Diploma In Criminal & Forensic Psychology

Course details

Thinkers and researchers in the human sciences have always had an interest in deviant behaviour in inpiduals. Countless theories and beliefs have been proposed to explain the “criminal personality” and, more recently, the tools of psychological research have been applied within criminal justice systems worldwide to aid in the apprehension and understanding of those who break the law. This course will address the various theories presented by criminology and criminal psychology, along with a thorough exploration of the world of forensic psychology. Using real-life examples, we will examine how the forensic psychologist aids the police services in areas such as offender profiling, suspect interviewing and research.

Course Outline

• Early attempts to comprehend “the bad man”
• Theories of offending behaviour across the ages
• Readings in Criminal and Forensic Psychology
• Case Studies
• Profiling the offender
• Evaluation of the contribution of psychology and criminology to our understanding of crime and delinquency
• The role of the psychologist in assessing the effectiveness of the criminal justice system
• How forensic psychology applies the scientific methods of psychology to the study of criminal justice issues
• The forensic psychologist and the law
• A critical discussion of the potential contribution of psychology to policing, the courts, and the penal system in Ireland

Entry Requirements

• This course is suitable for anyone with an interest in this fascinating discipline and will appeal to everyone from the amateur sleuth to professionals within the legal system.