Forensic Psychology - MSc
The MSc Forensic Psychology programme provides a comprehensive pathway to a career in forensic psychology, offering unique opportunities by exploring psychological practice in the legal and criminal justice context, working with client groups such as offenders, victims, and individuals across the life span. You will benefit from direct learning with forensic lecturers, participate in an employer panel assessment, and have the option to undertake a work-based placement, ensuring practical, real-world forensic psychology experience.
This course is currently seeking accreditation from the British Psychological Society (BPS)
Month of entry
- September
Mode of study
- Full time, Part time
Fees for 2026/27 academic year
- UK - Full time £10,400 per year. Part time £5,700 per year.
International - £18,200 per year.
Duration of study
- Full time - 1 year, Part time - 2 years, Modular - Up to 5 years
This course is no longer accepting applications from international students for the 2025/26 academic year.
Why study Forensic Psychology at Keele University?
Course summary
The MSc Forensic Psychology programme provides a comprehensive pathway to a career in forensic psychology. You will specialise in areas of crime and victim/survivor support, including child witness testimony, and crimes that affect older adults such as domestic violence.
Focus on psychology across legal and criminal justice contexts through conducting assessments and formulation of offending behaviour which can inform interventions aimed at reducing the risk of criminal behaviour. This may involve working with individuals of different ages, those who have offended or engaged in criminal behaviour and victims, helping you to progress on to offering evidence-based consultancy across various forensic settings.
You will advance your skills with experiential learning opportunities, engage with professional practice through research, placement opportunities, and practitioner-based projects.
You will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a forensic environment through our 'Professional Practice in Forensic Psychology' work placement module, enabling you to apply your theoretical and practical skills. Demonstrate your knowledge and expertise through an array of authentic assessments developed with input from forensic psychologists, to solve real-life challenges faced by external forensic organisations.
At Keele, you can benefit from access to a suite of resources and equipment to assist with independent research and your dissertation project, as well as the Moot Courtroom on campus. Throughout the programme, you will acquire a range of transferable skills in communication, research methods and critical evaluation, ready to pursue further study (PhD) or a rewarding psychology-related career.
You will also develop your understanding of the British Psychological Society’s (BPS) Code of Ethics and Conduct and the Health and Care Professions Council’s (HCPC) Code of Ethics and Conduct to enhance your competencies.
Please note: This course is currently seeking accreditation from the British Psychological Society (BPS).
Course structure
Our MSc Forensic Psychology programme can be studied as either a one-year full-time or two-year part-time course, with a September start date. It is also possible to study more flexibly part-time on a modular basis, accumulating degree credits by taking individual modules over a period of a maximum of five years.
As a full-time student, you will complete 180 credits to obtain the master’s qualification, comprising five compulsory modules as shown below. Please note, the teaching delivery may differ for part-time students. The information below outlines a one-year full-time study schedule.
Modules
The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods, as well as student voice. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.
Compulsory modules
PSY-40163 Applied Psychological Research Methods (30 credits)
Benefit from training around a breadth of advanced research skills, research design and analysis to progress through the MSc Forensic Psychology course and beyond. The module develops an advanced and critical understanding of different quantitative and qualitative research skills, methods and philosophical approaches to equip you to both conduct and consume scientific research.
PSY-40167 Antisocial Behaviour Across the Lifespan (30 credits)
Explore the criminal justice system as it applies to individuals across the lifespan, including punishment and courts of law, mental health in the criminal justice system, and explanations around why people engage in antisocial behaviour from the perspectives of the offender and victim/survivor.
PSY-40141 Assessment, Formulation, and Intervention in Forensic Psychology (30 credits)
Develop your skills to undertake an assessment of various offending behaviours and complete a psychological formulation. You will also explore approaches to reducing the risk of offending through evidence-based approaches to treatment planning and interventions.
PSY-40171 Professional Practice in Forensic Psychology (30 credits)
Benefit from the opportunity to complete a practice-based or academic-based placement to gain experience and develop your employability skills in an applied setting. You will acquire necessary knowledge, practical skills and ethical ground to excel as a competent and reflective Forensic practitioner.
Please note: This may require off-campus travel. The costs associated with travel will depend on the chosen mode of travel and the frequency of travel arranged between the student and the supervisor.
PSY-40169 Applied Research Dissertation (60 credits)
An opportunity to engage in designing, developing, conducting, and reporting research in the area of Forensic Psychology under the supervision of staff with qualitative, quantitative and/or mixed methods expertise.
Please note: Additional costs may be incurred where a student elects to conduct a dissertation project that requires off-campus travel.
Entry requirements
The following section details our typical entry requirements for this course for a range of UK and international qualifications. If you don't see your qualifications listed, please contact us to find out if we can accept your qualifications.
Typical offer
Please ensure that you read the full entry requirements by selecting your qualifications from the dropdown menu below. This will include any subject specific, GCSE/Level 2 Maths, and English language requirements you may need.
Please select your country from the drop-down list below for the full entry requirement information
UK
2:2 in a BPS-accredited psychology or joint-Psychology degree conferring Graduate Basis for Chartered (GBC) membership, or equivalent qualification eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Bangladesh
60% in a 4-year degree or 3-year degree with a 2-year Master's in a psychology or joint-Psychology degree, or equivalent qualification, which is eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS.
For more information please see BPS website.
We don’t accept degrees from certain universities, please see our Bangladesh Country Page for more information
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Canada
70% or C or a GPA of 2.5 in a degree (Ordinary or Honours) in a psychology or joint-Psychology degree, or equivalent qualification, which is eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS.
For more information please see BPS website.
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
China
70% in a degree in a psychology or joint-Psychology degree, or equivalent qualification, which is eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS or 65% in a psychology or joint-Psychology degree, or equivalent qualification, which is eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS from a '211' university.
For more information please see BPS website.
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Ghana
Second class degree in a psychology or joint-Psychology degree, or equivalent qualification, which is eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS.
For more information please see BPS website.
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
India
55% or CGPA 6/10 in a degree of at least 3 years in a psychology or joint-Psychology degree, or equivalent qualification, which is eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS.
For more information please see BPS website.
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Kenya
Second class degree in a psychology or joint-Psychology degree, or equivalent qualification, which is eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS.
For more information please see BPS website.
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Nepal
60% / 2.4 in a 4-year Bachelor's degree in a psychology or joint-Psychology degree, or equivalent qualification, which is eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS.
or
65% / CGPA 2.8 in a 3-year Bachelor's degree in a psychology or joint-Psychology degree, or equivalent qualification, which is eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS.
For more information please see BPS website.
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Nigeria
Second class degree in a psychology or joint-Psychology degree, or equivalent qualification, which is eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS.
For more information please see BPS website.
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Pakistan
We accept a range of qualifications from Pakistan. Please visit our Pakistan Country Page for more information.
You will also need an English language qualification (see below)
South Africa
Second class division 2 / 60% in a Bachelor's degree with Honours in psychology or joint-Psychology degree, or equivalent qualification, which is eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS.
or
Second class division 1 / 70% in an Ordinary Bachelor's degree in psychology or joint-Psychology degree, or equivalent qualification, which is eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS.
For more information please see BPS website.
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Sri Lanka
55% in a Special Bachelor's degree in a psychology or joint-Psychology degree, or equivalent qualification, which is eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS.
For more information please see BPS website.
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Uganda
Second class degree in a psychology or joint-Psychology degree, or equivalent qualification, which is eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS.
For more information please see BPS website.
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Zimbabwe
Second class degree in a psychology or joint-Psychology degree, or equivalent qualification, which is eligible to confer GBC membership with the BPS.
For more information please see BPS website.
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
English language requirements
All of our courses require an English language qualification or test. For most students, this requirement can be met with a 4 or C in GCSE English. Please see our English Language guidance pages for further details, including English language test information for international students. For those students who require an English language test, this course requires a test from Group C.
References
Normally, you will need to provide at least one academic reference to support your application unless you have been out of study longer than two years. If it has been more than two years since you last studied on a degree-level programme, you will normally need to provide an employment reference instead. For more information about Academic References, please see our Postgraduate how to apply web pages.
Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose
Please see our Postgraduate how to apply web pages for guidance on what to include in your personal statement.
Recognition of Prior Learning
The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process which enables applicants to receive recognition and formal credit for learning acquired in the past through formal study or work and life experiences.
RPL can also be requested for admission onto the start of a programme in lieu of the admission requirements. For more information, see our Recognition of Prior Learning web pages.
General information
The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the typical offer which would be made to candidates, along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate's application. For international students, find out how we work with approved agents as part of our admissions process.
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Postgraduate funding and scholarships
Funding
Whether you're continuing from undergraduate study or returning to education, our dedicated financial support team is here to help.
Please note, if your course offers a January start date, the January 2026 start date falls in the 2025/26 academic year. Please see the tuition fees archive for the 2025/26 fees.
Planning your funding
It's important to plan carefully for your funding before you start your course. Please be aware that not all postgraduate courses and not all students are eligible for the UK government postgraduate loans and, in some cases, you would be expected to source alternative funding yourself. If you need support researching your funding options, please contact our financial support team.
For continuing students, fees will increase annually by RPIX, with a maximum cap of 5% per year.
Additional costs
You can expect some additional mandatory costs which support learning activities, specialist equipment, fieldwork, or other course-related requirements. Details are outlined below. For general information, see the university's additional costs information.
Mandatory:
For students completing a placement in Schools:
- Enhanced DBS check with digital ID check: £60.70. This price is not set by the University and is liable to increase.
Optional:
- Graduate membership (with student discount for current enrolment on a postgraduate qualification): £45
Teaching, learning and assessment
How you'll be taught
Our Forensic Psychology MSc is delivered through a range of methods to reinforce your learning experience and suit a diversity of experiences. You will engage with lectures, seminars, and practical laboratory classes to support the theoretical and practical expertise you will gain from this programme.
As a postgraduate student at Keele, you will be encouraged to contribute to class-based discussions and interactive individual and group problem-solving to apply your knowledge in practice. You will benefit from one-to-one project supervision and have the opportunity to explore reading lists, receive written and in-person feedback and make use of the Keele Learning Environment (KLE).
How you'll be assessed
As you progress through your degree, you will engage with various assessments to evidence your knowledge, learning and expertise.
These may include:
- Case study report
- Oral presentation
- Scientific laboratory report
- Evidence-based report
- Reflective diary
- Dissertation research project
