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University of Portsmouth · Undergraduate
BSc (Hons) Criminology and Forensic Investigation Bachelor's degree at the University of Portsmouth
BSc (Hons) Criminology and Forensic Investigation at University of Portsmouth leads to a BSc (Hons) award, a nationally recognised qualification. The university holds Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
BSc (Hons)
Award
3
Years
Full-time
Study mode
85%
in work/study (15m)
About this course
BSc (Hons) Criminology and Forensic Investigation is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at the University of Portsmouth. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Physical sciences graduates from this provider, 85% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 45% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £33,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Law, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
8.6
/ 10
Excellent
3 of 3 official measures
Student satisfaction
What students say in the National Student Survey
Excellent82
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Graduate outcomes
In work or further study 15 months after graduating
Excellent85
Limited evidence Published sample: 25; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 85% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Exceptional90
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
A typical UK Law degree builds from foundations to specialist options and a final project. An indicative structure:
| Stage | Module |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | Contract Law Formation, terms, breach and remedies, with the leading cases. |
| Year 1 | Public Law The constitution, judicial review and human rights in the UK. |
| Year 1 | Criminal Law Offences, defences and the principles of criminal liability. |
| Year 2 | Tort Law Negligence and other civil wrongs; duty, causation and damages. |
| Year 2 | Land Law Estates, interests, registration and how land transactions work. |
| Year 2 | EU / International Law How law beyond the UK shapes rights and trade. |
| Year 3 | Equity & Trusts Trusts, fiduciary duties and equitable remedies. |
| Year 3 | Specialist options Typically commercial, family, employment, IP or medical law. |
| Year 3 | Dissertation / clinic Independent legal research, or supervised work in a law clinic. |
Typical structure for this subject (indicative). Modules vary by university. Check the provider's course page for the exact curriculum.
Specialisations & pathways
Tip: click a specialisation → current jobs in that area.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This course combines law and forensic science to examine criminal justice from investigation through legal process. You'll usually start with foundations in contract law, public law and criminal law, moving through tort law, land law and international law in your second year. In your final year, you'll typically choose specialist options such as commercial law, human rights, criminal justice, family law, employment law or legal practice (SQE), alongside independent research or supervised legal clinic work. A course like this normally progresses from broad legal principles and criminal liability to specialist pathways that reflect your career interests in forensics and criminal investigation.
Who it's for
This course suits students interested in crime, criminal justice systems and forensic investigation. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent qualifications; the typical UCAS tariff among recent entrants was 96–111 points.
University & format
This BSc (Hons) in Criminology and Forensic Investigation is a 3-year full-time degree studied at the University of Portsmouth, a public university founded in 1869. The course is taught in English and leads to a nationally recognised Bachelor's degree award. The University of Portsmouth holds a Gold rating for teaching quality from the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Application timelineWhat happens next
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Entry & how to get in
Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent94% of accepted students came in with A-levels or equivalent (entrants over recent years).
Typical UCAS tariff: 96 - 111 pointsThe most common UCAS tariff band among accepted students. This is what entrants had, not a stated requirement.
Entry requirements are set by the universityGrades, subjects and contextual offers vary. Check the University of Portsmouth's official course page for the current offer.
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 94% |
| an Access course | 3% |
| another higher-education qualification | 2% |
| a previous degree | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accessible entry
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Your UCAS points0
▾
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Add your grades to see where you land
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
Apply by13 January 2027, 18:00 UK timefor this course
Typical gradesBCCA-level equivalent admitted students held
UCAS codeLF31quote this on your application
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code LF31). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
💡 Many universities make a contextual (reduced-grade) offer, for example based on your school’s results, time in care, or where you live. Ask University of Portsmouth whether you’re eligible before you apply; it can lower the grades you need.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Home£5,760 / yr
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at University of Portsmouth →For students who normally live in England
illustrative Maintenance Loan per year
£5,760tuition used per year, published course home fee
illustrative borrowing over 3 years
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Funding matched to this course
All University of Portsmouth funding →Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
Named awards published by the university. Compare the eligibility and application route before budgeting for one.
Criminology graduates joining Thames Valley Police
Check eligibility →Amounts, exclusions and deadlines can change. An award is not guaranteed unless the university confirms it.
StudyKit · free
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StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Career quizApplication walkthroughSalary & CV check
Careers & earnings
What Law graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £33,000 | £28,000 – £36,000 | 25 |
| 3 years after | £27,000 | £23,500 – £33,500 | 25 |
| 5 years after | £33,000 | £26,500 – £48,000 | 25 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 25; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
85%
in work or further study 15 months on
45%
in highly skilled work or study
90%
continue past their first year
80%
find their work meaningful
70%
say work fits their future plans
- 1Paralegal / TraineeTraining contract or pupillage route · 0–2 yrs
- 2Solicitor / BarristerQualified practitioner · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior AssociateLeading matters and clients · 5–9 yrs
- 4Partner / In-house CounselPartnership or heading legal · 9+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Law nationally
Starting (15 months) HESA GO
£33,000
£23,000 – £30,000After 3 years LEO
£27,000
£19,550 – £27,600After 5 years LEO
£33,000
£24,225 – £34,200national rangethis course’s medianaxis £18,500 – £35,500
National figures for Law graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
85 of 100
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
73% working10% working and studying1% in further study45% in highly skilled work or study
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 25; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Law courses at the same study level.
This course £33,000Peer median £28,000Middle 50% £25,500–£31,500
80th percentile
Compared with 1,352 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Protective service occupationsDiscover Uni category · 15% of published destinations
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 320; response rate: 52%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Is BSc (Hons) Criminology and Forensic Investigation worth it?
Generally yes. On its graduates’ median earnings, BSc (Hons) Criminology and Forensic Investigation is worth about +£72,720 more over the first ten years of work than going straight to a job, a solid return once you net out the fees.
Solid payoff: pays for itself within the typical range for a degree
Cumulative earnings vs. going straight to work at 18, counting tuition and 3 years of wages given up while studying. The line clears zero around year 14.3. This is a simplified gross-earnings comparison, not a forecast of cash loan repayments.
+£72,720
10-year payoff
extra earnings over the first decade, after the fees you pay
5.2×
Return on investment
extra earnings over 10 yrs per £1 of fees
£17,280
Tuition over the course
£5,760/yr × 3 yrs (published course home fee)
£33,000
Grad earnings, 5 yrs on
£9,000 above a non-graduate (£24,000)
Model: this course’s own median graduate earnings (Graduate Outcomes / LEO) above the £24,000 non-graduate baseline (ONS), net of £5,760/yr over 3 years (published course home fee). Eligible England-domiciled students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan; repayments are 9% only on income above the threshold, with anything left written off after 40 years. That makes the cash flow different from conventional commercial debt. Opportunity cost assumes £18,000 gross earnings forgone in each study year; figures are nominal and exclude tax, living costs, investment returns and loan interest. A simplified estimate. Earnings and actual fees vary by graduate, provider, fee status and UK nation.
Job market & outlook
How Law graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
85%
in work or further study 15 months after graduating, across Law courses nationally.
Graduate Outcomes55%
of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study.
highly skilled85%
of students continue past their first year (still enrolled or completed).
continuationHow AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- First-pass document review
- Standard contract drafting
- Legal research summaries
- Routine due diligence
More human than ever
- Advocacy and negotiation
- Judgement on ambiguous facts
- Client trust and ethics
- Strategy in disputes and deals
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Law graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Law firms
- Barristers' chambers
- In-house legal teams
- Government Legal Service
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Law graduates.
Law Firm Associates of all Practice Areas: Discuss your Overseas Relocation with Duke and Rawson – Australia/Asia/Middle East/Europe/Offshore/UKDuke and RawsonLaw Enforcement Success SpecialistAurorLaw Firm HR & Operations Lead - 12-Month ContractCharalle GroupLaw Firm Finance & Practice Manager, Leadership & OpsMcKinlay LawLaw Internship: Disputes & IBC – In-OfficeCanon SphereLaw Firm Front Desk & Guest Services (Oxford)Owen ReedLive from the StudySmarter job board · as of 2026-08-01.See all matching jobs
Is this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
💷
Student finance
Published home tuition is £5,760/year for this course. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
📈
Where graduates go
85% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £33,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
🎯
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
⭐
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.6 out of 10: NSS 82.4% · in work or study 85% · continued 90%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Portsmouth
All students24,015
International24.5%
Aged 25+27.1%
Law across the UK
Students144,525
Aged 25+24.3%
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around University of Portsmouth
2,930 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Violent Crime 1120Anti Social Behaviour 450Public Order 252Shoplifting 242Drugs 164
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Law right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Portsmouth from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Portsmouth; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Portsmouth’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Portsmouth and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Portsmouth
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Common questions
How competitive is entry?
Entry is historically accessible, accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications. The most common tariff band among recent entrants was 96 - 111 UCAS points. Use the calculator on this page to see where your predicted grades would put you; many universities also make lower contextual offers.
What are the entry requirements?
Set by the University of Portsmouth. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent. Check the university's course page for the exact offer.
What do graduates go on to do?
For Physical sciences graduates from this provider, 85% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 45% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £33,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
What will it cost me?
The published home tuition is £5,760 per year for this course. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years. See Fees & funding on this page to work out your numbers.
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