BSc in Psychology with Criminology Kingston University

Why choose this course?

In this course, you'll evaluate many of society's current issues and learn how psychology and criminology can raise questions and find solutions.

You'll explore key theories and ideas of psychological science and criminology. You'll gain a deeper insight into the human mind and behaviour and study how we respond to crime, criminal behaviour and victimisation. You'll find out why individuals offend, how their crimes affect society and how the criminal justice system operates.

Throughout the degree, you'll develop skills valued by employers, such as teamwork, communication, time and task management skills, statistical analysis of data, problem-solving and the ability to critically evaluate evidence.

Reasons to choose Kingston University

• This course combines two complementary subjects, examining why crimes arise and how they affect individuals and society.
• You'll use purpose-built laboratories with high-specification equipment (EEG, eye-tracking, a driving simulator, an observation lab for interviews and behavioural recordings and specialised cognitive and physiological testing).
• There's the opportunity for work-based practice, which will increase your employability after you graduate.

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), which means that you could go on to become a Chartered Psychologist if that is your chosen career path. This is an ongoing accreditation.

Graduates, with a minimum of a 2:2, from this course are eligible to gain Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) from the BPS. This is a necessary first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist. You would then take further training in a specific field of psychology that you want to work in. This could then lead to a career as a Chartered Psychologist in your chosen field, for example, forensic psychology.

What you will study

Take a look at some of the content and modules that you may have the opportunity to study in this course:

Year 1

In your first year, you will acquire a broad foundation of knowledge around key theories and ideas of psychological science and criminology. You will begin to critically analyse historic perspectives and contemporary issues. You will be introduced to key strategies which are used in psychological research.

Core modules

• Foundations of Psychology
• Historical and Philosophical Concepts in Psychology
• Psychology Research Methods 1
• Foundations in Criminological Theory

Year 2

In the second year, you will learn about policing and punishment. You will examine the relationship between brain function and our understanding of cognition and behaviour. And explore current theory and practice that focuses on the person in psychology. Whilst developing experimental research designs and delving further into inferential statistics.

Core modules

• Policing and Punishment
• Psychology Research Methods 2
• Social, Individual and Developmental Psychology
• Brain, Behaviour and Cognition

Optional year

Study abroad optional year

You have the option to take an additional year to study abroad or to undertake a year-long work placement overseas (or even a mix of both.)

Sandwich year

This course has a sandwich year option which takes place between Year 2 and your Final Year. During this sandwich year, you will take a placement within a relevant setting, ensuring you gain essential experience to add to your CV and help you secure a graduate job.

Final year

In your final year, you will be able to choose from a selection of optional modules, which cover a range of topics, this will enable you to tailor your studies to your own interests and aspirations. You will also research a chosen topic for your dissertation.

Core modules

• Psychology Research Project

Optional modules

• Psychology of Art and Film
• Introduction to Forensic Psychology
• Psychotherapeutic Psychology and Mental Health: from Theory to Practice
• The Psychology of Health and Well Being
• Advanced Developmental Psychology
• Neuropsychology and Neuro-rehabilitation
• Critical Social Psychology: Memory, Narrative and Representation
• Transnational Crime
• Crimes of the Powerful: Corporations, the State and Human Rights
• Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity
• Human Rights and Political Violence
• The Politics of Crime in the Black Atlantic

Please note

Optional modules only run if there is enough demand. If we have an insufficient number of students interested in an optional module, that module will not be offered for this course.

After you graduate

You'll be ideally placed to pursue careers in crime prevention, criminal and youth justice, community development, local government, security, social research and the police.

After graduation, our students obtain employment in a wide variety of settings. They range from health and social occupations, such as care assistants and assistant psychologists, to commercial, professional and managerial jobs, such as events and media organiser, sales executive, and recruitment. Graduates have also entered clinical courses, teacher training, counselling courses and other postgraduate training.

Psychology with criminology students have gone on to study Kingston's BPS-accredited Forensic Psychology MSc.