Forensic Psychology

During this Forensic Psychology degree, you'll study people and their motivations, within a biopsychosocial context. You'll learn to design, run, analyse and report an investigative study. You'll also learn critical thinking skills and how to use software specific to the Psychologist.

You'll become an independent learner during your time on this course, preparing you for the next stage of your career. A degree in any aspect of Psychology is highly valued by employers. Our course equips graduates for a range of careers in Forensic Psychology and other fields, including education, health, civil service, private industry, and commerce.

This course is a structured combination of existing components from our established Psychology programme, with Forensic or other relevant elements such as Criminology and Biology. In years one and two, you'll usually take 80 credits from the established Psychology programme, plus 40 to give the Forensic specialisation. In the third year, you'll take 60 credits in Forensic Psychology.

Year one
Your first year will introduce you to the main psychological approaches - social, cognitive, developmental, individual differences, and biological psychology. You'll also take a specialist module in Forensic and Criminal Psychology.

Year two
In year two, you'll develop your understanding of forensic and criminal psychology and core psychology concepts. You'll also learn the skills necessary to undertake your own psychological research.

Year three
Finally, year three will see you continue core studies with further forensic specialisation, including a dissertation involving one-to-one supervision with a member of staff.

Assessment methods include essays, debates, research reports, forensic scenario interpretation, group presentations, and examinations.

Most modules involve a mixture of lectures and follow-up seminars and workshops. In the case of research methods, much of the teaching is conducted via practical classes.

You’ll participate actively in seminars; these are characterised by small-group work. Bookable tutorials enable you to have one-to-one discussions with staff.

To find out more about how we teach and how you'll learn, please read our Learning and Teaching Delivery Statement.

As part of your degree, you could study abroad on a placement at one of Bath Spa’s partner universities.

Our graduates have completed, or are currently enrolled in, postgraduate education at Master's level in preparation for a professional doctorate or for a research PhD. Graduates with single or major honours in Psychology can apply directly for postgraduate training, in order to work towards becoming a forensic psychologist.

The majority of Psychology graduates across the country do not become professional psychologists immediately after graduation. Many continue on to train in counselling. Others work in clinical disciplines in preparation for a Doctorate in Clinical or Educational Psychology.

Forensic Psychology is an attractive option due to its flexibility. Other career options for students also involve roles in management, sales and advertising, probation work, and human resources. 

At the end of the academic year, we award prizes to recognise achievements in academic success and reward effort and excellence.

Prizes specific to Psychology courses include:

• The British Psychological Society Graduate Award
• Oxford University Press Prize for best dissertation.

If you’re a full-time undergraduate student starting your first year at Bath Spa University, you can apply for the Certificate in Global Citizenship, which you’ll study alongside your degree.

You’ll gain global awareness and add an international dimension to your student experience, and funding is available. On successful completion of the programme, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Global Citizenship. This is in addition to your degree; it doesn’t change your degree title or results.

This optional placement year provides you with the opportunity to identify, apply for and secure professional experience, normally comprising one to three placements over a minimum of nine months. Successful completion of this module will demonstrate your ability to secure and sustain graduate-level employment.

By completing the module, you'll be entitled to the addition of 'with Professional Placement Year' to your degree title.

Before your Professional Placement Year, you'll work to secure your placement, constructing a development plan with your module leader and your placement coordinator from our Careers and Employability team.

On your return to University for your final year, you'll submit your Placement Portfolio, detailing your development on your placement.

BSc Forensic Psychology is taught at our Newton Park campus.

You'll have access to a wide range of excellent facilities, including:

• Commons building
• Newton Park library
• Virtual Learning Environment
• Bath Spa studios and digital facilities
• Subject-specific resources, including databases and electronic journals.

Teaching resources include:

• EBSCO (online access to over 400 Psychology-related journals)
• PsycINFO and PsycARTICLES
• SPSS (statistical computer software for analysing quantitative data) and NVivo for qualitative data analysis.

We also have a large battery of psychometric tests, and a biopsychology lab where we make use of "biopac" equipment (computerised biological measures such as EEG) for practicals and project work as well as other shared and dedicated laboratory spaces for research.