Psychology with Criminology

Psychology with criminology is a degree that brings together two disciplines with a natural and productive affinity. Psychology provides the scientific tools to understand human thought, emotion, behaviour, and development. Criminology places those tools in the specific context of crime and the criminal justice system, asking why people commit crimes, how victims experience them, and how institutions respond.

Together, they develop the kind of rigorous, empirically grounded understanding of human behaviour that is directly relevant to some of the most important challenges in contemporary society.

At Keele University, this three-year full-time BSc builds expertise in both psychological and criminological theory alongside practical skills in qualitative and quantitative research. You will study the psychological foundations of criminal behaviour, the social and structural factors that shape offending, victimisation and its consequences, and the operation of the criminal justice system, from policing and prosecution to sentencing and rehabilitation. Critical thinking is central to the degree, and you will develop the capacity to evaluate evidence, construct arguments, and engage seriously with complex debates about human behaviour and social justice.

The programme includes a sandwich year, a year abroad option, and work placements, all of which build professional experience alongside academic development. The typical entry tariff is 104 UCAS points.

Graduates of psychology with criminology programmes find careers in the criminal justice system, probation and rehabilitation services, police, forensic psychology, social work, education, healthcare, the charity sector, and research. The combination of psychological understanding and criminological awareness is particularly valued in roles that require working with offenders, victims, or vulnerable people in justice or care settings. Many graduates also pursue postgraduate study in forensic psychology, clinical psychology, criminology, or social work, and the BPS-accredited psychology component provides the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership needed to pursue further professional training as a psychologist.