Criminology and Psychology

Criminology and psychology together offer a powerful lens for understanding human behaviour and the social systems built to manage it. Criminology examines crime not merely as individual deviance but as a social, cultural and political phenomenon, exploring the way law and criminal justice are constructed, contested and experienced. Psychology brings a complementary focus on the individual, examining cognition, emotion, development, mental health and the processes underlying behaviour.

Together they allow you to ask questions that neither discipline could fully answer alone: why do people offend, how should we respond, and what does the evidence actually tell us?

At the University of Plymouth you will develop a grounded understanding of criminological theory and research alongside the core principles of psychology, including perception, learning, personality and social influence. You will gain skills in gathering, critically evaluating and ethically using evidence, both from academic research and from official and media sources about crime. The programme runs over three years full time and includes a sandwich year in industry, a year abroad and work placement opportunities, giving you a genuinely varied experience that connects academic study to professional practice and international perspectives.

Graduates are well prepared for careers across the criminal justice system, including probation, policing, prison service, youth offending and victim support, as well as social work, mental health services, research and policy roles. The combination of criminological and psychological knowledge is particularly valued in settings where understanding behaviour and managing risk are central, such as forensic mental health and rehabilitation programmes. Further study at postgraduate level in forensic psychology, criminology or applied social research is a common route for those who wish to develop specialist expertise.