Forensic Psychology

This is a Connected Degree
Portsmouth is the only University in the UK with the flexibility to choose when to do an optional paid placement or self-employed year. Either take a placement in your third year, or finish your studies first and complete a placement in your fourth year. You can decide if and when to take a placement after you've started your course.

Overview
Explore how psychological knowledge informs criminal investigations and forensic practice, and help to understand offending behaviour on this BSc (Hons) Forensic Psychology degree, accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).

While a psychology degree covers the mind and behaviour in a wider sense, studying forensic psychology means focusing on the way people think, act and feel in relation to crime and legal issues.

• Put your investigative techniques to the test in our Forensic Interviewing Suite, which features thermal imaging cameras, eye tracking and virtual reality (VR) technology and advanced digital and video analysis

• Use our motion capture studios, which feature the latest Vicon optical system, to explore the mechanics and perception of human movement

• Have the chance to study abroad or take part in a year-long work placement, boosting your employability prospects after the course

• Learn from forensic psychology practitioners involved in the International Centre for Research in Forensic Psychology, the largest academic research centre for forensic psychology in the UK

• Become eligible to apply for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society (with a 2:2 or higher) – an essential first step to becoming a professional forensic psychologist

Accredited by:
This degree confers eligibility for Graduate Membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the Graduate Basis for Registration.

Careers and opportunities
When you complete the course with a 2:2 or higher, you'll be eligible for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS), which is an essential first step to becoming a Chartered Forensic Psychologist. To become Chartered, you'll also need to do further academic training for up to 5 years, including an MSc Forensic Psychology.

What can you do with a Forensic Psychology degree?
Many graduates go on to do an MSc in Forensic Psychology after the course. You could also start a career in areas such as:

• teaching

• health associated professions

• social welfare

• police work

• probation service

• research

Graduate roles and destinations
Roles our previous graduates have gone on to include:

• clinical psychologist

• forensic psychologist

• educational psychologist

• counsellor

• health planning analyst

They've taken roles in the following organisations:

• National Probation Service

• Ministry of Defence

• North East London NHS Foundation Trust

Placement year
After your second year, you can do an optional work placement year to get valuable longer-term work experience in the field. A placement year gives you the opportunity to apply your knowledge in a real workplace, boosting your employability and making you stand out to employers after the course.

You can work for a company or organisation here in the UK or overseas, or you could go independent by setting up and running your own business with other students.

Potential prison placements
Previous students have completed work placements in medium secure units, youth offending teams and prisons, including:

• HMP Bronzefield

• HMP Ford

• HMP Winchester

Potential placement destinations
Other students have taken placement roles in organisations including:

• Broadmoor High Security Hospital

• Hampshire Constabulary Student Watch

• Catch 22 - a not-for-profit business involved in offender management, rehabilitation and victim services

• Motiv8 - a charity working for safer communities for young people and their families

Year 1
Core modules in this year include:

• Applying Psychological Research Skills (40 credits)
• Forensic Psychology in Context (20 credits)
• Perspectives in Psychology (20 credits)
• Professional Skills for Psychology (40 credits)

There are no optional modules in this year.

Year 2

Core modules in this year include:

• Biological & Cognitive Psychology (20 credits)
• Individual Differences & Psychometrics (20 credits)
• Professional Development and Employability (20 credits)
• Psychological Research Methods (20 credits)
• Quantitative Data Analysis (20 credits)
• Social & Developmental Psychology (20 credits)

There are no optional modules in this year.

Placement year
Boost your employability by taking an industry-based work placement year with a relevant organisation or immerse yourself in another culture by studying for a year at one of our partner universities worldwide.

This is an amazing opportunity to either put everything you’ve learned so far into action in a real workplace or expand your horizons and set yourself up for your future career by studying abroad and becoming a student ambassador for our university.

Depending on what you choose, we’ll help you find and secure an exciting placement opportunity within an appropriate company or organisation, or you’ll expand your global perspective and develop additional skills to boost your future career during a study abroad year.

This is a Connected Degree

We're the only university that gives you the flexibility to choose when to take a work placement. Take it after your 2nd year, before returning to finish your studies. Or after your final year, connecting you into the workplace.

If you're not sure if or when to take your placement, don't worry. You'll have plenty of time to settle into your studies and explore your options before making your choice.

Psychology Sandwich Year Study Placement – 120 credits
Psychology Final Year Work Placement – 120 credits

We’ll help you secure a work placement that fits your situation and ambitions. You’ll get mentoring and support throughout the year.

Year 3

All modules in this year are optional:

• Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology (20 credits)
• Cybercrime, Policing and Security (20 credits)
• Educational Psychology (20 credits)
• Environmental Psychology (20 credits)
• Exploring Data for Psychology (20 credits)
• Introduction to Teaching (20 credits)
• Issues in Clinical and Health Psychology (20 credits)
• Neuroscience (20 credits)
• Psychology of Criminal Investigations (20 credits)
• Psychology of Offending Behaviour (20 credits)
• Psychology Research Project (20 credits)
• Psychology Research Project (Extended) (40 credits)
• Psychology Work Placement (20 credits)
• Social Construction of Disability (20 credits)
• Trauma, Memory & Law (20 credits)

Changes to course content:
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.

Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry. If a module doesn't run, we'll let you know as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative module.