PL3S158 - Forensic Psychology 01 Sep 2023 - 31 Aug 2030 | Version 5
Associated Module Information
| Module Code: | PL3S158 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Module Title: | Forensic Psychology | ||
| Faculty: | Faculty of Life Sciences and Education | ||
| Faculty Group: | Psychology | ||
| Faculty Sub Group: | Youth and Community | ||
| Module Leader: | Rachel Taylor, Sarah Evans | ||
| Module Team: | Kirsty Richards, Alexis Jones, Dan Bowers, Leigh Attwood, Luke Colquhoun | ||
| First Intended Intake: | SEP 2018 | Final Year of Intake: | 2029 |
| Date Closed: | |||
| Credit Value: | 20 | Credit Level: | 6 |
| Language: | English | ||
| Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: | 0 | ||
| Equivalent Module: | |||
| HECOS codes: | 100497 - psychology | ||
| HECOS Code Weighting: | 100 | ||
Document Version Information
| Version | 5 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Sep 2023 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2030 |
Module Aims
To encourage critical appraisal of the role that Psychology plays in all aspects of the criminal and civil justice systems.
Content Summary
This module will focus on current research, theory and practice in the field of Forensic Psychology; including both pre- and post-conviction settings.
While specific topics will change from year to year depending on current policy and practice developments, there will be coverage on three broad areas. These are a) psychological aspects of police and security investigations (e.g. interviewing and cognitive interviewing, confessions, threat assessment, crisis negotiation and eyewitness evidence), b) psychological aspects of criminal and civil court processes (e.g. evidence presentation, juror decision-making and sentencing, expert witnessing and scientific testimony), c) psychological aspects of offender management (e.g. risk assessment, forensic mental health, interventions with offenders).
These three broad areas will also be contextualised within specific offence types/processes (e.g. violent &sexual offending, acquisitive offending, arson).
Ethical, professional and legal issues associated with forensic Psychology practice will also be discussed and debated throughout the module.
Directed study (including the use of online lecture materials) and formative assessments will encourage deeper engagement with the material and support students’ work towards summative assessment.
Learning and Teaching Methods
| Activity Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 24 |
| Practical classes and workshops | 24 |
| Independent Study | 120 |
| Directed Study | 32 |
| Total Hours Selected | 200 |
Learning Outcomes
| # | Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Evaluate the impact of current psychological research on forensic practice. |
| LO2 | Critically appraise theory and research in the field of forensic Psychology |
Module Requisites
N/A
Assessment Criteria
| Assessment Category | Assessment Type | Description | Duration | Word Count | Weight (%) | Best of? | Pass Mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asynchronous Assessment | Case study 1 | Case study applying theory and research to forensic psychology practice | 0 | 2000 | 50 | No | 40 |
| Asynchronous Assessment | Annotated Bibliography 1 | An annotated bibliography of peer reviewed sources on a forensic psychology topic of current practical relevance | 0 | 1500 | 50 | No | 40 |
Assessment Matrix
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| LO1 | LO2 | ||
| Case study 1 | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Annotated Bibliography 1 | ✔ | ✔ | |