Criminology and Psychology, BSc (Hons)

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criminology and psychology

Course Overview

Studying Criminology and Psychology at Swansea University will give you expert scientific training in the relationship between the mind, brain, and behaviour.

You will study the psychological and neuro-scientific processes that underpin activities such as thinking, reasoning, memory and language, learn about the effects of brain injury, and explore ways to improve health-related behaviour.

Our undergraduate degree in Criminology and Psychology also offers an exciting opportunity to explore the complex factors that shape criminal behaviour, the decisions that define certain acts as criminal, and the ways society responds to deviance and harm.

Why Criminology and Psychology at Swansea University?

Our School of Psychology has an outstanding reputation, both in the UK and internationally. 

We are home to a thriving research culture with a strong record of translating science into real-world solutions, which is why:

  • 100% of our Research Impact is Rated as Internationally Excellent (REF 2021), and
  • 93% of Criminology and Psychology graduates are in employment and/or study, or doing other activities such as travelling, 15 months after leaving Swansea University (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2025)

Criminology at Swansea University is also ranked:

  • 5th in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Times Good University Guide 2026)
  • 13th in the UK Overall (Guardian University Guide 2026)

Our Psychology degrees are validated by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and, providing you achieve at least a 2:2 in your degree, you will be eligible for Graduate Membership of the BPS and for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC), the first step to becoming a Chartered Psychologist.

Your Criminology and Psychology experience

Our Criminology and Psychology programme is founded on the principle that understanding crime, harm, justice and social regulation requires both the psychological insight into the mind, brain and behaviour, and the criminological analysis of social structures, power, inequality and control. These disciplines are not taught as disconnected strands, but are intentionally designed to reinforce, interrogate and support each another across the curriculum.

The Psychology content provides you with a scientific grounding in the mechanisms underlying cognition, emotion, development, individual differences and social behaviour, while the criminology content situates these processes within wider legal, cultural, political and historical contexts. Together, these disciplines will equip you to understand complex social phenomena such as offending, victimisation, deviance, justice and rehabilitation.

Our approach to teaching, which includes lectures, personal tutorials, academic seminars, workshops, and practical research classes, encourages effective team-working and high-quality oral communication skills.

This programme includes opportunities to undertake a Year Abroad, enhancing your learning and offering invaluable life experience.

This course also offers you the opportunity to spend a Year in Industry, in the UK or overseas, enabling you to gain valuable workplace experience. The University advocates for paid-only placements, which on average have a salary of over £20,000. Unpaid placements are considered on a case-by-case basis. 

If you are not on the Year in Industry programme, you will have the option of undertaking a work placement as part of the Level 6 Work Placement module. Existing placements are mainly from the third sector, but you are also able to source your own placement. This optional module is competitive, and places are limited.

Criminology and Psychology Careers

This BPS-accredited degree provides a strong foundation in psychological theory, research, and applied skills. While some graduates choose to pursue further training in specialist areas of psychology (such as clinical, forensic, educational, or sports psychology), most go on to build successful careers across a wide range of industries.

Graduates from this course have progressed into roles in health and social care, education, research, and public and civil services, as well as careers in management, human resources, marketing, user experience, and data analysis. The analytical, research, communication, and problem-solving skills developed during the degree are highly valued by employers well beyond traditional psychology pathways. You also have the opportunity to seek employment in the criminal justice system, including roles with the police, victim support, and prison and probation services.

Whether you choose to continue into postgraduate study or move directly into employment, this degree equips you with flexible, transferable skills that open up diverse career pathways, rather than leading to a single professional route.

Modules

We're currently reviewing our curriculum to enhance your learning experience and embed skills that will benefit your future career. This means that some modules may be subject to change.

Entry Requirements

We consider all applicants on their own merits and welcome applications from students with a wide range of qualifications.

Criminology and Psychology, BSc (Hons)

Criminology and Psychology with a Year Abroad, BSc (Hons)