Course summary

Are you planning to pursue a career as a forensic psychologist? Would you like to learn from expert psychologists with specialist skills and experience working in prisons, including with young offenders and vulnerable prisoners? Examine the role of psychologists in legal settings and develop your understanding of crime, criminal behaviour and the assessment and rehabilitation of offenders. Our MSc Forensic Psychology course is specifically designed to meet the criteria of the British Psychological Society (BPS) as the first stage of becoming a forensic psychologist. This specialist programme is aimed at students who hold a BPS-accredited Psychology degree or professionals working within the Criminal Justice arena looking to secure a forensic psychologist trainee position. On this course, you’ll develop a robust understanding of the psychology research on which forensic psychology practice is based. The course is delivered by a range of staff, including academics with research experience in forensic psychology and practitioner psychologists. They have experience working across a broad range of forensic and forensic mental health settings and by specialist forensic or forensic mental health researchers. The programme team consists of HCPC-registered forensic psychologists and chartered psychologists with the BPS. They will share their experiences to enhance your learning through numerous practice-based clinical examples and research-led teaching. Following a critical and theoretical introduction to forensic psychology and the development and context of research in forensic psychology and its application, you’ll explore the practice of forensic psychology including the role of the forensic psychologist. The team will help you develop your understanding of approaches and techniques used when working with forensic populations as well as research methods needed for psychological enquiry and how to apply these to research projects in forensic settings. You’ll also complete a supervised piece of research in an area relevant to Forensic Psychology. This postgraduate degree has a strong applied forensic focus, which offers excellent preparation for your future career in forensic psychology. This could include working in a variety of forensic or community settings, for example, prisons, probation, forensic mental health settings or in an academic setting. You’ll benefit from our established links within the industry, and you will hear from academics and practitioners who work in professional settings. After engaging with this course, you’ll graduate equipped with the knowledge, practical skills and experience needed to be a trainee forensic psychologist. Whether or not you're already working in the field, the course will allow you to develop both your theoretical and practical understanding of forensic psychological practice and the confidence to take the next step in your career.