Psychology with Forensic Biology

Psychology and forensic biology meet in some of the most absorbing areas of applied science: understanding human behaviour in legal contexts, contributing to criminal investigation, and examining the biological and psychological dimensions of crime and its consequences. Psychology provides the frameworks for understanding cognition, behaviour, motivation and mental health, and their application to questions of criminal responsibility, eyewitness reliability, offender profiling and the impact of crime on victims. Forensic biology applies the techniques of biological science to the analysis of physical evidence, encompassing DNA profiling, trace evidence and the interpretation of biological materials found at scenes and in samples.

At the University of Chester this three-year full-time programme gives you a grounding in both disciplines, with each informing and enriching the other. In psychology you will study the core areas of the discipline, including cognitive, developmental, social and abnormal psychology, developing both theoretical understanding and the research skills expected of psychology graduates. The forensic biology component introduces you to the scientific methods, legal frameworks and analytical techniques that underpin biological evidence in criminal and civil proceedings.

The programme includes a year abroad, giving you exposure to different legal systems and forensic science traditions. The combination of biological laboratory skills and psychological knowledge is distinctive and valued in a field that increasingly requires practitioners who can work across disciplinary boundaries.

Graduates go on to work in forensic science laboratories, police services, probation, youth offending, victim support, the prison service and scientific research. Many continue to postgraduate study in forensic science, forensic psychology, criminology or related areas. The dual scientific and psychological training this degree provides is a strong foundation for any career in which understanding people and evidence together is essential.