If you are applying for this course from within the UK click apply now
Course starts: 18 September 2023Apply now
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If you are applying for this course from within the UK click apply now
Course starts: 18 September 2023Apply now
This is a four-year version of our popular BSc (Hons) Forensic Psychology course, with an integrated foundation year. Learn how criminal behaviour and the legal system have been conceptualised and approached. Examine violent offending such as murder, terrorism, stalking, cyber and sexual crime. Graduate and work with prisoners, offenders, victims of crime and provide forensic expertise to suspects, witnesses and victims within the Criminal Justice System.
This course examines the five core areas of Psychology as specified by the British Psychological Society (BPS) in a unique and integrated way to allow for learning to be more applicable and relatable to your future career. You will explore how Psychology is applied to understanding offenders and forms of serious and violent offending, such as those a Forensic Psychologist might encounter in the field.
You will also be introduced and guided through the process of using and interpreting psychometric tests, administering and interpreting risk assessments, conducting case formulations, critically evaluating police interviews, writing parole reports, presenting evidence in court as an expert witness, as well as designing and conducting empirical research.
You will be taught via a mix of small and large lectures, seminars and workshops, one-to-one and group tutorials. You will also have personal development sessions with academic staff to help with your studies and to progress your employability skills. You will learn how to conduct psychological research and throughout the course will carry out your own independent studies.
Assessment methods can include traditional essays and exams, but also scientific reports, presentations, multimedia web pages, expert witness reports, case formulations, case studies, portfolios, online quizzes, academic posters, patchwork text, an exhibition, and an academic poster conference. Our feedforward system will help provide extensive feedback to identify the key components for you to work on and how you can achieve this.
We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.
Entry requirements are provided for guidance only and we may offer you an entrance interview which will help us determine your eligibility for your chosen degree. This enables us to consider making you an offer if you are perhaps a mature student who has been out of education for a period of time, or you have gained significant knowledge and skills through employment rather than traditional education.
Eligible entry qualifications:
1. Normally a minimum of three Level 2 qualifications (NVQ, GCSE or equivalent), including Maths and English at grade C or above** and a minimum of 40 UCAS tariff points from Level 3 qualifications (e.g. A or AS Levels, T Levels, BTEC certificates/diplomas, access courses or equivalent). T Levels must be in a related subject.
OR
2. Demonstrable evidence of appropriate knowledge and skills acquired from at least three years of post-school work experience.
If you are unsure of whether you think you might be suitable for the course, please contact us!
** If you have studied for a GCSE which has a numerical grade then you will need to achieve a grade 4 or above. Equivalent alternative qualifications are also accepted, such as Level 2 Key Skills in Communication and Application of Number. If you have not achieved a grade C in Maths and English we may be able to work with you to ensure that you are able to gain these in the first year of the course, depending on your experience.
If English is not your first language, please see our English language requirements.
The annual fee for this course is £9,250 if you are from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled.
If you are a full-time UK/Irish/EU settled/EU pre-settled student you may be eligible to receive financial support to cover your fees for the full four years. UK and EU settled students may also be eligible to receive a maintenance loan.
Please note, this course is not available to international students.
Learn more about settled status, pre-settled status, special discounts, visa requirements and Common Travel Area (CTA) agreements for the Republic of Ireland applicants in our Help and Advice article.
Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.
This information was correct at the time of publication.
Psychology is one of the best degrees for transferrable skills that a student can do, as it is about behaviour and can be applied to a range of areas. Graduates may go on to study forensic psychology at postgraduate level in order to become a Chartered Forensic Psychologist. Graduates can also apply their skills in workplaces such as prisons, rehabilitation units, and secure hospitals working with criminals.
Forensic Psychologists are usually employed in fields such as criminal justice and rehabilitation, police, probation, prison service, legal sector, and other Psychology careers such as clinical psychology, educational psychology and as mental health practitioners.
Many graduates also follow a non-psychology career route due to developing highly transferable skills. These occupations include careers advisor, counsellor, psychotherapist, human resources, marketing, schoolteacher, play therapist, art therapist, dance therapist, social worker, policy officer, neuroscientist, mediator and border force officer.
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