BA (Hons) Criminology and Psychology with Foundation Year
Course Overview
Explore criminological issues through a psychological lens with our BA (Hons) Criminology and Psychology with Foundation Year joint degree. The foundation year equips you with the academic skills and subject knowledge needed for success at the university level, ensuring you’re ready to tackle your degree with confidence.
The programme equally integrates both disciplines, providing you with a profound understanding of deviant and criminal behaviour. As you delve into the influences and management of such conduct, you will acquire modern skills crucial for fulfilling roles within the criminal justice field.
Studying criminology and psychology offers a unique perspective on crime, allowing you to explore the psychological underpinnings of why people offend. This multidisciplinary approach provides fresh insights into the motivations and behaviours of offenders.
During the course, you’ll explore the ins and outs of the criminal justice system and what motivated notorious serial killers like Ian Huntley and Peter Sutcliffe, taking an in-depth look at crime, punishment, and prevention.
Career focussed skills
- Gain expertise in crime, state power, and criminal justice, alongside factors influencing behaviour, building your ability to provide interventions and support.
- Gain insights into human behaviour through examination of personality, development, and social psychology theories, developing analytical skills.
- Investigate causes and consequences of crime, and examine high-profile cases through a forensic psychologist’s lens, refining your operational and strategic decision-making abilities.
- Look at global criminal justice processes whilst exploring key theories and research that shape policy and practice, fostering critical evaluation skills.
Course details and modules
Arden’s foundation year modules have been designed to give you a tailored and fully supportive introduction to university study. This first year of study will prepare you for success in higher education by introducing you to the academic skills and subject-specific knowledge required to excel in your chosen degree subject.
Your course modules will then cover the latest developments and best practices in global criminology and psychology, providing a broad range of knowledge and understanding from various international perspectives so that your degree is relevant across the globe.
Just some of the fascinating modules you’ll study on this course include:
Social Psychology
Explore how social elements shape personal choices and behaviours. Apply these insights to real-world scenarios, like understanding bystanders in crimes, the dynamics of joining extremist groups, and the role of attitudes and personality as prerequisites to criminal behaviour.
Crimes of the Powerful
Examine state-driven and state-corporate illegal activities, from police brutality to corporate corruption. Investigate hidden aspects of criminology through cases like genocide and white-collar crime, shedding light on the dynamics of power.
Forensic Psychology
Apply psychological theories to criminal investigations and understand the problems and processes related to criminal offending behaviours and rehabilitation. Analyse high-profile cases like Ted Bundy through the lens of a forensic psychologist, evaluating the factors that led to such crimes.
Crime, Media, and Culture
Examine how contemporary media has influenced true crime, giving new levels of visibility to crime through ‘citizen journalism’ and ‘trial by media.’ Analyse the digital era’s impact on crime, covering online sex crimes, image-based sexual abuse, and internet activism.
Modules
- Preparing for University Success
- Exploring the Social World
- Advancing your Academic Skills
- Examining Social Justice
- Planning for Your Future Success
- Investigation & Innovation Project
- Becoming a Criminologist (20 credits)
- Introduction to Studying Psychology (20 credits)
- Social Psychology (20 credits)
- Crime, Media, Culture (20 credits)
- Working within the Criminal Justice System (20 credits)
- Developmental Psychology (20 credits)
- The Prison (20 credits)
- Personality and Intelligence (20 credits)
- Youth Crime and Justice (20 credits)
- Crimes of the Powerful (20 credits)
- Researching the Field (20 credits)
- Forensic Psychology (20 credits)
- Counselling Psychology, Mental Health and Illness (20 credits)
- Victimology (20 credits)
- Cyberpsychology (20 credits)
- Professional Practice: A Case Study (20 credits)
- Research Project (40 credits)
Entry requirements
What you need to study with us
Our aim is to make learning as accessible as possible by ensuring that you can study your degree in a flexible and convenient way. That’s why we keep our requirements simple. All you need is a laptop or desktop PC (we recommend one running the latest version of Windows), and a good internet connection. Through ilearn, our online university campus in the cloud, you’ll be able to access your course calendar, support services, learning materials, and our online library containing thousands of ebooks, as well as tools for creating assignments, keeping notes, and collaborating with other students on your course.
Eligibility
Standard entry requirements
To be eligible for our BA (Hons) Criminology and Psychology with Foundation Year, you should normally have:
- At least 3 x GCSEs or 45 credits at Level 2 or equivalent. If your qualifications are older than 3 years, we will also ask to see a professional CV.
Non standard entry requirements
We’re also happy to consider an application from you if you can show us that you have relevant work experience that required critical thinking and analysis skills. We’ll ask you for a personal statement that demonstrates your motivation and ability to study this degree, along with references and evidence of your previous work experience.
English proficiency
- IELTS 6.0 (no less than 5.5 in any element); or TOEFL iBT 80; or equivalent
- Alternatively, evidence you have previously studied in English, such as a letter to show that the Medium of Instruction was in English, can be accepted.
We also offer an internal English test for applicants who are unable to provide the above evidence of English proficiency.
Course fees and funding
Course fee breakdown
Course fees are not available yet.