Psychology and Criminology

Psychology and criminology are disciplines that each seek to explain human behaviour, but they do so from different angles that turn out to be deeply complementary. Psychology investigates the mind, asking how people think, feel, learn, and behave, and what happens when those processes go wrong. Criminology examines crime and the criminal justice system, asking how societies define, prevent, and respond to harmful behaviour.

When studied together, they allow you to bring psychological insight directly to bear on questions of crime, justice, and social harm.

At the University of Westminster this degree has been designed to give you fluency in both disciplines. You will study core psychological theory and research methods, covering areas such as social psychology, developmental psychology, forensic psychology, and abnormal psychology. Alongside this, you will engage with criminological perspectives on offending, victimisation, policing, the courts, and the prison system.

You will learn to apply psychological models to understanding why people commit crimes, how victims are affected, what makes interventions work, and how criminal justice systems can be reformed. The programme includes the opportunity to take a placement year in industry and a year abroad, along with work placement experience built into the degree itself. These practical dimensions mean you can connect theory with professional practice as you study.

You will develop strong skills in research methods, data analysis, critical thinking, and written communication. The degree meets British Psychological Society requirements and also satisfies QAA standards for criminology, meaning it carries professional recognition in both disciplines.

Graduates go on to careers in the police, probation, prison and youth offending services, forensic psychology, social work, victim support, and policy. Many continue to postgraduate study in forensic psychology, clinical psychology, criminology, or law, using the combined degree as a springboard into professional training. The breadth of the programme makes graduates genuinely versatile across the criminal justice and public sectors.