BSc (Hons) Criminological and Forensic Psychology
Course Overview
The University of Bolton's forward-thinking BSc (Hons) Criminological and Forensic Psychology degree brings this fascinating discipline to life both in and away from the classroom by offering you an array of innovative and practical learning opportunities. Studying in our well-respected, vibrant learning and research culture allows you to develop an in-depth understanding of offending behaviour from both offender and victim perspectives.Our supportive and experienced team will help you gain a strong foundation in the theories and practice of psychology, focusing on forensic theories, including aggression, sexual offending, terrorism and offending behaviour. We'll also lead you in exploring legal and court psychology, including interviewing techniques used by the police and issues around court testimony.
As a graduate of this course, you'll be well prepared to pursue further study and careers in a variety of areas, including the prison service, health, police, probation service, victim support and services targeting families of offenders or victims. Accredited by the British Psychological Society, our course enables you, on achievement of the required grade, to progress to further professional qualifications and employment as a registered psychologist.
Highlights
- Our Psychology courses were ranked top 10 in the UK and first in Greater Manchester for student satisfaction for the fourth year running by the Complete University Guide 2022.
- Also, The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022 ranked our Criminology courses first in the North West of England for teaching quality and student experience for the second year running.
- This course is one of only a few criminological and forensic psychology degrees in the UK accredited by the British Psychological Society. Accredited as conferring eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC), this degree is the first step toward becoming a Chartered Psychologist.
- Based at our main campus in Greater Manchester, the University of Bolton has invested in creating a learning environment that offers innovative methods of teaching and assessment using top-class facilities, such as our observation and psychophysiology laboratories.
- We work hard to ensure the course evolves in response to current issues in psychology. For example, our curriculum includes up-to-date teaching around the themes of honour-based violence and terrorism.
- Our highly-qualified staff, who have substantial experience in the field, deliver our course content. By offering personal supervision throughout the course, we aim to give you the best possible opportunity to achieve your true potential.
Key Features
- You'll explore the theories and principles of forensic psychology and how these are applied in legal and other offender settings. You'll also discuss the social and psychological context of offending and examine methods for collating, assessing, and analysing data.
- To help you learn how psychological theories are applied to the activities of psychology staff when they're working with offenders or victims of crime, you'll have the chance to participate in various workshops where you can practise and receive feedback on core skills.
- Your personal tutor will be on hand to support you throughout your degree, one of our team of helpful and approachable psychology staff with a diverse range of research interests and professional experience.
- We focus strongly on employability skills and the practical application of your studies as well as academic success. Workshops include leading group therapy and conducting a risk assessment with work-based learning opportunities in a relevant work setting.
Entry Requirements
- 112 UCAS points. We accept a full range of qualifications that carry UCAS points, including A-levels, BTECs and T-levels. Please see our guide to the UCAS Tariff for examples of how to achieve these points. For most courses, we are also able to consider non-tariffable qualifications.
- Any subjects are acceptable at Level 3.
- You should also have five GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English and Mathematics.
- You may be required to attend an interview and/or provide a portfolio of work.
- If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
- Please note that this course is subject to the University of Bolton's Fitness to Practise procedure.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
The University of Bolton's BSc (Hons) Criminological and Forensic Psychology degree will support you in developing a deep understanding of how psychology can be applied to explain certain aspects of crime and criminal behaviour.
When you successfully complete the course, you'll be able to demonstrate graduate skills such as analysing complex information and data, investigating problems and formulating plans to solve them. You'll also possess skills in deductive reasoning, conducting research independently, reflection, producing and presenting information accurately, and understanding social and legal issues.
What can I do with this qualification?
Psychology graduates with British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditation can also progress onto professional qualifications in applied psychology. Studying applied criminology and forensic psychology at the postgraduate level will allow you to develop a range of analytical and practical skills, benefitting you as a practitioner or researcher.
Our BSc (Hons) Criminological and Forensic Psychology graduates can also progress to graduate schemes. These are long-term employment contracts, usually with a large corporate company offering advanced training packages.
Alternative career options
Graduates can use the qualification as a stepping-stone into a range of other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Possible areas of employment include:
- Youth justice
- Mental health
- Probation
- Child protection
- Crime reduction
- Social work
- Family support and mediation
- Counselling
- Advice work
- Training
- Market research
- Careers advice and guidance
- Human resources
- Retail management
Professional Recognition
Successful completion of the University of Bolton's BSc (Hons) Criminological and Forensic Psychology degree course is approved as conferring eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society, provided the minimum standard of qualification of second class honours is achieved.
The British Psychological Society is the professional body for psychologists.
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
International Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
Bursaries
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
You may apply directly to the University using the University's online application form. Please select your chosen start date from the list below:
You should have to hand:
-
Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
-
Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
-
Details of any employment history including name, address, dates and role
-
Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
-
Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already input.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
International Applicants
International applications are not possible for this course
As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.
We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.
Partner Organisation Applicants
University of Bolton Group Partners
Bolton College
University Collegiate School
Alliance Learning
University of Bolton
For valued members of the University of Bolton Group and progressing students, we try to make our application process as simple and as fast as possible.
By selecting the link for your chosen course from the list shown below, you will be taken directly to our online application form. Please read the user guidance before completing this, and ensure you upload all supporting documents such as certificates and your personal statement when you apply.
When you are asked to add a contact email address, please ensure you add your college/university email account address as well as your personal address. If you do not add your college address as your contact address, we will be unable to identify you as a partner and offer you the benefits of being part of our group.
If you are ready to apply directly, please select your chosen start date from the list below.
Before applying, please read the entry requirements section of this page.
If your course runs at multiple locations or has various start dates, please be sure to select the correct application link from the list below.
Before beginning your application, you should have the following information to hand:
Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
Details of any employment history, including name, address, dates and role
Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
Details including email addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already inputted.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Undergraduate Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
We look forward to receiving your application and you continuing your academic journey with us!
Teaching & Assessment
Our teaching and learning strategies are student-centred. We use a blended approach, so you'll have face-to-face sessions, sometimes one-to-one, and take part in online learning. During the degree, you can expect a mix of seminars, lectures and tutorials, practical workshop demonstrations, critiques, study visits, self-directed study, IT and library sessions, and guided study. The University's e-learning portal Moodle will support your online learning and provides a convenient way for you to communicate with fellow students who are studying the same modules. We'll also encourage you to use the internet for research.
Guest lectures and presentations by visiting speakers from relevant employment areas offer you the chance to further develop your knowledge and understanding.
Our assessment strategy aims to help you organise and develop your learning and evaluate your achievement. Over the course of the degree, you can expect time-constrained exams and coursework, such as essays, reports, presentations, and portfolios. These contribute to your final marks and allow you to demonstrate that you've met the learning outcomes for the course. Much of your assessed work is submitted online via Moodle, with feedback also given through this route.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Academic Language and Skills 5
- Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology
- Cognitive and Biopsychological Perspectives
- Understanding the Person
- Contemporary Issues in Psychology
- Application of Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Biopsychology
- Social and Critical Psychology
- Introduction to Applied Forensic Psychology
- Research Methods in Psychology
- Personality and Developmental Psychology
- Psychology of Law and Justice
- The Honours Project
- Psychology of Loss and Trauma
- Cyber Psychology and New Media
- Applied Experience
- Psychology of Mental Health
- Applications in Forensic Psychology
- Psychology of Sport and Exercise
- Young Life and the Mind
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 58% Practical exams 8% Written exams 34% |
| Level 2 | Coursework 33% Practical exams 17% Written exams 50% |
| Level 3 | Coursework 64% Practical exams 36% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 67% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 33% |
| Level 2 | Guided independent study 76% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 24% |
| Level 3 | Guided independent study 73% Placement/study abroad 5% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 22% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
