Psychology with Criminology - BSc (Hons)

This module aims to support you in developing an in-depth knowledge of social psychological theory and research. You will be supported in utilising this knowledge to explore the society/communities we live in and to explore contemporary social issues. Contemporary social issues might include how we present ourselves online, understanding protests and rioting, engaging people with climate activism, reducing prejudice, and understanding romantic relationships. The scope of this module is to continue to provide the opportunity to advance your knowledge and understanding of social Psychology. In addition, the module will highlight the specific role that social Psychology plays in community and cultural contexts.

Throughout the module, you will be introduced to the definition of ‘community’ as well as factors which drive community psychology. Overall, it considers the contextual factors such as social, cultural and political influences which affect the community beyond the individual. This approach allows you to consider the values underpinning community psychology. For instance, collective wellness and sense of community.

This module aims to investigate human development throughout the lifespan focusing on changes to biological, cognitive, social and emotional elements of psychological functioning. The module will provide you with an understanding of the general principles and concepts, different theoretical perspectives, research methodologies, contemporary debates and areas of application of Lifespan Development. This module will enable you to develop skills in critical reading and analysis of theoretical and empirical issues related to Lifespan Development. In the context of contemporary societies and globalisation, the role of social and cultural context of development is explored. Through engagement with the module and the coursework you will think about Lifespan Development from a theoretical perspective, and more importantly from an applied perspective as well. You will be encouraged to consider how your knowledge gained from the lectures, pre and post-session activities and the learning material has informed real life events and how we can explain behaviour observed around us.

You will be engaged in a vibrant learning community which will encourage discussions, dialogues, peer conversations alongside learning and teaching activities which will further contribute to exploring different learning and cultural perspectives.

This module contributes to knowledge and understanding in areas of biological and cognitive psychology, a Graduate Basis for Chartership core area with the British Psychological Society. There will be research-led teaching which will explore key debates and methodologies used in biological and cognitive psychology. A holistic approach will be taken to understand the cognitive and neural theories and evidence across a range of areas, including attention, perception and memory. There will be an applied focus during this module and clear links are made to the chartered area of clinical neuropsychology. The focus on methodology for working with humans (Eye-tracking, EEG, fMRI, neuropsychological assessment) will contribute to your understanding and application of research design. Ethics, Individual Differences and application of research are all included. The research-led approach to this module will see you applying advanced psychological theory and methodology to real research questions. This module will continue to develop key transferable skills from level 4 such as group discussion, debate and evidence-based reasoning and will help develop your critical evaluation skills.

This module provides you with an overview of the purpose of designing and conducting research in psychology. This module builds upon and complements research methods modules delivered in Level 4 by providing students with further exploring analysis techniques commonly used in psychology. All sessions are structured to facilitate both conceptual learning and the development of applied research skills. More specifically, this module aims to help you develop skills in research and inquiry and develop academic attributes such as being able to think critically about different methodologies and knowledge claims. Additionally, it will help you develop communication skills by requiring them to communicate their knowledge of various research designs and analytical claims in sessions and as part of their assessment. You will acquire knowledge of the application of research methodologies within various applied areas of psychology.

This module will also identify how the skills and knowledge gained during this module are relevant to Graduate Basis Chartership (GBC) competencies and training which are relevant to both future study (i.e. the Dissertation project) and careers in the field of psychology. These employability skills will also be transferrable to other research and analytical domains given the module focus on autonomous application of the competencies learned. The module has been designed to meet the academic knowledge base requirements and competencies for Programme Standards set out by the British Psychological Society (BPS). The module will be supported by face-to-face learning (lectures and workshops), Moodle (VLE) activities and forums, as well as pre and post session practical tasks, readings/activities. Lectures will introduce theoretical aspects of qualitative and quantitative research, with seminars directly supporting learning with practical experience of applying the principles presented in the lectures and workshops offering tutor and peer support for practical aspects for the assessment.

This module seeks to enable you to examine the nature of both illegal and legal drugs. Within this remit the evolving and ever changing nature of both how substances are supplied and consumed will be discussed. How such substance use/misuse is linked to various forms of deviancy and crime will be considered. To enable a rounded perspective of the subject to be garnered, the content will be global in scale, with the development of the ‘war on drugs’ and related criminal justice policies included. Finally, contemporary issues in both supply, demand, official policy and practice will be at the fore, raising questions around the nature of illicit substance usage.

In taking this module you will be exposed to a challenging module that not only considers the ethics and practices of drug consumption but will encounter challenging and provocative research that critically examines the ways in which criminality and its control are intertwined with cultural meanings, representation and contestation relating to complex broader issues of morality, legality and privilege. As such, you will be involved in learning that encourages you to consider and reflect on your own values, morals, ideas and practices. This module is also unique in that it encourages critical self-reflection that is useful to any future role in professional practice or postgraduate study, developing these core transferable skills and attributes while considering a range of exciting, contemporary criminological examples.

This module provides you with an opportunity to critically engage with key aims of your course by examining contemporary debates that surround the phenomenon of homicide. You will be introduced to various theoretical perspectives and case studies, focusing on both historical and contemporary examples of homicide, in order to achieve an informed understanding of this unique form of offending. By presenting both a theoretical discussion and real-life cases, you will be able to develop knowledge and a critical understanding of criminology and related disciplines both in theory and practice.

Black theoretical perspectives and debates on crime, criminal justice, and criminology are seldom heard, seen, or referred to, within so called ‘mainstream criminology’. A possible explanation pertaining to this ‘invisibility’ could be as a consequence of ‘implicit biases’ within the discipline itself. It is argued that these implicit biases further reproduce and reinforces privilege of some perspectives, whilst at the same time subordinating others. Russell (2002) calls for the development of a ‘black criminology’, Phillips and Bowling (2003) further call for the need to develop ‘minority perspectives’ in criminology, whilst Glynn (2018) sees the need for a Critical Race Criminology to transcend the current subordinate status of non-white criminological perspectives.

Traditionally criminology has focused on those who perpetrate harm and given far less attention to those who experience harm, and this module seeks to address this discrepancy. This module will give some consideration as to why some events which cause harm are formally labelled and treated as crimes when others are not, and in doing so we will consider the impact of this upon those who experience these harms.

In this module we will take a critical look at the shifting nature of crime, social contexts, and the impact of crime on space and place as linked to the urban city as a social milieu. We will also investigate the nature of contemporary city living and how this is experienced across intersections of identity, and what this means for vulnerabilities to being victims of crime or being led into criminal pathways. We will also look in detail at forms of criminological theory and consider newer emergent aspects of cultural and critical forms of criminology.

Youth Crime and Justice aims to equip students with a sound theoretical knowledge of juvenile offending and justice. In essence, the understanding of the complex relationship between young people and criminality fits within the wider aims of the degree programme and associated pathways as it draws on sociological, psychological and criminological understandings, furthering students’ ability to understand and problematize crime and its causes. The module also recognises that the separate and distinct administration to criminal justice to young people is a topic worthy of consideration in its own right, and considers important debates around justice, welfare, education and the construction of youth and childhood. It takes both a contemporary and historical focus, considering how the nexus of crime, control and youth have variously been considered during different historical periods.

This module is designed to provide you with the opportunity to undertake a credit bearing, 40- week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Undergraduate Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market.  Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace. 

Understanding research issues is an essential skill for psychologists operating in an evidence-based paradigm. The ability to produce an in-depth dissertation and present a logical argument using such research is a crucial skill for a successful psychology graduate.

This module builds upon learning at level 4 and level 5 in previous Psychological Research Methods modules. This module will encourage you to plan, execute and write up a research project which adheres to principles of the Psychology Ethics Committee. You should seek out research sources to produce an in-depth dissertation that answers your own identified research question or knowledge gap, making a contribution to the existing literature within your chosen topic area. This will be facilitated through critical evaluation of the sources you have selected and used. You will also be facilitated in using statistical and other specialist software, testing equipment and materials, as well as the use of the Psychology laboratories.

The module aims to provide students with an overview of psychology, from early philosophical influences to the development of psychology as a science. The module will consider contributions of key historical approaches within psychology’s evolution, through to contemporary topics and ongoing debates. This module will demonstrate how psychology is informed by history, society and culture. This will provide an advanced understanding of psychology’s origins, as well as conceptual and historical issues.

The module focuses on three key areas. The first area introduces prominent debates within psychology, where the role of the human mind, behaviour, science and its methods have been shaped by different schools of thought and philosophical positions. The second area considers how psychology has been constructed as a scientific subject. This includes discussions of how science is classified, ontology and epistemology within psychology and social dimensions which interact with psychology’s history as a science. The third area introduces the role of ethics within psychology, including ethical issues within research and practice, and the misapplication of “science” as an ethical issue within the history of psychology. These three areas will be combined with contributions from historical and contemporary schools of thought within psychology.

Organised crime has become a significant concern and appears to be on the increase. In this module, you will study contemporary global crimes such as drug and human trafficking, terrorism, illegal arms trading and financial crime through the lens of critical criminology. In addition, you will examine the extent of transnational organised crime, its historicity at a global level and law enforcement responses.

The lectures and supplementary materials will equip you to think critically about organised crime subjects and wider disciplines within social sciences. The lectures will synergise with seminars, whereby in which you will be expected to actively partake in group related tasks, so as to be able to develop a strong academic understanding of organised crime, as well as continue the development of key transferrable skills. Specifically, this module will allow you to develop critical writing, research and presentation skills that will prepare you for postgraduate education and professional employment. The module will be assessed by a two hour pre-seen exam.

The module will examine surveillance and the extent to which everyday life is now subject to an extensive array of monitoring and data collection. The module questions how and why state surveillance practices operate and also explores the extent to which civil liberties and personal freedoms have been affected by recent surveillance developments. We will consider the revelations of Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, as well as theorists such as Foucault and Bentham. The module will expand on how governments, big business and new technologies are aiding and easing the collection of personal and targeted data. 

This innovative module will engage your critical thinking to situate emotions at the forefront of contemporary criminological thought by examining the experience and role of emotions in criminal behaviour and criminal justice responses to such behaviours. The approach to emotions within the legal system and criminal justice agencies is often paradoxical. Your module content will draw on diverse theoretical approaches to define emotions and the affective role of emotions in our everyday lives. Building on this, the module seeks to examine the social construction of emotions in comparative British and international contexts. The intersection of emotions, power and gender is central to your analysis of representations of offending and criminal justice policy and practices across cultural and jurisdictional contexts.

This module introduces you to hate crime and issues related to hate crime. You will develop a key understanding of criminological concepts and theoretical approaches which have been developed in relation to hate crime. It will allow you an opportunity to examine and conceptualise some of the key debates around hate crime, policy, human rights, crime prevention, security, and policing. This module will identify problems around the processes of criminalisation and victimisation, the causes and organisation of crime and deviance, and the processes of preventing and managing crime and victimisation.

You will examine the different processes of victimisation whether by or of individuals, groups, families, communities, institutions or the state, and be able to evaluate the impact upon individuals and society. You will also be able to examine the development, role, organisation and governance of efforts to reduce and prevent crime, deviance and harm, and to ensure personal and public safety and security in different locations.

The module will introduce students to the complex world of cyber-crime and issues related to cyber technology and how the police deal with cyber issues from cyber terrorism, cyber bullying and cyber hate. The module will work well alongside the other modules related to security studies where students will examine the rationale of cyber-crimes.

This module will explore the gendered nature of crime and criminal justice. In doing so, we will consider the gendered perspective of victims, perpetrators and those working within the Criminal Justice System. This module will draw on a broad theoretical framework; including feminist, psychological, biological and human rights perspectives. This module is central to the students’ development of critical appreciation of the relationship between the individual and social aspects of crime and victimisation.

This module covers the evolution and practice of counselling psychology, including communication processes and skills used in clinical settings. You will learn key theoretical approaches, core conditions for successful counselling relationships, and essential counselling skills. Counselling psychology is particularly concerned with helping people address emotional and psychological issues in their lives. Effective listening, communication and helping skills are recognised as essential in a variety of professions and work contexts where people work closely with other people. Many of these settings are favoured routes for psychology graduates entering employment. This module will prepare you with basic demonstrable practise skills and introduce you to the theories underpinning many therapies, which come under the umbrella term “counselling psychology”.

Psychological interventions from the whole range of counselling therapies will be included (from psychoanalysis, human-centred therapy, gestalt therapy, rational emotive therapy, counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, and compassion-focused therapy) and their places among the evolution of psychology as a clinical discipline will be evaluated. The impact of such interventions upon clients and practitioners will be evaluated, including clinical efficacy as well as ethical issues of modern-day practice. Particular emphasis will be given to how the variety of research evidence can provide support for the adoption and redundancy of particular therapeutic modalities across time.

This module aims to equip you with the relevant skills and knowledge, which are required for the role of the educational psychologist. The module will provide you with an understanding of the general principles and concepts underlying the British educational system and the relevance of psychology to that system. This module examines the role of the educational psychologist and explores the relationship between theory and practice within different educational contexts. The module will familiarise you with different methods of investigation (psychometric testing, observational techniques, interviewing) and intervention methods (behaviour modification, task analysis, CBT). The module will also help you appreciate the integration and inter-relationships of different perspectives in psychology which contribute to this specialised applied area in psychology which transcend into applied and specialised areas of work within the educational sector.

This module will provide opportunities to reflect on the applications of learning theories in education, as well as extend and develop competence in professional report writing, communication, self-efficacy and organisational skills that are required in both the employment sector and continued academic pathways should you wish to pursue postgraduate study in Educational Psychology. Furthermore, the module provides opportunities to foster a greater understanding of the importance of multiculturalism in schools that are part of an increasingly global society.

This optional Level 6 module is designed to introduce you to forensic psychology. Forensic psychology is one of the key psychological domains recognised by the British Psychological Society and covers a broad range of topics highly relevant to the real world. A key aim of the module is to teach you about the ways in which psychology can be applied to criminal justice settings.

Forensic psychology is a popular pathway for graduates who wish to pursue a career in psychology. Therefore, the module will provide you with the opportunity to explore the broad array of concepts, issues and debates with which forensic psychology practitioners and researchers are concerned. The module will explore how theoretical concepts and psychological research can be used to understand and assess criminal behaviour. The module also provides insight into the importance of psychology in understanding wider issues within the criminal justice system, including the experiences of victims/survivors.

This module aims to introduce students to the area of health psychology and demonstrate how psychological principles may be applied to understand and alleviate problems of illness, ill health and health-related behaviours which are significant contemporary real-world problems; this is evidence of pursing excellence.

Key models and theories that aim to predict risk behaviour and promote health and self-care will be discussed, compared and contrasted. Interventions to promote behaviour change will also be covered. Behaviour change techniques and adherence will be debated with practical examples given. After considering the role of psychology in the field of health the module will focus on factors such as stress and its effects on health and illness. Coping styles and strategies as well as social support will be discussed as moderators of the relation between stress and illness.

Individuals and organisations find themselves in a rapidly changing environment. The aim of the module is to provide an introduction to the field of Work and Organisational Psychology (sometimes referred to as Occupational, Occupational Health, Organisational or Industrial Psychology). Work and Organisational Psychology (WOP) is an academic subject that focuses on human behaviour related to organisations, work, and productivity. It applies psychological principles to the workplace. The WOP module will cover the importance of how the workplace can impact upon people’s health (in both negative and positive ways) and how the workplace can also be used to improve the well-being of its employees.

The module will provide you with an understanding of the sometimes complex links between workplaces and health, and an appreciation that physical health, psychological health, the quality of working life, job satisfaction and well-being are all intrinsically related. The module will cover health issues such as stress, mental health, musculoskeletal disorders, respiratory and cardiovascular related conditions. Emphasis will be made of the tensions between the needs and functions of both organisations and of individual workers. In exploring the conflicting needs that sometimes exists between workers and organisations, you will understand how workplaces (can) utilise psychological processes in order to obtain maximum effectiveness of workers and the organisation; to promote the design of better working and how jobs are done; and to ensure appropriate selection processes.

This module will develop key transferable skills, continued from level 4 and 5 modules such as Neuropsychology, including group discussion and debate, critical evaluation and evidence-based reasoning. Research-led teaching will explore key debates, theories and methodologies used in neuropsychology and ageing, as well as challenges. The GBC areas of biological psychology, developmental psychology and cognitive psychology will be supplemented through this module. This module contributes to knowledge and understanding in neuropsychology from a lifespan development perspective. It takes a holistic approach to understand the cognitive and neural theories and evidence across a range of areas, including language, attention and memory, and the effects ageing has on these processes.

There will be an applied focus during this module and clear links to the chartered area of clinical neuropsychology. Interventions will be discussed in relation to both clinical difficulties (Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease) and to non-clinical everyday cognitive decline. The research-led approach to this module will see the students applying advanced psychological theory and methodology to real research questions, with a focus on intervention and positive psychology.

The module considers addictive behaviours from both a multidimensional and multidisciplinary perspective, by covering developmental, social, personality and individual differences, cognitive, biological, health and cultural psychology, while also taking into account perspectives from public policy, social justice and economics.

The module content will cover a number of theoretical and conceptual accounts (e.g., brain disease model, dual process models, choice theory) of addictive behaviours, both historical and contemporary. In doing so the research methodologies commonly utilised in the literature will be discussed and critical consideration given to the current challenges facing researchers in the area. Specifically, the module will also explore novel addictions (e.g., social media, food, gambling, shopping), challenging how these fit within existing definitions of addiction and the role of research in unpacking our understanding of such potentially problematic behaviours.

This module aims to builds on the clinical and health-based modules on the programme by providing you with an in-depth and critical understanding of eating behaviours and body image. The module will take into consideration the complex and multi-faceted influences on eating and weight, and the methods used to assess, prevent and treat a range of eating- and weight-elated behaviours and outcomes. You will be encouraged to engage with a range of empirical evidence and psychological theories/models, taking a critical analytical stance in relation to their application within real-world contexts. Topics related to eating behaviours, eating disorders, body image, and obesity will be covered, addressing different perspectives, such as developmental, cultural background, LGBTQIA+ and gender, and a critical approach to understanding how these topics are related to contemporary issues, such as social media, weight stigma, and health disparities.

The module will be supported by face-to-face learning through lectures and seminars, as well as online Moodle activities. Lectures will provide the core material related to the topic, whereas seminars will allow you to apply this knowledge through task participation and group work. Self-directed activities, such as Moodle activities will help you to develop knowledge and skills outside of the scheduled learning.

This module will explore the historical approaches in psychology and the racism and legacies that are still seen in contemporary settings. The module aims to equip students with historical knowledge of misuse of science by psychologists and through a critical lens (such as intersectionality) towards historical redress. The content will centre predominantly within the UK context but may refer to American contexts where appropriate.

This module addresses the need to decolonise the psychology curriculum especially as minoritised groups of students have been systematically erased and the narratives should be shifted towards empowerment. Decolonisation is not a comprehensive task, so this module serves as an introduction to the ideas behind decolonising research, applications to real-life and acknowledging one’s positionality on the basis of their identity.