Overview

Study Scotland’s longest-running MSc Forensic Psychology degree, accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and delivered since 1997.

This course is suitable if you have a first-class or upper second-class Psychology degree. It acts as Stage 1 in your progression towards becoming a BPS Chartered Psychologist, and a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registered Practitioner Forensic Psychologist.

After successful completion of the course, you can also apply for membership to the Division of Forensic Psychology (DFP). Our team includes active researchers, industry-experienced academics, and HCPC-registered psychology practitioners who integrate their work into teaching. Our strong connections with professional stakeholders provide opportunities for you to engage with organisations across the sector.

The course is not focused solely on Scotland, but it covers Scotland’s distinct legal system and Mental Health Act. At GCU, you’ll combine this with teaching on forensic psychology across the UK and from an international perspective. This gives you a broad and highly relevant understanding of the field.

You will gain a strong understanding of:

forensic psychology
criminality and offending behaviour
legal issues.

You will learn to adopt an independent, analytical, and evaluative approach to forensic psychology.

Within a supportive academic environment, you will develop skills to:

assess and treat those who come into contact with the criminal justice system
design and deliver research projects
develop consultancy skills across professional settings.

Your learning is supported by practical activities that bring theory to life. These include site visits to closed forensic environments such as secure hospitals and prisons, as well as courtroom-based expert witness exercises.

Why study Forensic Psychology at GCU?

Join the longest-running MSc Forensic Psychology degree in Scotland – accredited by the BPS and teaching since 1997.
Staff includes a mix of research-active academics and HCPC -registered psychology practitioners.
You’ll have the chance to connect with and be recruited by leading stakeholders across a variety of roles.
The course incorporates practical activities, like courtroom expert witness practice and visits to closed forensic environments (including a secure hospital and prisons).

British Psychological Society

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What you will study

Modules

The Psychology of Criminal Behaviour

Psychology and the Legal Process

Working in Forensic Settings

Analytical Methods

Psychological Assessment

Principles of Forensic Practice

Psychological Intervention

Vulnerable Groups in Forensic Settings

Advanced Research in Applied Psychology 1 (M)

We aim to display the most up-to-date information possible.

The modules listed on this page and the Programme Specification are intended to give you an idea of what you may be able to study on this course. Please note that course content, modules, teaching and assessment may change each year and after you have accepted your offer to study at GCU. This might be because we are required to do so by law, by a governmental authority, regulator or accrediting body. We may also make changes for quality assurance reasons, or to enhance the course.

Careers

Graduating from this course opens up a variety of exciting career opportunities.

Many of our graduates apply for Stage 2 of the BPS Qualification in Forensic Psychology to become BPS Chartered Psychologists and HCPC-Registered Psychologists and practice as Forensic Psychologists in the UK.

This course also prepares you for further study and professional qualifications. If you want to become an HCPC Registered Practitioner Psychologist, you’ll be ready to apply for DFOREN Psych doctoral programmes.

You could also go on to:

PhD research or other research opportunities
careers in Scottish Government and sponsored bodies such as The Risk Management Authority (RMA) and Social Work departments
third Sector organisations, including working with ex-offenders and substance users.
independent sector organisations working in forensic mental health.

Our graduates have been recruited into a variety of roles, including:

Substance Use Workers
Case Workers
Support Workers
Healthcare Workers
Forensic Psychologist in Training (FPiT)
Psychology Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs)
Assistant Psychologists
Associate Psychologists
Positive Behavioural Support Practitioners (PBSs)
Clinical Associate Psychology (CAP)

Course information

Award	Mode of study	Duration	Start date	Location
MSc	Full time	1 year	Sep 27	Glasgow	Enquire
Award	Mode of study	Duration	Start date	Location
MSc	Full time	1 year	Sep 26	Glasgow	Enquire Apply

Please note that admission to GCU is considered on a competitive basis, and the academic entry requirements stated here may be the minimum required to be eligible for an offer.

International students can get information on entry requirements specific to their country in our International Study section.

Minimum academic requirement

UK honours degree 2:1 (or equivalent) in psychology that meets British Psychological Society (BPS) standards for the Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC). Relevant work experience in a forensic setting is preferable. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a recorded interview.

You can find more information about eligibility for Graduate Membership on the BPS website

Applications must include an up-to-date CV.

Please provide a project proposal which covers either:

1) Knife crime amongst young people and risk factors for getting involved in this; or:

2) Whether men and women perpetrate similar rates of domestic abuse.

Your outline should be no longer than one page of A4 identifying the research question, hypotheses (if appropriate), the participants, sampling strategy, questionnaires, interview questions or data collection tools, the proposed analysis and noting any key ethical issues or limitations to the proposed methodology.

You will not be expected to reference more than four papers.

International applicants

In order to undertake postgraduate training on our course, you must be eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society (BPS). The demonstration of GBC takes place through verifying your undergraduate (or occasionally postgraduate) degree in Psychology. If this has taken place within the UK, you can check whether it is BPS-approved on the BPS website.

If you have studied a psychology degree outside the UK, you will usually need to make an individual application for graduate membership of the BPS in order for your eligibility for GBC to be assessed. It is necessary to do this in advance of making your application to our course. If you can't prove your eligibility for GBC in your application, we cannot offer you a place. You can find out more information about GBC, and contact details for the BPS on the BPS website.

English language requirement

IELTS score of 7.0 (or equivalent) with no element below 6.5.

Additional information for international applicants

Entry requirements by country
Application deadlines
English language tests
Knowledge of English - Applicants from a majority English speaking country may not be required to provide further proof of your English language proficiency. Information about this requirement is available on the Student Visa section of the gov.uk website.

Additional information for all applicants

Relevant experience (Recognition of Prior Learning)

GCU's flexible entry policies exist to allow relevant work experience and prior learning to be considered towards standard entry or advanced entry into a course.

If you do not have the typical academic entry qualifications, but can demonstrate relevant work experience and/or credits from recognised professional bodies, you may be eligible to enter this course via the University's Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) scheme.

Assessment methods

Assessment is designed to develop transferable skills and boost your professional confidence.

You will be assessed through:

essays
reports
group skills
presentations.

Feedback is a central part of the learning experience, supporting reflection and improvement. Formative activities throughout the course are a way to get feedback while you learn. This approach helps you identify strengths and areas for improvement while you practise in a supportive, low-pressure environment. It also enables staff to monitor your development and address any gaps in knowledge prior to formal assessment.

Designed with industry input

This course has been designed with industry input, ensuring that what you learn is relevant to the latest industry developments.

The course benefits from regular engagement with key stakeholders working in risk management of offenders, many of whom work at organisations such as:

Scottish Prison Service
Young people’s services
Victims’ and survivors’ support services
Forensic mental health.

Several modules incorporate guest speakers who provide valuable insight into evidence-based practice. They share their professional experience and perspectives to help you connect your learning to real-world practice.

Accreditation

The MSc Forensic Psychology is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and provides the Stage 1 academic training required for progression towards professional practice in forensic psychology. Stage 1 focuses on academic knowledge and theoretical understanding.

Please note that this course does not provide Stage 2 training, a period of supervised practice which is undertaken after completion of the MSc. This further professional training is required before you can apply for BPS Chartered status or registration with the HCPC as a Forensic Psychologist.

Applications are open to those who meet the criteria set by the BPS Division of Forensic Psychology.

Visit the British Psychological Society (BPS) website

Visit the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) website

Download the programme specification

In addition to the core modules that all students must undertake, some courses offer students a choice from a selection of optional modules to shape the focus their degree. Optional modules where available, form part of the overall credit structure of the course.

Download the programme specification for a detailed breakdown of the course structure, including modules, what you'll learn and other useful information.

Terms and Conditions

Details of the University’s terms and conditions are available here.

Overview

Why study Forensic Psychology at GCU?

Accreditations

What you will study

Careers

Course information