Study Criminal Psychology at University of Portsmouth

Study Criminal Psychology at University of Portsmouth

When economic hardship affects our country in many ways, crime becomes one of the problems that happens almost daily. It is something frightening for us and our families, and something no one wants to happen. Crime affects everyone in society. Some people therefore want to understand the problem and how to cope with its impacts. In this article, One Education would like to introduce the MSc Criminal Psychology programme at the University of Portsmouth, as it is an excellent way to develop the necessary skills and knowledge for anyone who wants to contribute to understanding and responding to one of society’s major issues.

“3 Saves”

  • Save on rent: Rent in Portsmouth is 54% lower than in London and 25% lower than in Brighton (Numbeo, 2025)
  • Save on living costs: NatWest ranked Portsmouth as one of the Top 10 most affordable student cities (NatWest Student Living Index 2024)
  • Save on travel costs: Students can walk to university buildings in less than 15 minutes. Even better, the university also provides a free university bus service to popular student locations.
Study Criminal Psychology at University of Portsmouth

The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice was established in 1992 and is internationally recognised for the study of crime, the causes of crime, and its impact on society and individuals.

The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice is the largest criminology department in the United Kingdom and has expertise in a wide range of areas, including Criminological Analysis, Applied Psychology, Policing, Community Justice, Penology, Risk, Security and International, and Comparative Criminal Justice.

The University of Portsmouth is also ranked in the Top 15 in England for Forensic Science by the Complete University Guide 2026 and ranked 17th in England for Criminology by The Guardian 2026. Studying at the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice allows students to understand why offenders behave in certain ways, as well as explore methods for identifying and preventing crime, using techniques ranging from forensic science to cyber technology. The University of Portsmouth works with key industry organisations such as the National Crime Squad, the National Cyber Security Centre, and the Cabinet Office.

MSc Criminal Psychology

The MSc Criminal Psychology programme focuses on understanding the psychology of crime. It is an interesting and important programme within the investigation process of various cases. Students will study and analyse the role of psychology in complex criminal investigation techniques, such as police interviewing and deception detection. They will also gain knowledge of psychology in the courtroom and jury decision-making processes.

Students will have the opportunity to analyse offender profiling and the connection between offending behaviour and mental health. This programme also allows students to choose specialist modules based on their interests, such as Missing Persons Investigations or Offender Rehabilitation.

Students will learn from a team of experienced criminal psychology experts from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, attend lectures from industry experts from around the world, and have the opportunity to use laboratory equipment for their own research, such as eye-tracking technology, VR technology, and simulated crime scene and operational scenario spaces.

After graduation, the University of Portsmouth believes students will be ready to work with offenders or victims across a range of organisations within the criminal justice system, such as policing, law enforcement agencies, probation, and intelligence analysis.

Entry requirements for MSc Criminal Psychology at the University of Portsmouth

Qualification: Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in a related field such as Social Science, Humanities, Law, Psychology, Forensic Science, or Management. Applicants from Information Technology or Science-related subjects will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants with relevant experience will also be considered.

English language requirement: IELTS 6.5 with no component below 5.5

**Applicants who completed their bachelor’s degree through an international programme may be eligible for an IELTS waiver from the University of Portsmouth.

Duration: 1 year

Tuition fee 2026: £17,900 or approximately 805,500 THB

Example careers after graduating from MSc Criminal Psychology

  • Police or Law Enforcement Officer
  • Probation or Prison Officer
  • Data Analyst
  • Intelligence Analyst
  • Cybersecurity

Note: Tuition fees above are calculated based on an exchange rate of £1 = 45 THB as of May 2026.


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