Criminology and Psychology with Foundation Year
Sheffield Hallam University
UCAS Code: A102 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
Access - at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2 from a relevant Open College Network accredited course
GCSE/National 4/National 5
English Language or English Literature at grade C or 4 or equivalent Maths at grade C or 4 or equivalent
UCAS Tariff
This must include at least 32 points from one A level or equivalent BTEC National qualifications. For example: CC at A Level MPP in BTEC Extended Diploma. A combination of qualifications, which may include AS levels, EPQ and general studies.
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
**Course summary**
- Prepare for the degree with an extra foundation year at the start.
- Study criminal justice and psychological principles, rules and practices from contemporary academic and practical perspectives.
- Learn analytical and research skills for understanding the nature of crime and human behaviour.
- Learn the real-life applications of criminological and psychological theory to experiences and behaviours.
- Tailor your studies to reflect specialist interests, which enhances independent thinking and creativity.
Benefit from an academically rigorous and career-enhancing education with a joint degree which brings together two related subject areas. You will gain a broad multi-disciplinary understanding of the real life applications of criminology and psychology, and will engage in unique work-related modules designed to give you the practical edge needed in today's competitive employment market. Once you have completed the foundation year, you progress onto the undergraduate degree of BSc (Hons) Criminology and Psychology.
**How you learn**
The course is suitable if you don't meet the entry requirements for our BSc (Hons) Criminology and Psychology course. You share the first year, first semester with Law, Criminology, Sociology, Politics and Psychology foundation students. In the second semester you will complete a module specific to criminology which will prepare you for your transition to your subject specific degree of Criminology and Psychology.
We have highly motivated, knowledgeable and creative staff across the department who bring a breadth and depth of skills and knowledge from the criminal justice sector and the academic community. This enables high quality learning of the core aspects of the discipline, and a range of specialist topics and areas of study.
**You learn through**
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Workshops
- Projects
- Peer learning
- Placement activity
- Visits
- Guest lectures
- Simulation
- Case study analysis
- Online learning resources
**Applied learning
Work placements**
We have excellent links with the local, regional and national criminal justice sector organisations. Local organisations support our provision and provide activities ranging from placements, work experience opportunities, guest lectures and advice on career progression.
You will have the opportunity, should you choose, to arrange a year-long placement in between your third and fourth years. This gives you a real-world experience to prepare you for your future career.
**International opportunities**
You will have the opportunity to study abroad for the second semester of your third year, at institutions, which could include Australia, USA or Canada (subject to the UK’s continued participation in the Erasmus+ programme following the Brexit transition period). You will choose the modules that you study, and get the chance to learn about different cultures and learning styles - as well as traveling to new places and meeting new people.
**Networking opportunities**
The Helena Kennedy Centre ensures that teaching focuses directly and indirectly on ethical and social justice issues related to the social exclusion/inclusion of a range of vulnerable groups and on promoting social access to all available community resources. You are provided with career-related support from department specialists who help with access to graduate opportunities.
Modules
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Introduction To The Psychological, Political, Legal, Criminal Justice And Sociological Sciences 60
The Practice Of Criminology 60
Year 2
Compulsory modules
Criminal Justice 20
Criminological Landscapes 20
Forensic Mental Health 20
Graduate Research And Development 1 20
Graduate Research And Development 2 20
Psychology For Criminologists 20
Year 3
Compulsory modules
Deconstructing Research 20
Living With Justice 20
Offenders And Offending 20
Elective modules
Animal Psychology 20
Disorders Of Language And Reading 20
Exclusion Rights And Justice 20
Experiencing Criminal Justice 20
Holistic Perception 20
Human Sexual Behaviour 20
Inspiring Real World Criminology 20
Introduction To Counselling And Psychotherapy 20
Investigating Cutting Edge Criminology 20
Life Beyond Crime, Substance Use And Offending 20
Professional Practice On Placement 60
Psychology In Everyday Life 20
Social Enterprise For Justice 20
Studies Abroad In Criminology 60
Witnesses And Victims: Forensic Psychology In Practice 20
Year 4
Optional modules
Placement Year
Final year
Compulsory modules
Dissertation 40
Elective modules
21St Century Crime: Threats, Responses And Human Rights 20
Atypical Child Development 20
Comparative Criminal Justice 20
Counselling And Psychotherapy (Theoretical Perspectives) 20
Crime And Justice In The Information Age 20
Criminal Justice Realities 20
Death, Dying And Bereavement 20
Evolutionary Psychology 20
Experiencing Custodial And Community Sentences 20
Forensic Psychology 20
Healthy And Clinical Ageing 20
Making Desistance And Recovery A Reality 20
Organisations Work And Psychology 20
Policing And Crime Reduction 20
Positive Psychology 20
Sex Violence And Extremism 20
Simulating Justice Practice 20
The Psychology Of Education 20
The Psychology Of Sexuality And Gender 20
Understanding Social Justice And Community Action 20
Weapons Of Influence 20
Assessment methods
Coursework
Exams
Practicals
The Uni
Sheffield Hallam University
Sheffield Hallam University
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.
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
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
Sociology
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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
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.
Top job areas of graduates
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.
Sociology
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.
Top job areas of graduates
We have quite a lot of sociology graduates, although numbers fell last year. But graduates still do pretty well. Most sociology graduates go straight into work when they complete their degrees, and a lot of graduates go into jobs in social professions such as recruitment, education, community and youth work, and housing. An important option for a sociology graduate is social work - and we're short of people willing to take this challenging but rewarding career. Sociology is a flexible degree and you can find graduates from the subject in pretty much every reasonable job — obviously, you don't find many doctors or engineers, but you do find them in finance, the media, healthcare, marketing and even IT. Sociology graduates taking further study often branch out into other qualifications, like teaching, law, psychology, HR and even maths, so don’t think a sociology degree restricts you to just one set of options.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Psychology
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£17k
£20k
£22k
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.
Sociology, social policy and anthropology
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£17k
£20k
£25k
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.
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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?
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