Psychology with Forensic Psychology

Why study BSc Psychology with Forensic Psychology at Goldsmiths

On this degree you'll explore psychological theories, methods and processes relating to the legal, criminal and civil justice systems.

• You'll develop a thorough understanding of the key issues and debates that relate to psychology and forensic psychology. You’ll also be trained in the design of experiments, hands-on lab skills, and the use of psychology-relevant software for data and statistical analysis.

• You'll benefit from a mentoring scheme during which you’ll be paired with a member of academic staff with forensic psychology expertise who will advise you on career options and support your employability skills.

• You will gain a wide range of transferable skills associated with the practice of psychology, including critical thinking, analytical skills, reflection, self-motivation, planning and organisation.

• You will be actively encouraged to seek opportunities for summer internships or other work experience placements to further build on your skills and knowledge.

• During your final year of study you'll carry out a research project under close supervision of a member of academic staff whose research interests and expertise are in the forensic psychology field. You will learn about all aspects of research in the area of forensic psychology, which forms one of the roots of our research-led teaching.

• Working and learning in an applied fashion will allow you to gain an appreciation of how to use available evidence-bases to inform practice, and how research can feed back into the working process.

• Our academics are experts in their field, and you’ll have the opportunity to get involved in the world-class research taking place in the department.

• You’ll have access to fantastic facilities. These include laboratories, a visual perception and attention laboratory, virtual reality equipment, and a mock police interview suite with recording equipment and an observation room.

• The programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), so you can be assured of the very best education and training in psychology during your degree. BPS-accredited programmes are highly valued by employers and give students a route to full BPS membership.

In Year 1 and Year 2
Learning will be structured across three interdisciplinary themes:

Mental Health and Wellbeing
Cognition and Culture
Life and Society

Each theme is supplemented by integrated Research Methods training, and Personal and Professional Development.

Year 1 (credit level 4)
You will take the following modules:
Mental Health and Wellbeing 1
Cognition and Culture 1
Life and Society 1
Research Methods and Statistics 1
Personal and Professional Development 1
Applications of Psychological Research
Identity, Environment and Agency 1

Year 2 (credit level 5)
You will study the following modules:
Mental Health and Wellbeing 2
Cognition and Culture 2
Life and Society 2
Research Methods and Statistics 2
Personal and Professional Development 2
Science Communication in Psychology

You'll also select 1 option module from a list provided by the department.

Optional placement year
The degree includes an optional placement year between the second and final year of study. You will be responsible for securing a placement, but we can support you through this process.

The placement year is a great opportunity for you to gain work experience, build confidence and contacts, develop your skills and industry insight, and enhance your career prospects.

You'll be supported throughout your placement year by a placement tutor, who will provide you with guidance and liaison between you and your employer.

Year 3/4 (credit level 6)
Research dissertation
In your final year, you will carry out an individual research project under the close supervision of a member of faculty in the Department of Psychology.

Compulsory modules
You'll also take the following compulsory modules:
Psychology and Law
Addictive Behaviours

Option modules
Finally you will choose 3 bespoke option modules. The modules currently available are:
Clinical Psychology: Common Presentations and Interventions
Multivariate Statistical Methods in Psychology
Cross-Cultural and Individual Differences in Attention and Awareness
Topics in Neuropsychology
Behavioural Genetics
Psychological Approaches to Music
The Interpersonal Self
Neurodevelopment, Neurodiversity and Education
Cognitive Neuroscience
Social Psychology of Social Problems
Psychology of the Arts, Aesthetics and Attraction
Introduction to Coding With MATLAB
Leadership and Talent Management

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

In Years 1 and 2, each theme will have diverse assessments that are designed to reflect multiple important skills for further study and future employment.

These will include writing assignments (eg case study, opinion piece, policy brief), group work assignments (eg running a small experiment), oral/interactive assignments (eg presentation to a small group, podcast), and written or oral exams (eg timed essay).

Assessments in Research Methods are designed to prepare you for your final year project, giving you a grounding in experimental design, analysis, data visualisation, and interpreting findings.

Assessments in the Professional and Personal Development module will support the skills and competencies needed to succeed throughout your degree and beyond.

If you opt for an industrial placement year, your placement tutor will assess your work.

Final year modules are assessed by a variety of methods, depending on your module choices. These may include coursework, examinations, group work and projects. All students will complete a written dissertation on their final year project.