Forensic Psychology BSc (Hons)
Course Code
UCAS Code: CM82
International Code: HLSU189
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Sandwich
Duration
3 years full-time
4 years sandwich
Start date
September 2022
Course overview
Study level: Undergraduate
This BPS-accredited course aims to explore what makes people commit crime and to identify the factors which may predict criminal behaviour.
- Accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) meaning that as a graduate, provided you achieve at least a 2:2, you will be eligible for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC). Additional costs may apply.
- You will have the opportunity to engage with both the theories and application of psychological perspectives, methods and techniques, with a particular focus on forensic settings.
- Work experience* is a key part of the course, designed to help to ensure that you graduate not only with academic qualifications, but with relevant work experience and a host of transferable skills, including critical analysis, problem solving, and leadership.
- Coventry is a global top 200 university for Psychology according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021.

Global Ready
An international outlook, with global opportunities
Teaching excellence
Taught by lecturers who are experts in their field
Employability
Career ready graduates, with the skills to succeedWhy you should study this course
This course aims to provide a comprehensive grounding in the major psychological approaches to the study of human behaviour. Covering psychological theory, research and practical skills, it aims to help you understand how psychology is applied to real-life, with a focus on criminal behaviour, and how to select, use and report appropriate psychological methods and research techniques.
You will have the opportunity to study a broad range of psychological theory and interventions in the context of crime, including those used in relation to perpetrators and victims of crime, and society at large. On successful completion of this course you should have an understanding of forensic psychology across a range of criminal behaviours including violent, sexual and economic crime in family, workplace and sports contexts, and have developed employability skills in relation to working in the field. You will also examine the depictions of forensic psychology in popular culture.
Work experience* is a key part of the course, designed to help to ensure that you graduate not only with academic qualifications, but with relevant work experience and a host of transferable skills, including critical analysis, problem solving, and leadership.
The Faculty of Health and Life Sciences currently has links with the Local Education Authority (LEA), local schools and numerous healthcare providers, including Coventry and Warwickshire Mind, Entrust Care Partnership, and Grapevine. Organisations such as these can offer services to young people and adults with mental health difficulties and learning disabilities and their carers. In the past, previous students have taken up roles involving socialising and supporting members of the community, volunteering in a buddying service, planning and organising resources to set up events to help raise awareness of young people’s needs or mobilise individuals who need support.
You’ll be allocated a personal tutor and taught by experienced teachers, many of whom are currently active researchers. You will have access to facilities, such as eye-tracking and brain monitoring, the latter using an electroencephalogram (EEG). You’ll also have the opportunity to join our active and vibrant student-led Psychology Society, which seeks to arrange a variety of social excursions and activities. Past destinations have included Sigmund Freud’s house, now the Sigmund Freud Museum, in London.
A global top 200 university for Psychology.
Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021
Accredited by:

The British Psychological Society
This course is accredited and recognised by the British Psychological Society (BPS) for the 2022/23 intake. If the accreditation of this course changes, we would seek to notify applicants and students as soon as possible.
Current accreditation by the British Psychological Society (BPS) meaning that as a graduate, provided you achieve at least a 2:2, you will be eligible for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC). Additional costs may apply. Please check with the membership body for details.
What you'll study
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
How you'll learn
All of our psychology degrees are taught using a mixture of lectures, small group seminars and practical, ‘hands-on’ skills workshops. Core course content is typically delivered during the lectures, while seminars and workshops offer opportunities for you to explore topics more independently, receive guidance on coursework assignments, begin to apply your knowledge and develop your academic and transferable skills.
You will have the chance to take part in, design, conduct and analyse the results of psychological experiments, using specialist equipment and computer software, and spend time working collaboratively on group projects with other students.
In addition, you could contact your Professional and Personal Tutor to arrange one-to-one bookable meetings throughout every semester and review and discuss your progress and continual personal development. Outside of contact time, your personal study hours will be guided by materials posted on your module web pages.
In a typical teaching week, you will have around approximately 14 ‘contact’ hours of teaching. This generally breaks down as:
- Personal tutorial/small group teaching/one to one supervision: meetings are arranged on a mutual basis as necessary.
- Medium group teaching: up to 6 hours of practical workshops or seminars each week.
- Large group teaching: up to 8 hours of lectures each week.
Contact hours will vary by stage and semester of course and any options chosen.
Some ‘contact’ hours may take the form of synchronous online learning (e.g. live online lectures, meeting tutors via video calling etc)
Assessment
This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which could vary depending upon the module.
Assessment methods include
- Coursework
- Phase tests
This course is predominantly assessed by coursework.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards the achieving the intended learning outcomes. Assessments may include exams, individual assignments or group work elements.
Job ready
Our courses have been designed to provide practical work experience and aim to equip you with a range of skills and competencies that should make you attractive to potential employers, such as group work, literature reviewing, critical analysis and the delivery of oral presentations.
As well as the work experience module delivered in year two and option to spend a year on placement*, we offer a module developing professional skills to our final year students. This aims to help you learn how to identify suitable employment and training opportunities after graduation, submit competitive, professional applications and perform well in interview situations.
International experience opportunities
We aim to arrange international field trips each year for students at all levels of our undergraduate psychology courses.* In previous years, our first year students have visited Amsterdam, a group of second years have been to San Francisco and some of our final-year students have visited Tokyo.
You may have the opportunity to study abroad* for a year in a European university, in between year two and the final year of your course. This would be additional study and would provide you with an international experience opportunity, which can be viewed favourably by potential employers. There are also faculty-wide field trips* which are also open to students on this course.
Entry requirements
Fees and funding
2022/23 Tuition fees
Student | Full time | Part time |
---|---|---|
UK | £9,250 per year | Not available |
International | £16,650 per year | Not available |
For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see The University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.
We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.
Facilities
Our Forensic Psychology students can use our mock cells to experience the practical aspects of life in prison.

Specialist facilities
Specialist teaching facilities include an observation suite, counselling rooms and specialist software, such as OpenSesame experiment builder, E-Prime, SPSS statistical analysis, Pinnacle Studio and NVIVO.

The Library
The library provides you with access to subject-specific databases. These are full of journal articles related to Psychology, and guidance on how to find and access to psychological tests and measures.

Prison cells
Our Criminology and Psychology students can use our mock cells to experience the practical aspects of life in prison.
Careers and opportunities
In order to use the title Forensic Psychologist, you will need to be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). This will involve completing a post degree Stage Two BPS qualification in Forensic Psychology or an equivalent qualification that has been approved by the HCPC (additional costs and application process apply).
Successful completion of our degree can provide a route into many careers, both within and outside the field of psychology. With further training, you may choose to become a qualified psychologist, pursuing a career in the community as, for example, an occupational, forensic or social psychologist; in mental wellbeing as a clinical or counselling psychologist; in physical wellbeing as a health, sport or neuropsychologist; working with children as a developmental or educational psychologist. The interpersonal and analytical skills of psychologists are in demand by employers in the private sector, police, military and charitable organisations, among others.
Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your future career and giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The university’s Talent Team are accessible and you could take advantage of the wide range of support services to help and support you to plan and prepare for your future career.
Where our graduates work
Many of our graduates have gone on to pursue postgraduate qualifications and work as practising psychologists, others have become researchers, lecturers, teachers, administrators, managers, or health and care professionals.
Further study
Alternatively, you may decide to pursue postgraduate study opportunities by studying courses such as Forensic Psychology MSc. You may be entitled to an alumni discount on your fees if you decide to extend your time with us by progressing from undergraduate to postgraduate study.
How to apply
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UK Students
Full-time students applying to start in September should apply for this course through UCAS. Part-time students should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form.
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International Students
Full-time students applying to start in September should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
How to applyFor further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International hub.
You can also download our International guide which contains lots of useful information about our courses, accommodation and tips for travel.
Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.
Chat with our admissions team.
Complete our contact form.
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Disclaimer
Student Contract
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2021/22 Contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
Tuition fees
The tuition fee for the course that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For UK and EU students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation. Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, EU students should be aware that there may be a change to UK laws following the UK’s exit, this may change their student status, their eligibility to study part time, and/or their eligibility for student finance. We will act in accordance with the UK’s laws in force in relation to student tuition fees and finance from time to time.
For International students the tuition fee that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review our tuition fees each year. For international students, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation.
Accreditations
The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.
Facilities
Facilities mentioned on this page may not be relevant for every course. Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Placements and study abroad opportunities
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
Additional costs
This course may incur additional costs associated with any field trips, placements or work experience, study abroad opportunities or any other opportunity (whether required or optional), which could include (but is not limited to), equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas).