Criminology and Psychology (Honours) The Open University UK

Overview

Troughout this Criminology and Psychology (Honours) BA programme from The Open University UK you'll consider criminal acts and human motivations, and then look beyond them to examine the social conditions in which crime occurs, the exercise of power in response to crimes, the nature of conflicts when people interact (individually, in groups and as nations) and how and why societies determine what they will and won’t tolerate. 

Key facts:

• Helps you understand how criminology helps makes sense of crime, harm, conflict, victimisation, criminal justice and criminalisation

• Develops your understanding of how psychology explains human interaction and conflict and how this helps interpret crime, criminalisation and victimisation  

• Builds advanced critical, analytical and communication skills, and takes an original approach to teaching criminology and psychology.

• Enhances your employability in vocational areas, such as the criminal justice system and various social services.  

Skills for career development

You’ll be introduced to skills that will enable you to critically analyse everyday understandings of crime and the criminal justice system. You will also develop the skills needed to critically analyse aspects of human behaviour, and some of the principles of forensic psychology and counselling. Alongside these you will build on a wide range of transferable general skills which may further help your work or career prospects, including:

• identifying and understanding data and information

• analysing and assessing evidence

• applying your learning to practical problems and issues

• working independently

• reflecting on your own learning

• developing strategies to update your knowledge

• communicating and presenting coherent arguments.

Career opportunities:

This degree is relevant to a wide range of career paths, some of which are listed below. Some relate directly to criminology and psychology, others draw upon the graduate skills that you’ll acquire.

Successful graduates may also progress to specialist masters courses. This degree does not provide direct entry to the career fields listed, but it may ease access and increase your employability in relation to them, and it enhances prospects for progression once you are qualified to enter them. Successful completion does not make you eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) conferred by the British Psychological Society.

In the meantime if you want to do some research around this qualification and where it might take you, we’ve put together a list of relevant job titles as a starting point. Many of the careers listed below will require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree:

• civil servant
• crime analyst
• crime prevention worker
• community development worker
• local government officer

• police officer
• prison officer
• probation officer
• public sector/third sector advice worker
• social researcher