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Psychology with Criminology [with Placement year]

Entry requirements


GCSE/National 4/National 5

3 GCSEs at grade C, or grade 4, or above, including English and Maths.

UCAS Tariff

104

from a minimum of 2 A Levels (or equivalent).

About this course


Course option

4years

Sandwich | 2024

Subject

Psychology

How do our thoughts and feelings dictate our actions? And is there such a thing as the criminal mind?

These are fascinating questions, and psychology and criminology are equally fascinating fields. You might be interested in both, and wondering which area to specialise in. If that’s the case, our British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited Psychology with Criminology degree is made for you.

We start by looking at the main principles of psychology and criminology. Then, in Years 2 and 3, our optional modules give you the freedom to explore your own interests in more depth.

By studying BSc (Hons) Psychology with Criminology at ARU, you’ll learn from expert tutors who are actively engaged in research work. And you can take advantage of our specialist science facilities too, including laboratories for analysing hair and saliva samples, and measuring electrical activity in the brain.

You’ll learn about criminal profiling and how it offers insights into youth offending, gendered violence, genocide, rape, abuse and other types of crime. You’ll look at media representations of crime, and explore social and developmental psychology.

But we don’t just learn in the classroom. There are field trips to places such as the Old Bailey and Auschwitz. You’ll sit in on live trials in Cambridge Crown Court too, and observe the dynamics of the court room.

In the final year of your course, there’s the chance to learn about offending and offender rehabilitation from trainee forensic psychologists. You’ll also complete a major project within psychology – and define your future career path.

Modules

Year One
The Psychology of Everyday Life
Crime News and Criminology
Clinical and Health Psychology
Criminal Justice in England and Wales
Becoming a Researcher

Year two
Core modules
Research in Action: Statistical Thinking
Research in Action: Qualitative Methods and Psychology in Practice
Social Psychology: Development and Difference
Brain, Body and Mind
Ruskin Module
Optional modules
Intoxicants and Intoxication
Revolving Doors: Punishment and Rehabilitation
Diagnosis and Formulation in Mental Health

Year three
Work placement

Year four
Core modules
Forensic Psychology
Criminology in Policy and Practice
Psychology Project
Optional modules
Negotiating Sex and Gender: Accounts and Accountability
Youth Crime and Aggression
Investigative Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Cognitive Neuroscience
Lifespan Development
Sex, Sexuality and Gender
Psychology in the Workplace
Emotion
Culture and Health
Concepts of Good and Evil
Comparative and Global Criminal Justice
Organised Crime
The Neuroscience of Self
Atypical Development
Groups in Conflict: Social Psychological Issues
Psychological Therapies
Consumer Psychology
Cyberpsychology

Assessment methods

Throughout the course, we’ll use a range of assessment methods to measure your progress. These include written and practical exams, essays, research reports, oral presentations and lab reports. You’ll also write a dissertation (major project) on a subject of your choice.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Cambridge Campus

Department:

School of Psychology and Sport Science

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

80%
Psychology

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Psychology (non-specific)

Teaching and learning

80%
Staff make the subject interesting
90%
Staff are good at explaining things
83%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
83%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

77%
Library resources
82%
IT resources
78%
Course specific equipment and facilities
74%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

78%
UK students
22%
International students
19%
Male students
81%
Female students
71%
2:1 or above
22%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
C

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Psychology (non-specific)

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£17,316
med
Average annual salary
95%
med
Employed or in further education
32%
low
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

22%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
11%
Childcare and related personal services
11%
Caring personal services

20 years ago, this was a specialist degree for would-be psychologists but now it is the model of a modern, flexible degree subject. One of the UK's fastest-growing subject at degree level, and the second most popular subject overall (it recently overtook business studies), one in 23 of all graduates last year had psychology degrees. As you'd expect with figures like that, jobs in psychology itself are incredibly competitive, so to stand a chance of securing one, you need to get a postgraduate qualification (probably a doctorate in most fields, especially clinical psychology) and some relevant work experience. But even though there are so many psychology graduates — far more than there are jobs in psychology, and over 13,800 in total last year — this degree has a lower unemployment rate than average because its grads are so flexible and well-regarded by business and other industries across the economy. Everywhere there are good jobs in the UK economy, you'll find psychology graduates - and it's hardly surprising as the course helps you gain a mix of good people skills and excellent number and data handling skills. A psychology degree ticks most employers' boxes — but we'd suggest you don't drop your maths modules.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Psychology (non-specific)

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£18k

£18k

£21k

£21k

£24k

£24k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
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Psychology
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Sandwich 2024
UCAS Points: 120

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here