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.

Trimester 1

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

Trimester 2

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

Trimester 3

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:

• Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT)
• Kent, Surrey and Sussex Community Rehabilitation Company (KSSCRC)
• Circles of Support and Accountability (CIRCLES)

You could watch documentaries about prisons and forensic psychology:

• BBC Documentaries
• BPS Videos
• Forensic Psychology Podcast

You can also keep up-to-date via our school social media channels:

• Facebook
• X : https://twitter.com/CCCUPsychology
• Blog: https://blogs.canterbury.ac.uk/psychology/

Your welcome and induction will be w/c 16th September 2024 - we look forward to meeting you then.

Community

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

• American Psychological Association (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychology Association: The Official Guide to APA Style. 7th Edition. Washington, US
• Bassot, B. (2020). The Reflective Journal. 3rd Edition. Palgrave Macmillan. London. UK.
• Canter, D., & Youngs, D. (2009). Investigative Psychology. Offender Profiling and Analysis of Criminal Action. Wiley, West Sussex, UK.
• Field, A. (2018). Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics. 5th Edition. SAGE. London. UK
• Katz, L. (2018). Palgrave study skills. Critical Thinking and persuasive writing for postgraduates. Palgrave.
• McGuire, J. & Duff, S. (2018). Forensic Psychology – Routes through the system. Palgrave.
• Scott, A. (2019). Forensic Psychology (Macmillan Insights in Psychology). Red Globe Press. UK.
• Smyth, T.R. (2004). Palgrave study skills. The Principles of writing in Psychology. Palgrave.