Course Title: Forensic Psychology

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Forensic Psychology

Credit Points: 12.00

Important Information:

To participate in any RMIT course in-person activities or assessment, you will need to comply with RMIT vaccination requirements which are applicable during the duration of the course. This RMIT requirement includes being vaccinated against COVID-19 or holding a valid medical exemption. 

Please read this RMIT Enrolment Procedure as it has important information regarding COVID vaccination and your study at RMIT: https://policies.rmit.edu.au/document/view.php?id=209. 

Please read the Student website for additional requirements of in-person attendance: https://www.rmit.edu.au/covid/coming-to-campus 


Please check your Canvas course shell closer to when the course starts to see if this course requires mandatory in-person attendance. The delivery method of the course might have to change quickly in response to changes in the local state/national directive regarding in-person course attendance. 



Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

BESC1429

City Campus

Undergraduate

150H Health Sciences

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 1 2014,
Sem 1 2015,
Sem 1 2016

BESC1429

City Campus

Undergraduate

173H School of Health and Biomed

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 1 2021,
Sem 1 2022

BESC1432

City Campus

Postgraduate

150H Health Sciences

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 1 2014,
Sem 1 2015

Course Coordinator: Dr Kyli Hedrick

Course Coordinator Phone: +6139925

Course Coordinator Email: kyli.hedrick@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Bundoora West


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

System Enforced Pre-requisites (Enforced by SAMS)

OR


Course Description

This course will cover a range of issues relating to forensic psychology. You will consider a variety of aspects of relationships between psychology and law. In psychology of law enforcement, you will consider psychological profiling and police interview techniques. The psychology of the legal system includes topics on mental impairment, expert and eyewitness testimony, jury dynamics, and victims of crime. You will also review the psychology of offenders in the course topics. The psychology of corrections will be discussed with psychological interventions for offenders in conjunction with contemporary justice and jurisprudence perspectives.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the development of the following Program Learning Outcomes for BP154 Bachelor of Applied Science (Psychology):

  • PLO 1:  Understand appropriate and relevant fundamental and applied evidence based knowledge and undertake lifelong learning to improve personal and professional practice 
  • PLO 2: Demonstrate a capacity to employ a variety of approaches and procedures to research to permit judgements and decisions to be supported by appropriate evidence that places practice within a global and local context.
  • PLO 3:  Applies knowledge to diagnose and solve problems in a wide range of diverse situations, with an ability to work independently or with others and incorporate the analysis of evidence based scientific literature to solve psychological problems.
  • PLO 6: develop collaborative partnerships with colleagues, other professionals and the community that build on the capacity of others and develop open and flexible relationships that adapt to evolving needs and aspirations.


On successful completion of this course you should be able to:

  1. Compare and contrast approaches of psychology, psychiatry and law in the area of forensics.
  2. Describe the legal aspects of some major psycho-legal issues which must be demonstrated in court.
  3. Identify issues related to some investigation and assessment issues in forensic psychology.
  4. Explain implications for management in the legal system of some major psychological disorders.
  5. Relate psychological theories of aetiology and psychological approaches to management of selected offender groups.
  6. Critically evaluate the contribution of psychology to criminal justice at investigative, judicial, and correctional levels.


Overview of Learning Activities

Your learning activities include a mixture of interactive lectures, practical group work, and independent study. Your learning activities are designed to will build on your knowledge and provide a solid theoretical and practice driven basis for your learning. You will be expected to read widely the academic literature related to your areas of study. Tutorial activities provide you with an opportunity to engage in applications of theoretical and conceptual material and also support your assignment. Students will be required to complete preparatory reading and contribute to these sessions in the form of role play, discussion, critical appraisal, and problem solving activities. Lecture outlines, readings, and tutorial resources will be available via the MyRMIT Canvas website.


Overview of Learning Resources

The learning resources associated with this course will include targeted readings taken from a range of both primary and secondary sources. Material chosen may be digitally available to you. Lecture material will be delivered via Canvas and Discussion Board interaction. Practice learning activities will be provided in a variety of ways, including simulated learning activities.

A Library Subject Guide is available at http://rmit.libguides.com/psychology.


Overview of Assessment

This course has no hurdle requirements.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1: Formative Quiz – Multiple Choice Questions

Weighting 15%

This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2 & 3

Assessment Task 2: Website Production - Social Marketing and Public Psychoeducation of Forensic Psychology

Weighting 40%

This assessment task supports CLOs 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6

Assessment Task 3: Case Study and Applications

Weighting 45%

This assessment task supports CLOs 4, 5 & 6