Master Investigative Forensic Psychology - Máster en Psicología Forense en Investigación

Study a course specialising in examining the theoretical and investigative aspects of forensic psychology to prepare you for the entire criminal justice process, from crime scene to courtroom. Benefit from our great facilities and expert academics.

A Bachelors Honours degree, 2:2 or above or equivalent. If English is not your first language you´ll need IELTS 6.5 (Academic) or above.

Learn about the underlying theories regarding the psychology of investigations and consider areas such as how face-processing can assist identification of individuals
Explore different offence types – sexual offending, murder and violent crime, group offending, and different forms of cyber-crime
Investigate and scrutinise violent mocked-up crime scenes to provide investigative evidence and learn how to present expert witness testimony in a mock court
Evaluate victims, witnesses, suspects and offenders as well as the environment, geography and time to create fieldwork and case studies based on real experiences
Benefit from the expert knowledge of our academics and guest speakers, including the Course Leader Dr Terri Cole who shares her extensive experience as a behavioural investigative adviser and serious crime analyst
Develop transferable skills like writing grant proposals and how to publish research as well as working closely with a member of staff for your research topic, perhaps linked to your future career aspirations. 

Investigative Psychology: The theoretical and practical understanding of investigative psychology, focusing on serious crime investigations. You will initially explore the roles psychologists can play and general theories regarding why people commit crime, and subsequently specific theories as applied to different crime types including murder and violent crime, serial and sexual offending, group offending and cyber-crime.
Forensic Perspectives in Face-Processing: Focuses on the individual differences in face-processing, with an emphasis on the forensic implications of this work. As well as examining cognitive and personality factors that may influence our face recognition ability, you’ll consider social biases that affect our ability to process faces.
Professional Practice & Court Skills: Providing you with an understanding of, and initial training in expert witness and courtroom skills, legal and practical aspects of evidence. We will demonstrate pre-trial duties, courtroom procedures, lawyers’ requirements, and the preparation and structure of the expert witness’ report.
Advanced Research Methods: You will explore a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods and tools used for conducting advanced level research. It evaluates the intricacies of experimental design in different contexts. The unit will prepare you to undertake independent research using advanced research techniques.
Advanced Statistics: This unit covers appropriate selection and use of a range of statistical techniques intended for analysing data from psychological research.
Key Transferable Skills - Here the key skills for interpreting, presenting, writing and publishing research are taught. Topics include writing research and grant proposals, presentation skills and developing advanced writing skills.
Research Project: You’ll work closely with a member of staff engaging in discussions in order to choose an appropriate research project based around a particular topic that interests you, or expanding an element from the course that you want to pursue further, perhaps linked to your future career aspirations.

This course will give you a sound understanding knowledge of how and where you can responsibly and pragmatically apply knowledge and findings from research into real-world situations and within a number of potential work environments.

During the course, you will be made aware of your professional responsibilities working in the field - for example when writing reports, being an expert witness or conducting research. These can include consideration of ethics, managing personal development and building resilience.