Psychology with Criminology

Psychology with criminology brings together the scientific study of mind and behaviour with the multidisciplinary field concerned with crime, criminal behaviour and the institutions that respond to it. Psychology provides the foundational scientific tools to understand how people think, learn, decide and respond to social pressures. Criminology draws on sociology, psychology, law and policy to examine why crimes are committed, who commits them, how society defines and responds to criminal behaviour and whether criminal justice institutions achieve their stated aims.

Together they create a degree that is both scientifically rigorous and directly relevant to questions about crime, justice and human behaviour.

At the University of Huddersfield, this three-year programme provides a thorough grounding in both general psychology and criminal psychology, as the university's own description explains. You will study the major areas of psychology alongside criminological theory, the psychology of offending, victimology, forensic psychology, policing, criminal justice policy and penology, developing the analytical and scientific capabilities that both disciplines require. The degree prepares you for a range of careers in which understanding both human psychology and criminal justice is directly relevant, from forensic roles and criminal justice work to research and applied psychology.

The combination of psychology and criminology is one of the most sought-after in the field of criminal justice, and graduates with both scientific grounding and criminological understanding are valued across a range of professional contexts. Those seeking to practise as chartered or forensic psychologists will need to complete further postgraduate professional training after graduating.

Graduates go on to careers in probation, police, prison service, social work, victim support, forensic services, mental health and criminal justice policy, as well as in research and academia. Further study in forensic psychology, criminology or clinical psychology is a well-established route.