PSYC330-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025

Forensic Psychology

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 17 February 2025
End Date: Sunday, 22 June 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 2 March 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 11 May 2025

Description

This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of forensic psychology, including the potential role of Psychology graduates in the criminal justice system. There will be a particular emphasis on the contribution that psychological inquiry and practice can make in efforts to: - Understand the causes of antisocial behavior, including developmental processes - Develop and evaluate effective psychological interventions for antisocial behaviour - Predict who is likely to reoffend - Detect and investigate crime - Understand the "process" or "cycle" of offending in the lives of repeat offenders There is a laboratory component that will give you an understanding of how the theoretical components of the course are applied in real-world settings. Some of these labs will be delivered by guest lecturers working on the "frontline" of these efforts to reduce the harm cause by antisocial behaviour in New Zealand.

Learning Outcomes

On successfully passing this course, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate their understanding of modern psychological theories about the aetiology of offending, both in general and for specific types of offending, and from different worldviews.

2. Demonstrate their understanding of psychological and cultural factors and processes that impact on criminal investigations and trials.

3. Compare and contrast the effectiveness of different approaches and models for offending prevention and rehabilitation, including kaupapa Māori models of prevention and rehabilitation.

4. Identify the factors that influence the appropriate collection and use of forensic-related data in research and practice, and the moral and cultural considerations involving the use of such data.

Prerequisites

PSYC206 or 60 points at 200 level from Schedules C or E of the BCJ.

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Friday 10:00 - 12:00 C3 Lecture Theatre
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
Tutorial A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 12:00 - 13:00 E8 Lecture Theatre
24 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun

Timetable Note

Attendance at lectures and tutorials is expected. While lectures and tutorials will be recorded for study purposes, in-class quizzes will form 10% of your final grade. These quizzes will not be able to be completed outside of lectures and tutorials. If you are not able to regularly attend lectures and tutorials, please enrol in the distance offering of this course instead (PSYC330-24S1-D).

Course Coordinator

Jacinta Cording

Lab Coordinator

Niamh Kilmore

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
In-class quizzes 10%
Recorded video presentation 30%
Course content "cheat sheet" x 2 60%

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading

Bonta, James , Andrews, D. A., Andrews, D. A; The psychology of criminal conduct ; Sixth edition; Routledge, 2016.

Howitt, Dennis; Introduction to forensic and criminal psychology ; Sixth edition; Pearson Education Limited, 2018.

There are no required textbooks for this course. Assigned readings for lectures/tutorials will be provided online via LEARN.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $998.00

International fee $5,188.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing .

All PSYC330 Occurrences

  • PSYC330-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025
  • PSYC330-25S1 (D) Semester One 2025 (Distance)