Psychology with Forensic Psychology BSc (Hons)

UCAS code: C8B2

Explore the role of psychology in legal processes and understand the ‘criminal mind’. Discover what influences thoughts and behaviours in forensic-related settings in this Psychology with Forensic Psychology degree.

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Overview

Course length:	3 years full-time 6 years part-time
Start dates:	September 2025 September 2026
Location:	Edge Hill University
Example offers:	BBB-ABB (A Level) or DDM (BTEC) View full entry criteria
Subject(s):	Psychology
Faculty:	Arts and Sciences
Department:	Psychology

Group of students in Law and Psychology building.

On this BSc (Hons) Psychology with Forensic Psychology degree you will study psychological approaches to offending profiling and the links between criminal behaviour and mental health.

Your degree will be taught by experts who are carrying out research in their field and who work in professional applied settings. You will investigate different areas by asking why. Why do some people commit such severe acts of violence? And you will also ask how. How can we reduce the risk of people giving false confessions? How do we help eye-witnesses give more accurate testimonies? Developing your research skills is vital too, and we’ll help you explore the latest methodologies. At the same time, you’ll develop career skills in creativity, critical thinking and communication.

As you discover what influences thoughts and behaviours in forensic-related settings, you’ll be able to test your skills hands-on. The BSc (Hons) Psychology with Forensic Psychology course includes an option to do a work placement and engage in research work which brings your specialist subject knowledge to life.

This course meets the requirements for accreditation with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and is subject to approval.

Course features

International students can apply
Sandwich year option available
Studying abroad option available
Work placement opportunity

What you'll study

In Year 1 of this Psychology with Forensic Psychology degree, you will explore the relationship between brain and behaviour, perception, memory and personality. You will also be introduced to research methods and data analysis that help us answer important questions about human thought and behaviour. We’ll also build your personal, academic and professional development, through modules which apply evidenced-based psychological principles of resilience to help you thrive as a student and beyond.

Compulsory modules:

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Introduction to Mental Health introduces you to the application of psychology to understanding mental health and mental illness in applied settings. You will be provided with an overview of historical and contemporary issues surrounding mental health and the law. You will explore defining and classifying psychological conditions using Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM). You will develop an understanding of the treatment and effective management of psychological conditions, with a particular focus on risk assessment and risk management. You will explore the role of forensic and clinical psychology in assessing, diagnosing and treating individuals with mental health conditions.

Module code: PSY1012

Credits: 20

Assessment

50% Coursework

50% Practical

In Year 2 you’ll learn how psychology can be applied to forensic issues such as the legal system. You’ll study four major areas of psychology (social, developmental, biological and cognitive) to develop critical understanding of core subject areas of psychology. Building on what you learnt in Year 1 of your degree, we’ll help you become confident in psychological research methods and data analysis. You’ll also have the chance to work alongside a member of staff on their current research project.

Compulsory modules:

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Cognitive Psychology will examine both classic and contemporary research that has led to the development of theories regarding how attention, perception and memory all function. The module will also examine how each of these components interact during everyday tasks. You will consider how thinking, language and emotion enable us to reason about, and interact meaningfully with, the external world, gaining an understanding of the processes used to communicate, comprehend, and use information and knowledge.

Module code: PSY2114

Credits: 20

Assessment

50% Coursework

50% Exam

Biological Psychology studies the human nervous system, including its structure and functioning. There will be a particular focus upon the brain. You will learn in detail the processes by which messages are passed through the system and the way the brain interacts with the hormones of the endocrine system in order to preserve life. The methods by which the brain is commonly researched will also be explored in order to provide a basis for understanding much current research and theorising in psychology.

Module code: PSY2115

Credits: 20

Assessment

60% Coursework

40% Exam

Year 3 allows you to design, carry out and present your own research project on a specialised topic in forensic psychology for your dissertation. As well as exploring personality and individual differences in human behaviour, you’ll also shape your study with modules which provide advanced insight into forensic applications of psychology.

To prepare you for leaving university and taking the first steps in your career, we’ll provide you with opportunities to apply your learning through work placement or entrepreneurial focused modules.

Compulsory modules:

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Personality and Individual Differences influence all aspects of human behaviour. Knowledge and understanding of the nature of individual differences and the processes by which they influence our behaviours and motivations in everyday life is at the very essence of human psychology. Such knowledge is relevant in key disciplines such as clinical and forensic psychology, as well as to individuals generally in their efforts to understand what makes people ‘tick’. This module will explore and evaluate theories and research that have advanced our knowledge and understanding of this key area of psychology. It will develop your capacity for critical thinking, for active and independent learning, and for effective communication and teamwork.

Module code: PSY3129

Credits: 20

Assessment

50% Coursework

50% Practical

One of:

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Psychology Work Placement will allow you to enhance your employability and enable you to you critically reflect on how psychology plays a role in the workplace. You will be introduced to the application of psychology in a range of professional practices while reflecting on these in the areas of applying theory, evidence informed practice and the use of interventions. You will be encouraged to keep a reflective record of your experiences to support your future assessments. This will be followed by an academic element in year 3 where you will have the opportunity to explore the theory underpinning a practice that you may have observed or participated in, including how theory has been applied in the workplace.

Module code: PSY3148

Credits: 20

Assessment

75% Coursework

25% Practical

How you'll study

Our learning and teaching methods vary from traditional style lectures to tutorials, seminars and workshops. This goes alongside opportunities for experiential-based and self-directed learning. There are well-equipped laboratory facilities consisting of IT rooms and research cubicles for conducting studies and a designated labs for health-related research. Typical time commitment for scheduled sessions is approximately 2.5 days per week, with the remainder of the time dedicated for self-directed study.

How you'll be assessed

Most modules are assessed by a mixture of examination and coursework, though some are assessed solely by coursework. Coursework assignments might be essays, research project reports, portfolios, group presentations, posters, or the critical analysis of research papers. In addition, in Year 3 you will complete a dissertation.

Who will be teaching you

You will be taught by team members who are experts in their fields. Psychology staff regularly publish their research in major national and international peer reviewed journals such as: Psychology and Law, Applied Cognitive Psychology, and Journal of Criminal Psychology.

The Department of Psychology operates a research internship scheme where you may have the opportunity to volunteer to assist with staff research across a range of exciting projects. Previous projects have focused on subjects including the effects of alcohol intoxication on eye-witness accuracy and how biases influence judgements of faces.

Timetables for your first week are normally available at the end of August prior to enrolment in September. You can expect to receive your timetable for the rest of the academic year during your first week. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week. Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities.

Where your course includes optional modules, these are to provide an element of choice within the course curriculum. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by timetabling requirements. Some restrictions on optional module choice or combinations of optional modules may apply.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements (2025 / 2026)

Typical offer 120-128 UCAS Tariff points achieved through A Levels, BTEC, International Baccalaureate, Access Diploma, T Level, or Irish Leaving Certificate. No specific subjects are required.

You should also have GCSE English and GCSE Mathematics at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or equivalent.

Please note, for the purposes of studying psychology, level 2 literacy and numeracy qualifications are not considered as equivalent to GCSE Grade C or Grade 4 in English Language and Mathematics.

Example offers

Qualification	Requirement
A Level	BBB-ABB.
BTEC Extended Diploma (or combination of BTEC QCF qualifications)	Distinction, Distinction, Merit (DDM).
T Level	Overall grade of Merit.
International Baccalaureate (IB)	We are happy to accept IB qualifications which achieve the required number of UCAS Tariff points.
Access to Higher Education Diploma	45 credits at Level 3, for example 24 credits at Distinction and 21 credits at Merit or 30 credits at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit. The required total can be attained from various credit combinations.

Please note, the above examples may differ from actual offers made. A combination of A Level and BTEC awards may also be accepted.

If you have a minimum of two A Levels (or equivalent), there is no maximum number of qualifications that we will accept UCAS points from. This includes additional qualifications such as Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), AS Levels that haven't been continued to A Level, and General Studies AS or A Level awards.

English language requirements

International students require IELTS 6.0, with a score no lower than 5.5 in each individual component, or an equivalent English language qualification.

If your current level of English is half a band, one band, or one-and-a-half bands lower, either overall or in one or two elements, you may want to consider our Pre-Sessional English course.

For further information on how you can meet the entry requirements

UK EU International

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Fastrack

How to apply

Apply online through UCAS

Read our guide to applying through UCAS to find out more about the application process.

Apply as an international student

Please see our international student pages for further information about how to apply as a prospective international student.

Apply for September 2025 Part-Time

Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.

Facilities

The £6m Law and Psychology building provides contemporary teaching and learning facilities for students in the Department of Psychology.

The three-storey building includes a 250-seat lecture theatre, seminar and tutorial rooms, and social learning areas which encourage a more informal and interactive style of learning. There are also specially designed experimental facilities for psychological research.

Psychology resources include state-of-the-art eye trackers, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) methods, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for examining cognitive functioning and brain activity. Other specialist laboratories include a group testing laboratory, a ‘bar simulation laboratory’ (for alcohol research), health psychology suite, coaching clinic, audio-visual suites and dedicated IT facilities equipped with subject specific software installed to support experimental work.

Where you'll study

Finance

Tuition fees

£9,535

a year

£79 per credit

for 360 credits

£17,000

a year

The University may administer a small inflationary rise in tuition fees, in line with Government policy, in subsequent academic years as you progress through the course.

EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.

Financial support

Subject to eligibility, UK students joining this course can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from the Government to cover the full cost of tuition fees. UK students enrolling on the course may also be eligible to apply for additional funding to help with living costs.

Scholarships

We offer a range of scholarships, which celebrate the determination, commitment and achievement of our students. Many of our scholarships are awarded automatically. There are some however, where you will need to be involved in an application or nomination process. To find out more about our scholarships and check your eligibility, please visit our dedicated scholarships pages.

Money Matters

Please view the relevant Money Matters guide for comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students.

Money Matters

EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals can ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). If you are an EU student who does not have settled or pre-settled status, or are an international student from a non-EU country, please see our international student finance pages.

Your future career

This undergraduate degree is the perfect first step to becoming a chartered forensic psychologist. Apply your skills in a range of rewarding roles and pursue career paths such as:

psychological wellbeing practitioner
clinical psychology
community mental health worker
intelligence researcher
youth offending support officer
violence reduction worker
forensic social worker
court intermediatory
court liaison
analyst
probation officer
youth justice worker
offender behaviour programme worker
recovery worker

Our graduates use this initial programme to kickstart their careers in the psychology sector and go on to apply their skills in a range of rewarding roles. It’s important to note that if you want to train as a psychologist, you’ll need to undertake postgraduate education. This undergraduate degree is the perfect first step to becoming a chartered forensic psychologist.

Course changes

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, however our courses are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.

Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of professional bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

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