BA Criminology and Psychology (Placement Year)
About this course
BA Hons in Criminology and Psychology (Placement Year), a psychology and sociology degree centred on the scientific study of crime, criminal minds, and societal responses. Core topics include Statistics, Research Methods, Fieldwork, Historical Research, Critical & Analytical Thinking, and Human Behaviour. Students undertake a professional placement year during their studies to gain practical industry experience. The first year establishes core knowledge through Cognitive and Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology and Neuropsychology, Doing Criminology: How We Know About Crime, Explaining Criminology, and Exploring the Criminal Justice System, with optional choices such as A Brief History of Crime and Criminology. The second year advances into specialised study via Cognitive Psychology, Criminological Thought, Measuring Crime, Social Psychology, and Understanding Criminological Fieldwork, alongside options like Financial Crime and Organised Crime. The final year explores targeted applications through compulsory modules such as Forensic and Criminological Psychology and Prisons, Punishment and Society. Optional modules allow students to focus on areas like Clinical Psychology, Cyberpsychology, and Green Criminology, and students may also complete a Criminology Dissertation.
Written by AI from the university's course page and module list. It can get details wrong, so check the official course page before you rely on it.
Entry requirements
A level: BBB IB: 30 overall with 15 points from the best 3 HL subjects
What students say
Based on about 49 final-year students who answered, across similar courses at this university
- Teaching on my course: 92%
- Learning opportunities: 88%
- Assessment and feedback: 79%
- Academic support: 96%
- Organisation and management: 86%
- Learning resources: 92%
- Student voice: 78%
Do students stay on the course?
Based on about 95 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- Continued on course: 92%
- Left higher education: 7%
- Moved to a lower qualification: 1%
What graduates do next
Based on about 32 graduates who answered, across similar courses at this university
- Working: 73%
- Working and studying: 7%
- Further study: 5%
- Unemployed: 8%
Most common jobs
- Teaching and Childcare Support Occupation: 19%
- Business and public service associate professionals: 17%
- Teaching Professionals: 10%
- Administrative occupations: 8%
- Caring personal services: 8%
- Find their work meaningful: 80%
- Feel on track for their future plans: 80%
- Use what they learnt on the course: 50%
Where graduates work (5 years on)
Based on about 75 graduates, across similar courses at this university
- North West: 60%
- Yorkshire and the Humber: 3%
- East Midlands: 1%
- West Midlands: 14%
- East of England: 5%
- London: 9%
- South East: 5%
- South West: 1%
- Scotland: 1%
Who gets in
Based on about 110 students who started, across similar courses at this university
- A levels: 93%
- Baccalaureate: 2%
- Access course: 1%
- Other HE qualification: 3%
Accreditation & quality ratings
TEF 2023 (whole university): Gold overall, Silver for student experience, Gold for student outcomes.
Modules
- Cognitive and Social Psychology
- Developmental Psychology and Neuropsychology
- Doing Criminology: How We Know About Crime
- Explaining Criminology
- Exploring the Criminal Justice System
- A Brief History of Crime and Criminology
- Crime and Popular Culture
- Cognitive Psychology
- Criminological Thought
- Measuring Crime
- Social Psychology
- Understanding Criminological Fieldwork
- Contemporary Issues in Policing
- Financial Crime
- Organised Crime
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Work Based Learning Year
- Forensic and Criminological Psychology
- Prisons, Punishment and Society
- Clinical Psychology
- Cognition: From Laboratory Research to Everyday Behaviour
- Crime and Media
- Criminology Dissertation
- Current Directions in Social Psychology
- Cyberpsychology
- Drugs, Crime and Society
- Gendered Harm and Justice
- Green Criminology
- Hate Crime
- Crimes and Harms of the Powerful
- Innovations in Developmental Psychology
- Sex Crimes and Sexual Offending
Questions about this course
How much do graduates of BA Criminology and Psychology (Placement Year) at Lancaster University earn?
The median salary is £26,000 after 15 months, £23,000 after 3 years, £26,500 after 5 years. After five years the middle half of graduates earn between £21,500 and £33,000. The £26,500 median after five years is £1,000 less than the UK median for Psychology.
What do graduates of BA Criminology and Psychology (Placement Year) at Lancaster University do next?
85% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing (Graduate Outcomes 2023-24).
Are students happy with the teaching on BA Criminology and Psychology (Placement Year) at Lancaster University?
92% of final-year students were positive about the teaching in the National Student Survey 2025-26.
What grades do I need for BA Criminology and Psychology (Placement Year) at Lancaster University?
The typical offer is BBB at A level. The average entrant had 134 UCAS points.
Does BA Criminology and Psychology (Placement Year) at Lancaster University include a placement year or year abroad?
The course has a compulsory placement year.
How many students continue on BA Criminology and Psychology (Placement Year) at Lancaster University?
92% of students continued into their second year, and 7% left higher education.