Forensic Psychology Masters - MSc drafted
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2023-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
Forensic Psychology is the practice and application of psychological research relevant to crime, policing, the courts, the criminal and civil justice system, offenders, prison, secure settings, offender management, health and academic settings as well as private practice.
It looks at the role of environmental, psychosocial, and socio-cultural factors that may contribute to crime or its prevention. The primary aim of Forensic Psychology as an academic discipline is to develop understanding of the processes underlying criminal behaviour and for this improved understanding to impact on the effective management and rehabilitation of different groups of offenders in all settings within the criminal justice system.
The first aim of the programme is to provide students with a thorough and critical academic grounding in the evidence relating to environmental, cultural, cognitive and biological factors that may contribute to a wide variety of forms of offending. The programme will encourage students to consider the role and limitations of causal explanations for offending in the development of offender treatments, services and policy.
The second aim of the programme is to introduce students to the basic professional competencies for working in the many settings where forensic psychology is practiced, including skills related to inter-disciplinary working, risk assessment, ethics, continuing professional development, report writing and differences in practice when working with offenders, victims, the courts and the police.
The programme aims to produce Masters degree graduates with the ability to understand the limitations of the conceptual underpinnings of interventions and assessments used in forensic psychology and who are able therefore to engage in critical evaluation of the evidence base upon which their own practice will eventually be based. The programme will specifically avoid providing any formal supervised practice. Its aim is to produce reflective scientist-practitioners who will be ready to engage with the next stage of training (i.e. BPS Stage 2 or HCPC route) towards registration as a Forensic Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council.
Students will complete the following taught modules and will also be required to conduct an empirical supervised research dissertation with participants, preferably drawn from a forensic setting:
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MODULE TITLE
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION
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Foundations in Forensic Psychology (20 credits)
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The module aims to provide students with the opportunity to examine the contribution made by biological, psychodynamic, evolutionary, cognitive and socio-cultural perspectives to our understanding of the aetiology of criminal behaviour. The primary aim of the module is to provide a critical examination of the dominant perspectives and theories of crime.
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Professional Practice and Offender Management (20 credits)
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The focus of this module is the professional practice of forensic psychology. The module builds on the groundwork laid by earlier modules and covers professional skills and the types of interventions that a practicing forensic psychologist may engage in. It aims to provide students with general transferable skills (in e.g. report writing and ethical decision-making), and transferable skills that relate directly to the practice of forensic psychology (e.g. managing risk to selves and colleagues).
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Psychological Assessments and Interventions (20 credits)
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This module aims to provide an understanding of how theory and research in psychology may be applied to the assessment and rehabilitation of offenders, and to enable students to critically assess ethical issues concerned with the effectiveness of psychological interventions. The central focus of the module is the ‘what works’ literature.
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Legal Psychology (20 credits)
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This module aims to equip students with knowledge of the legal system in England and Wales and its interactions with forensic psychology. The focus of the module is to provide students with an understanding of how theory and research in psychology may be applied to legal issues. To enable students to critically assess the contribution and effectiveness psychology has made in the legal realm (including relevant ethical issues).
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Applied Psychology in Practice (20 credits)
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This module aims to introduce and develop skills that are relevant to Psychology in practice. To help them develop an understanding of the principles and approaches to effective communication and develop an understanding of interprofessional working and ethical practice. The focus of the module is to apply evidence-based knowledge to discipline specific areas of practice.
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Research Methods and Design (20 credits)
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This module aims to consolidate undergraduate research abilities and equip students with the skills necessary to undertake Masters level research; in doing so students will be equipped with the skills to critically review and evaluate a range of research methodologies including both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
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Dissertation (60 credits)
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The dissertation is an empirical research study providing students with the opportunity to work independently in an area of specific interest within the domain of forensic psychology. Students will be required to design the study and collect, analyse and present data relevant to the stated aims of their investigation. The dissertation is designed to foster an independent approach to research and enable students to gain practical and directly relevant experience in research design and methodologies.
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