BSc (Honours) Criminology and Psychology

Year of Entry 2025/26
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BSc (Honours)

Criminology and Psychology

Full-time Criminology

Gain contemporary, global and applied knowledge of criminology and psychology – on a course that’s focused on career development, inclusivity, diversity and sustainability.

Everything you need to know...

  • Pound sign

    What is the fee?

    Home: See fees section below
    International/EU: £17,155 per year (£1,200 for placement year)

  • Time

    How long will I study?

    3 / 4 Years

  • Location

    Where will I study?

    City Campus

  • Bookmark

    What are the entry requirements?

    112-120 UCAS points

  • Checkmark

    What is the UCAS code?

    MC98

  • Date

    When do I start?

    September 2025

  • Avatar

    Placement year available?

    Yes


Where will I study?

This course is moving into one of our new buildings at City campus. Teaching will be delivered at our Collegiate campus during the 2024/25 academic year while we get our new facilities ready. After that you will study in brand new facilities at City campus.  

Course summary

  • Experience award-winning teaching recognised by the British Society of Criminology.
  • Work with our Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice to address ethical and social justice issues.
  • Gain expertise in topics like policing, prisons and forensic psychology.
  • Improve your employability through work placements and international study opportunities.

Gain a criminological and psychological perspective on the causes and consequences of crime, the criminal justice system, and ways of treating and managing offenders. By studying both criminology and psychology, you’ll gain a broad, multi-disciplinary understanding of criminological and psychological theory, and how to apply this knowledge to real-life experiences, human behaviour and workplaces.


Employability

96% of our graduates are in work or further study fifteen months after graduating (2021/22 Graduate Outcomes Survey).

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How you learn

Your lecturer's view
Watch the Head of Criminology Shawna McCoy talk about this course.

At Sheffield Hallam, all our courses are designed to engage you with the world and challenge you to think in new ways. You’ll get to collaborate with others, and you’ll be taught in a supportive environment where you can thrive.

Our staff are actively engaged in criminological and psychological research. Researchers work in fields as diverse as health and wellbeing, language and education, social policy, political theory, social inequalities, the criminal justice system, and many more areas across the scope of psychology, sociology and politics. As a result, we offer up-to-date teaching and course content of the highest standard, covering topics with real-world implications. 

Our academics bring a wealth of knowledge and skills from professional practice across the criminal justice and psychological sectors, including the police, prison service, probation, youth organisations, mental health settings and charity sectors. 

You learn through:

  • Face-to-face lectures and seminars
  • Online lectures and seminars
  • Independent study
  • Student-led collaborative learning
  • Practice-based learning
  • Exams and coursework
  • Practicals and formative assessments

Key Themes 

You’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of the key theories, debates and perspectives relevant to the study of criminology and psychology. These involve a modern understanding of criminal justice and mental health systems and the current challenges they face – such as policing, probation prison practice, gendered violence, power and harm, trauma, and forensic psychology.

The course approach will involve learning through teaching, working, doing, independent study and learning online. This blend of in-person and online activities creates a collaborative learning environment, allowing you to form communities with your peers and enhancing your overall educational experience.

Our teaching approach is designed to provide a 'real-world' curriculum, emphasising key transferable skills that enhance your prospects for future graduate employment or further study opportunities.

Course Support

You’ll be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate level employment through several key areas. These include:

  • Access to our unique student support triangle to help with your personal, academic and career development.
  • Access to our Skills Centre with one to ones, webinars and online resources, where you can get help with planning and structuring your assignments.
  • Industry-specific employability activities such as live projects, learning in simulated environments and networking opportunities.

Course leaders and tutors

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Oliver Merry
Senior Lecturer of Forensic Psychology

Profile of Dr Oliver Merry, Senior Lecturer of Forensic Psychology course leader of BSc (Hons) Criminology & Psychology at Sheffield Hallam University

Applied learning

We prepare you to engage in real-life challenges by offering opportunities to apply the knowledge you’ve learned to real-world experiences. 

Work Placement 

You’ll have the opportunity to arrange a year-long work placement in between your second and third year. This gives you valuable work experience to prepare you for your future career – and allows you to graduate with an Applied Professional Diploma to add to your CV.

To maximise your career prospects, you’ll engage in various curriculum-integrated employability activities. These include student placement modules and interactions with criminal justice and third sector agencies. These experiences encompass project work with external agencies, simulation modules, and voluntary work facilitated through our employability fair.

Previous students have completed placements for companies and organisations such as the Community Rehabilitation Company, Victim Support and Doncaster Prison.

Live Projects

You’ll engage in a range of live projects – working on behalf of real organisations. Previous student projects have included designing materials for hate crime awareness week for South Yorkshire Police, designing educational materials to help young people understand cybercrime on behalf of Victim Support, and researching the experiences of securing housing for those released from prison on behalf on NACRO (the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders).

We work in partnership with employers and organisations to impact on important issues in the local area. You’ll have opportunities to apply your knowledge in real-world community projects that make a positive difference. This engagement includes working with young people, prison-related organisations, community justice entities, substance misuse services, women's services, accommodation services, victim services, and more.

International Opportunities

You’ll have the opportunity to study abroad at one of our partner institutions. You can also choose which modules you want to study. This immersive experience offers insights into different cultures and learning styles while providing you with the chance to explore new places and connect with people from diverse backgrounds.

Networking Opportunities

Our course benefits from strong ties with the Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice and the Centre for Behavioural Science and Applied Psychology (CeBSAP). This makes sure our teaching is directly aligned with contemporary applied fields, addressing ethical and social justice issues, and promoting access to community resources. 

We regularly host events and lectures featuring national and international guest speakers, including police officers, forensic psychologists, probation officers and prison governors.

You’ll also receive career-related support from department specialists, as well as access to graduate opportunities.


Future careers

This course prepares you for a career in:

  • Mental health
  • Psychology
  • Social justice
  • Social research
  • Service projects
  • Offender rehabilitation
  • Academia
  • The charity sector

Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for:

  • Charitable organisations
  • Citizens Advice Bureau
  • Civil service and local government
  • Drug and alcohol charities
  • HM Prison and Probation service
  • Ministry of Justice
  • The police service
  • Victim support
  • Youth work

Where will I study?

You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.

City Campus

City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.

City Campus map | City Campus tour 


City Campus map
Location

Howard Street
Sheffield
S1 1WB

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Adsetts library

Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.

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Equipment and facilities

Most of our teaching is conducted in dedicated lecture studios, small teaching rooms and computer labs. You’ll have access to any specialist software required, such as data analysis packages and data collection tools.

The research equipment currently available to students includes: 

  • An observation suite
  • An eye-tracking laboratory
  • A BioPac laboratory
  • A low-level vision laboratory
  • A food laboratory
  • Electroencephalography (EEG) equipment

We’ve invested over £100 million in new facilities to help you study how and when you want. This means 24-hour libraries and study spaces designed by our students.

Entry requirements

All students

UCAS points

  • 112-120

This must include at least two A levels or equivalent BTEC National qualifications. For example:

  • BBC-BBB at A Level.
  • DDM in BTEC Extended Diploma.
  • Merit overall from a T level Qualification
  • A combination of qualifications, which may include AS Levels, EPQ and general studies.

You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.

GCSE

  • English Language or English Literature at grade C or 4
  • Mathematics at grade C or 4

• Access - at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2 from a relevant Open College Network accredited course

• Grade B from CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma.

If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.5 in both reading and writing and 5.5 in all other skills, or equivalent

We consider other qualifications from the UCAS tariff. Applicants with alternative qualifications or a combination of qualifications and work experience are also considered. We welcome applications from people of any age. Please contact us for further advice.

Meeting the qualifications on the entry criteria does not guarantee you a place. You should ensure that you submit a personal statement and reference as these are considered as part of the selection process. Guidelines on personal statements and references can be found on the UCAS website.

Additional information for EU/International students

If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.

For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.


Modules

Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.

You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.

Year 1

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Experiences Of Justice
Credits 60
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Understanding Crime, Society And Behaviour
Credits 60
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Year 2

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Understanding And Researching Serious Harm
Credits 60
Assessment Coursework(100%)

Elective modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Professional Practice On Placement
Credits 60
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Real World Practice
Credits 60
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Study Abroad - Institute Of Law And Justice
Credits 60
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Year 3

Optional modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Placement Year
Credits -
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Final year

Elective modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
21St Century Security Threats: Crime, Crisis Or Tragedy
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Applied Cyberpsychology
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Comparative Criminal Justice
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Controversies Of Policing
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Crime, Harm And Social Justice
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Forensic Psychology
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Gender, Power And The State
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Pathways To Change
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Psychology Across The Life Course
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Punishment And Practice In Context
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Real World Project
Credits 60
Assessment Coursework(80%) , Practical(20%)
Real World Research
Credits 60
Assessment Coursework(80%) , Practical(20%)
Sex, Gender And Violence
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)
The Psychology Of Trauma
Credits 20
Assessment Coursework(100%)

Fees and funding

Home students

Our tuition fees for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2025/26 are regulated by the UK government and are yet to be confirmed. For an indication, our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2024/25 is £9,250 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.

If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.

International students

Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £17,155 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.

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Financial support for home/EU students

How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.

Learn more

Additional course costs

The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.

General course additional costs

Additional costs for Sheffield Institute of Law and Justice (PDF, 141.3KB)

Legal information

Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.

 

How do I apply?

Apply now via UCAS

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Why not come to our next open day? Open days are the perfect place to talk to staff and students, visit our campuses and get all the information you need. Alternatively, feel free to ask us a question.

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Why choose us?

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Teaching

We are Gold rated in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) for the outstanding quality of our teaching and student outcomes

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We guarantee to find you an affordable place to live that’s close to campus and comes with all bills included

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Employment

95% of our UK graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating (2021/22 Graduate Outcomes Survey)

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