BSc (Hons) Psychology with Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies

If you haven’t applied to the University of Plymouth for September 2019 entry, prior to the UCAS deadline, there may still be vacancies on your chosen course.

It’s not too late to apply

• Gain insight into life as a community justice professional – you’ll study the same topics as professionals working in probation, policing, youth justice, community safety and victim services.
• Kick start your career – as a successful graduate, you’ll be eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with the British Psychological Society, putting you on track to a career in professional psychology.
• Expand your horizons and experience with opportunities for international exchange and a year studying abroad (in Year 2).
• Enhance your employability and grow your professional network by applying for an optional placement year.
• Develop your skills as a scientist working alongside leading researchers with the Research Apprentice Scheme.
• Draw on cutting edge research across the social sciences to examine the nature of crime and explore the workings of the criminal justice system.
• Shape your own study path with an exciting range of topics available through lectures, optional courses and project supervision.
• Benefit from studying on a course that the Research Assessment Exercise rates as excellent for research and the Quality Assurance Agency praises for its quality of education.
• Make the most of our specialist facilities – we’ve got 22 labs to choose from, including a virtual reality laboratory with 3D modelling software, sound-proof cubicles with a range of stimulus equipment and computer laboratories. You'll be able to get your hands on everything you need for your own research.
• Receive outstanding student support with our award-winning Psychology eBooks scheme – we’ll give you free eBooks when you start, saving you over £1,500 in printed copies. Our Psychology eBooks scheme won the award for Teaching Excellence in The Guardian University Awards (2013).
• To complement your formal learning we offer regular Peer Assisted Learning Scheme (PALS) sessions that provide the opportunity for you to learn with and from your peers. Share knowledge, discuss ideas, and ask questions in a relaxed and friendly environment. 

• Year 1
• In your first year, you’ll study the basic theories of psychology, covering learning, social, developmental, clinical, cognitive and physiological psychology. From methods of psychological research, to information technology, communication and critical thinking, you’ll begin developing important skills for the workplace. And you’ll investigate criminology, learning about the criminal justice sentencing process in England and Wales.

  Core modules

  • CCJS1112 Criminology and Crime Problems

    This module introduces students to the subject of criminology. It emphasises criminology's multi-disciplinary and the different perspectives, methods and sources of information that it draws upon in developing theories about the different causes and problematizations of crime and deviance.

  • CCJS1115 Being a Criminologist

    The module provides students with a grounding in the concepts, techniques, methods and skills necessary for developing a criminological analysis to crime and justice. Students will analyse key contemporary examples of crime, justice and social issues pertinent at the time which could include; murder, the war on drugs, police brutality and injustice within the courts. Students will assess the strengths and weakness of criminological and methodological approaches to understanding these examples.

  • PSYC411 Learning

    This module explores how we gather information, with an emphasis on the scientific method. The module will introduce students to different perspectives on learning, including how to learn effectively, the biological and cognitive basis of learning, and social learning.

  • PSYC412 Psychological Science

    This module will provide an introduction into a broad range of fundamental topics in psychology. Across eight independent topics, from across the entire breadth of psychology, students will learn key theories. Students will also learn how those theories have been applied to real-world situations and will be asked to explore these theories in practice in Labplus activities.

  • PSYC414 Relationships

    This immersive module focuses on the Psychology of Social Relationships across the lifespan. This topic is introduced and analysed from different disciplines in Psychology, including Developmental, Social, Biological, Clinical and Individual Differences perspectives. Lectures introduce methodologies, key findings and concepts for understanding Social Relationships. Lectures will be supported by workshops and tutorials.

  • PSYC415 Topics in Psychology

    This module will provide an in-depth exploration of four topics from core areas of psychology. Each of the topics will run for four weeks with interspersed group-based linked Labplus activities. These will allow students to get involved in a continued project, within the scope of a particular topic, which might involve data collection and subsequent statistical analysis of that data.

• Year 2
• We have updated our course for 2018/19 entrants, and you can find details of the new course here. You will study three modules in parallel in each semester, covering the whole breadth of the British Psychological Society curriculum. All modules include practical exercises in PsychEL, which you will record in your LabBook. The coursework includes authentic reports such as case studies, executive summaries, group presentations, data visualisations, interview skills and reflective reports. These will give you the confidence to step right into work when you graduate. In criminology and criminal justice you’ll explore theories of crime and culture, expanding your knowledge by choosing from a selection of modules, from victimology to youth justice. Current students will take the following modules in 2018/19:

  Core modules

  • CCJS2115 Crime, Theory and Culture

    This module examines contemporary criminological theory and scholarship, providing a critical analysis of new directions at the forefront of the discipline. The module covers the intersections of criminology with contemporary social theory, communications theory, urban studies, international relations, cultural theory and zemiology.

  • PSYC513 Cognition and Biological Psychology

    This module covers four core areas of psychology each with 2 sub-topics: Perception & Attention; Learning & Memory; Cognition & Language; Neuroscience & Comparative Psychology. The biology of cognition will be covered within each of the four core areas, integrating them. Each core area will be covered in 12 hours of lectures. The first hour will cover CHIP issues and the last hour integration within/between topics.

  • PSYC514 Individual Differences, Social and Developmental Psychology

    This module covers three core areas of psychology - individual differences, social cognition, and human development. Each core area will be covered in 16 hours of lectures. The first hour will cover CHIP issues and the last hour will focus on integration within/between topics.

  • PSYC519 Research Skills in Practice 1

    In this module students develop an understanding of the processes involved in undertaking and communicating research of increasing complexity. Students work in supervised groups to develop research questions on the association of factors and test them using empirical methods. Results are communicated via both oral presentation and written report. Methods workshops are also provided.

  • PSYC520 Research Skills in Practice 2

    In this module students develop an understanding of the processes involved in undertaking and communicating research of increasing complexity. Students work in supervised groups to develop research questions on group differences and test them using empirical methods. Results are communicated via both oral presentation and written report means. Methods workshops are also provided.

  Optional modules

  • CCJS2118 Victims, Victimology and Restorative Justice

    The module examines criminal victimisation and the policies and practices that have been developed to aid them in the aftermath of crime. As well as a range of support approaches which are directed specifically to victims, the module also focuses upon restorative justice and the way in which victims may benefit from such practices.

  • CCJS2125 Prisons, 'Probation' and Penality

    This module draws on theories of penality to analyse and evaluate penal policy and practice. In particular it critically examines contemporary issues, developments and debates relating to the use of imprisonment and community sentences for adult offenders.

• Year 3
• You’ll have the opportunity to take an optional work placement after your second year, where you can apply your knowledge of psychology in a real world context. You’ll spend a year of study honing your skills on a psychological professional/work placement, gaining invaluable experience and making professional contacts. And you’ll receive a Certificate of Professional/Industrial Placement. Please note some placements may require Occupation Health and/or Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.

  Core modules

  • PSYC310 Personal and Professional Development

    During this 36 week placement, students will begin to apply their psychological knowledge in the workplace and develop the range of skills required to work within the specific placement setting. This zero-credit module is also home to timetabled careers talks and information for Stage 3 students who are away on placement.

• Final year
• We have updated our course for 2018/19 entrants, and you can find details of the new course here. You will have complete freedom of choice about the topics you specialise in for your final year. You'll study eight current topics from a list of over twenty options, taught by world experts in their fields. A typical year’s list includes options in forensic, developmental, health, clinical, occupational, cognitive, social, and neuropsychology. You'll also choose to work on your own research project, supervised by one of our staff. All of our staff are active researchers, and all of our staff teach, unlike other universities. As a large school, you can be confident that we can cover almost every area. In addition you’ll choose from a diverse range of modules to enhance your expertise in criminology and criminal justice. Current students will take the following modules in 2018/19 and 2019/20:

  Core modules

  • PSYC401 Social and Developmental Psychology

    This module has two elements. In the social psychology element, students will examine advanced topics in social cognition, social influence and persuasion, group behaviour, intergroup behaviour and sociological social psychology. In the developmental psychology element, students will focus on language development, theories of children's mind and the development of socialisation.

  • PSYC402 Psychobiology and Cognition

    This module provides advanced coverage in the core areas of psychobiology and cognition. In psychobiology, the module deals with evolutionary and comparative approaches to understanding human perception, emotion and self-awareness, goal-directed behaviour and social engagement. In cognition, the module deals with three key topics in higher cognition: language, memory, and thinking and reasoning

  • PSYC405 Psychology Dissertation

    This module aims to consolidate and put into practice the research training carried out in earlier stages by exploring a particular research problem. Students are required to conduct a complete piece of research, from establishing a research area, formulating a research question, conducting a literature search, designing and conducting the study, analysing the data, through to writing up a report of the project

  • PSYC410 Personal and Professional Development

    This zero-credit module is home to timetabled tutorials and careers talks. Tutorials include group and reflective work which tutors provide feedback for.

  Optional modules

  • CCJS3148A Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice

    This module focuses upon a contemporary criminal justice-related issue that has received attention in the media and in official reports but may not be well covered yet in an established academic literature. The purpose of the module is for students to collect data on the issue and to subject it to a thorough criminological analysis, using the variety of concepts and perspectives covered throughout the degree programme.

  • CCJS3148B Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice

    This module focuses upon a contemporary criminal justice-related issue that has received attention in the media and in official reports but may not be well covered yet in an established academic literature. The purpose of the module is for students to collect data on the issue and to subject it to a thorough criminological analysis, using the variety of concepts and perspectives covered throughout the degree programme.

  • CCJS3162 Victims, Violence and the Criminal Justice System

    This module examines women's experiences of victimisation as victims of sexual violence, domestic violence and workplace violence.

  • CCJS3165 Crime, Punishment and Social Change

    This module responds to a growing criminological interest in the history of crime and punishment. It examines how attitudes towards crime and the punishments used have changed and developed since the 18th century. It introduces students to historical research methods by utilising both digital and local archives, and encourages them to research aspects from crime history and critically compare and contrast them with contemporary perspectives and criminological literature.

  • CCJS3166 Digital Crime and Deviancy

    This module explores the issue of crime related to digital technology, in particular the Internet. It will consider how digital technology normalises and legitimises criminal activity, with a particular focus on harassment, sexual crimes and activities related to children and young people. The module will also consider approaches to tackling digital crime, considering legislative approaches contrasted against human rights issues.

  • CCJS3169 Green Criminology

    This module explores contemporary developments within the study of green criminology, offering a theoretically informed understanding of key issues at the forefront of the discipline. Students will have the opportunity to study examples of environmental crimes and their harms, their regulation and their enforcement. Students will consider the importance of criminology to understanding the causes, impacts and futures of climate change, against a backdrop of global consumer capitalism.

  • CCJS3170 Deviant Leisure

    This module explores contemporary developments within the study of deviant leisure, offering a theoretically informed understanding of key issues at the forefront of the discipline. Students will have the opportunity to study the changing nature of criminology¿s engagement with leisure against a backdrop of global consumer capitalism.

  • CCJS3171 International Human Rights and 'Children First' Youth Justice

    This module compares and contrasts youth justice policies and processes in a range of different countries. In particular, it analyses the impact of socio-political and cultural factors on youth justice debates from a comparative international perspective. This includes an analysis of the extent to which countries comply with international human rights standards.

  • CCJS3172 Critical Hate Studies

    This module will present the problem of `hate crime¿ to students by identifying legislation, policy and practice that has been framed within its context. It will deconstruct the notion of hate crime and provide a critical reflection on the notion of `hate¿ and its manifestations in late modernity.

Every undergraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the course aims, the course structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest course structure and may be subject to change:

BSc Hons Psychology Programme Specification 3370

UCAS tariff

112 - 120