Program Overview

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Forensic Investigative Psychology

Course Overview

Forensic investigative psychologists bring evidence-based approaches to enhance police investigations and improve the wider criminal justice system. Their work is about enhancing all aspects of the legal process, from interview techniques and line-up decisions, to detecting deception and juror decision making. Studying Forensic Investigative Psychology at Winchester opens a broad range of career opportunities. We focus on your future from the start and are committed to helping you find and work towards an exciting career. Our approach to your employability is personalised, successful, and unique to us.

Why Study Forensic Investigative Psychology at Winchester

• You will learn in a supportive environment with all your teaching provided by a friendly team of experienced lecturers and qualified applied psychologists.
• We favour small group teaching and personal tutoring to help you build your academic confidence and transferable skills.
• Your future is at the centre of everything we do. Our ‘Psychology Futures’ employability programme takes you on a transformative journey of self-development that will help you maximise the value of your degree and find a personally meaningful career.
• You will be joining a vibrant research community. Your lecturers are active researchers and experts in their field. Your course is designed to craft your research skills and you will have unlimited access to all our research labs and software.
• You will be guided throughout your degree by a member of our forensic investigative psychology team.
• You will study specialised modules in forensic investigative psychology in your final year.

Where Your Degree Could Take You

Our BSc (Hons) Forensic Investigative Psychology is fully accredited by the British Psychological Society, so your degree could be the first step in your training as a chartered psychologist working in an applied field such as forensic, clinical, health, educational, or occupational psychology. You could further your training with us on our MSc Forensic Psychology, fully accredited by the British Psychological Society. Alternatively, it could take you into a career in criminal justice, research, teaching, social work, marketing, human resources, or any job that involves working with other people.

What Our Students Say

• 95% of students say the IT resources and facilities provided support their learning well.
• 90% of students say staff are good at explaining things.
• 90% of students say it’s easy to contact teaching staff when they need to.
• 90% of students say the course is well organised.
• 90% of students say the course often challenges them to achieve their best work.

National Student Survey, 2024: Forensic Investigative Psychology at University of Winchester

What You Need to Know

Course Start Date

September

Location

On campus

Course Length

• 3 years full-time
• 6 years part-time

Apply

C816

Typical Offer

112-120 points

Fees

From £9,535 pa

Course Features

• Friendly and inclusive learning community
• Learn from expert staff who are using forensic investigative psychological science to improve the criminal justice system
• Small group teaching with workshops, seminars, and hands-on practicals using our broad range of laboratory equipment and software
• Vibrant learning and research community. Receive extensive training in research methods with opportunities to get involved and participate in live research projects
• Applied teaching focus – explore psychological sub-disciplines with a focus on real world applications
• Award-winning employability programme embedded throughout your degree
• Enhanced personal academic tutor support to maximise your individual learning and help you identify and work towards a meaningful career
• Optional placement module in your final year

Course Details

Our aim is to shape 'confident learners' by enabling you to develop the skills needed to excel in your studies here and as well as onto further studies or the employment market.

You are taught primarily through a combination of lectures and seminars, allowing opportunities to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups.

In addition to the formally scheduled contact time such as lectures and seminars etc., you are encouraged to access academic support from staff within the course team and the wide range of services available to you within the University.

Independent Learning

Over the duration of your course, you will be expected to develop independent and critical learning, progressively building confidence and expertise through independent and collaborative research, problem-solving and analysis with the support of staff. You take responsibility for your own learning and are encouraged to make use of the wide range of available learning resources available.

Overall Workload

Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning and assessment activity.

While your actual contact hours may depend on the optional modules you select, the following information gives an indication of how much time you will need to allocate to different activities at each level of the course.

• Year 1 (Level 4): Timetabled teaching and learning activity: 228 hours, Independent learning: 972 hours
• Year 2 (Level 5): Timetabled teaching and learning activity: 228 hours, Independent learning: 972 hours
• Year 3 (Level 6): Timetabled teaching and learning activity: 180 hours, Independent learning: 1020 hours

Modules

Year 1

• Researcher and Professional Skills 1 (30 Credits)
• Researcher and Professional Skills 2 (30 Credits)
• Perspectives in Psychology (30 Credits)
• Psychological Wellbeing in Everyday Life (30 Credits)

Year 2

• Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods (30 Credits)
• Developmental and Social Psychology (30 Credits)
• Cognition, Biology and Individual Differences (30 Credits)
• Applied Skills for Professional Research and Practice (30 Credits)

Year 3

• Final Year Project and Future Directions (30 Credits)
• The investigative process and offender rehabilitation (30 Credits)
• Optional modules (30 Credits)

Optional Modules

• Advanced Topics in Developmental and Educational Psychology (30 credits)
• Clinical and Health Psychology (30 credits)
• Social and Occupational Psychology (30 credits)

Entry Requirements

UK

• 112-120 points
• A-Levels: BBC-BBB from 3 A Levels or equivalent grade combinations
• BTEC/CTEC: DMM from BTEC or Cambridge Technical (CTEC) qualifications
• International Baccalaureate: To include a minimum of 2 Higher Level certificates at grade H4
• T Level: Merit in a T Level

International

• IELTS Academic at 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all four components (for year 1 entry)

Tuition Fees

2025/6

• UK / Channel Islands / Isle of Man / Republic of Ireland: £9,535
• International: £16,700

Additional Tuition Fee Information

• UK / Channel Islands / Isle of Man / Republic of Ireland: £9,535 for the 25/26 academic year. Fees for future academic years will be determined in line with our Terms and Conditions.
• International: £16,700 for the 25/26 academic year. Fees for future academic years will be determined in line with our Terms and Conditions.

Additional Costs

• Optional: Core texts (indicative cost is £400 for whole course)

Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards

We have a variety of scholarship and bursaries available to support you financially with the cost of your course.

Career Prospects

In addition to subject knowledge, Forensic Investigative Psychology graduates also develop skills in communication; numeracy; analysis; teamwork; critical thinking; computing; independent learning; project management and many others, all of which are highly valued by employers.

Accreditation

The Forensic Investigative Psychology programme is accredited by the British Psychological Society. For those wishing to pursue professional careers in psychology - such as forensic, clinical, educational, or occupational psychology undertaking further study and training to gain professional recognition as a Chartered Psychologist is needed. Graduates of this degree with a 2:2 honours or above will be eligible to apply for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) status, which is an entry requirement for many accredited postgraduate training courses in psychology, including Forensic Psychology, and is the first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist.