Forensic Psychology and Mental Health

Entry requirements

We require you to have:

• a BSc Psychology degree (minimum Upper Second) or overseas equivalent, which confers Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) status with the British Psychological Society (BPS). If you are unsure whether your degree will give you eligibility for the GBC, you can check whether your degree was accredited for your intake year on the BPS website;
• evidence of attaining a minimum of an Upper Second across all BSc research methods taught units and the dissertation;
• an understanding of the role of the forensic psychologist working in the UK, the applied nature of forensic psychology and why you wish to undertake further study of this field via your personal statement. You must demonstrate all three points in your personal statement to be considered for interview. Please review the guidance under the application tab for more detail on what your application must include.
• ideally, you might have some relevant voluntary or paid experience involving forensic settings/forensic clients, eg working with offenders/people at risk of offending, victims, or observation of criminal courtroom proceedings. This should be demonstrated via your CV and/or reflected in your understanding of the field in your personal statement.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Our MSc Forensic Psychology and Mental Health course is aimed at graduates who want to pursue a career as a Chartered Psychologist and/or register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Forensic Psychologist.

You willcomplete units examining professional practice in forensic psychology,psychology applied to legal and investigative processes, forensic risk assessment, offending behaviour interventions, research methods, and assessment and treatment of personality disorders.

Teaching will comprise a blend of face-to-face and online delivery and will be based on case examples from forensic and clinical practice.

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).

The BPS outlined nine areas of good practice and three commendations following the June 2024 BPS accreditation visit. The commendations were:

• The programme team are commended for its focus on transferable skills, core skills, reflective elements (e.g. reflective portfolio), excellent graduate outcomes, and employability, including preparing students for future studies (i.e., Stage Two). (Programme standards: 5.2 & 5.3).
• The provider is commended for the high calibre, quality and for a mix of both practitioners and academics on the programme team who contribute to the accredited programme. (Programme standard: 6.2.4).
• The programme director is commended for their unwavering enthusiasm, commitment, and accessibility, fostering a supportive relationship with students, and ensuring a high-quality experience. (Programme standards: 5 & 6).