Our BPS-accredited Psychology with Forensic and Investigative Psychology degree takes you on a journey to uncover why criminals break the law. Abertay's Psychology degrees are ranked top 10 in the UK for course satisfaction (The Guardian University Guide 2022).
Programme Overview
Learn how to analyse the behaviour of offenders, the reasons behind the actions and interactions of criminals, and how we can make the Criminal Justice System fairer for everyone. Our degree with Forensic and Investigative Psychology teaches you how psychological theory and research can be applied to forensic settings like police investigations, the court room, and the prison service.
The first two years of this flexible degree are designed to help you dig deeper into the science behind the way humans think, feel, and behave. In years three and four, you take more advanced options related to your specialist degree pathway. You'll discover just how vital psychology is to criminal investigations.
Evaluating criminal behaviour
Our academic experts will give you a thorough understanding of this fascinating world, including how to:
Analyse offender motives.
Understand offending behaviour.
Evaluate eyewitness testimony.
Profile missing people.
Understand the language of the judicial system.
Support vulnerable witnesses, victims and offenders.
Assess and treat of a variety of criminal behaviours.
An analytical approach is needed to evaluate the different kinds of criminal behaviour involved in investigations. You'll learn how to observe behaviour, tackle literature-based research and develop, test and evaluate theories. This culminates in conducting your own supervised research project in your final year, which is one of the corner stones of your degree.
How the Course Works
Learning and Assessment
You'll learn through a combination of lectures, practical laboratory classes, seminars/tutorials and independent study.
Psychology degrees at Abertay are flexible. You can study different pathways and switch to a new pathway if your interests change over time.
You apply for one of these specific degree pathways at the start:
BSc (Hons) Psychology
BSc (Hons) Psychology with Development and Education
BSc (Hons) Psychology with Forensic and Investigative Psychology
BSc (Hons) Psychology with Forensic Scene Investigation
But if you’re unsure which to choose, don’t worry, apply for the course that appeals most.
This is because you have an opportunity to switch to a different pathway at the start of Year 2, Year 3 and Year 4 (conditions apply*). Our academic team will always be available to help if you do decide to switch pathways.
Your degree title will be reflected in the pathway you choose e.g: BSc (Hons) Psychology with Development and Education or BSc (Hons) Psychology with Forensic Scene Investigation.
No other Scottish university is offering these flexible undergraduate degree pathways in psychology. We believe this gives our graduates a distinct edge when it comes to applying for postgraduate study or employment.
*Dependent on the relevant modules being taken. Please check your Student Handbook for full details.
Teaching and Assessment
You'll learn through a combination of lectures, practical laboratory classes, seminars, tutorials, and independent study.
The practical laboratory classes are where you’ll learn relevant scientific techniques first-hand and engage in research by designing experiments then collecting and analysing the data.
You will be assessed using a variety of methods. These include examinations and class tests, practical laboratory reports, essays, oral and poster presentations, research projects, writing scientific articles and case studies.
All students must complete their Honours project on an area of psychological research related to their chosen pathway.
Accreditation
This Psychology with Forensic and Investigative Psychology degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and its core areas follow the curriculum set out by the BPS. This accreditation is essential for students who want to become a Chartered Psychologist, and means that successful graduates are eligible to apply for further professional psychology training.
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