Program Overview

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Course Overview

The Forensic Psychology course, PSYC 214, provides a grounding in the application of psychology to the area of criminal justice. The course covers topics such as exploring psychological theories about the development of and desistance from criminal behaviour, principles of risk assessment, and approaches to assessment and intervention with those who engage in antisocial behaviour, placing these in the context of Aotearoa.

Course Details

• Dates: 6 July 2026 to 8 November 2026
• Starts: Trimester 2
• Fees:
  • NZ$1,083.45 for domestic students
  • NZ$5,058.00 for international students
• Lecture Start Times:
  • Monday 10.00am
  • Tuesday 11.00am
• Campus: Kelburn
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 150 hours or 8.3 hours per week for 18 weeks
• Points: 15

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: PSYC 122; STAT 193 (or MATH 177 or QUAN 102)
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: None

Course Structure

Taught By

The course is taught by Te Kura Mātai Hinengaro—School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Education, Health, and Psychological Sciences.

Disclaimer

This course outline may be subject to change.

Key Dates

Important dates, including mid-trimester teaching breaks, can be found on the University's key dates calendar. Assessment dates will be communicated once the course has begun.

Course Learning Objectives

Students who pass this course should be able to:

1. Describe and explain psychological theories for the development of and desistance from antisocial behaviour.
2. Describe and explain the role of key individual, social, cultural, and contextual factors in the development and maintenance of antisocial behaviour.
3. Describe and explain the principles of assessment for those who have engaged in antisocial/criminal behaviour.
4. Describe and explain evidence-based intervention approaches to address antisocial behaviour within the cultural context of Aotearoa.

How This Course Is Taught

This course is designed for in-person study, and students are strongly recommended to attend lectures on campus. Some activities require attendance and have no online alternatives, including labs and tests.

Assessment

• Written Assignment: 30%
• Tests: 60%
• Lab Quizzes: 10%

Lecture Times and Rooms

Lecture times are scheduled from 6 July 2026 to 8 November 2026, with specific times allocated on Mondays and Tuesdays.

What You'll Need to Get

No specific texts or equipment are required for this course.

Past Versions of This Course

Older versions of this course may be accessible through the course archive.