Psychology and Criminology BA(Hons)

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Top reasons to choose this course

• Our course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) – the UK’s independent regulator of the psychology profession.
• You will cover all the major branches of psychology – developmental, cognitive, social and biological – and learn the conceptual and historical issues of psychology.
• You will also 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.

• Placement opportunities give you the chance to make industry connections and gain valuable experience.
• Option modules enable you to tailor your degree to suit your personal career goals.
• Our subject-related facilities will provide you with hands-on practical experience.
• Visiting guest speakers enhance your learning by sharing their expertise and giving insight into their organisations. Speakers have come from organisations including:  Eastbourne Foodbank, St Mungo’s, the Troubled Families Programme, Boing Boing and the Trust for Developing Communities.
• We work with MindOut, a local LGBT mental health project, to bring a Living Library to the campus. The library is designed to challenge prejudice and stigma and has trained volunteers who act as ‘books’ to help you explore social issues.

Year 1

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

Modules

• Introduction to Applied Psychology

  You will look at the basic approaches and theories within psychology and consider issues of application in the field. Areas covered include an introduction to applied psychology; cyberpsychology; clinical and counselling psychology; community psychology; gender and sexuality; health psychology; forensic psychology; and positive psychology.

• Developmental Psychology

  This module addresses key issues in child development and lifespan development to provide you with an introduction to the field of developmental psychology. You will examine issues from infancy through middle childhood to adulthood, exploring how people develop through time. Content covers the broad themes of history and theories of childhood development; cognitive development; development through the lifespan; social development; culture and development; and atypical development.

• Psychological Investigations – Foundations

  You will learn the quantitative and qualitative research skills and methods used in psychology and develop expertise in study design, data collection and analysis, and critical thinking. You will also develop the ability to communicate complex information such as research design, data, interpretation of findings and limitations.

• Psychology Investigations – Practical Applications

  You will develop your understanding of research design and analysis, drawing on both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Indicative content includes probability and significance testing; normal distribution and sampling distribution; formulating research questions and choosing appropriate research design and analyses; data preparation and management; and analyses for experimental and correlational designs.

• Criminal Justice Matters

  This module will introduce you to the criminal justice system in England and Wales by exploring its main institutions and agencies, for example, police, courts, prison and probation. You will explore some of the key debates and policies in relation to sentencing, victims and crime prevention. You’ll also 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

  Here you will examine criminological theories from an historical perspective and gain an understanding of the political, social and cultural contexts in which different theories were developed, how they translated to policy, and their strengths, weaknesses and biases in explaining crime and deviance.

Our courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis in order to make sure that what you learn with us is relevant and that your course enables you to develop appropriate skills. When you apply to study with us, we will inform you of any new developments in your chosen programme through Student View.

Year 2

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

Modules

Core modules

• Psychological Investigation: Becoming an Independent Researcher

  This module teaches you about quantitative and qualitative research methods relating to psychology, including advanced experimental design and multivariate analyses. You will gain experience in small-scale research projects and develop skills in reviewing literature, research design, data collection, data analysis and report writing.

• Critical Perspectives on Justice

  This module introduces perspectives on justice as a foundation for other criminology modules. You will explore long-standing and emerging developments and debates relating to justice in the UK and elsewhere and look at ‘mainstream’ criminal justice and new ways of resolving criminal and social harms, including approaches drawn from non-Western traditions. You will also consider the struggles that some segments of society face to secure justice and the factors influencing this.

• Brain, Body and Cognition

  This module covers two core areas of psychology: biological psychology and cognitive psychology. You will gain a foundational knowledge and understanding of the biological basis of behaviour, including biological methods and ethical issues. You’ll explore classic and contemporary theory, research, debate and real-world applications of cognitive functions and their underlying physiology.

• Punishment, Power and the State

  In this module you will learn to apply critical thinking and key criminological concepts to the use of punishment in the criminal justice process. You will look at the penal system and the rationale for its use; examine the history of prisons, how punishment is decided upon and delivered; the prison demographic; the wider implications of the penal system; and the alternatives to orthodox punishment.

• Social Psychology and Individual Differences

  Introducing two main areas of psychology, this module will look at social psychology and the psychology of individual differences. Through theory, research, ethical considerations and real-world applications, it addresses the social, cultural, conceptual and historical issues related to our experiences in the social world and how these are influenced by disposition.

Options*

• Forensic Security

  This module introduces you to forensic psychology with a focus on security. You will explore the psychological and behavioural underpinnings of feelings of security. You’ll look at the psychological factors in various measures – such as raising awareness of crime in the community and identifying the likelihood of becoming a victim of crime – that police, government and security personnel take in ensuring the security of people in the community.

• Community Engagement

  At the heart of this module is a 40-hour voluntary engagement within a local, not-for-profit organisation. You will also explore community engagement theory, reflect on your personal values and aspirations, and develop transferable skills through both theory and practice. You will develop awareness of broad social, structural and economic issues which impact the work of local not-for-profit organisations and the lived experiences of the communities they support.

• Psychology Mental Health and Distress

  This module covers psychological understandings of mental health and distress. It looks at the role of biology, culture and history in the formulation of mental health problems and the role and validity of diagnoses in clinical management. It also evaluates psychological explanations, personal experiences and interventions for mental health and distress.

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

Placements

Spend a year on placement

Gain valuable experience and earn money during an optional placement year following year 2. You’ll return to the final year of your degree with added confidence, real-world experience and valuable contacts. 

A placement year significantly improves your CV, giving you a distinct advantage over others when applying for jobs and starting your career. It will also help you to develop the softer skills such as communication and teamwork.

For the assessed part of your placement, you will create a reflective piece of work on professional practice and skills. 

The university has links with a wide range of organisations including in health, culture and heritage, housing, councils, the police, the probation service, policy think tanks and charities.

Our dedicated Placements and Employability team will support you in getting a placement that meets with your interests and career ambitions. They can help with CVs and cover letter writing, applications, online testing and more. Plus, they’ll provide support and guidance when you’re on placement and make sure that everything is going well.

Other placement opportunities

In your second year, the Community Engagement option module offers the opportunity to work with a local not-for-profit organisation and gain valuable hands-on experience. It’s a great chance 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 in-class teaching covering theories of community engagement, organisational structure and culture, and reflective learning.

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.

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.

You’ll decide which dissertation to focus on, choosing from the Psychology Dissertation –which must be taken and passed for you to be eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the BPS – or the Dissertation where you’ll explore a topic that really interests you.

Modules

Core modules

• Forensic Psychology

  This module will cover key areas of growth and development in forensic psychology and introduce relevant psychological perspectives. It encourages a deeper understanding of psychology in the forensic field and the social and political context in which it is applied. You will explore topics such as justice, expert testimony, witnesses, theories of offending behaviour, and psychological assessment of what is most effective, valued and fair in practice and policy.

• Violence and Society

  In Violence and Society, you will examine how patterns of power, control and dominance permeate society and impact on our social understandings and experiences of violence. You will gain an understanding of the key themes and issues around violence and its macro, cultural and embodied manifestations. By the end of the module, you’ll have a critical awareness of violence as constructed at different levels of society and in different arenas.

• Psychology Dissertation

  The Psychology Dissertation will enable you to initiate, design, conduct, analyse, interpret and report an empirical research study under supervision. As well as a series of lectures, workshops and online resources, you will attend tutorials which will guide extensive independent study culminating in a research report of 8,000 words maximum.

• Dissertation

  This enquiry-based module requires you to write a fully developed, researched and evidenced academic dissertation on a topic of your choice related to your degree programme. You will demonstrate the research, data handling, critical thinking, organisational and writing skills you have developed over the course of your undergraduate study.

Options*

• Ecopsychology and Ecotherapy

  The focus of this module is the relationship between humans, wellbeing and the natural environment set against the backdrop of climate change and wider ecological crisis. You will consider work in psychology and the social sciences which address these issues and how they interrelate, as well as looking at related practical interventions.

• Critical Addiction Studies

  You will study biological and psychological theories and models of addiction during this module and analyse government responses to substance use, including via drug and alcohol policy. You’ll look at historical and contemporary attitudes towards those who use drugs as well as reflecting on your own beliefs about and attitudes towards addiction and addicted people and how these inform and are informed by your experiences of the world.

• Sexualities

  This module will involve studying theoretical and methodological approaches to sex and sexualities, including biological, sexological, postmodern, feminist and queer perspectives. You will examine the role of psychology in defining ‘normal’ or ‘transgressive’ sexualities in historical and political contexts and explore social meanings and cultural representations of sexuality and how these intersect with gender ideologies.

• Psychology of Poverty

  This module will expand your understanding of poverty, social exclusion and related inequalities from several psychological vantage points. It will outline different perspectives on conceptualising, characterising and measuring poverty and you will learn different approaches to consider the impact of poverty on individuals and families while also exploring how poverty gets socially constructed.

• Power in the Psy Disciplines

  This module introduces a range of historical and contemporary uses of psychology and psychiatry which have been or still are ethically contentious. It addresses topics around the institutional and professional power of the ‘psy’ professions. This involves a sensitive and critical exploration of historical accounts, ethical standpoints, lived experiences and the influence of psychology and psychiatry in society.

• Cyberpsychology

  In this module you will explore how interactive technologies affect an individual’s sense of self, experience of relationships and psychological wellbeing. You will also reflect on your own use of interactive media – such as mobile phones, video games, online games, interactive TV, email – and how this shapes your psychological experience.

• Critical Addiction Studies for Criminology

  By analysing and critically engaging with interpretations of addiction during this module, you will develop an understanding of the role of discourse in directing both addiction research and policy. It will enable you to evaluate society’s response to addiction to determine the relative effectiveness of real-world drug policy in different countries and the theories underpinning these approaches.

• Criminology of Borders

  This module applies criminological perspectives to issues associated with migration, its control and its impact on society. You will reflect on the limits of criminology as a discipline and consider the involvement of criminal justice agencies and policies in border control and the criminalisation of migration. You will also explore the construction of irregular migration as ‘deviant’, consider the intersection of immigration and criminal law and look at theoretical understandings of race, colonialism and citizenship.

• Global Issues: Harm, Crime and Power

  This module takes the study of criminology beyond mainstream conceptions of crime, power and harm to enable you to critically analyse a range of contemporary global issues, from human rights abuses to corporate environmental harms. This will give you fresh insights into and new criminological understandings of these global phenomena.

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

Lab facilities

Mithras House has a series of lab spaces, which are used for teaching and student and staff research. 

VR and eye tracking lab
This lab is used for psychological research, specifically:

• eye-tracking research – eye-tracking (using an eye-tracking nano bar and eye-tracking glasses) is used to study visual attentional patterns across areas including CCTV observation and analysis, marketing and advertising research, and police and offender perceptions

• virtual reality research – VR allows participants to immerse themselves in virtual environments, so that researchers can study typically impractical situations. Research areas include the effects of virtual interactions, phobias, wellbeing, mediation, and city architecture

• measuring physiological responses within participants in response to external stimuli – equipment includes an electroencephalography (EEG) headset and Electrodermal Activity (EDA) equipment.

The space has adjustable lighting and a blackout blind for maintaining consistent lighting conditions during eye-tracking research, as well as sensors set up in the room to allow individuals to move freely around the room during virtual reality research.

Stats lab
A specialist workspace with computing equipment for statistical analysis and projects involving video and audio editing software. The lab contains eight acoustically treated booths for both recording and transcribing interviews undertaken as part of dissertation research and for recording and editing podcasts. The lab is accessible as a study space to students on psychology courses. 

Applied cognition lab
A dedicated research space for psychological research involving measures such as electrodermal activity (EDA) and electroencephalography (EEG). The space is designed to allow the participant and researcher to sit at separate desks whilst psychophysiological data is being collected. 

Life lab
The Life lab is fitted with lounge furniture to provide a comfortable space for conducting qualitative research with larger groups. The lab can be used to conduct research activities with children of all ages and can be used for meetings and events. The room also contains a dedicated space to conduct assessed role play or interviews with children.

City lab
This is a qualitative research methods and creative methods resource for all students, staff and researchers, as well as research participants, including children, community groups and the general public. It can also be used for a range of meetings and events. The City lab contains a kitchen, a teaching/meeting room with enhanced acoustic isolation and two meeting spaces that can be separated with a screen or combined to accommodate larger groups.

Community lab
A space designed for collaborative student learning, the Community lab is used by students and staff involved in the university’s Global Challenges programme – our collective mission to contribute towards solutions to tackle the pressing issues facing our world.

Design lab
Housing our extensive collection of historic dress and textiles which are used in some teaching on our History of Art and Design courses, this has the space and equipment to work on textile projects. Displays created by students on these programmes are on view in the social spaces of the building.

Take a video tour of the labs with technicians Andrea and Grace 

Meet the team

Shanu Sadhwani, course leader

Shanu is a specialist in 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 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 2025–26.

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

• Brighton Boost – cost of living help for our new undergrad students. Find out about how we can help with your study, accommodation or travel costs and more...
• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• Read our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf) for more on University of Brighton tuition fees.

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