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Successful completion of the Psychology and Law degree programme presents career opportunities in two well-respected fields.
Overview
As social science subjects Psychology and Law complement each other well. On this programme you scientifically examine cognition and behaviour in their social and cultural context, and study law in the context of society as a whole. The final year project encompasses both disciplines, combining knowledge, skills and methodologies.
This programme may be of particular interest to those interested in working with offenders and the criminal justice system.
Psychology and Law is a four-year programme, which qualifies graduates for the British Psychological Society's Graduate Membership and Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership as a Chartered Psychologist.
The programme offers the opportunity to obtain a Qualifying Law Degree, recognised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Bar Standards Board as satisfying the first (or 'Academic') stage of training required to qualify as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales. Prospective students should be aware that the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Bar Standards Board are conducting independent reviews of the legal training and education required to qualify as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales. These reviews cover the 'Academic Stage' of training and may impact upon the role of the law degree as part of the training process. Please see the website of each regulator for more information (www.sra.org.uk/t4t and www.barstandardsboard.org.uk).
Kent Law School is recognised as one of the leading law schools in the UK. It has an international reputation both for its world-leading research and for the high quality, innovative, critical and socio-legal education that it provides.
Independent rankings
In the National Student Survey 2015, 89% of Psychology students and 90% of Law students at Kent were satisfied with the overall quality of teaching on their course.
Psychology was ranked 5th for graduate employment prospects in The Complete University Guide 2015. Kent Law School is ranked 10th nationally in The Times Good University Guide 2015.
Course structure
The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules that will be available to you and provides details of the content of this programme. This listing is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
In Stage 1 you take four compulsory modules: Introduction to Biological and General Psychology, Introduction to Social Psychology, Psychology Statistics and Practical, and A Critical Introduction to Law.
In Stage 2 you take three compulsory Law modules (Introduction to Obligations, Foundations of Property, and Public Law 1) and four core Psychology modules (Psychology Statistics and Practical, Cognitive Psychology, The Social Psychology of the Individual, and Study Skills for Stage 2 Psychology).
In Stage 3 you take three compulsory Law modules (Public Law 2, European Union Law, and The Law of Obligations), and four further core Psychology modules (Child Development, Personality, Biological Psychology, and The Social Psychology of Groups).
In Stage 4 you carry out a research project in Psychology and take three compulsory Law modules (Equity and Trusts, Land Law, and Advanced Level Criminal Law) and two optional Law modules.
Teaching and assessment
Modules are taught by weekly lectures, workshops, small group seminars and project supervision. The Psychology Statistics and Practical modules include laboratory practical sessions, statistics classes, computing classes and lectures in statistics and methodology.
Most modules are assessed by examination and coursework with the ratio varying from module to module. Assessment can also incorporate assessment through oral presentation and argument, often in the style of legal practice (such as mooting), and client based work and reflection through our Law Clinic. Both Stage 2 and 3 marks count towards your final degree result.
Kent Law School emphasises research-led teaching which means that the modules taught are at the leading edge of new legal and policy developments. Kent Law School is renowned nationally for research quality, being ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. All of our research active staff teach so you are taught by influential thinkers who are at the forefront of their field.
Programme aims
The programme aims to:
- provide detailed knowledge and understanding of major theories and perspectives in law
- meet the needs of those contemplating a career in the psychological professions, as well as those motivated by an intellectual interest in psychology
- attract candidates from a variety of educational backgrounds
- introduce a range of different theoretical and methodological approaches
- provide sound knowledge and systematic understanding of the principal approaches and perspectives (eg, social, cognitive, and biological) in psychology and social anthropology
- develop a critical awareness and appraisal of the different approaches to psychology and social anthropology
- offer a range of modules covering the foundations of psychology, as defined by the British Psychological Society, which will enable students who successfully complete them, to obtain exemption from the initial or academic stage of training for entry into the British Psychological Society
- offer a range of modules recognised by the English Law Society and Bar as a Law qualifying degree exempting students from the first stage of professional training (ie, the Common Professional Examination)
- provide teaching which is informed by current research and scholarship and engages with work at the frontiers of knowledge
- enable students to manage their own learning and carry out independent research
- develop critical, analytical and problem-solving skills that can be applied within non-applied psychological and extra-psychological settings
- develop skills appropriate for graduate employment, both in the psychology and social anthropology professions and other fields
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
You gain knowledge and understanding of:
- psychology statistics, practical experimentation and research
- cognitive and social development
- interpersonal and group behaviour
- cognition and cognitive neuropsychology
- personality and individual differences
- philosophical and theoretical issues in psychology
- the relationship between psychology and allied disciplines
- different frameworks in psychology and levels of description and explanation
- law (including criminal, obligations, constitutional and administrative law, property law, European law, equity and trusts
- legal, criminological or forensic psychology research.
Intellectual skills
You develop intellectual skills in:
- critical reflection
- oral discussion
- written analysis and interpretation
- critical evaluation and exposition of ideas
- development of writing and reading skills
- time management and preparation
- self-reflection and development, responding to feedback from different sources (for example staff and peers, information technology)
- clarity in thinking, critical thinking, problem identification.
Subject-specific skills
You gain subject-specific skills in:
- conducting an empirical study, under supervision
- the design and conduct of psychological research
- evaluating and selecting frameworks and methodologies for exploring issues in psychology
- using the major analytic techniques employed by psychologists
- employing the inferential method of science (deductive methods, single case methods, semiotics)
- psychological statistical methods and their interpretation.
- the use of psychology-oriented software applications (for example, database programmes, experiment generators, statistical packages)
- disseminating psychological information to appropriate bodies.
Transferable skills
You gain transferable skills in:
- communication – how to organise information clearly; respond to written sources; present information orally; adapt style for different audiences; use images as a communication tool
- numeracy – how to make sense of statistical materials; integrate numerical and non-numerical information; understand the limits and potentialities of arguments based on quantitative information
- information technology – how to produce written documents; undertake online research; communicate using email; process information using databases
- working with others – how to define and review the work of others; work co-operatively on group tasks; understand how groups function
- improving own learning – how to explore personal strengths and weaknesses; time management; review your working environment (especially the student-staff relationship); develop specialist learning skills (for example by taking a foreign language); develop autonomy in learning
- problem solving – how to identify and define problems; explore alternative solutions and discriminate between them.
Careers
Our students develop a broad range of transferable skills, such as excellent communication skills, both written and oral, the ability to work independently, to analyse and summarise complex material and to respond positively to challenges, all skills considered essential for graduate employment. You have the opportunity to develop legal skills while at Kent, through modules in mooting and negotiation, and through involvement in the Law Clinic.
Our graduates have gone into areas such as local government administration, social welfare, the Home Office, the probation service, teaching, special needs work, the NHS and health charities, or on to postgraduate professional training courses, for example, in educational, occupational or clinical psychology.
Professional recognition
Accredited by the British Psychological Society as conferring eligibility for Graduate Membership with Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (provided you graduate with at least second class honours and pass your final-year research project). This is the first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist.
Recognised by the English Law Society and Bar as a Qualifying Law Degree exempting students from the first stage of professional training, ie the Common Professional Examination.
Please be aware that the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Bar Standards Board are conducting independent reviews of the legal training and education required to qualify as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales. These reviews cover the ‘Academic Stage’ of training and may impact upon the role of the law degree as part of the training process. Please see the website of each regulator for more information (www.sra.org.uk/t4t and www.barstandardsboard.org.uk).
Entry requirements
Home/EU students
The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications, typical requirements are listed below, students offering alternative qualifications should contact the Admissions Office for further advice. It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.
| Qualification | Typical offer/minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| A level | AAA |
| GCSE | Mathematics grade C |
| Access to HE Diploma | The University of Kent will not necessarily make conditional offers to all access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If an offer is made candidates will be required to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above. |
| BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma) | DDD |
| International Baccalaureate | 34 points overall or 17 points at HL with Mathematics 4 at HL or SL |
International students
The University receives applications from over 140 different nationalities and consequently will consider applications from prospective students offering a wide range of international qualifications. Our International Development Office will be happy to advise prospective students on entry requirements. See our International Student website for further information about our country-specific requirements.
Please note that if you need to increase your level of qualification ready for undergraduate study, we offer a number of International Foundation Programmes through Kent International Pathways.
English Language Requirements
Please see our English language entry requirements web page.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
General entry requirements
Please also see our general entry requirements.
Fees
The 2016/17 annual tuition fees for this programme are:
| UK/EU | Overseas | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time |
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
The Government has announced changes to allow undergraduate tuition fees to rise in line with inflation from 2017/18.
The University of Kent is currently considering whether to increase its regulated full-time tuition fees for all returning Home and EU undergraduates from £9,000 to £9,250 in September 2017. This would be subject to us satisfying the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework and the access regulator's requirements. The equivalent part-time fees for these courses might also rise by 2.8%.
For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk
Funding
Kent offers generous financial support schemes to assist eligible undergraduate students during their studies. Details of our proposed funding opportunities for 2016 entry can be found on our funding page.
General scholarships
Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.
The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence
At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence. For 2016 entry, the scholarship will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications as specified on our scholarships pages. Please review the eligibility criteria on that page.