Criminology and Psychology with a Year in Industry

Criminology and psychology together address human behaviour from two complementary angles. Criminology examines why crime and deviance occur, how the criminal justice system responds, what works in prevention, and how notions of harm and justice are shaped by society and culture. Psychology investigates how people think, feel, learn, and behave, drawing on biological, cognitive, social, and clinical perspectives to build a scientific understanding of the mind.

Together, the two disciplines develop the kind of rich and multi-level understanding of human behaviour that is particularly relevant to criminal justice, mental health, and social policy contexts.

Royal Holloway and Bedford New College's four-year full-time Criminology and Psychology with a Year in Industry degree is jointly delivered by the Department of Law and Criminology and the Department of Psychology, and is accredited by the British Psychological Society, providing graduates with the opportunity to gain Graduate and Chartered Membership of the Society. The programme has a typical entry tariff of 136 points and includes a year in industry as a structured element, giving you professional experience in a relevant setting before you graduate. As the course describes, you will gain an understanding of crime, criminality, and the criminal justice system alongside the biological, social, clinical, and cognitive factors that influence behaviour, taught by internationally recognised experts.

The year abroad option provides an additional opportunity for international academic experience.

Graduates pursue careers in criminal justice services, probation, the police, social work, mental health support, forensic settings, research, and policy roles. BPS accreditation provides the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership, which is the foundation for further training as a psychologist. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in clinical, forensic, or educational psychology, or in criminology, social policy, or law, developing the specialised expertise that senior professional roles in these fields require.