BSc in Psychology with Criminology
Birmingham City University
Key Information
Campus location
Birmingham, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
3 - 5 years
Pace
Full time, Part time
Tuition fees
GBP 9,250 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Sep 2024
* UK students: £9,250 per year | international students: £13,980 per year
Scholarships
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Introduction
Want to study both Psychology and Criminology at University? Our BSc (Hons) Psychology with Criminology degree combines both subjects.
This is a British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited Psychology course with Criminology as a minor subject. Every semester you will study 2 Psychology and 1 Criminology module. You will also have the opportunity to take a year-long professional placement.
Our innovative Psychology with Criminology course will give you a deep understanding of how the core and specialised areas in Psychology and Criminology contribute to our understanding of contemporary issues. You will apply scientific reasoning and evaluate patterns of behaviour, gaining key transferable skills in communication, teamwork and problem-solving.
Additionally, you will also learn how psychology can be applied to explain certain aspects of crime and criminal behaviour. This versatile course provides the opportunity for you to embark on a Psychology career or bring those skills to the domain of Criminology.
What's covered in this course?
Over the three years, your Psychology modules will help you gain a deep understanding of one’s mind, behaviour and reasons why individuals carry out certain actions, while your Criminology modules will help you understand the relationship between the different aspects of crime and victimisation.
We use a blended learning approach, where we teach the core topics and theories in lectures; to explore the topics further we have interactive and activity-based seminars and then to enhance your learning we provide you with online activities and resources. The staff teaching the course are experts in the areas and topics they teach, which further enhances your learning experience, as they bring with them their practice or research-based knowledge.
We use a variety of assessment methods, this includes essay and report writing, presentations, using real-life examples such as analysing case studies, and online-based quizzes linked to lecture materials and exams. Our focus on contemporary and innovative learning practices will help you gain key employability skills, such as communication, teamwork and problem-solving, as well as key skills in two innovative, intriguing disciplines.
Professional placement year
This course offers a professional placement year. This allows you to spend a whole year with an employer, between the second and third years of your degree and is a great way to find out more about your chosen career. Some students even return to the same employers after completing their studies.
The University will draw on its extensive network of local, regional and national employers to support you in finding a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. If you do not find a suitable placement, you will be automatically transferred back to the standard, non-placement version of the course.
Please note that fees are payable during your placement year, equivalent to 20% of the total full-time course fee for that year (£1,850 for UK students).
Why choose us?
- This degree course is accredited by the British Psychological Society. This means that on successfully completing your degree with a pass of over 50%, you will gain Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with the British Psychological Society. This allows you to pursue a career path in Psychology through accredited Master's and Doctoral courses throughout the UK. The course is therefore as professionally relevant and up-to-date as possible, taking into account the very latest developments in the profession.
- In all of our courses, you will gain a professional focus and real-world experience in psychology, ensuring you are equipped to make an immediate impact in your career.
- You have the opportunity to embark on a year-long professional placement as part of your degree course. Past placements have seen our students work with organisations such as the NHS, West Midlands Police, HM Prisons and Probation Services, local schools and youth mentoring services.
- All of our courses have an international focus. This is embedded throughout the curriculum, giving you the opportunity to transform your experience with us into a global one. There are a variety of exciting possibilities open to you, including our many overseas study exchange programmes.
- As a student on one of our undergraduate degrees, you will be able to benefit from our Graduate+ initiative. This three-year award course enables you to gain award levels for all the extra-curricular activities you undertake so that you can stand out from the crowd at graduation.
- You’ll have the opportunity to work in collaboration with our academic researchers to gain specialist insight into the fields of clinical, forensic, health and occupational psychology.
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Curriculum
Year One
In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following core modules (totalling 100 credits):
- Introduction to Psychology
- Psychology of Individual Differences and Personality
- Key Debates in Criminological Theory
- Introduction to Research Methods and Statistics
- The Criminal Justice System
In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete at least 20 credits from the following list of optional modules:
- Popular Images and Psychological Understanding
- Parapsychology
- Introduction to Psychopathology
- Positive Psychology and Counselling
All core modules are guaranteed to run. Optional modules will vary from year to year and the published list is indicative only.
Year Two
In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following core modules (totalling 60 credits):
- Qualitative Research Methods and Analyses
- Neuropsychology
- Quantitative Research Methods and Statistics
In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete at least 60 credits from the following list of optional modules:
- Substance Use, Crime and Deviance
- Making Sense of Homicide
- Race and Crime
- Experiencing Harm
- Crime in the City
- Youth Crime and Justice
- Health Psychology
- Work and Organisational Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Forensic Psychology
- Real World Work Experiences
- Psychological Understanding of Mass Killing
All core modules are guaranteed to run. Optional modules will vary from year to year and the published list is indicative only.
Professional Placement Year (Optional)
In order to qualify for the award of BSc (Hons) Psychology With Criminology with Professional Placement Year a student must successfully complete the following module.
- Professional Placement Year
Final Year
In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete all the following core modules (totalling 80 credits):
- Integrative Psychology Project
- Applied Social Psychology
- Lifespan Psychology
In order to complete this course, you must successfully complete at least 40 credits from the following list of optional modules:
Local to Global Organised Crime
- Hate Crime
- Cyber Crime
- Gender and Crime
- Everyday Surveillance
- Emotions in Crime and Criminal Justice
All core modules are guaranteed to run. Optional modules will vary from year to year and the published list is indicative only.
Career Opportunities
Enhancing employability skills
To complement these attributes will be a host of transferrable skills, which employers from many contrasting industries frequently look for.
You’ll benefit from visiting professors from various applied psychology settings such as healthcare, clinical psychology, police and specialist academics in other universities.
You will also, through our Careers and Job Prospects team, be offered the chance to develop and improve your employability through workshops on CVs, career planning and interviews.
Placements
Each of our full-time undergraduate degree courses is available as a sandwich course and we encourage every student to take their third year as a placement year (making the degree a four-year course in total).
Jasanpreet Dhaliwal
I completed my placement at Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust within the CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) department.
Being on placement I have learnt a great deal about the field of psychology. I have also been able to work alongside professionals within the service who are constantly working diligently to support children and young people to overcome their everyday difficulties. I have also shadowed the work of clinical psychologists and therapists through 1:1 clinic meetings and group therapy sessions. I believe being on placement has been a highly rewarding and valuable experience.