BSc (Hons) Psychology with Criminology and Criminal Justice
Are you fascinated by the inner workings of the human mind and how this affects criminal behaviour? By studying Psychology in combination with Criminology, you’ll have the opportunity to explore why people break laws and how society deals with offenders.
Your Psychology with Criminology degree will comprise two-thirds psychology, with the other third in criminology. By studying two complementary subjects together, you’ll enhance your knowledge and skills to access a broader range of exciting career options.
The Psychology with Criminology degree is recognised by the British Psychological Society (BPS) for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership, which is the first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist. You’ll also be eligible to apply for specialist professional training, provided you achieve 2:2 Honours or higher, thus further expanding your knowledge of this fascinating field and enhancing your employability.
Get a glimpse of what it's like to study at USW before you apply
The first two years of your Psychology with Criminology degree will be focused on coverage of psychology core areas as required by the British Psychological Society for accreditation.
You will take 80 credits of compulsory psychology modules in each of your first and second years as well as 40 credits in criminology. In your final year, you will take a compulsory 40 credit dissertation plus a 20 credit specified psychology module and a 20 credit specified criminology module alongside two optional modules, one in psychology and one in criminology.
You can also undertake a sandwich year placement, which provides you with the opportunity to spend a year working in a professional setting between the second and third year of your degree. This provides you with a fantastic opportunity to develop your employability skills while engaging with the community and building on the knowledge and experience of your degree.
Year One: Psychology with Criminology Degree
- Investigating Methods and Evidence in Psychology - 40 credits
- Perspectives in Psychology - 20 credits
- Critical Readings in Psychology - 20 credits
- Understanding Criminal Justice - 20 credits
- Understanding Crime, Victims and Society - 20 credits
Year Two: Psychology with Criminology Degree
- Using Methods in Psychology - 20 credits
- Professional Practice and Employability - 20 credits
- From Cells to Consciousness - 20 credits
- Lifespan Development and the Social Context - 20 credits
- Policing - 20 credits
- Penology: Prisons, Punishment and the Offender - 20 credits
Year Three: Psychology with Criminology Degree
- Advanced Research Methods: Dissertation - 40 credits
- Forensic Psychology - 20 credits
- Critical Issues in Criminal Investigations - 20 credits
Plus one option from the psychology options below:
- Health Psychology Across the Lifespan - 20 credits
- Psychological Disorders and Therapeutic Interventions - 20 credits
- Forensic Psychology - 20 credits
- Applications of Social Psychology - 20 credits
- Cognitive Neuropsychology and Neuroscience - 20 credits
- The Psychology of Education and Work - 20 credits
And one option from the list of criminology options below:
- Terrorism, Security and the War on Terror - 20 credits
- Understanding Homicide - 20 credits
- Contemporary issues in Youth Crime - 20 credits
Teaching
The Psychology with Criminology degree is delivered through lectures, seminars, workshops, individual/small group supervision and independent study. You will also have the opportunity to attend guest lectures given by academic staff from other institutions and professional psychologists who work in different areas of practise.
You will also be given the opportunity to learn about psychology in new ways and no two modules are entirely the same in terms of delivery and assessment. You will complete coursework including essays, practical reports, oral presentations and case studies. There will also be some examination assessments (seen and unseen) and in-class tests.
Assessment
You will complete a range of different class activities including group discussions, debates, case studies and in-class projects. In fact one of the most exciting things about this course is that you experience a great range of delivery and assessment methods.
Accreditations
The British Psychological Society (BPS) has accredited this Psychology with Criminology course, which gives you eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with the Society when you graduate. Registration will open the way for postgraduate professional training in areas such as clinical, educational, health and occupational psychology, as you progress to become a chartered psychologist.
Placements
Psychology Plus aims to enhance your skills and give you an advantage in the graduate jobs market or applications for further study. You’ll have the opportunity to gain clinical experience at our on campus clinics, and complete specialist short courses, professional certificates and work placements – altogether a great boost to your CV.
Our Behaviour Analysis Clinic specialises in treating the behavioural challenges associated with a wide range of disorders, including autism, learning disabilities, ADHD, and conduct disorder.
Every student is guaranteed, if they want it during their undergraduate studies, a six-week placement in our Behaviour Analysis Clinic based at the Treforest Campus. This clinic offers applied behaviour analytic intervention for children five and under typically with a diagnosis of autism. The clinic is largely run by student volunteers under the supervision of a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst.
Facilities
Facilities include observation and interview rooms equipped with a two-way mirror, CCTV and audio, which allows research and interview practice sessions to be conducted and recorded. We also have a custom-built air conditioned PC laboratory which provides access to specialist software for running psychology experiments and conducting careers guidance interviews.
The Cognitive Neuropsychology Suite houses specialist psychology equipment such as eye tracking equipment, EEG (electroencephalogram) and ECG (electrocardiogram) facilities for recording electrical activity in the heart and scalp and a driving simulator.
The University offers a wide range of psychological services to the general public through our psychology clinics which include autism, behaviour analysis, health and sport psychology interventions.
Lecturers
Dr Gareth Miles, course leader
We regularly revalidate courses for quality assurance and enhancement
At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.
If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.
The entry criteria below reflect our standard entry requirements for the course for September 2023. However, all applications received by the University are reviewed holistically and individually. Entry criteria for September 2024 is changing and will be published on ucas.com from 8th May 2023. Entry criteria for September 2024 will be updated on our website from the end of October 2023.
Contextual offers
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions. USW prides itself on it’s a student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university. Here is a link to our Contextual Admissions Policy.
Other qualifications and experience
We can also consider combinations of qualifications and other qualifications not listed here may also be acceptable. We can sometimes consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or advanced entry to year two or three of a course where this is possible.
To find out which qualifications have tariff points, please refer to the UCAS tariff calculator.
If you need more help or information or would like to speak to our friendly admissions team, please contact us here
Typical A-Level Offer
BCC - CDD to exclude General Studies (this is equivalent to 104-80 UCAS tariff points).
Typical Welsh BACC Offer
Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C/D in the Skills Challenge Certificate and BC - CD at A Level to exclude General Studies (this is equivalent to 104-80 UCAS tariff points).
Typical BTEC Offer
BTEC Extended Diploma Distinction Merit Merit - Merit Merit Pass (this is equivalent to 112-80 UCAS tariff points).
Typical Access to HE Offer
Pass the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 80 UCAS tariff points
Additional Requirements
GCSEs: The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.
International Entry Requirements
We also welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications. Please visit the country specific pages on our international website for exact details.
English Requirements
In general, international applicants will need to have achieved an overall IELTS grade of 6.0 with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component.
However, if you have previously studied through the medium of English IELTS might not be required, but please visit the country specific page on our international website for exact details. If your country is not featured please contact us.
Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee will remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course.
August 2023 - July 2024 Fees
Full-time UK: £9000
Full-time International: £14400
Part-time UK: £740 per 20 credits
August 2024 - July 2025 Fees
Full-time UK: TBC
Full-time International: TBC
Part-time UK: TBC
Student Perks
At the University of South Wales, you’re investing in so much more than a degree. We strive to provide our students with the best possible experience, no matter what you chose to study. Whether it’s access to top of the range mac books and PCs, state-of-the-art facilities packed with industry-leading equipment and software, masterclasses and events led by industry experts, or a wide range of clubs and societies to meet likeminded people, better tomorrows start with extra perks.
Each course also has their own unique student benefits to prepare you for the real word, and details of these can be found on our course pages. From global field trips, integrated work experience and free course-related resources, to funded initiatives, projects working with real employers, and opportunities for extra qualifications and accreditations - at USW your future, is future-proofed.
Click here to learn more about student perks at USW.
Additional Costs
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
* Obligatory
| Item | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| DBS (Optional) | £55.42 | A DBS is not obligatory for the course. It will only be required if a specific placement of dissertation project working with children or vulnerable groups is required. This fee includes £40 for the enhanced DBS certificate, the Post Office Administration fee and the online administration fee. |
| DBS Updating Service | £13 | Whilst optional it is strongly recommended signing up for this service especially if you are likely to have placements each year and wish to pursue a career post University where a DBS check is a requirement. Please note the service has to be joined within 19 days of receipt of your enhanced DBS certificate. |
| Other: Travel to placement location | Cost is dependent on placement location |
Funding
Funding to help pay for (or cover) course tuition fees and living costs
Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).
To learn about course fees, funding options, and to see if you are eligible for financial support, visit our Fees and Funding pages.
UK students
Apply via UCAS if you are a UK residing applicant, applying for year one of a full-time undergraduate degree, Foundation Year, Foundation Degree or HND and you have not applied through UCAS before. If you are applying to study part-time, to top up your Foundation Degree or HND, or to transfer to USW from another institution, please apply directly.
International and EU students
Apply directly to the University if you live outside the UK.
Through studying psychology with criminology, you will develop a range of transferable skills that are highly sought-after by employers. These include analytical and communication skills, problem solving and report-writing skills and the ability to apply key concepts.
Some graduates successfully complete professional training or postgraduate study, others establish careers in social work, the police, criminal justice agencies, as well as protection and victim support services. Other professional careers, such as marketing, journalism and human resources would benefit from the transferable skills you acquire during your psychology with criminology degree.
Employability and career development is built into this course alongside more traditional academic study and we work closely with employers to ensure the skills and knowledge of our graduates meet the demanding requirements of today’s workplace. We invite guest speakers from a range of professions, such as the various branches of psychology, youth service and the police to come to talk to our students and offer them the opportunity to learn not only about ‘hands on’ practical concerns but also about potential careers.
Our Careers and Employability Service
As a USW student, you will have access to advice from the Careers and Employability Service throughout your studies and after you graduate.
This includes: one-to-one appointments from faculty based Career Advisers, in person, over the phone or even on Skype and through email via the "Ask a Question" service. We also have extensive online resources for help with considering your career options and presenting yourself well to employers. Resources include psychometric tests, career assessments, a CV builder, interview simulator and application help. Our employer database has over 2,000 registered employers targeting USW students, you can receive weekly email alerts for jobs.
Our Careers service has dedicated teams: A central work experience team to help you find relevant placements; an employability development team which includes an employability programme called Grad Edge; and an Enterprise team focused on new business ideas and entrepreneurship.
The Pontypridd Campus is made up of two sites: Treforest and Glyntaff. Our students love the community atmosphere, as well as living and studying in the same place. It’s quieter than the cities, with green open spaces and views across the valley.
It’s the community and friendships you’ll build that make this place special. Outside your studies you can experience our amazing sport facilities and Students’ Union.
Living in Halls is a great way to meet new people and make friends. We have high quality accommodation in Treforest, Cardiff and Newport.