Psychology with Criminology
Explore the fascinating realms of psychology and criminology on our joint honours degree, with hands-on experience in our £45m Science Centre.
in the country for the number of graduates going into paid employment or further study.
Source: GOS
How do our thoughts and feelings dictate our actions? And is there such a thing as the criminal mind?
These are interesting questions, and psychology and criminology are equally interesting fields. You maybe intrigued by both, and wondering which area to specialise in. If that’s the case, our British Psychological Society accredited degree is perfect 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 – and define your future career path.
Achieve a second-class honours degree or above, and you’ll be eligible for graduate chartered membership of the British Psychological Society. It’s your first step towards becoming a chartered psychologist.
What is an accredited course?
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Explore the realms of psychology and criminology on our joint honours degree, with hands-on experience in our Science Centre in Cambridge.
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Our degrees are accredited by the British Psychological Society and delivered in our world-class Science Centre with dedicated Psychology labs -
Gain unique experiences at live trials at the Crown Court and the Old Bailey
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Bring the world of work to life through Live Briefs; designed and developed with regional employers to give you exposure to ‘real world’ problem-solving
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Explore world-leading research with 98% of our Psychology research being recognised as internationally significant (REF 2023)
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We offer support with the cost of living, and Psychology courses deliver compressed teaching across three days of the week, freeing your time for work experience
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Study abroad opportunities
Study at an award-winning university
We were named Times Higher Education University of the Year 2023. We've also been awarded a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework – a reflection of the outstanding education we offer our students.
Careers
I appreciated the fact that lecturers who were working in the field or who had researched specific topics for years were actually the ones teaching.
As a Psychology with Criminology graduate, a range of careers is open to you.
We have strong links with the local probation service and the police, so you’ll have the opportunity to gain work experience while studying – and ultimately pursue a career in this area.
Achieve a second-class honour degree or higher and you’ll also be eligible for graduate chartered membership of the British Psychological Society, which is your first step towards becoming a chartered psychologist.
Teaching and modules
Being part of both the Psychology and Criminology departments allows students to concentrate more on one discipline during their final year, should they wish.
As a Psychology with Criminology student, 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.
There are field trips to observe the dynamics of the court room, and the chance to learn about offending and offender rehabilitation from trainee forensic psychologists.
Our course also features a range of optional modules so you can start to specialise in areas of particular interest to you.
Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.
- Introduction to Contemporary Issues in Criminology (30 credits)
- The Psychology of Everyday Life (15 credits)
- Becoming a Researcher (30 credits)
- Clinical and Health Psychology (15 credits)
- Criminal Justice in England and Wales (15 credits)
- Into ARU
- Research in Action: Statistical Thinking (15 credits)
- Research in Action: Qualitative Methods and Psychology in Practice (15 credits)
- Social Psychology: Development and Difference (30 credits)
- Brain, Body and Mind (30 credits)
- Ruskin Module (15 credits)
- Intoxicants and Intoxication (15 credits) *
- Revolving Doors: Punishment and Rehabilitation (15 credits) *
- Diagnosis and Formulation in Mental Health (15 credits) *
- Forensic Psychology (15 credits)
- Criminology in Policy and Practice (15 credits)
- Psychology Project (30 credits)
- Psychological Assessment (15 credits) *
- Professional Skills in Clinical Settings (15 credits) *
- Cognitive Neuroscience (15 credits) *
- Stress and Stress Management (15 credits) *
- Exploitation, Trafficking and Sexual Violence (15 credits) *
- Youth, Crime and Aggression (15 credits) *
- Investigative Psychology (15 credits) *
- Psychology in the Workplace (15 credits) *
- Lifespan Development (15 credits) *
- Sex, Sexuality and Gender (15 credits) *
- Emotion (15 credits) *
- Culture and Health (15 credits) *
- Concepts of Good and Evil (15 credits) *
- Comparative and Global Criminal Justice (15 credits) *
- Organised Crime (15 credits) *
- The Neuroscience of Self (15 credits) *
- Atypical Development (15 credits) *
- Groups in Conflict: Social Psychological Issues (15 credits) *
- Psychological Therapies (15 credits) *
- Consumer Psychology (15 credits) *
- Cyberpsychology (15 credits) *
To prepare you for university study, you can take a foundation year at the start of this course. Find out more about foundation years.
- Interactive Learning Skills and Communication
- Information and Communication Technology
- Critical Thinking
- Maths for Scientists
- Intercultural Studies
- Ethics
- Biology: Physiology
- Psychology
You can choose to take an optional placement year as part of this course. Placements typically happen in Year 3, and your course will take four years overall. Find out more about placement years.
- Work Placement - Psychology and Sport Sciences (120 credits)
At ARU, you’ll learn from expert tutors who are actively engaged in research work in their specialist field.
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Dr Elena SakkalouSenior Lecturer
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Dr Flavia CardiniCourse Leader
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Dr Eimear LeeDeputy Head of School
Facilities
At ARU you’ll use psychology labs in our state-of-the-art Science Centre. There are dedicated labs for EEG, perception, biomarker analysis, neuroscience and more.
Our labs house commercial software packages and specialist psychological equipment such as:
- PowerLab devices for monitoring emotional and physiological response
- a portable Nexus device, for recording similar activity outside the lab
- a Tobii Pro 300TX eyetracker
- driving simulator
- Oculus Rift VR headset
- visual and acoustic stimulation systems
- functional near-infrared spectroscopy
- 64-channel Brain Vision EEG/ERP system.
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Hear from ARU Senior Lecturer Dr Jane Aspell in this Springpod Subject Spotlight. Watch the full lecture on Springpod.
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Work in specialist psychology labs and our £45m science centre to get hands-on research experience. Discover our labs.
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Use virtual reality headsets, eye trackers, driving simulators and more.
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Monitor physiological and brain activity in our specialist labs and analyse biomarkers such as cortisol and testosterone in saliva and hair samples.
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Entry requirements
Fees and funding
Apply for Psychology with Criminology
Clearing places available
UK students, apply through Clearing for a September 2025 start
UK students
Call our Clearing line
01245 686868
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