Modules

Legal methodology
This module provides the necessary grounding to study law effectively. It teaches the core skills required with emphasis placed on research and legal reasoning. You examine the court system and legal professions and we introduce the Human Rights Act of 1998.

Criminal litigation
Criminal litigation is essentially the steps required to take a criminal case to trial. This module examines the initial stages of an investigation.

Law of evidence
This follows on from the criminal litigation module and progresses the investigative process from the initial court hearings through to the completion of the trial.

It addresses subjects including
• rules and principles on expert testimony
• the burden of proof
• the significance of disclosure and pre trial hearings for expert witnesses
• the rules governing advocacy and trials
• salient rules of evidence, such as hearsay

You also examine recent miscarriages of justice involving expert witnesses to identify how error arose and how to eliminate repetition.

Forensic psychology in context
You examine the fundamentals of forensic psychology, and identify its strengths and its weaknesses. Discussions focus on how forensic psychology crosses over with associated disciplines such as sociology, criminology, law and politics when forensic issues are being examined.

You answer questions about what research methodologies can be employed to aid developing forensic psychology, and strategies to address the issue of 'dark' data within the discipline. The module equips you with a critical insight into forensic psychology and how it can best be employed to effectively address forensic issues.

Investigative psychology
This module introduces you to psychological issues which may effect police investigations. The module works via an interactive police simulation. As you investigate a series of criminal incidents you learn about the contribution of psychology to understanding the investigative process.

The module emphasises applying psychology to real world problems. The workshops involve you working in investigation teams on a series of criminal incidents, to allow you to experience the pressures and problems of the investigative process first hand. You learn to develop a problem solving approach to how psychology can be used to aid criminal investigations.

Psychology of criminal behaviour
This module introduces you to psychological theories and explanations of criminal behaviour, including biological, social, personality and cognitive. You develop an in depth understanding of how key theories and research perspectives can be applied to issues in forensic psychology and to understanding explanations of criminal behaviour.

You are introduced to the ways in which psychologists have attempted to understand and explain criminal behaviours such as partner violence, stalking, hostage taking and sexual offending.

Research project
This allows you to demonstrate researcher skills at masters level. You produce a persuasively argued piece of writing, having researched a key issue within forensic psychology, that demonstrates knowledge and skills, researcher competence and the ability to work independently. The assessment for this project is split into several parts allowing you to benefit from useful feedback on your project as it progresses.