Legal, investigative, corrective and policy agencies across Australia are looking for individuals with the psychological expertise to aid understanding and management of forensic issues. The Master of Psychology (Forensic) will prepare you to meet the increasing demand for professionals in this field.

This program - first offered in 1998 - focuses on the integration of clinical, research and legal skills. Your courses will cover psychological assessment, intervention in and applications of forensic psychology, law for psychologists and professional and ethical practice. In addition to coursework, you’ll complete a research thesis, in the form of a scholarly journal article, on a topic relevant to forensic psychology.

Forensic psychologists can be involved in all professional aspects of the interface between psychology and the law. Forensic psychologists work in a wide range of settings, including prisons, courts, police, probation and parole, juvenile justice, public policy, insurance, community services and child protection. 

The Master of Psychology (Forensic) will develop your knowledge and skills in ethics, critical thinking, clinical practice and research design and evaluation. You’ll learn these core skills in the context of criminal and civil domains. The program is made up of three key components - coursework, professional practice and a research thesis.

Full program structure

The Master of Psychology (Forensic) can be completed in two years of full-time study. Please note that this program of study is very intense and includes face-to-face requirements. Professional practice activities, in particular, are time consuming and not limited to particular hours. It’s not possible to complete the program part-time while working full-time.

• Coursework
• Stage 1: Core courses
• Stage 2: Core courses
• Professional practice
• Research thesis

Psychology is an ideal career path for people who enjoy working with and caring for others. At UNSW Science, our graduates demonstrate skills in assessment, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of problems at an individual and organisational level.

There’s increasing demand from legal, investigative, corrective and policy agencies across Australia to obtain psychological expertise to aid understanding and management of forensic issues. Forensic psychologists work in a wide range of settings, including: 

• prisons 
• courts
• probation and parole 
• child protection 
• juvenile justice 
• insurance 
• mediation 
• private practice 
• public policy 
• legislative review.

Accreditation

The program is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) as a fifth and sixth year of study. Graduates are eligible to apply for full membership of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA).

Graduates are also eligible for Associate Membership of the APS College of Forensic Psychologists. After completing a Psychology Board of Australia approved Forensic Psychology registrar program, graduates are eligible to apply for APS College of Forensic Psychology Fellowship and endorsement as a Forensic Psychologist.

The minimum entrance requirement is completion of a four-year APAC-accredited sequence in psychology, including a major research thesis, completed within the last ten years with Honours Class

IELTS: 7.0 overall (min 7.0 in each subtest); TOEFL IBT (Internet Based): 94 overall (min. 27 in
writing, 24 in reading and listening, 23 in speaking); Pearson (PTE - Academic): 65 overall (min. 65 in each subtest).