Criminology and Psychology BA (Hons)
UCAS code: C5P3
Eager to learn about crime, criminal justice and the fundamental principles of psychology? Fascinated by the science of mind and behaviour? Our criminology and psychology degree combines both subjects in a lively and engaging fashion.
Overview
| Course length: | 3 years full-time 5 years part-time |
|---|---|
| Start dates: | September 2022 September 2023 |
| Location: | Edge Hill University |
| Example offers: | BBC-BBB (A Level) or DMM (BTEC) View full entry criteria |
| Subject(s): | Criminology |
| Department: | Law and Criminology |
Want to get a deeper understanding of the criminal justice system and how it works? Ready to untangle the complexities of criminal behaviour? By combining the study of criminology and psychology, you’ll explore contrasting and complementary perspectives of these two subjects.
We’ve designed this course to allow you some freedom of choice when it comes to choosing your modules – so you’ll be able to explore topics that complement one another. For example, you might examine forensic psychology to understand what motivates people to carry out criminal behaviour in Psychology, alongside the relationships between crime and place in Criminology.
In your final year, an optional dissertation will give you the chance to independently research your specific areas of interest across both fields of study, with the support and guidance of your tutors.
Please note: This criminology and psychology degree doesn’t confer eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS), which is the first step towards becoming a chartered psychologist. If you want to gain this accreditation by studying a slightly higher number of psychology modules, take a look at our BSc (Hons) Psychology & Criminology degree.
Course features
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Sandwich Year Option Available
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Studying Abroad Option Available
What you'll study
In your first year of your criminology and psychology degree, we’ll introduce you to the key concepts and principles of criminology and psychology. You’ll study criminological theory, the criminal justice process, criminology in contemporary society, applied psychology and various elements of behavioural psychology. This will give you a solid grounding for your next two years of study.
In your second year, you’ll start to get a much deeper understanding of critical criminological theory. You’ll choose two criminology modules and three psychology modules from a range of options. You might choose to focus on the relationship between crime, criminology and the media, or the impact of stereotypes on particular social groups. On the psychology side of things, you could choose to specialise in developmental, social, cognitive or biological psychology.
Your final year gives you the chance to specialise in an area of particular interest. You might choose to study crimes perpetuated by states and powerful organisations or look into substance misuse from a psychological perspective. Perhaps you’ll be interested to explore the expanding field of forensic psychology. You’ll also have the opportunity to complete a criminological dissertation that will combine insights from both disciplines.
Optional modules provide an element of choice within the course curriculum. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by timetabling requirements. Some restrictions on optional module choice or combinations of optional modules may apply.
How you'll study
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, student-led seminars, small group work, practical workshops, directed study (preparing for classes) and independent study.
How you'll be assessed
Assessment methods include essays, formal examinations, statistical exercises, group research projects, report writing, oral presentations, designing a research proposal and completing a dissertation.
Who will be teaching you
You will be taught by a highly-committed team of research-active, expert tutors whose primary areas of specialism correspond directly with the themes of the modules available across this programme.
Entry criteria
Entry requirements
Typical offer 112-120 UCAS Tariff points, for which no specific subjects are required, plus GCSE Mathematics at Grade C or Grade 4 or above (or equivalent).
Please note, for the purposes of studying psychology, level 2 numeracy qualifications are not considered as equivalent to GCSE Grade C or Grade 4 in Mathematics.
Example offers
| Qualification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| A Level | BBC-BBB. |
| BTEC Extended Diploma (or combination of BTEC QCF qualifications) | Distinction, Merit, Merit (DMM). |
| T Level | Overall grade of Merit. |
| International Baccalaureate (IB) | We are happy to accept IB qualifications which achieve the required number of UCAS Tariff points. |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 45 credits at Level 3, for example 15 credits at Distinction and 30 credits at Merit or 24 credits at Distinction and 21 credits at Merit. The required total can be attained from various credit combinations. |
Please note, the above examples may differ from actual offers made. A combination of A Level and BTEC awards may also be accepted.
If you have a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent), there is no maximum number of qualifications that we will accept UCAS points from. This includes additional qualifications such as Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), AS Levels that haven't been continued to A Level, and General Studies AS or A Level awards.
English language requirements
International students require IELTS 6.0, with a score no lower than 5.5 in each individual component, or an equivalent English language qualification.
If your current level of English is half a band or one band lower, either overall or in one or two elements, you may want to consider our Pre-Sessional English course.
How to apply
Apply full-time
Read our guide to applying through UCAS to find out more about the application process.
Apply part-time
Complete our online application form if you want to study this course on a part-time basis.
International
Please see our international student pages for further information about how to apply as a prospective international student.
Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.
Did you know?
If you join a full time undergraduate degree at Edge Hill University, we will guarantee you the offer of a room in our halls of residence for the first year of your course.
Discover our accommodation
Facilities
The £6million Law and Psychology building provides contemporary teaching and learning facilities for students in the Department of Law and Criminology and the Department of Psychology.
The three-storey building includes a 250-seat lecture theatre, seminar and tutorial rooms, and social learning areas which encourage a more informal and interactive style of learning. There are also specially designed experimental facilities for psychological research.
Where you'll study
Law and Psychology
Learning resources
Psychology resources include state-of-the-art eye trackers, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) methods, and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for examining cognitive functioning and brain activity. Other specialist laboratories include a group testing laboratory, two bi-directional observation rooms, a ‘bar simulation laboratory’ (for alcohol research), audio-visual suites and dedicated IT facilities equipped with subject specific software installed to support experimental work.
Finance
Tuition fees
UK Full-Time
£9,250
a year
UK Part-Time
£77 per credit
for 360 credits
International
£15,000
a year
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.
Financial support
Subject to eligibility, UK students joining this course can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from the Government to cover the full cost of tuition fees. UK students enrolling on the course may also be eligible to apply for additional funding to help with living costs. Please view the relevant Money Matters guide for comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students.
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals should ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). If you are an EU student who does not have settled or pre-settled status, or are an international student from a non-EU country, please see our international student finance pages.
Your future career
By the time you achieve your criminology and psychology degree, you’ll have a wide range of transferable skills that will equip you for a graduate role or further study.
Our graduates go on to have exciting careers in the police, HM prison service and the Home Office, as well as in these areas:
- criminal or youth justice agencies
- youth and community work
- law and research
- offender management
- social work
- outreach
Other students continue on to postgraduate study, or train to become teachers or chartered psychologists.
One option is to continue your studies on a postgraduate conversion course in psychology. This would enable you to pursue a career where successful completion of a higher education programme accredited by the British Psychological Society is required.
Course changes
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, however our courses are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.
Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of professional bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.
