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Criminal Investigation with Psychology with Placement

Course details
  • BSc (Hons)
  • 4 Years
  • Full-time with year in industry
  • 21 September 2026
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Main Site
Awarded by:
Solent University

Course summary

The BSc (Hons) Criminal Investigation with Psychology course gives you the opportunity to combine your interests in crime and psychology to gain a degree that will prove invaluable for a career in crime scene investigation and detection.

The course encourages you to develop a critical understanding of the core principals of both criminology and psychology – and focuses on real-world studies that reflect current understandings and practice from these fields. From criminology you will gain a critical understanding of criminal investigation processes and criminological theories and research, enabling you to explain and analyse deviant and criminal behaviour. Psychology modules will enable to you develop an analytical appreciation of the core areas of psychological science, such as the study of human development, cognition and personality.

Learning at Solent is industry-led and supported through a highly experienced academic team, with activities and assessments geared towards your future career in the criminal justice and policing sectors. An interactive style that encourages participation enables you to practice the skills required for success in modern crime scene investigation.

Close industry connections with local, national and international criminal justice and policing agencies enrich the learning as well as provide opportunities to apply your growing skills and knowledge. Networking through volunteering is encouraged and you can also select one of our four-year placement degrees.

If you’re looking to study our criminal investigation with psychology degree but don’t have the relevant qualifications or experience, the social sciences foundation year will help you develop the core skills and knowledge to progress. Find out more about the social sciences foundation year.

This course also offers the option of a placement year. A placement year allows you to put what you've learned in your first and second years into practice in the workplace, gaining valuable real-world work experience before you graduate. Our course and placements teams will help you find the perfect industry placement in your chosen field.

Who is this course for?
This course is suited to students who wish to follow a career path in criminal investigation with psychology or similar professional/voluntary capacity.

You will build analytical and research skills that can be transferred to a broad range of careers, along with valuable industry connections through site visits, guest speakers and lecturers’ own networks within the industry.

What does this course lead to?
If you’re looking for a career path in criminal investigation or psychology, this is the course for you.

You will be well placed for roles within the criminal justice sector and related fields, while your analytical and research-focused skills, along with a range of transferrable skills will aid employability in a broad range of careers, such as in the business and voluntary sectors.

Modules

YEAR 1
CORE MODULES

Criminal Justice Process
Police and Social Control
The Criminal Mind: Understanding and Applying Theory
Behaviour and the Brain

YEAR TWO
CORE MODULES

Criminological Fieldwork: Methods and Practice
Crime Scene Investigation
Diversity in the Social World

OPTIONAL MODULES - Please note: Not all optional modules are guaranteed to run each year.

Punishment, Resistance and Desistance
True Crime in the Information Age

PLACEMENT YEAR

FINAL YEAR
CORE MODULES

Investigation of Serious Crime
Dangerous Offenders
Applied Criminology: Final Project
CHIP

Assessment method

You may be assessed by a combination of:
Written assessments
Written exams
Portfolios
Workshops
Individual presentations
Group presentations
Fieldwork

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
CIN2
Institution code:
S30
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

For information about applying to Solent as an International applicant, please visit https://www.solent.ac.uk/how-to-apply/entry-requirements/help-for-international-students

Entry requirements

UCAS Tariff
104 - 120 points

A level

104-120 from a minimum of 2 A Levels

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
DMM

DMM (112 UCAS Tariff Points)

Access to HE Diploma

Pass in Access course with 60 credits overall including 45 Level 3 credits passed with a minimum of Merit, or 102-118 UCAS Tariff points with any combination of Distinction, Merit or Pass Grades

Scottish Higher

104-120 UCAS Tariff Points from a minimum of 4 Scottish Highers

AS

In combination with other qualifications

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
D*D

D*D (104 UCAS Tariff Points)

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

This qualification is considered as part of the overall tariff (104-120 UCAS Tariff Points)

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

This qualification is considered as part of the overall tariff (104-120 UCAS Tariff Points)

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

This qualification is considered as part of the overall tariff (104-120 UCAS Tariff Points)

Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)
DMM

Pearson BTEC Diploma (QCF)
D*D*

Or can be used in combination with other qualifications.

Pearson BTEC Subsidiary Diploma (QCF)

This qualification is considered as part of the overall tariff (104-120 UCAS Tariff Points)

Pearson BTEC Certificate (QCF)

In combination with other qualifications

Scottish Advanced Higher

104-120 UCAS Tariff Points from a minimum of 2 Scottish Advanced Highers

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
28 - 31 points

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)

This qualification is considered as part of the overall tariff (104-120 UCAS Tariff Points)

Extended Project

This qualification is considered as part of the overall tariff (104-120 UCAS Tariff Points)

HNC (BTEC)
P

HND (BTEC)
P

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma
DMM

DMM (112 UCAS Tariff Points)

OCR Cambridge Technical Diploma
D*D

D*D (104 UCAS Tariff Points)

OCR Cambridge Technical Foundation Diploma

In combination with other qualifications

OCR Cambridge Technical Introductory Diploma

This qualification is considered as part of the overall tariff (104-120 UCAS Tariff Points)

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate

In combination with other qualifications

T Level
M

Merit (120 UCAS Tariff Points)

• Direct entry to years 2 (Level 5) or 3 (Level 6)

We welcome applications from students currently studying a Foundation Degree, DipHE, HNC, HND or modules of an undergraduate degree course at another university, who wish to enter directly into Years 2 or 3 of one of our undergraduate degree courses.

• Level 5 (year 2) entry

To directly enter the second year of this course you will need to show appropriate knowledge and experience. For example, you are an ideal candidate if you have 120 undergraduate credits at Level 4 or a CertHE in a related subject area.

• Level 6 (year 3) entry

To directly enter the third year of this course you need to show appropriate knowledge and experience. For example, you are an ideal candidate if you have 240 undergraduate credits (at Levels 4 and 5), a DipHE, Foundation Degree or HND in a related subject area.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6with 5.5 in each individual component.
TOEFL (iBT)80with a minimum of 20 in each individual compoenent.
Solent University can also accept the following English Language Test: Duolingo English Language Test 115 overall with a minimum of 95 in each component. All international applicants need to be aware that the English language requirements to attend Solent University, and the English language requirements to obtain a visa from the Home Office, may be different. This means that if you meet the Solent University language requirement to gain a place on the course, you may still have to meet additional requirements to be granted with a visa by the Home Office. We strongly advise all applicants to visit the Home Office website which outlines all the requirements for a successful visa application and to take a look at this PDF document which outlines both Solent University and Home Office requirements for a number of language tests.

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

We understand that each student is unique. At Solent we encourage individuality and have adopted a balanced approach to Admissions, by considering exam results alongside portfolios / interviews or auditions.

Our contextual offer scheme allows offers below our standard academic entry criteria to those who have faced challenges which has impacted their performance and predicted higher grades, by taking into account additional selection criteria such as a strong portfolio, interview or audition.

Learn more on the Southampton, Solent University website

Historical entry grades data

This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).

It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.

Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Per year tuition fees

LocationFeeYear

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.

Sponsorship information

Solent University offers a number of bursaries, grants and scholarships. For more information, please visit https://www.solent.ac.uk/finance/grants-bursaries-scholarships/bursaries

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