Forensic Psychology MSc (online) drafted

Program Overview

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Course overview

Accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), this 100% online course is designed to provide you with a thorough grounding in the theory, themes, issues and practical skills we consider to be central to forensic psychology.

The course has been designed to cover the British Psychological Society’s Division of Forensic Psychology's (DFP) core curriculum, which includes foundational topics such as the theoretical basis of forensic psychology across a range of settings and risk assessments associated with forensic psychology.

This course is designed for people who are embarking on, or who wish to continue in, a career associated with forensic psychology in a range of forensic settings without specialising at this point, or for those who wish to undertake a postgraduate programme before determining their future career trajectory in forensic psychology.

You will have an opportunity to study a range of topics associated with forensic psychology, including offending behaviour and the criminal justice system. You will also explore the theories, research and practice related to intervention with diverse client groups, with a specific focus on violence and sexual offending.

Throughout the course you will investigate what makes people think, feel and act in ways that lead to crime, and how our criminal justice system can respond to this. This course also offers coverage of legal approaches that we consider to be relevant to psychology.

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Global ready

An international outlook, with global opportunities

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Teaching excellence

Taught by lecturers who are experts in their field

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Employability

Career ready graduates, with the skills to succeed

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Why you should study this course

This 100% online part-time course delivered over two years is a flexible option for those with work and/or family commitments. As the course is delivered solely online and assessment deadlines made available at the start of the course, you have more flexibility and control around your study timetable. Many of our online students work or have other commitments they need to juggle. For others, online delivery better suits their preferred ways of learning in terms of pace, ability to go back to learning resources, and flexibility.

The course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) providing Stage 1 requirements towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist (see accreditation section for full details).

Our current staff for this course have many years of combined, varied professional psychological experience, either as British Psychological Society Chartered/Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registered Members themselves, and/or as active researchers. Please note staff may be subject to change.

This course can be studied online only, on a part-time basis over two years, starting in January. We recommend this option for anyone who has significant responsibilities outside of university life, because although the content is the same, the delivery is at half the intensity. If you would prefer to study at a faster pace, the course can also be studied full-time on campus over one year –

Forensic Psychology MSc (campus-based)

. Please read the linked pages for information on each option, to ensure you choose the best option for you.

Five core mandatory modules will be delivered alongside students on the aligned MSc courses - Forensic Psychology MSc and

Forensic Psychology and Mental Health MSc

. Additionally, three mandatory pathway modules will then be delivered separately from students on the Forensic Psychology and Mental Health MSc to specialise the content and differentiate them from the Forensic Psychology MSc course. It is therefore important to read all course webpages related to the two pathways and compare the specific topic areas covered, to ensure you apply for the most appropriate course for you.

You will have the opportunity to gain a CMI Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice, upon successful completion of the relevant module.

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Accreditation and Professional Recognition

This course is accredited

1

and recognised by the following bodies:

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British Psychological Society (BPS) - Accredited Forensic Psychology

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) for the 2022/2023 intake. As such, the course fulfils Stage 1 requirements towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist (for students who also have the required Graduate Basis for Chartership). For full details please visit the

BPS website

.

To be awarded an accredited degree, graduates must achieve a minimum of 50% pass mark on first attempt for all modules contributing to the accredited MSc degree (British Psychological Society Standards for the Accreditation of the Masters Programme in Forensic Psychology). Any subsequent attempts are capped at 40%. Graduates who do not meet this requirement will exit with a non-accredited award. To achieve the necessary number of credits for all non-accredited awards, graduates must achieve a minimum of 40% pass mark for all modules contributing to the award.

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Chartered Management Institute (CMI)

As part of this course, you will undertake a professional development module which is currently accredited by the

Chartered Management Institute

(CMI) for the 2022-23 intake. Upon successful completion of this module, you will gain the CMI

Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice

at no additional cost. Further details can be found under the modules and on the

Professional Development module webpage

.

Coventry University’s accreditation with CMI is currently ongoing for the relevant modules and is regularly reviewed and monitored by the CMI through their quality systems.

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More than just a degree

Each module that I have been on so far has expanded the knowledge I gained as an undergraduate. With each module, you will learn new concepts and strategies that apply to the forensic populations (mental health and prison) within England and Wales.

Benjamin Thompson, Forensic Psychology MSc student, quoted in 2021

Program Outline

Year one

Year two

The modules are studied online only, on a part-time basis over two years, starting in January. The content and assessment strategy are the same as the full-time campus-based course. However, four modules are studied in each year, rather than all eight in one. Five core modules are shared with the MSc Forensic Psychology (campus-based and online) and MSc Forensic Psychology and Mental Health (campus-based and online). However, there are three pathway modules which differentiate the courses. It is important to read all four course webpages and compare the specific topic areas covered, and the number of modules studied at one time, to pick the most appropriate course to apply for.

Modules

Pathway mandatory module

This module is specialised and studied solely by students enrolled on the MSc Forensic Psychology. This differentiates it from the MSc Forensic Psychology and Mental Health course, which has its own pathway module.

Offending Behaviour and the Criminal Justice System (20 credits)

This module aims to develop your understanding of the knowledge and contribution psychology has made to the understanding of criminal behaviour. A range of psychological theories will be examined, evaluated, and applied to processes within the criminal justice system from investigative settings (e.g., eyewitness testimony) to legal procedures (e.g. jury and legal decision making).

Compulsory

Assessment: coursework

Core mandatory modules

These modules are mandatory for the Forensic Psychology MSc and Forensic Psychology and Mental Health MSc courses.

Ethical Research and Methods in Forensic Psychology (40 credits)

This module aims to provide you with direct practical experience of how to design, conduct and report quantitative and qualitative research in forensic psychology. The module is intended to provide an interconnected understanding of research methods and designing projects, with the aim of enabling you to progress the conceptual understanding necessary to develop research proposals. The module is also designed to help you develop the skills and knowledge required to summarise, analyse and present research findings relevant to the subject area.

Risk Assessment and Management in Forensic Settings (20 credits)

This module is designed to provide you with a thorough grounding in the underpinning theory and methods of risk assessment and risk management utilised within forensic settings.

Global Professional Development – Leading and Creating Organisational Health and Wellbeing (CMI module) (10 credits)

You will have the opportunity to learn how to critically evaluate and develop solutions to complex, inter-related and multi-faceted issues that can be found in a variety of organisations and professional contexts. Please see the Accreditation and Professional Recognition section.

Compulsory

Assessment: coursework

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Modules

Pathway mandatory modules

These modules are studied solely by students enrolled on the MSc Forensic Psychology. They differentiate this course from the MSc Forensic Psychology and Mental Health course, which has its own pathway modules.

Intervention Across Different Client Groups (20 credits)

The aim of this module is to provide you with an opportunity to develop an understanding of the theories, research and practice related to interventions with diverse client groups, with a specific focus on violence and sexual offending.

Professional Practice in Forensic Psychology (20 credits)

The aim of this module is to engage you in considering professional and practice issues (e.g., ethical legal) in forensic psychology, which impact on the work carried out by forensic psychologists in the diverse settings in which they work.

Compulsory

Assessment: coursework

Core mandatory modules

These modules are mandatory for the Forensic Psychology MSc and Forensic Psychology and Mental Health MSc courses.

The Legal Process (10 credits)

This module seeks to provide you with a general awareness and understanding of comparative law and the legal systems (e.g. inquisitorial vs adversarial systems). This module is aimed at enabling you to appreciate the nature and functions of the criminal and civil justice systems, as well as the distinctions between them.

Dissertation in Forensic Psychology (40 credits)

The aim of the dissertation is to give you the opportunity to engage in supervised but independently undertaken empirical research (following successful ethical approval through the Coventry University ethics process) at an advanced level. You will be encouraged to integrate and practice the skills that you should have acquired during the course and to investigate, at master’s level, an area of specific interest to you.

Compulsory

Assessment: coursework