What Roles Can I Do with a Criminal Psychology Qualification?

Criminal psychology is a fascinating subject which delves into the mind and behaviour of people who have committed crimes, the victims of crimes and the treatment of those in the criminal justice system. 

Alongside being a very interesting and important subject to explore, gaining a qualification in criminal psychology opens up a whole variety of job roles which suit those who are interested in learning about and helping other people. Find out more about some of these popular jobs you can get with a qualification in criminal psychology.

Forensic psychology (sometimes referred to as criminal psychology) relates closely to criminal psychology in that it explores criminal law and helps people in the criminal justice system. However, whilst criminal psychology is broader and focuses more heavily on criminal behaviour, forensic psychology focuses on law enforcement, criminal profiling, supporting those in prisons, carrying out research and working with victims of crime.

In order to succeed as a forensic psychologist, having a criminal psychology qualification can be very useful. A qualification such as a psychology degree with a specialisation in criminal psychology is a great foundation for a career as a forensic psychologist in Ireland. Following your bachelor’s degree, you will need a master’s degree in forensic psychology in order to become a forensic psychologist. 

Social workers are essential to supporting vulnerable people in society, assessing their needs and helping them to find solutions to their problems. As a social worker, you will work with vulnerable people such as vulnerable children, the elderly, families in crisis, adults with disabilities, mental health issues or learning disabilities, people with substance use problems, refugees, carers or other people who need support. 

 A criminal psychology degree or qualification can significantly help in a career in social work, as it helps you to understand the issues that your service users might be facing and know how to support them. The issues social workers encounter may relate to criminal psychology, particularly in cases of child neglect or drug abuse, and having knowledge of the psychology behind these human behaviours can help you to support service users in the right way.

Clinical psychology explores the science of the mind and behaviour of people who are experiencing mental health struggles, psychological dysfunction or distress. As a clinical psychologist, you will work with people who are going through psychological distress and help them to understand and manage their mental health and improve their overall wellbeing. 

If you study a criminal psychology qualification, you will gain insight into how certain mental disorders can affect behaviour and how to help people struggling with those disorders. To become a clinical psychologist, you will need additional qualifications in clinical psychology, including an undergraduate degree or postgraduate degree in psychology accredited by the Psychological Society of Ireland (IPS) and then a postgraduate training programme in clinical psychology. 

What is a criminologist? Well, whilst criminal psychology largely focuses on the mind and behaviour of an individual, criminology explores all aspects of crime, including the societal causes, prevention and control of crime. As a criminologist, you will engage in research into why people commit certain crimes, trends in crime and the effectiveness of aspects of the justice system. You will then use your findings to suggest improvements in the criminal justice system and help police with criminal cases. 

A qualification in criminal psychology will, of course, be very useful in a career as a criminologist and through criminal psychology courses in Ireland, you will learn the key skills you need to become a criminologist. Knowing about the psychology behind crime will help in your research as a criminologist and is a major aspect of criminology. Additional courses in law and the legal system can also support you in your career path towards becoming a criminologist.

Alongside the popular job roles discussed above, a qualification in criminal psychology can also open the door to several more psychology careers. If you study a criminal psychology course, you will explore several key psychological theories which attempt to explain people’s behaviour as well as how you can help people experiencing problems which can be a great help in several psychology jobs and related fields such as:

Studying criminal psychology can open up a whole range of interesting, rewarding and important job roles which help improve the wellbeing of individuals and society as a whole.