How Daniel is attaining all of his goals

Pursuing a passion

Daniel, a former professional gamer, chose to study BSc (Hons) Forensic Psychology to follow his growing passion. He says: “I wanted to work within the criminal justice system and gain valuable knowledge about the science of behaviour and why crime is committed. I wanted to see if I could make a difference, and I wanted to see if this course could help me develop the skills and knowledge to do just this.

“The University of Derby is one of the few Universities in the United Kingdom offering an accredited British Psychological Society course with a fine track record of delivering high quality knowledge and preparing students for the necessary steps to progress in forensic psychology. The University was also easy to access for me.”

And Daniel has developed into the person he wanted to become throughout his time at the University. He credits the team of Forensic Psychology academics for supporting him on his journey. “The academics are easily approachable, highly knowledgeable and very much invested in a student’s progress and potential," he says. "I have felt overwhelmingly supported and have had many great opportunities thanks to staff and academics who have bolstered my confidence and allowed me to perform at my highest level.

“The team have been very adaptable to my needs as an individual with the autism spectrum disorder. I have really become who I always wanted to be thanks to a team that has invested their time and energy into my progression.”

Part of an academic family

Daniel’s experience of studying at the University of Derby has been very warm and inviting. “I have experienced a vibrant community of students from all walks of life from around the world. It has been great learning about different cultures and celebrating the unique characteristics of life.

“The University of Derby to me feels like an academic family. From bustling open space to warm closed spaces to study in, you can always access a comfortable and safe environment to study alongside fantastic students and are supported by staff that really care about your forensic psychology journey.

“They are a team of experienced staff who understand what they teach, therefore delivering a very high-quality course of academic material that will enable you to become a master of knowledge on crime, human behaviour and the criminal justice system.

“The course will enable you to progress at a high level into many different criminal justice careers with a vast amount of knowledge and experience. This course is definitely one of the best in the UK for people considering a journey into the criminal justice system with a vast amount of knowledge and experience.”

Gaining value work experience

Daniel has had the opportunity to work with charities and crisis organisations through his course. He says: “I’ve gained valuable experience in understanding people, the complex issues they have to manage and how I can support them. Furthermore, my cohort has had the opportunity to visit foreign countries and prison settings in the UK to widen our knowledge and have first-hand experiences with aspects of the criminal justice system that could help strengthen career decisions and enhance our knowledge base for future career decisions.”

Developing into academia

Daniel is aiming for a career in academia and he took part in the University of Derby’s Undergraduate Research Scholarship Scheme (URSS) with Robyn Mooney, Dr Dean Fido and Sean Ryan from the Forensic Psychology academic team. His study investigated streamers’ mental wellbeing.

Daniel has also had the opportunity to conduct independent forensic psychology research that will be published in a scientific journal with Dr Henry Lennon. 

Daniel says: “These experiences were a dream come true and have allowed me to contribute the scientific discourse around forensic psychology, including presenting at conferences. All I had to do to take part in these amazing opportunities was engage in the course and put in the best work I could offer.

"These opportunities allowed me to learn new skills and develop my existing skills so I could complete my University coursework to a better standard. These experiences allowed me to practice my studies and develop key skills that will benefit my future career and inform the critical thinking and analytical skills required in my future career.”