MSc in Psychology: Legal and Criminological

On this programme, you can build on your existing learning experiences to advance your academic and professional development in a stimulating and challenging environment. You will gain specialised knowledge and a critical awareness of issues in Legal and Criminological Psychology. You'll cover the application of psychology to forensic and legal issues.

Teaching is done through a variety of blended learning and campus-based activities explicitly designed to meet the needs of learners working in a range of contexts.

On this course you will...

• Be able to explore and apply psychological literature to current issues, contexts and experiences around legal and criminological settings.
• Be given high quality support and guidance by our lecturing team who are active in their research and practice.
• Learn valuable transferrable skills in PG research, which are highly sought after by employers.
• Have the opportunity to choose topics and areas that you want to learn more about to tailor your learning experience.
• Have the opportunity to shape your MSc experience to your own interests and career goals, allowing our team to help you to reach your ideal future career.

The Psychology: Legal and Criminological course provides a set of modules that will enhance specialist subject knowledge and key skills for working in the criminal justice system, all delivered by subject specialists. It is designed to build on your existing learning experiences and offers flexible learning opportunities to improve your career prospects.

The main aim of the course is to provide students with the opportunity to develop comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a broad range of topics in criminological and legal psychology. Theoretical and practical issues pertinent to those working in legal settings will be examined critically. All MSc Psychology: Legal and Criminological learners will be required to have undertaken the following core modules: Research Skills and Methods (20 credits), Professional Values and Ethics (20 credits) Negotiated Learning (20 credits), and a Dissertation (60 credits). You will also be required to complete three compulsory modules: Interpersonal Violence and Abuse (20 credits), Criminal Psychology, Offending Behaviour and the Criminal Justice System (20 credits), and Working with Specialist Populations in Forensic Psychology Settings (20 credits).

Modules

Research Skills and Methods

Introduction to a range of qualitative and quantitative methodology. You will be trained in the methods required to design and execute an empirical study, ways to keep the methodology scientific and other research design issues.

Criminal Psychology, Offending Behaviour and the Criminal Justice System

Develop your knowledge and understanding of the UK justice and prison services, including the roles and functions of the courts, police, probation, and secure NHS services.

Working with Specialist Populations in Forensic Psychology Settings

Gain a comprehensive and detailed knowledge and understanding of working with adults, children and young people within specialist populations.

Professional Values and Ethics

Engage in a series of critical debates; providing you with a knowledge and understanding of a number of ethical and practice issues that you may face within the workplace.

Interpersonal Violence and Abuse

Learn to distinguish between differing forms of interpersonal violence, to critically assess theories of violence produced within Cultural Studies, Criminology, Political Science, Philosophy and Psychology to help improve our understanding of the impact of violence and abuse.

Negotiated learning

Undertake an independent piece of work to develop your specialist knowledge and expertise in an area that is pertinent to your chosen pathway.

Dissertation

An independent project that provides the opportunity to demonstrate your competence in critically reviewing, synthesising and drawing conclusions from the literature and research.

You may also wish to continue your academic career by undertaking a PhD in either criminology or psychology.

There is a wide range of careers this MSc will be useful for. You could work with the National Crime Agency, prison drug services, the probation service and offender management. Your degree will be well suited for working with victims of domestic violence, as a mentor for young people coming out of prison, and youth offending organisations.

Teaching is done through a variety of blended learning and campus-based activities explicitly designed to meet the needs of learners working in a range of contexts.