Criminology and Psychology

Criminology and psychology is a combination that addresses the study of crime from two complementary angles. Criminology is the social scientific study of crime and the criminal justice system, asking why crime occurs, how it is defined, who commits it and how society responds. Psychology contributes the scientific study of mind, behaviour and individual differences, offering frameworks for understanding the psychological factors that contribute to offending, the impact of victimisation, the assessment of risk, and the design of rehabilitation and prevention programmes.

Together they give you a degree that is particularly well suited to careers at the intersection of justice, behaviour and social care.

At Liverpool Hope, this four-year programme opens with a foundation year, providing the academic grounding needed to engage with degree-level study in both disciplines. You will explore how crime is defined, who makes those definitions and why, and what happens at each stage of the criminal justice system, alongside the psychological theories and research methods that shed light on human behaviour in criminal and forensic contexts. The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad and a work placement, which together give you substantial professional and international experience alongside your academic development.

You will develop research skills in both criminological and psychological traditions, and you will engage with the evidence base for interventions and policies that aim to reduce crime and support victims and offenders.

Graduates move into policing, probation, youth justice, social care, forensic psychology support, offender management, victim advocacy, policy research and the voluntary sector. The combination of criminological and psychological knowledge is particularly valued in roles that require both an understanding of systemic factors and individual behaviour. Many graduates use the degree as a foundation for postgraduate training in forensic psychology, social work or criminal justice.