Forensic Psychology with Foundation Year

Forensic psychology applies psychological science to the understanding of criminal behaviour and to the legal and justice systems that respond to it. It asks why people commit crimes, how suspects should be interviewed, what factors influence eyewitness testimony and jury decision-making, how offenders can be assessed and rehabilitated, and how psychological expertise can be used within the criminal justice process. The field connects the science of mind and behaviour to the practical and ethical challenges of crime and punishment, making it one of the most socially significant applications of psychology.

At the University of Keele, this four-year full-time BSc with a foundation year is accredited by the British Psychological Society, meaning it fulfils the educational requirements for graduate basis for registration and provides the essential first stage toward professional training as a forensic psychologist. The foundation year builds the mathematical, scientific, and academic preparation needed for the main programme. You will develop a grounding in core psychological topics alongside specialist knowledge of the psychology of crime, investigation, and punishment, understanding how people think, communicate, and act in the contexts that forensic psychology is concerned with.

The typical entry tariff is 72 points.

Forensic psychology graduates pursue a range of careers in the criminal justice system, mental health services, social care, and research. Many go on to postgraduate training in forensic psychology, which is the required pathway toward charteredstatus with the BPS as a forensic psychologist. Other graduates work as probation officers, mental health support workers, researchers in criminology or psychology, or in roles within the police service, prison service, or victim support organisations.

The degree also supports postgraduate study in clinical psychology, criminology, or law.