Criminology and Forensic Psychology BSc (Hons)
Subject and course type
- Law, Criminal Justice and Criminology
- Psychology
- Undergraduate
Begin your career in the justice system with a Criminology and Forensic Psychology BSc (Hons) at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ. Explore what causes crime and how we might prevent it by studying within the context of London’s criminal courts.
You are reading:
Explore the psychology of crime and the workings of the criminal justice system
Investigate crime prevention and ways to limit the harm caused by crime.
Our degrees in the Kingston School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences are underpinned by a vibrant research culture. Our TEF Gold standard teaching is delivered by a blend of practitioners and academics, who are dedicated to equipping you with the employability skills to thrive in your career. You will have a wealth of opportunities outside the classroom to further your learning and to prepare for employment in the criminal justice system.
We are also located conveniently close to London's many high-profile law institutions and renowned criminal courts. As such, you will have the opportunity to attend a London Crown Court and visit a forensic crime scene house. You'll also have the option to study in a partner university abroad for a year to gain an international perspective on your studies and experience a different culture.
Why choose this course
Our Criminology and Forensic Psychology course examines the causes and consequences of crime. You’ll investigate crime prevention, ways to limit the harm caused by crime and the workings of the criminal justice system (including policing and punishment).
You'll study individual motivations, psychological influences and the social, cultural and political environments that surround crime. There are advanced modules on the context of crime, criminalisation and investigation, criminal behaviour and therapy. You can also explore your area of interest in greater depth in your dissertation project. As well as subject-specific expertise, you'll graduate with skills in data analysis, communication, team working and project management.
To help you achieve your goals and develop the necessary experience and skills, this course has an integrated internship module and the option of a placement year. Our range of authentic assessments also mimic real-world tasks relevant to future employment.
You’ll learn from guest speakers from a range of relevant organisations and work on live briefs from real-world organisations as part of your assessment. To date, we have worked with local government, charities working on supporting and reintegrating offenders, and campaign organisations. By completing this assessment, you’ll not only learn vital skills for future employment but also help the organisation achieve part of their mission.
Prepare for global impact
Kingston School of Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences offers courses in economics, sociology, law, psychology and criminology. Our degrees are underpinned by a vibrant research culture and delivered by a blend of practitioners and academics who are dedicated to equipping you with the employability skills to thrive in your career.
Course content
Take a look at some of the content and modules that you may have the opportunity to study on this course. Please note: Optional modules only run if there is enough demand. If we have an insufficient number of students interested in an optional module, that module will not be offered for this course.
Foundation year: Social Sciences
If you would like to study this degree at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ but are not yet ready to join the first year of a BSc (Hons) course, you may want to consider studying this course with a foundation year.
Year 1
In your first year, you'll cover the core theories and explanations for crimes, crime investigation and the criminal justice system. You'll be introduced to the foundations of Forensic Psychology and will develop your research methods skills.
Core modules
30 credits
This module will focus your attention on how social scientists have utilised a range of qualitative and quantitative methods to research social life in its various forms. This module grounds your understandings of research methods through the practical application of data collection and analysis, and critical reflection on the research process. You will gain hands-on experience of research skills throughout the module that can be applied to future study and employability.
You will also be introduced to Future Skills through engagement with Navigate; an innovative programme designed to support your personal and professional development, and your ability to articulate your skills and graduate qualities in an external context.
30 credits
This module will introduce students to major areas of investigation within forensic psychology with special emphasis on how these link to core areas of the discipline (social, biological and developmental psychology and approaches to personality/individual differences). Students will also be introduced to related topics in law, court procedures and forensic science. The module will also provide some insight into the training and career pathways for forensic psychologists.
30 credits
This module will provide students with an introduction to the institutions, processes and legal foundations of the criminal justice system in England and Wales. The module is core to the undergraduate degree. The module familiarises students with the language and reasoning of the criminal law and the structure and chronology of the criminal justice process. There is an emphasis on the development and practice of key academic skills especially information retrieval.
30 credits
This module will introduce students to a range of theoretical perspectives and debates that inform criminology, and which underpin their learning throughout the criminology programme. Theories will be evaluated in relation to academic scholarship, empirical evidence, popularity and application in crime policy and practice, and in relation to their geographical, social, cultural, historical locations.
Students will learn about a changing and dynamic field of study, which has encompassed both positivistic and social analyses of crime and criminalisation. They will learn to evaluate criminological theory in relation to a range of intellectual movements. They will be encouraged to understand criminological theory in relation to shifts across allied subjects like sociology, gender studies, critical race studies, social policy, politics and psychology.
Year 2
In Year 2 you'll deepen your knowledge of individual causes and consequences of crime through the study of mental health, and of crime control measures in the form of policing and punishment. You will explore the different ways of approaching criminology and assess how these different approaches relate to different kinds of criminological methods.
Core modules
30 credits
This module will introduce students to the associations between mental disorders and antisocial behaviour and criminal offending. Consideration will be given to the predisposing and precipitating factors that influence antisocial and criminal behaviour among those with mental disorders. Students will be introduced to the reasons for assessing risk and the validity of the instruments used. Students will also gain knowledge about the police investigative process and approach of the criminal courts to those with mental disorders and their disposal.
30 credits
This module provides a critical insight into key issues and controversies in the delivery of justice, social control and punishment. It encourages you to think critically about the role of the state in the regulation of behaviour and provides an overview of key changes that have occurred in the field of crime control and criminal justice. The first part of the module is dedicated to developing understanding of the concepts of 'policing' and the 'police'. Key issues confronting contemporary policing are explored together with an enhanced awareness of the historical context within which contemporary policing has developed.
Debates about policing are situated within broader debates of social control and governance, with a critical appreciation of the police function and role. It also considers the implications of globalisation for policing both at an organisational and conceptual level. The second part of the module provides you with the opportunity to undertake a critical examination of contemporary debates on the purpose of punishment. You will be introduced to a range of theoretical perspectives and debates on the use of punishment to address criminality and will consider the purpose of punishment in modern societies. This will be accompanied by an examination of different forms of punishment including an in-depth exploration of the use of imprisonment and comparative penal systems.
30 credits
This module explores how true crime and fiction drama - across video games, podcasts, social media, and traditional media - shape our understanding of crime and justice.
Media can sensationalise crime, create ethical dilemmas, and distort reality, influencing public attitudes and trust in the justice system. With crime increasingly treated as entertainment, research shows it can heighten fear, increase punitive attitudes, and fuel distrust in law enforcement.
Miscarriages of justice, widely covered on streaming platforms like Netflix, raise concerns about fairness, potentially discouraging crime reporting and encouraging informal justice. This module critically examines these issues and their real-world impact.
30 credits
In this module, you’ll work in small teams to research and address a social problem affecting your community or society. Each member will explore different aspects of the issue, and together, you’ll create an informative website outlining the problem and proposing solutions or policies.
Alongside learning about your chosen topic, you’ll develop key research, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. You’ll also take part in a Graduate Assessment Centre to practice the skills for job applications and interview techniques.
This module helps you grow in confidence, preparing you for the workplace with essential professional skills.
Optional year
You have the option to take an additional year to study abroad or to undertake a year-long work placement overseas (or even a mix of both).
Professional placement year
This course has a professional placement year option which takes place between Year 2 and your Final year. During this professional placement year you will take a placement within a relevant setting, ensuring you gain essential experience to add to your CV and help you secure a graduate job.
Final year
In your final year, you will be introduced to relevant issues within the realm of globalisation, terrorism and international crime. You will focus on psychological aspects central to the investigative process, such as interviewing, identification, profiling, decision-making and deception. You will also choose between a Criminology Dissertation or the Applied Social Science module.
Core modules
30.00 credits
This module will focus on psychological aspects of investigations and will combine theoretical and practical approaches to activities central to the investigative process such as interviewing, identification, profiling, decision-making and deception. In addition, the module explore the psychological and behavioural underpinnings of feelings of security, and describe psychological factors in various measures that police, government, and security personnel take in ensuring the security of people in the community.
30 credits
The aim of the module is to introduce you to relevant issues within the realm of globalisation and transnational crime: e.g. terrorism, environmental crime, piracy, human trafficking, criminal networks and cybercrime. It will enable you to develop a detailed comprehension of the complexity of these criminogenic experiences.
The course opens with consideration as to what transnational crime is and how it is researched. Various topics are then examined to illustrate the dimensions of transnational crime over the following weeks. Topics include organized crime; sex trafficking and pornography; illegal markets; problems caused by crimes against the environment and the role of technology in perpetrating crime across the globe. Politically motivated crimes such as terrorism are considered, including the interaction between terrorist discourses and the media, the work of international law enforcement bodies in relation to global security and counter-terrorism. Alongside the structural and political aspects of crime, the module also considers interpersonal and cultural experiences of harm, for example, violence against women and honour-based violence.
15 credits
This module provides you with a dedicated opportunity to develop your Future Skills Graduate Attributes. At the start of the module, you will be supported to self-assess your current skills profile and determine which attributes and skills you need to develop to support your career ambitions. You will be supported in this process by a dedicated career coach, who will help you to explore a range of options including self-employment/freelancing, starting your own business, higher level study, and other professional Graduate level opportunities. Students will also be given opportunities to engage with external mentors throughout the module to support reflection and to develop a professional network.
You will then undertake a tailored series of activities and projects, aligned to your goals from a menu of development options. This could include short courses, enrichment activities and experiential learning options such as micro-placements. You will also be able to reflect on activities that you undertake outside the university through which you are developing your graduate attributes, such as work or volunteering.
15 credits
This module explores how risk has become a key tool in understanding and managing crime today.
Risk assessment now shapes policing, sentencing, and offender management, influencing areas like organised crime, cybercrime, terrorism, and domestic abuse. Theories of risk help explain why this shift has happened and how it affects our perceptions of crime and security. Some see risk management as reducing bias, while others argue it fuels a ‘culture of fear.’
This module examines risk in both theory and practice, questioning how it has changed criminal justice, institutions, and even our relationships with one another.
Optional modules (choose one)
30 credits
This is a Level 6 optional module that draws upon social science debates and knowledges. Students will learn by observing and undertaking work-based practice. The principle underlying this module is that worksites are important contexts for students to test, validate, expand upon, supplement and enrich their academic learning. The module requires students to undertake a minimum of 40 hours of fieldwork in an organisational setting. The form that the fieldwork will take will depend upon the type of placement secured, but, typically it may involve interning, shadowing or volunteering in subject relevant placements (for example across social justice, criminal justice/crime prevention, welfare and support fields). Whilst in their placements students are encouraged to think about the social aspects of organisations and working life, including their structural forms, interpersonal relationships and their practices. Students will be supported in securing their placement at Level 5 in preparation for the commencement of the module at level 6.
30 credits
Through this module you will develop your own criminological specialism by conducting an extended and in-depth study on a topic of your choosing. Students will be tutored in the skills necessary to successfully complete a final year dissertation and will work with a staff supervisor to develop a critical understanding of their research topic. You will gain hands-on experience of research skills that can be applied to future postgraduate study and careers in human resources, marketing, public sector and charitable and non-government organisations.
Future Skills and career opportunities
Graduates from our Criminology and Forensic Psychology BSc (Hons) degree course typically work in careers connected to the criminal justice system. Alternatively, they go on to work in other ‘people-oriented' professions, for example as counsellors, teachers and probation officers.
Embedded within the Criminology and Forensic Psychology BSc (Hons) course and throughout the whole Kingston experience is our Future Skills programme. We developed this programme in response to the ever-evolving demands from modern day employment.
It will help you obtain the skills most valued by employers, such as problem-solving, digital competency, and adaptability, and learn how to apply these skills in different scenarios. You’ll also learn how to articulate to employers how being able to do so gives you the edge.
You will take part in an Assessment Centre Experience, providing the opportunity to experience the pathway to employment with tailored feedback:
- Develop your understanding of the jobs market, including current trends and opportunities, different recruitment processes and how to identify relevant roles
- Receive personalised feedback reports to help you to improve and progress
- Access additional webinars on top tips, employer expectations and best practice
Social Sciences Café (SSC) is a series of events within the Department of Criminology and Social Sciences. These events aim to prepare students for life after graduation. Students can take part in seminars on employability skills and postgraduate studies or speaker and panel events on topical issues that engage the broader ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ (KU) community. We also encourage social events linked to key moments in the academic calendar.
SSC is often visited by KU graduates working in the public, private and third sector in the UK and around the world. Our alumni are keen to share their career journeys and advice for students at an early stage of their career planning. These events also attract professionals for ‘meet the employer' advice and networking sessions.
At ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ, we're not just keeping up with change, we're creating it
For more information on how Kingston prepares you for the future job market, visit our Future Skills page.
Teaching and assessment
Scheduled learning and teaching on this course includes timetabled activities including lectures, seminars and small group tutorials.
Outside the scheduled learning and teaching hours, you will learn independently through self-study which will involve reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, preparing for and completing your work for assessments. Some independent study work may need to be completed on-campus, as you may need to access campus-based facilities such as studios and labs.
Our academic support team here at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ provides help in a range of areas.
When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of academic staff who will provide academic guidance, support you throughout your time at Kingston and show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ.
A course is made up of modules, and each module is worth a number of credits. You must pass a given number of credits in order to achieve the award you registered on, for example 360 credits for a typical undergraduate course or 180 credits for a typical postgraduate course. The number of credits you need for your award is detailed in the programme specification which you can access from the link at the bottom of this page.
One credit equates to 10 hours of study. Therefore 120 credits across a year (typical for an undergraduate course) would equate to 1,200 notional hours. These hours are split into scheduled and guided. On this course, the percentage of that time that will be scheduled learning and teaching activities is shown below for each year of study. The remainder is made up of guided independent study.
- Year 1: 20% scheduled learning and teaching
- Year 2: 19% scheduled learning and teaching
- Year 3: 28% scheduled learning and teaching
The exact balance between scheduled learning and teaching and guided independent study will be informed by the modules you take.
Your course will primarily be delivered in person. It may include delivery of some activities online, either in real time or recorded.
Types of assessment
- Year 1: Coursework 80%; practical 20%
- Year 2: Coursework 85%; practical 15%
- Year 3: Coursework 70%; exams 20%; practical 10%
Please note: the above breakdowns are a guide calculated on core modules only. If your course includes optional modules, this breakdown may change to reflect the modules chosen.
We aim to provide feedback to you on your assessments within 20 working days.
Your individualised timetable is normally available to students within 48 hours of enrolment. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student friendly as possible, scheduled learning and teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9am and 6pm. For undergraduate students, Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities, but there may be occasions when this is not possible. Timetables for part-time students will depend on the modules selected.
To give you an indication of class sizes, this course normally attracts 60 students and lecture sizes are normally 40 to 200. However this can vary by module and academic year.
Fees and funding
| Fee category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Home (UK students) | |
| £9,535* | |
| Foundation Year: | £5,760 |
| International | |
| Year 1 (2025/26): | £18,500 |
| Year 2 (2026/27): | £19,200 |
| Year 3 (2027/28): | £19,900 |
| Year 4 (2028/29): | £20,700 |
The tuition fee you pay depends on whether you are assessed as a 'Home' (UK), 'Islands' or 'International' student. In 2025/26 the fees for this course are above.
Please visit the Fees and Funding page for more information.
For courses with Professional Placement, the fee for the placement year can be viewed on the undergraduate fees table. The placement fee published is for the relevant academic year stated in the table. This fee is subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body.
* For full-time programmes of a duration of more than one academic year, the published fee is an annual fee, payable each year, for the duration of the programme. Your annual tuition fees cover your first attempt at all of the modules necessary to complete that academic year. A re-study of any modules will incur additional charges calculated by the number of credits. Home tuition fees may be subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body. Full-time taught International fees are subject to an annual increase and are published in advance for the full duration of the programme.
Eligible UK students can apply to the Government for a tuition loan, which is paid direct to the University. This has a low interest-rate which is charged from the time the first part of the loan is paid to the University until you have repaid it.
Scholarships and bursaries
For students interested in studying this course at Kingston, there are several opportunities to seek funding support.
Additional course costs
Some courses may require additional costs beyond tuition fees. When planning your studies, you’ll want to consider tuition fees, living costs, and any extra costs that might relate to your area of study.
Your tuition fees include costs for teaching, assessment and university facilities. So your access to libraries, shared IT resources and various student support services are all covered. Accommodation and general living expenses are not covered by these fees.
Where applicable, additional expenses for your course may include:
Our libraries have an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as open-access computers and laptops available to rent. However, you may want to buy your own computer or personal copies of key textbooks. Textbooks may range from £50 to £250 per year. And a personal computer can range from £100 to £3,000 depending on your course requirements.
While most coursework is submitted online, some modules may require printed copies. You may want to allocate up to £100 per year for hard-copies of your coursework. It’s worth noting that 3D printing is never compulsory. So if you choose to use our 3D printers, you’ll need to pay for the material. This ranges from 3p per gram to 40p per gram.
ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ will pay for all compulsory field trips. Fees for optional trips can range from £30 to £350 per trip.
Your tuition fees don’t cover travel costs. To save on travel costs, you can use our free intersite bus service. This route links the campuses and halls of residence with local train stations - Surbiton, Kingston upon Thames, and Norbiton.
If you choose to do a placement year, travel costs will vary depending on your location. These costs could be up to £2,000.
Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Find out more about course changes
for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
Key information
The scrolling banner below displays some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).
