Psychology with Criminology

Psychology and criminology together address questions about human behaviour from complementary angles. Psychology examines how mental processes, social influences, and individual differences shape how people think, feel, and act, and how things go wrong in ways that produce distress and disorder. Criminology examines how certain behaviours come to be defined as criminal, how the criminal justice system operates, and what happens to people who come into contact with it.

Combining the two creates an unusually coherent framework for understanding offending behaviour, victimisation, mental health in forensic contexts, and the psychology of justice.

At Southampton Solent University this programme includes a foundation year, providing a structured entry point for students who need additional academic preparation before the main degree. The full programme runs across four years in full-time mode and includes a sandwich year, meaning a professional placement is embedded in the structure of the degree. Work placement experience is also integrated throughout, so your development as a practitioner is not confined to a single block but runs alongside your academic study.

The programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society, which is significant for graduates who want to pursue a career in professional psychology, as it provides the graduate basis for chartered membership that is a prerequisite for further professional training. You will study the scientific methods used to assess and address psychological conditions, explore the risk factors associated with psychopathological disorders, and develop understanding of how the criminal justice system engages with people who have mental health needs.

Graduates move into careers in forensic and criminal justice settings, mental health services, probation, youth justice, social work, research, and the charity sector. Those who wish to practise as psychologists will need to continue to postgraduate study and supervised practice. Many graduates also go on to further academic study in psychology, criminology, or related applied fields.