Overview
Course In Depth
Modules
Entry Criteria
Careers and Employability
Finance
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Overview
UCAS Code: | P3C5 |
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Course Length: | 3 Years Full-Time |
Start Dates: | September 2022, September 2023 |
Subjects: | Criminology and Offending Psychology |
Location: | Edge Hill University |
Example Offers: | BBC-BBB (A Level) or DMM (BTEC) View full entry criteria |

This degree combines the study of psychology and criminology in a single programme, enabling you to explore multiple contrasting and complementary perspectives to a variety of aspects of the two subjects.
You will develop your skills, knowledge and understanding of the major issues and perspectives within psychology as required by the British Psychological Society (BPS). The degree will also enable you to develop the criminological skills to research, analyse and critique the complexities of behaviour categorised as criminal, as well as gain a detailed understanding of the workings of the criminal justice system. A compulsory dissertation provides the opportunity to combine specific aspects of your interests across both fields of study in an independent research project, conducted with the support of your tutors.
Please note, you will study a slightly higher number of Psychology modules than Criminology modules on this degree. On successful completion of the programme, you will be eligible to gain the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS). If you wish to study the two subjects equally without gaining accreditation, you should consider our BA (Hons) Criminology and Psychology degree.
Discover Uni: Full-Time Study
In Depth
What will I study?
In Year 1 of this degree, you will be introduced to the key concepts and principles of psychology and criminology. You will study criminological theory and the criminal justice process, receive an overview of the academic and transferable skills required for applied psychology, discover the key approaches to research in psychology and be introduced to various elements of behavioural psychology.
In Year 2, you will receive a grounding in critical criminological theory and its application to contemporary criminal justice. You will also develop the skills necessary for designing, conducting and analysing your own research. The remaining Year 2 modules focus in-depth on core psychological strands, including developmental psychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology and biological psychology.
In Year 3, you will deepen your understanding of selected areas of Psychology and Criminology. The modules will enable you to build upon your understanding of some of the topics presented earlier in the degree. You may choose to study, for example, topics such as crimes perpetrated by states and powerful organisations, key aspects of the criminal justice system, policing, and/or imprisonment. You will also be immersed in current research and practice associated with personality and individual differences in the study of human behaviour. The final element of the programme is the completion of a dissertation which may draw and combine insights and concerns from both psychology and criminology.
How will I study?
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, student-led seminars, small group work, practical workshop, directed study (preparing for classes) and independent study.
How will I 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 me?
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.
The Department of Psychology operates a research internship scheme where you may have the opportunity to volunteer to assist with staff research across a range of exciting projects. Previous projects have focused on subjects including eye movements and memory, alcohol and inhibition, autistic traits, attentional bias to pictures and words, personality and offending behaviour, behaviour change and food awareness, multiple perspective taking, the neural underpinnings of action simulation, and the question of whether emojis reveal true emotions.
Facilities
The £6million Law and Psychology building provides contemporary teaching and learning facilities for students in the Department of Psychology and the Department of Law and Criminology.
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.
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.
Timetables
Timetables for your first week are normally available at the end of August prior to enrolment in September. You can expect to receive your timetable for the rest of the academic year during your first week. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week. Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities.
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information, however our programmes 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 accrediting 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.
Modules
Expand AllYear 1
Compulsory modules:
PSY1109Essential Skills in Applied Psychology (20 credits)
PSY1112Introduction to Cognitive and Biological Psychology (20 credits)
CRI1124Introduction to Criminological Theory (20 credits)
PSY1111Introduction to Personality, Social and Developmental Psychology (20 credits)
CRI1125Introduction to the Criminal Justice Process (20 credits)
PSY1116Investigating Methods in Psychology (20 credits)
Year 2
Compulsory modules:
PSY2115Biological Psychology (20 credits)
PSY2114Cognitive Psychology (20 credits)
CRI2225Critical Criminological Theory (20 credits)
PSY2112Developmental Psychology (20 credits)
PSY2116Research Methods and Data Analysis (20 credits)
PSY2113Social Psychology (20 credits)
Year 3
Compulsory modules:
PSY3135Dissertation (30 credits)
PSY3129Personality and Individual Differences (20 credits)
PSY3136Reflections and Future Directions (10 credits)
You will select three of the following optional modules:
CRI3023Crime and Place (20 credits)
CRI3021Crimes of the Powerful 1 (20 credits)
CRI3022Crimes of the Powerful 2 (20 credits)
CRI3113Expanding the Criminological Imagination (20 credits)
CRI3112Justice, Rights and the State (20 credits)
PSY3147Learning to Thrive (20 credits)
CRI3110The Politics of Imprisonment (20 credits)
CRI3109The Politics of Policing (20 credits)
Optional modules provide an element of choice within the programme 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.
Entry Criteria
Entry Requirements
Typical offer 112-120 UCAS Tariff points, for which no specific subjects are required, plus GCSE English and GCSE Mathematics at Grade C or Grade 4 or above (or equivalent).
Please note, for the purposes of studying psychology, level 2 literacy and numeracy qualifications are not considered as equivalent to GCSE Grade C or Grade 4 in English Language and Mathematics.
Example Offers
Some examples of how you can achieve 112-120 UCAS Tariff points are detailed below.
- 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.
For further information on how you can meet the entry requirements, including details of alternative qualifications, please visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/offers.
EU students can get country-specific information about the University’s entry requirements and equivalent national qualifications at www.edgehill.ac.uk/eu.
International students should visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/international for information on the entry criteria for overseas applicants.
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.
Are there any alternative ways to meet the entry requirements?
If you have the ability to study for a degree but lack the necessary qualifications or confidence, our Fastrack: Preparation for Higher Education course could be for you. This free, seven-week programme provides a great opportunity to enhance your study skills and subject knowledge and demonstrate that you are ready to study a particular subject with us, in lieu of achieving the UCAS Tariff points in the entry criteria.
Upon successful completion of a Fastrack course, you will be well placed to progress onto a corresponding Edge Hill University degree, although additional entry requirements may apply and the availability of specific programmes cannot be guaranteed. For more information, visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/fastrack.
Career Prospects
What are my career prospects?
This programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) as conferring eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), provided the minimum standard of a lower second class honours is achieved. This is the first step towards becoming a chartered psychologist.
There are two clearly identifiable career routes for Psychology & Criminology graduates. Firstly, successful completion of this programme will open up a number of postgraduate training and career opportunities, notably forensic psychology, educational psychology, clinical psychology, work psychology, health psychology and research.
Alternatively, you will be well placed to pursue a career in a range of professions including areas such as probation work, youth and community work, research, the police service, the prison service and criminal justice agencies.
It is important to recognise that training in psychology is acquired through postgraduate education and supervised practice, not through an undergraduate degree. On completion of this programme, you will require further training to practice as a chartered psychologist.
How can I enhance my employability?
It is useful to consider, even before you apply, how you will spend your time while studying and make the most of your university experience.
Optional, additional activities may be available on this degree which could help to prepare you for a stimulating and rewarding career. These include:
- Sandwich Years – you may have the opportunity to apply to complete a sandwich year placement, usually as the third year of a four year degree, and gain highly relevant work experience;
- Studying Abroad – you may have the opportunity to apply to spend time studying or working abroad, usually as the third year of a four year degree, enabling you to immerse yourself in a different culture;
- Learning a Language – you may be able to participate in Language Steps classes, delivered at the Edge Hill Language Centre, as additional study.
Please note, the availability of these additional activities cannot be guaranteed for all students. Depending on availability and the number of students wanting to participate, there may be a competitive application process for sandwich year placements or studying abroad opportunities or you may be required to secure a relevant placement yourself.
Finance
Tuition Fees
If you are a prospective UK student who will be joining this undergraduate degree in academic year 2022/23, the tuition fee will be £9,250 a year. Tuition fees for international students enrolling on the programme in academic year 2022/23 are £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.
The University may administer a small inflationary rise in tuition fees, in line with Government policy, in subsequent academic years as you progress through the course.
Financial Support
Subject to eligibility, UK students joining this undergraduate degree can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from the Government to cover the full cost of tuition fees. UK students enrolling on the programme may also be eligible to apply for additional funding to help with living costs.
For comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students joining this programme in academic year 2022/23, together with details of how to apply for potential funding, please view our Money Matters 2022/23 guide at www.edgehill.ac.uk/undergradfinance2022.
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). Please see www.edgehill.ac.uk/eufinance for further details.
Financial support information for international students can be found at www.edgehill.ac.uk/international/fees.
Scholarships
Edge Hill University offers a range of scholarships with a competitive application process for prospective full-time undergraduate students.
These scholarships aren’t linked to academic success and celebrate determination, talent and achievement beyond your coursework, for instance in creativity, enterprise, ICT, performance, sport or volunteering.
To find out more about scholarships, to assess your eligibility, and to meet some of our dedicated scholarship winners, visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/scholarships.
Apply
How to Apply
Apply online through UCAS at www.ucas.com.
Visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/applyucas to find out more about the application process.
Further information for international students about how to apply is available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/applyinternational.
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.
Visit Us
If you are considering applying to study at Edge Hill University, the best way to gain an insight into student life is to discover our stunning campus for yourself by attending an open day. You can view dates and book your place at www.edgehill.ac.uk/opendays.
Alternatively, if you are unable to attend an open day, you can find out more about our full range of events for prospective students, including campus tours and virtual activities, at www.edgehill.ac.uk/visitus.
Request a Prospectus
If you would like to explore our full range of degrees before you apply, you can order an undergraduate prospectus at www.edgehill.ac.uk/undergradprospectus.
Get in Touch
If you have any questions about this programme or what it’s like to study at Edge Hill University, please contact:
- Course Enquiries
- Tel: 01695 657000
- Email: [email protected]
International students should visit www.edgehill.ac.uk/international or email [email protected] with any queries about overseas study.
Course Changes
Expand All This tab outlines any material changes to course content, programme structure, assessment methods, entry criteria, and modes of study or delivery, implemented in the past two years. Future material changes will be added here as amends are made to course information.20th April 2022 - New Module Added
25th January 2022 - Clarification of Entry Requirements
Covid-19 - Psychology & Criminology Essential Information
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