Course Essentials
Welcome to Forensic and Investigative Psychology at Canterbury Christ Church University. I am extremely thrilled to welcome you to this BPS accredited course. I hope you find it applied, exciting and valuable for your future careers. Our team look forward to working with you all, and watching you develop your knowledge, skills, confidence and competence in forensic and investigative psychology.
Lisa Farren
Course Director
Academic Calendar: Trimesters [15 Week]
View key dates for this Academic Calendar for 2025-26 including when teaching starts and finishes and when you break for holidays.
Before you commence on the course, you will be invited to take part in CCCU Welcome Week Activities and your Course specific Induction Day. You will be sent more information about Welcome Week and your Induction Day closer to the time.
Full-time students will be required to engage with teaching sessions 2 days per week across the three trimesters, whilst part-time students attend 1 day per week in Year 1 (across Trimesters 1 and 2) and Year 2 (across three trimesters). For more detail on the Academic Calendar, please see: CCCU Academic Calendar C - Trimesters). Teaching days are normally on a Thursday and Friday, however these days can be subject to change. You will be notified in advance if such changes occur. Outside of teaching days, you are recommended to keep an additional 2-3 days dedicated to course related activities, such as: self-directed reading, engage with audio/video recordings, completing your assessments and building upon your forensic psychological knowledge. Please see below an overview of the course structure; please note two modules, 'Forensic Assessment Treatment and Professional Practice' and 'Investigative Psychology' are delivered across both Trimester 1 and Trimester 2.
Full Time Students |
Part-Time Students (Year 1) |
Part- Time Students (Year 2) |
Understanding Criminality and Offending Behaviour |
Understanding Criminality and Offending Behaviour |
Research Methods and Statistics |
Research Methods and Statistics |
Investigative Psychology |
Research Project |
Investigative Psychology |
Forensic Assessment Treatment and Professional Practice |
|
Forensic Assessment Treatment and Professional Practice |
|
|
Research Project |
|
|
Full Time Students
|
Part-Time Students (Year 1)
|
Part-Time Students (Year 2)
|
Forensic Assessment Treatment and Professional Practise |
Forensic Assessment Treatment and Professional Practice |
Applied Research Methods and Statistics
|
Investigative Psychology
|
Investigative Psychology
|
Research Project
|
Criminal Justice and the Investigative Process |
Criminal Justice and the Investigative Process
|
|
Applied Research Methods and Statistics |
|
|
Research Project
|
|
|
There are no taught sessions in Trimester 3, it is when you will complete your dissertation and poster.
To be awarded the BPS Stage 1 Qualification in Forensic Psychology (QFP) you must obtain a minimum pass mark of 50% for ALL modules that contribute to the MSc Forensic & Investigative Psychology. Only students who hold BPS Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) (either via a BPS accredited undergraduate psychology degree or MSc Psychology conversion course) as well as Stage 1, can progress to the Stage 2 QFP. Course and Module Handbooks will be available via Blackboard (the university’s virtual learning environment where staff post information relating to your course of study) when you start in September. These handbooks outline the content of the course, teaching sessions and assessment requirements/deadlines.
Whilst you are waiting for the course to start you may wonder “what else can I do?”
If you are not engaged in a role linked to forensic psychology, you might want to consider applying for volunteering roles with services such as:
You could watch documentaries about prisons and forensic psychology:
You can also keep up-to-date via our school social media channels:
Your welcome and induction will be w/c 16th September 2024 - we look forward to meeting you then.
On the social side, the Student Union (CCSU) has a huge range of clubs and societies – all of which have unique social calendars of their own and offer endless opportunities to make lifelong friends and discover new hobbies. And you can always create your own society and cultivate your own community!
CCSU will be hosting their Welcome Fayre on Wednesday 18th September 2024. Make sure you keep checking the CCSU website for further details and how to get involved.
We understand that you may be nervous about your first few weeks on campus but rest assured - you'll be joining a nurturing and supportive environment where diversity, equality and individuality are part of everything we do.
You can find out more about our welcoming community and making friends here.
If you are an International Student joining us then please see our International Student Support pages for further information and guidance.
To help you enjoy your leisurely summer holidays, please see below some recommended books that you may find helpful in preparing for the course. They are not mandatory but are a good reference point to start with.
Recommended Texts
International students: don't miss out! Make sure you register for our international student success programme which provides practical advice on preparing to live and study in the UK.