MSc Applied Forensic Psychology

The MSc Applied Forensic Psychology at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) develops your ability to apply psychological theory and methods to legal and criminal contexts, focusing on assessment, intervention, and expert consultancy. It is well suited for psychology graduates who want to work in forensic services, prisons, courts, or progress toward professional forensic psychologist training. 

Curriculum structure:
Over the one-year full-time programme, students learn advanced research methodology through Advanced Methods in Psychology 1 & 2, which equip them with rigorous quantitative and qualitative skills. In Psychology and the Legal System, they explore the role of psychologists in courts, investigation, and legal processes, while Personal Attributes of Offenders & Victims examines how personality, trauma, and victimology inform forensic assessment. Modules like Forensic Risk Assessment and Forensic Mental Health teach students to evaluate risk, mental disorder, and tailored intervention strategies, and in Psychology, Investigation & the Courtroom they analyse how psychological theories guide interrogation and courtroom testimony. They then apply their learning in the Advanced Forensic Psychology Project, an independent research dissertation that allows them to investigate a topic of forensic relevance. 

Focus areas:
“offender assessment; legal psychology; risk and mental health; research methodology; consultancy”

Learning outcomes:
Graduates will be capable of designing and conducting advanced forensic research, performing clinical risk assessments, understanding the psychological underpinnings of offending and victimisation, and producing professional-level forensic reports.

Professional alignment (accreditation):
This MSc supports Stage 1 of BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist training by providing key theoretical and methodological foundations. 

Reputation:
UCLan's forensic psychology programme is taught by experienced forensic psychologists in secure settings, and many graduates go on to work as trainee forensic psychologists, forensic consultants, or proceed to doctoral-level forensic training.