Graduate Diploma in Forensic Psychology

The Graduate Diploma in Forensic Psychology is a postgraduate course of study which provides advanced training for practicing psychologists with endorsement in another relevant area who wish to be eligible for endorsement and to acquire the necessary skills to practice forensic psychology.

The course comprises coursework and clinical placements.

Students will engage with mental health and justice agencies in Victoria and complete five placements allowing them to acquire expertise in a practical setting under the supervision of forensic psychologists in their workplace.

Graduates are eligible to apply for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency to practice as a forensic psychologist.

They will also be eligible to apply for membership of the Australian Psychological Society College of Forensic Psychologists.

The Graduate Diploma in Forensic Psychology is a postgraduate course of study which provides advanced training for practicing psychologists with endorsement in another relevant area who wish to be eligible for endorsement and to acquire the necessary skills to practice forensic psychology. The course comprises coursework and clinical placements.

Students will engage with mental health and justice agencies in Victoria and complete five placements allowing them to acquire expertise in a practical setting under the supervision of forensic psychologists in their workplace.

Graduates are eligible to apply for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency to practice as a forensic psychologist. They will also be eligible to apply for membership of the Australian Psychological Society College of Forensic Psychologists.

The part-time Graduate Diploma in Forensic Psychology consists of 100 credit points. Students undertake a total of eight units of study consisting of three coursework units (37.5 credit points) and five Forensic Placement units (62.5 credit points). All units of study are core units and are valued at 12.5 credit points each. Students are required to complete 500 hours in placements. The Forensic Placement units must be taken sequentially.

Units of study

Semester 1

PSY80099 Forensic Psychology, Children and Families PSY80111 Forensic Placement 1 PSY80100 Forensic Psychology, Theory and Practice PSY80107 Forensic Placement 2 PSY80108 Forensic Placement 3 PSY80109 Forensic Placement 4 PSY80101 Health and Forensic Psychology (Civil)

Complete one of the following units:

FBS80003 Principles of Violence Risk Assessment and Management FBS80005 Mental Disorder and Offending FBS80006 Working with Difficult Personalities in the Forensic Context FBS80007 Substance Misuse and Offending FBS80011 Problem Behaviours 1

* Outcome units - matched exemptions are not normally given for outcome units.

Applicants for the Graduate Diploma in Forensic Psychology must:

• Hold an APAC accredited postgraduate professional degree in a specified accredited psychology specialisation and be eligible for or have full membership of the college of that specialisation; and
• The original postgraduate training must have provided at least 500 hours of supervised practice appropriate and relevant to practise in the specialty area of the second or additional APS College; and
• The original postgraduate thesis must be appropriate to the area of the second or additional APS College; and
• Attend a selection interview conducted by the course convenor to assess the student’s suitability for the course

This course is only offered part-time and is not available to on-shore international students on a student visa.

* 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.

The Graduate Diploma in Forensic Psychology is intended to meet the strong and ongoing demand for graduates who have completed a high level of training with expertise in forensic psychology.

At the completion of the Graduate Diploma, students are expected to be able to:

• apply cognitive skills to review, analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge and identify and provide solutions to complex problems within the forensic context, and to think critically to generate and evaluate complex ideas
• apply specialised and advanced technical and creative skills in the professional practice of forensic psychology
• use communication skills to demonstrate an advanced and broad understanding of theoretical concepts in forensic psychology practice, to transfer complex knowledge and ideas to a variety of audiences
• demonstrate the application of knowledge and skills to make high level, independent judgments in a range of technical or management functions in varied specialised clinical and forensic contexts
• initiate, plan, implement and evaluate forensic practice within varied specialised technical and/or creative contexts
• demonstrate responsibility and accountability for personal outputs and all aspects of the forensic work or function of others (e.g. supervisees)
• apply a broad range of theoretical models, and skills in, forensic practice at an advanced level in a range of professional contexts.

Graduates will be expected to be:

• capable in their chosen professional, vocational or study areas
• entrepreneurial in contributing to innovation and development within their business, workplace or community
• able to deal with success and failure through informed critique and self-reflection
• effective and ethical in work and community situations
• adaptable and able to manage change: have the general capacity for flexibility and are open to new and different ways of doing things; able to work across a variety of situations and with a variety of people; recognise the need for lifelong learning
• aware of local and international environments: have cultural sensitivity and a respect for multiple points of view.