Study
Postgraduate
MSc Forensic Psychology (BPS accredited)

MSc

Forensic Psychology (BPS accredited)

Can you determine whether a violent offender will reoffend? How reliable is a child’s witness testimony? How do you conduct a HCR-20 risk assessment?

Course overview

Examine the role of psychologists in legal settings, advances in the psychological understanding of offender behaviour, and assessment and rehabilitation. You’ll critically examine the role of psychology in various forensic settings, demonstrating how theory is applied to real-life situations.

Our masters course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and is the first stage towards gaining registration as a Qualified Forensic Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You’ll explore topics such as police investigations of crime, working with vulnerable groups, jury decision-making, ethical practice, offender rehabilitation, and interpret and report the statistical outcomes of test measurement. We have been commended by the British ...

What you need to know

When does the course start?
What is the length of the course?
1 year full-time

2 years part-time
Where will I study this course?
Manchester

Features and benefits

“This course helped me to develop my academic understanding of psychological theory and provided a more detailed insight into how this theory linked to practice. The course consisted of numerous group-assessed activities that allowed me to develop skills such as working within a group, sharing workloads and managing difficult dynamics, all of which are helpful when considering future multidisciplinary team working.”
Felicity (MSc Forensic Psychology)

Course information

To give you a thorough understanding of forensic psychology, you’ll study core curriculum content from the British Psychological Society (BPS). This includes the application and use of assessment tools within forensic practice and applying psychology to legal processes. You’ll look at how we assess offenders within forensic settings and how we apply theory to practice.

Some of the areas you’ll typically explore include the role of psychologists in the criminal and civil courts and offender assessment. You’ll consider interviewing and eyewitness testimony in different types of victims of crime and witnesses, as well as psychological measurement.

You’ll also learn practical skills in how to conduct risk assessments, such as the completion of HCR-20v3 (a set of assessment guidelines that helps you to consider an individual's risk of violent offending). Our creatively-taught Research Methods module ensures that you develop enhanced skills in Quantitative and Qualitative data analysis.

Alongside building your academic knowledge of forensic psychology, we’ll help you to develop skills in communication (including presenting), report writing, analytical thinking, and reflective practice. These are transferable skills that you’ll be able to use across your career.

Some of our areas of expertise in forensic psychology include post-traumatic growth, juror decision making, forensic mental health, eyewitness testimony and alibi evidence, psychological wellbeing of practitioners, and risk formulation.

When you successfully complete this course, you’ll fulfil stage one of the requirements towards practitioner Psychologist registration with the HCPC.

The MSc Forensic Psychology course is only open to applicants who have a BPS-accredited undergraduate degree (or equivalent through an accredited conversion course). International students will have to provide evidence that their degree meets the BPS requirements.

Accreditations, awards and endorsements

accreditation

The British Psychological Society

Over the duration of the course, you’ll study seven core modules which follow the core curriculum content from the BPS.

On the Personal and Professional Development module you’ll gain skills in reflective practice, identifying how you develop personally and professionally as a forensic practitioner.

Your dissertation is 60 credits and is worth a third of your MSc. You’ll be encouraged and supported to come up with your own research project applied to a forensic topic. This is a non-traditional thesis - you’ll write up your dissertation as a journal article to give you the skills for writing for publication. Some of our students go onto to publish their dissertation research in reputable forensic psychology journals, which is actively encouraged by our teaching team.

Core modules

Personal and Professional Development

This module supports personal and professional development through your identification and monitoring of learning objectives and personal goals within a critical and supportive academic community. The module promotes ongoing reflection, completion of personal development records, planning and participating.

Psychology and Law

The overall aim of this module is to introduce how psychology is applied in legal settings. Topics covered include: psychologists as expert witnesses, the role of psychologists in the criminal and civil courts, the role of psychologists in mental health law and psychological assessment in legal settings. You'll be encouraged to integrate theory with the development of practical skills to enhance your understanding of the topic and your professional development.

Research for Innovation Dissertation

This module will develop and apply independent relevant research skills. You’ll identify a discipline relevant research question, for which they will complete a research proposal and gain ethical approval prior to commencing collection of data. You’ll design and carry out your research under the supervision of a member of staff. All projects should aim to involve the collection of empirical data. Research may utilise whatever methods or methods most suitable to address the identified aims. Depending on the design of the project, qualitative, quantitive or mixed methods approached could be used.

Theory and Practice in Forensic Psychology

This module presents theory alongside practice and encourages students to develop an understanding of forensic psychology theory and practice.

Assessment and Treatment in Forensic Settings

Within this module you will develop a critical overview of specialist applications of forensic psychology in relation to offenders, in terms of assessment, formulation, management, and treatment. The module will provide you with an understanding of a number of assessment and treatment approaches used within public and private sector settings, specifically applied to an offending population.

Psychological Measurement

The module develops an applied and critical understanding of the use of psychological measurements in a forensic setting and addresses the fundamental skills, principles and issues within psychological measurement in general.

Research Principles and Methods

This module will develop an understanding of research principles, both quantitative and qualitative, which will enable you to critically appraise and undertake their research project.

This module will allow students to develop a philosophical understanding of different approaches and principles of conducting research in a clinical, health, and forensic context. Through completion of the module students will develop both quantitative and qualitative research skills and consider the appropriateness of methodological decisions in applied research.

Study and assessment breakdown

Ten credits equates to 100 hours of study, which is a combination of lectures, seminars and practical sessions, and independent study. A masters qualification typically comprises of 180 credits, a PGDip 120 credits, a PGCert 60 credits and an MFA 300 credits. The exact composition of your study time and assessments for the course will vary according to your option choices and style of learning, but it could be:

Study

Full-time 20% lectures, seminars or similar; 0% placement; 80% independent study
Part-time 20% lectures, seminars or similar; 0% placement; 80% independent study

Assessment

Full-time 90% coursework; 10% practical; 0% examination
Part-time 90% coursework; 10% practical; 0% examination

Meet us

Whether you've already made your decision about what you want to study, or you're just considering whether postgraduate study is right for you, there are lots of ways you can meet us and find out more about postgraduate student life at Manchester Met.

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Taught by experts

Your studies are supported by a department of committed and enthusiastic teachers and researchers, experts in their chosen field.

We often link up with external professionals too, helping to enhance your learning and build valuable connections to the working world.

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Entry requirements

These typical entry requirements may be subject to change for the 2025/26 academic year. Please check back for further details.

A 2:1 or above in a BPS-accredited psychology undergraduate degree (or equivalent through a psychology conversion course) conferring Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) is typically required.

International applicants have to show evidence that their undergraduate degree is eligible for GBC. Applicants must contact the British Psychological Society independently to verify this and upload the proof along with their application. For information, please check the BPS website.

Overseas applicants will require IELTS with an overall score of 6.5 with no less than 5.5 in any category, or an equivalent accepted English qualification. Accepted English qualifications can be viewed here.

Fees and funding

UK and Channel Island students

Full-time fee: £10,250 per year. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).

Part-time fee: £1139 per 20 credits studied. The fee per credit will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (eg no repeat years or breaks in study). The total amount you pay each year may differ based on the number of credits studied.

EU and Non-EU International students

Full-time fee: £20,000 per year. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).

Part-time fee: £2223 per 20 credits studied. The fee per credit will remain the same for each year of your course providing you complete it in the normal timeframe (eg no repeat years or breaks in study). The total amount you pay each year may differ based on the number of credits studied.

Additional information

A masters qualification typically comprises 180 credits, a PGDip 120 credits, a PGCert 60 credits, and an MFA 300 credits. Tuition fees will remain the same for each year of study provided the course is completed in the normal timeframe (no repeat years or breaks in study).

Additional costs

other costs

Optional estimate: £400

All of the books, e-books, and journals required for the course are available from the library. The University also has PC labs and a laptop loan service. Please note that if you choose to buy a laptop, Chromebooks are not advisable since they do not support the software necessary for the course.

Campus printing costs start from 5p per page. Estimated costs are £300 for a laptop and up to £100 each year for books and printing.

Career prospects

To practise as a forensic psychologist in the UK, you’ll need to complete further training to achieve chartered psychologist status with BPS and apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). As a registered psychologist, you might work in a range of criminal justice settings such as prisons, probation, voluntary sector services or the police.

This course will enable you to work in a range of forensic and clinical settings such as mental health, youth offending, prisons, probation, secure units, policing, and civil services.

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