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Campus Available
Huddersfield Queensgate only
Contact
psychology@hud.ac.uk
UOH Subject Area:
UOH_P007PP
Course Length
1 year full-time
Number of Places
up to 20
Entry requirements:
The minimum entry requirement is a good first degree in Psychology, Criminology, Criminal Justice studies or other relevant discipline.
Students should also ordinarily have at least a basic understanding of basic psychological concepts, research methods, inferential statistics and reasonable information technology skills.
Equivalent overseas degrees are accepted, with an English language qualification for those whose previous degree was completed in another language.
Some experience working with offenders, the police, the courts or another relevant institution is also beneficial.
An intensive 1 year Masters course, developed from the original Investigative Psychology MSc, the unique, internationally-renowned course set up by Professor David Canter. Investigative Psychology (IP) is the systematic science that developed out of early ‘offender profiling’ contributions by psychologists and the F.B.I to police investigations and court cases. In recent years this sub-discipline has become an increasingly dominant area of forensic psychology.
IP now extends to cover the full range of contributions that professional psychologists can make to the legal and investigative process from evaluating the validity of suspect or witness accounts and assessing the decision- making processes of detectives or jurors to developing profiling inferences about the likely characteristics of offender and predicting his/her likely home location.
Much of this expertise is predicated upon the detailed understanding of criminal action patterns so intensive examinations of the variations in criminal behavioural style are a central feature of IP. The course has a strong research emphasis to equip students with the expertise to conduct their own crime research projects in the diverse professional contexts that our graduates find themselves.
The overall aims of the course involve the acquisition of the knowledge, skills and experience that will enable you to:
(a) develop professional roles as an Investigative Psychologist in law enforcement and similar agencies and
(b) contribute to the discipline of investigative psychology through research, training, expert consultancy, teaching and similar scholarly and professional pursuits.
This course explores the application of psychological principles to diverse aspects of the analysis, investigation and legal processing of crime.
Learning and teaching is delivered through a wide range of methods including away-day seminars, master-classes with Professor Canter, Case-centred learning and student-led symposia where appropriate. Assessment aims to support learning and to measure achievement. Assessment methods are described in each module guide. Assessment is through varied projects and other coursework.
Graduates of this course work in diverse legal and forensic contexts typically progressing rapidly to senior levels as Crime and Intelligence Analysts, Behavioural Investigative Advisors, Forensic Lecturers, Applied Researchers or within Government agencies such as specialist crime units or the National Policing Improvements Agency. In these important positions, graduates of this course are now advancing the application of IP to forensic and investigative practice around the world.
It is intended that this course will offer you the opportunity to gain Stage 1 of the process towards registration as a Chartered Forensic Psychologist and approval to International Academy for Investigative Psychology (IA-IP) Full Associate membership. The course is also highly advantageous for applicants to the IRCIP Doctoral Program who wish to gain a PhD in Investigative Psychology (to discuss PhD opportunities please email d.youngs@hud.ac.uk).
This course is integrated with the International Research Centre for Investigative Psychology and can be an important first step to Doctoral study there. The course is being submitted for International Academy for Investigative Psychology (IA-IP) accreditation, ESRC research methodology recognition and BPS forensic accreditation.
Contact psychology@hud.ac.uk
Professional Body Accreditation
The course is being submitted for IA-IP accreditation, ESRC research methodology recognition and BPS forensic accreditation.
Successful applicants study:
Introducing Investigative Psychology: From Offender Profiling to the Science of IP (15 Credits)
Investigative Psychology Theories and Models for Violent, Acquisitive and Sexual Crime
Offender Spatial Activity: Beyond Geographical Offender Profiling
Improving Legal Testimony and Evidence in Court and Investigations
Professional Issues and Applications
Clinical Forensic Psychology (15 Credits)
Methodologies for Investigative Psychology – Tactics for Studying Criminal Action (15 Credits)
Methodologies for Investigative Psychology – Strategies for Studying Criminal Action(15 Credits)
Dissertation (60 Credits)
An intensive 1 year Masters course, developed from the original, unique Investigative Psychology MSc set up by Professor David Canter. Graduates of this course work in diverse legal and forensic contexts typically progressing rapidly to senior levels as Crime and Intelligence Analysts, Behavioural Investigative Advisors, Forensic Lecturers, applied researchers or within Government agencies, such as specialist crime units or the National Policing Improvements Agency, or within commercial organisations. In these important positions, graduates of this course are now advancing the application of IP to forensic and investigative practice around the world.
Students complete a significant empirical project, typically in collaboration with an external agency. As part of this professional relationship, the student will often have the opportunity to gain some degree of insight into IP in practice.
International students are especially welcomed and frequently become pioneers of IP practice in their home countries.
Further study: The course is highly advantageous for applicants to the IRCIP Investigative Psychology Doctoral Program (to discuss PhD opportunities please email d.youngs@hud.ac.uk).
You can also request a printed prospectus by filling in our web form, and have it delivered to your address.
24 Hour Prospectus Enquiry Telephone Line:
+44(0)870 901 5555
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