Psychology and Criminology BA(Hons)

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Course structure

The Psychology and Criminology degree course covers all of the major branches of psychology: developmental, cognitive, social and biological. It also teaches the conceptual and historical issues of psychology along with the research methods used in its academic practice, while giving you the chance to explore modern subdisciplines such as cyberpsychology and ecopsychology.

The criminology side of the course examines different explanations for crime, its link to dangerous or irresponsible people and whether it is a consequence of deprived social circumstances. We also consider the role and performance of different agencies within the criminal justice system, including the police, courts and prison service.

You’ll learn through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops, group tutorials, individual tutorials, guided independent study and self-directed study. In year 2 there is an opportunity of a placement with a local organisation.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up-to-date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you will be told about any new developments through Student View.

Year 1

Year 1 will introduce you to both disciplines and to research methods, which you will later apply yourself in your own research work.

Modules

• Introduction to Applied Psychology

  You will be introduced to the basic approaches and theories within psychology and consider issues of application in the field.

• Developmental Psychology

  The module will introduce you to key theories and topics in child development and lifespan development. You'll examine issues from infancy through middle-childhood to adulthood to explore how people develop through time. The module provides an historical, biological, social and cultural context for studying child development, and life-span development to help you frame the theoretical perspectives presented.

• Psychological Investigations – Foundations

  The module introduces you to quantitative and qualitative research skills and methods used in psychology. You'll develop expertise in study design, data collection and analysis, as well as critical thinking and communicating complex information.

• Psychology Investigations – Practical Applications

  Building on Psychology Investigation – Foundations, this module enables you to further develop your range of quantitative and qualitative research skills and methods used in psychology.

• Criminal Justice Matters

  This module will introduce you to the criminal justice system in England and Wales by exploring its main institutions and agencies: eg. police, courts, prison and probation. You'll explore some of the key debates and policies in relation to sentencing, victims and crime prevention. You will gain an understanding of the politics and controversies in criminal justice and develop your skills in identifying, analysing information and presenting coherent arguments.

• Theories of Crime

  On this module you will examine criminological theories from an historical perspective, and gain an understanding of the political, social and cultural context in which different theories were developed, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of their current application.

Year 2

In year 2, you will focus in on other core areas of psychology (for example, developmental psychology and social psychology) and learn about practical methods of crime control.

Modules

• Psychology, the Body and Individual Differences
• Psychology, Cognition and Social Worlds
• Punishment, Power and the State
• Critical Perspectives on Justice
• Psychological Investigations: Becoming an Independent Researcher

Options*

• Community Engagement: Theory into Practice
• Forensic Security

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Final year

Your final year at Brighton will give you significant room for choice as you decide which areas of criminology or psychology you would most like to pursue.

Modules

• Dissertation OR Psychology Dissertation
  (the psychology dissertation must be taken and passed to be eligible for graduate basis of chartered membership of the BPS)
• Violence and Society
• Forensic Psychology

Options*

• Cyberpsychology
• Global Issues: Crime, Power, Harm
• Criminology of Borders
• Critical Addiction Studies for Criminology OR Critical Addiction Studies
• Ecopsychology and Ecotherapy

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Facilities

Our multi-purpose Psychology Resource Laboratories have a range of high-tech facilities including:

• an applied cognition lab
• a creative methods lab for interactive experiments and focus groups
• experimental booths for one-to-one computer-based experiments
• mobile eye tracker, eye-tracking glasses and psychophysiology measuring kit.

You will also benefit from an open-access teaching space and a dedicated psychology technician who will support your experiments.

Click the image about to view a virtual tour of our Psychology Resources Laboratories.

Placements

In your second year the Community Engagement option module offers the opportunity to engage with a local not-for-profit organisation and gain valuable hands-on experience. It is a great opportunity to develop your vocational skills and gain practical work experience while contributing to the wider community.

You will spend around 50 hours volunteering with an organisation, often working with vulnerable people, in sometimes challenging situations. This will be supported and underpinned by organisational training, tutor support and by in-class teaching covering theories of community engagement, organisational structure and culture, and reflective learning.

We will help you find a placement that is right for you from the range of local organisations who choose to work with our students.

Previous students have had placements with organisations including:

• CCHF All About Kids
• Centre for Ecotherapy
• Connect
• Samaritans
• MS Society
• Fresh Start
• Alzheimer's Society
• Sussex Prisoners’ Families
• Age UK
• YMCA
• MindOut
• Trust for Developing Communities
• Healthwatch Brighton & Hove.

During the placement you could be carrying out a piece of consultancy or gaining practical experience in a specific context relating to an area of possible future work.

Making an active contribution to the local community during your course will not only help you to better society but will also improve your knowledge and look great on your CV.

You'll learn from external speakers drawn from the wider community who visit to give guest lectures. You will also produce a portfolio where you will reflect on your experiences and learning, with reference to practice examples and reflective theory.

The module also includes CV design and building, working on applications and interviews, developing reflective learning skills and time management.

Meet the team

Shanu Sadhwani, course leader

Shanu is a specialist of psychology and behavioural medicine. She teaches across a range of modules, specialising in applying social psychology theories, health-related behaviours, and qualitative approaches. Her key interest is in the lived experience of illness and how to sustain healthy behaviour. She is particularly interested in aging and has conducted research in dementia prevention and diagnosis, as well as in how deprivation affects health and health behaviours. Read Shanu's full profile.

Other key members of the team

• Dr Gemma Graham
• Dr Carl Walker
• Orly Klein
• Dr James Ravenhill
• Dr Rebecca Grist
• Dr Linda Tip
• Dr Hannah Cassidy

Course fees

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2023–24.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate and postgraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• About the university’s fees by checking our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

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