By the end of this module, students will gain the knowledge and skills to progress to working with a range of client groups including different types of offenders, patients and at-risk individuals; victims/ survivors; individuals across the lifespan (including children and young people in conflict with the law); males and females; professionals, groups and organisations.

Via this module, students will learn about the application of psychological knowledge to the treatment of offender-patients, who commit violent acts against themselves or others. This form of treatment allows for a therapist to potentially understand the offender and their mental state, to examine further whether the offender’s criminal behavior was a conscious act or not, what exactly their association with violent behavior is, and what possible motives could have driven them. The main focus of forensic psychotherapy is to obtain a psychodynamic understanding of the offender, in order to attempt to provide them with an effective form of treatment.

Via this module, students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to progress to working within a range of settings and contexts relevant to forensic and criminal psychology, including prisons; secure units; hospitals; mental health; police; courts (including criminal, family and civil); community settings; charities and social enterprises. They should have an understanding of organisational culture and systems, and the ways in which these impact on the practice of forensic and criminal psychologists and other professionals. The second outcome of the module is that students should be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of different approaches to assessment and formulation in relation to individuals, groups and/or organisations. Also, demonstrate a familiarity with the processes and tools of assessment in line with the particular focus offered by the programme. 

At the end of this module, students should be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of the range of interventions available for offenders, patients and at-risk individuals, victims/survivors, professionals, groups and organisations. Students should understand different approaches and be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of those approaches to inform the selection of appropriate interventions. Students should also be able to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions.

This module provides a comprehensive overview of the statistical methods, research designs and qualitative methods used in psychology. This module builds on students’ undergraduate knowledge and skills regarding psychological research, employing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The module will explore different quantitative and qualitative data collection and data analysis methods, along with their applications and their strengths and weaknesses. Students will also develop their practical and interview skills, by using SPSS for quantitative research for the former and by taking part in interview simulations for the latter, as well as appreciating ethical issues and dilemmas in research.

The module will cover theories and skills in integrative psychotherapy, along with their application in forensic settings, considering potential ethical issues. Indicatively the module will examine topics around the role of psychotherapy in forensic settings and how these are applied, working with patients and other professionals and colleagues. The module will also cover issues around readiness and limits of competency with respect to patients. 

The dissertation is designed to enable students to apply their knowledge and skills to the development and implementation of a research project. The dissertation provides students with the opportunity to test their learning, display their subject knowledge and methodological skills, and explore in detail a topic that interests them. Once the initial proposal has been submitted, students are allocated to a supervisor with interests and knowledge appropriate to the chosen topic.