Psychology and Criminology BA(Hons)

International requirements and visas

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visas and immigration advice

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.

Lab facilities

Mithras House is home to all our School of Humanities and Social Science courses. It has a series of ‘labs’, which may be used for teaching on your course or in your independent research work.

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.

Stats lab
A specialist workspace with computing equipment for statistical analysis and projects involving video and audio editing software. The lab is accessible as a study space to students on psychology courses. 

It is also available to students studying courses involving video and audio recording and editing, such as politics degrees and our creative writing programmes. The stats lab contains eight soundproof booths for recording or transcribing interviews undertaken as part of dissertation research. 

Life lab
A comfortable space with lounge furniture intended for qualitative research with larger groups. Due to its relaxed layout and naturalistic environment, the space is suited to research using focus groups, research using observation-based methods and child research.

The space is also used for teaching on some social science courses, as well as for dissertation research for projects.

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

Design lab
A space housing our extensive collection of historic dress and textiles, which are used in some teaching on our History of Art and Design courses. It 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.

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 2024–25.

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).

Campus where this course is taught

Accommodation

Local area

Maps

Support and wellbeing

Sport at Brighton