Graduate Certificate in Forensic Behavioural Science

The Graduate Certificate in Forensic Behavioural Science is designed to provide the necessary basic knowledge and training to enable a range of professionals to work within forensic settings.

Professionals who work in forensic mental health/behavioural science contexts, or with forensic populations (such as offenders) require specialised skills.

The course will provide a comprehensive introduction to key principles and work practices in forensic fields, including an overview of relevant legal systems and procedures, and the fundamentals of violence risk assessment and management.

This course is offered through the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science at Swinburne, in collaboration with the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health (Forensicare).

Note:

This course is available to local students and off-shore international students who are studying in a country other than Australia;

this course is not available to on-shore international students on a student visa.

The Graduate Certificate in Forensic Behavioural Science is designed to provide the necessary basic knowledge and training to enable a range of professionals to work within forensic settings.

Professionals who work in forensic mental health/behavioural science contexts, or with forensic populations (such as offenders) require specialised skills. The course will provide a comprehensive introduction to key principles and work practices in forensic fields, including an overview of relevant legal systems and procedures, and the fundamentals of violence risk assessment and management.

To qualify for the Graduate Certificate in Forensic Behavioural Science, students must complete 50 credit points comprising:

• 3 x core units (37.5 credit points)
• 1 x elective unit (12.5 credit points)

Units of study

FBS80001 Core Skills in Forensic Practice FBS80002 Fundamentals of Criminal Law Process FBS80003 Principles of Violence Risk Assessment and Management

Complete one from the following seven units (12.5 credit points):

FBS80005 Mental Disorder and Offending FBS80006 Working with Difficult Personalities in the Forensic Context FBS80007 Substance Misuse and Offending FBS80009 Trauma and Offending FBS80015 Development, Developmental Disability and Offending FBS80011 Problem Behaviours 1 FBS80013 Working in Corrections and Youth Justice FBS80014 Psychiatry in Forensic Contexts

A recognised three-year bachelor degree in any of the following fields:

• Social Work
• Psychology
• Nursing
• Occupational Therapy
• Youth Work
• Child and Family Studies
• Policing

Completion of Bachelor degrees in other relevant disciplines will be considered.

Applicants are also required to submit a 500-word statement of purpose demonstrating their suitability to the course.

Applicants who do not hold an appropriate qualification but who have relevant experience are selected on the basis of the applicant’s suitability for the program as determined by a face-to-face or telephone interview. Students are expected to be computer literate and to have internet access outside of Swinburne.

* Work experience

Documents substantiating work experience need to be provided on company letterhead and clearly detail roles as well as duties and duration of posts held.

Upon successfully completing the Graduate Certificate in Forensic Behavioural Science, students will be able to:

• apply specialised knowledge of the core issues and theories required for practice in the field of forensic behavioural science
• apply specialised knowledge of the technical aspects of law, forensic systems, and ethics, enabling professional practice in disciplines related to forensic behavioural science
• demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals of forensic practice, and the capacity to critically analyse, evaluate and respond to challenges unique to working in forensic settings
• identify relevant methods, concepts and theories within forensic behavioural science, to enable evidence-based practice in their discipline
• effectively communicate relevant knowledge and ideas with the diverse range of professionals and clients encountered in forensic settings
• apply knowledge of legal frameworks, professional practice and offending behaviour wherever forensic issues are relevant to their work
• adapt knowledge and core practice skills in forensic behavioural science in a manner which is responsible and largely autonomous.

Swinburne intends that its teaching programs assist all its graduates to be:

• capable in their chosen professional, vocational or study areas
• entrepreneurial in contributing to innovation and development within their business, workplace or community
• effective and ethical in work and community situations
• adaptable to change
• aware of local and international environments in which they are contributing (e.g. sociocultural, economic, natural).