Criminology and Psychology

Criminology and psychology is a pairing that examines crime and criminal behaviour from both social-scientific and psychological perspectives. Criminology asks why crime occurs, how societies define and respond to it, and what the criminal justice system achieves in terms of justice and harm reduction. Psychology brings the scientific study of mind and behaviour to bear on those same questions, examining the cognitive, emotional and developmental factors that influence whether and why individuals offend, how they make decisions, and how they respond to intervention.

Together the two disciplines provide a genuinely comprehensive framework for understanding criminal behaviour and the systems that respond to it.

At Swansea University you will study criminology and psychology over three years of full-time study, receiving scientific training in the relationship between the mind, brain, and behaviour alongside a thorough grounding in criminological theory and criminal justice research. You will develop skills in experimental research design, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and the evaluation of evidence, learning to apply psychological and criminological concepts to real-world questions about offending, victimisation and justice. The typical tariff of 136 reflects a programme that is analytically demanding across both disciplines, and Swansea's Welsh coastal location provides a distinctive academic environment.

Graduates work across the criminal justice system, mental health services, social work, the probation service, youth offending teams, the police, victim support organisations and research bodies. Many use the degree as the foundation for postgraduate training in forensic psychology, clinical psychology, social work or law, which leads to professional registration and specialist practice. The joint grounding in psychology and criminology is particularly well suited to roles that require understanding individuals within their social and institutional contexts, from prison psychology to safeguarding and offender rehabilitation.

The combination is consistently valued across the public services and voluntary sector.