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Why study Forensic Psychology?

Date 13 October 2025

This blog explores will help you decide whether studying forensic psychology is for you and where it can take you in the future.

Amy Rowe

What is Forensic Psychology?

Forensic psychology is the study of human behaviour in regard to the criminal justice system. This field is fast-growing and if you are passionate about crime, the human mind and helping other people, this may be the pathway for you. So why should you study it?

Like nothing you’ve ever studied before

When studying Forensic Psychology, you don’t just learn content you will need for assessments, but you also learn practical skills that you will need in the future, such as how to complete a forensic risk assessment and learning different interview techniques.

There is also such a wide range of topics covered within the course, so there is something for everyone. This includes exploring what may influence criminal behaviour, exploring different mental illnesses and disorders and how to treat these individuals, and how to help the victims. You also get to cover real life case studies.

In the foreground, a pair of hands pulls blue and white POLICE tape across a fake crime scene. In the background, a mannequin on a couch surrounded by scattered items is blurred.

Careers

Studying forensic psychology allows you to have a wide range of career opportunities in areas that help others. Psychology is everywhere and is demanded in a wide variety of jobs. Some common fields that you may want to go into after studying forensic psychology are becoming a probation officer, victim support or within education, however, psychologists are becoming more demanded in most jobs in today’s world.

The University of Northampton also allows you to have either a placement year or a placement module within the course which will allow you to explore what career you might be interested in pursuing in the future.

BPS accreditation

At the University of Northampton, the forensic psychology course is accredited by the BPS (British Psychological Society), which is the representative body for psychology in the UK. This allows you to become a chartered psychologist, which is a requirement for the progression of your career, whether that’s doing a master’s or getting a job in the field.

Overall, if you want to make a difference in the future and help others, studying forensic psychology allows you to gain a wide variety of skills which set you up in preparation for the real world.


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Image of Amy Rowe, UON Student.
Amy Rowe

Amy is second-year Forensic Psychology student and in her spare time she enjoys reading, painting, and making her own social media content.