Investigative Psychology MSc

About the course

Investigative psychology is the systematic science that developed out of early ‘offender profiling’ contributions by psychologists and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to police investigations and court cases. In recent years this sub-discipline has become an increasingly dominant area of forensic psychology. This course offers you the opportunity to explore the specialised field of practice, from the application of psychological principles to the diverse aspects of the analysis, investigation and legal processing of crime.

• This exciting course offers intensive training on advanced statistical methods, which may open doors into many jobs beyond crime and investigations.
• Accredited by the British Psychological Society and recognised as the first step towards status as a Chartered Forensic Psychologist in the UK for students who have Graduate Basis for Chartership.
• Engage with the Research Centres and Institutes across the University.
• Hear from visiting speakers including experts from around the world who will reflect on real life cases.
• Learn about the full range of contributions that professional psychologists can make including the legal and investigative process; evaluating the validity of suspect or witness accounts; assessing the decision-making processes of detectives or jurors; to developing profiling inferences about the likely characteristics of an offender and predicting their likely home location. Intensive examinations of the variations in criminal behavioural style are a central feature of this course.

The course aims to provide in-depth expertise in all aspects of Investigative Psychology. It has a strong research emphasis, helping to equip you with the expertise to conduct your own crime research projects in diverse professional contexts.

You can also choose to study this Distance Learning course on a part-time basis and complete within 24 months.

Discover more about Distance Learning at the University of Huddersfield.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for this course are normally one of the following:

• An Honours degree (2:1 or above) in Psychology recognised by the British Psychological Society (BPS) as conferring eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) or its international equivalent. Criminology or other relevant disciplines will be considered.
• Or the ability to complete a Master’s course at a higher level demonstrated through professional, vocational or other documented experience.
• Basic understanding of research methods, statistics and some experience of working with offenders, the police, the courts or another relevant institution is also beneficial.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in writing and no element lower than 5.5, or equivalent, or Duolingo English certificate, score 105 or above. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page. If you have alternative qualifications or do not meet the IELTS requirement we also offer a range of Pre-Sessional English Programmes.