Forensic Psychology

Forensic psychology applies psychological science to questions arising in legal and criminal justice contexts. It is concerned with understanding criminal behaviour, assessing risk, supporting victims and witnesses, advising courts, and working with offenders in custodial and community settings. The discipline draws on clinical, social, cognitive, and developmental psychology to examine why individuals behave in ways that bring them into contact with the justice system and what interventions might change the course of those trajectories.

At York St John this three-year full-time programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society, which means it provides the Graduate Basis for Chartership required to progress towards postgraduate professional training in psychology. The programme includes a foundation year, a sandwich year, a year abroad, and a work placement, making it one of the most structurally rich programmes available in this field and giving you substantial experience across different settings during your studies. You will apply psychological science to the study of crime from the perspectives of victims, perpetrators, and criminal justice professionals.

Laboratory-based research forms an important part of the curriculum, developing your ability to design, conduct, and critically evaluate psychological research in forensic contexts. The programme builds both theoretical depth and the applied competence needed to work effectively with vulnerable populations and within regulated professional environments.

Graduates of forensic psychology programmes are well prepared for careers in the criminal justice system, including probation services, prisons, police forces, secure hospitals, and the courts. Social work, youth offending teams, victim support services, and community mental health settings are also common destinations. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study, including the Graduate Diploma in Psychology or conversion courses if needed, followed by doctoral training in forensic, clinical, or counselling psychology.

The research skills developed throughout the degree also support entry into academic and policy-facing research roles.