 1
Scotland £9535 Year 1
Wales £9535 Year 1
Channel Islands £9535 Year 1
Republic of Ireland £9535 Year 1
International £19200 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Students who are resident in EU countries: please note that the net fee is inclusive of the Transition Scholarship Placement Year and Year abroad (at the time of publishing for 2024/25): UK/Channel Islands and Isle of Man students – £1,385 EU – £1,385 (including Transition Scholarship) International (Non-EU) – £2,875. Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice. All fees are subject to annual increase. For more information about fees, go to port.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/undergraduate-fees-and-student-finance/tuition-fees-living-costs-and-other-study-costs
Forensic Psychology at University of Portsmouth - UCAS