BSc (Hons) Criminology and Criminal Justice with Psychology

Overview:

Criminology and psychology inhabit a rapidly changing world and through this course you will study not one, but two topical, challenging and fascinating disciplines.

Covering two distinct and yet complementary areas of study, this major minor Criminology with Psychology degree allows you to study the fundamental elements of each discipline.

Not only will you be able to gain an advanced understanding of crime and criminal justice systems, but you’ll be able to consider the psychology of crime in relation to such issues, making for a stimulating programme of study.

The ability to combine two academic disciplines is also a great way of broadening your knowledge base and opening up opportunities for a wide range of interesting career options.

Typical A-Level Offer
CCC (this is equivalent to 96 UCAS tariff points).

Typical Welsh BACC Offer
Pass the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate Diploma with Grade C in the Skills Challenge Certificate and CC at A Level (this is equivalent to 96 UCAS tariff points).

Typical BTEC Offer
BTEC Extended Diploma Merit Merit Merit (this is equivalent to 96 UCAS tariff points)

Typical Access to HE Offer
Pass the Access to HE Diploma and obtain a minimum of 96 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.

Entry Requirements

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 its 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

WHAT YOU WILL STUDY

You will study a mix of criminology and psychology modules throughout the course. Each year your studies will focus on a series of criminology modules which will be supplemented with additional psychology study.

Year One

Perspectives In Criminology: Developmental Criminology
Becoming a Criminologist
Inside the criminal justice system
Perspectives In Criminology: Power and Society
Critical Perspectives in Psychology

Year Two

Prisons and Imprisonment
Contemporary Issues in Substance Misuse (Optional)
Applied Criminological Inquiry
Understanding VAWDASV
Work Experience (Optional)
From Cells to Consciousness
Lifespan Development in the Social Context

Year Three

Health Psychology across the Lifespan
Forensic Psychology
Dissertation (Optional)
Working in Industry (Optional)
Social Justice Internship (Optional)
Applied Criminal Investigation (Optional)
Understanding Homicide (Optional)
Green Criminology: Animal abuse and Environmental harms (Optional)
Terrorism, Security & Extremism (Optional)

Mae modiwlau cyfrwng Cymraeg yn cynnwys | Welsh Module options are:

Blwyddyn Un

Dod yn Droseddegwr

Blwyddyn Dau

Carchardai a Charcharu
Ymholiad Troseddegol Cymhwysol

Blwyddyn Tri

Traethawd Hir
Gweithio mewn Diwydiant
Interniaeth Cyfiawnder Cymdeithasol

Teaching

The Criminology with Psychology degree is taught through a combination of lectures, discussion based or practical seminars, participative workshops and tutorials. There is a strong emphasis on research methods and you will develop your practical psychology skills in our purpose-built laboratories. We also invite guest speakers from a range of professions, such as the youth service, the police and the various branches of psychology.

Studying through the medium of Welsh

At least 40 credits of this course can be studied through the medium of Welsh, and specific scholarships, including the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Scholarships are available to students who choose to do so.

RESEARCH-INFORMED TEACHING

The Centre for Criminology has a long history of research on the probation service and custodial institutions, and related topics such as the rehabilitation and resettlement of offenders, effectiveness and accountability in policy and practice, inter-agency partnerships and relationships between the criminal justice system, the Third Sector and the UK and Welsh governments. It also conducts high-quality research into the use of drugs and alcohol, violence and homicide, and criminal investigation.

Assessment

You will usually have to complete coursework as you progress, and normally sit exams at the end of each academic year.

COURSE DETAILS

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.

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.

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.

CAREERS

The course gives you a solid foundation for professional training in social work, probation, youth justice, youth and community work and research. Other popular career routes include the police, prison service and other criminal justice agencies, as well as protection and victim support services. From social workers and counsellors to clinical psychologists, our recent graduates have attained positions in a variety of roles across the country.

The ability to master two academic subjects demonstrates a high level of organisational skill and enables you to enter a variety of rewarding careers. Besides gaining knowledge of two complementary subjects, you will develop key skills that employers value such as evaluating evidence and making conclusions, writing reports, the application of IT and the confidence to present logical reasoned arguments. Many of our graduates are also seen as attractive employment options because of their critical and independent thinking, analytical skills and knowledge of today’s society.

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.

Fees

Full time

Complete your degree in the shortest possible time and study flexibly – when and where suits you!

£7,250

You’ll study 9 modules in total (approx. 37 hrs/week).

Part time option one

Study for a degree whilst fitting it around your work, care and other life commitments.

£4,250

You’ll study 6 modules per year (approx. 25 hrs/week).

Part time option two

Take time to study and spread the tuition fees over a longer period – at no extra cost.

£5,500

You’ll study 4–5 modules per year (approx. 19 hrs/week).

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