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Criminal PsychologistDiploma Course

Explore the fascinating world of criminal behaviour, false testimonies, and offender profiling. Learn how psychological principles are applied to understand witness reliability and support victims.

The Criminal Psychologist Diploma Course introduces the key concepts, methods, and ethical considerations involved for individuals working in the field of Criminal Psychology. You’ll gain insight into how psychological theory is used to explore criminal motivations, assess behaviour, and contribute to investigative processes—while grounding your understanding in real-world applications.

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Course overview:

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11 Modules

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What Will You Learn?

Gain a clear and structured introduction to the field of criminal psychology and its applications within the justice system. The Criminal Psychologist Diploma Course explores the psychological, social, and behavioural aspects of crime, providing foundational knowledge of why individuals engage in criminal activity and how professionals in this field contribute to understanding such behaviour.

You’ll start by examining what crime is, its prevalence, and the various types that exist in society today. The course then explores key areas of forensic psychology and criminology, highlighting their roles in supporting investigations, legal processes, and crime prevention.

You'll also learn about the role of the criminal psychologist—how they may assist in profiling behaviour, working with victims and witnesses, and contributing to courtroom procedures. In addition, you'll explore how criminal behaviour is influenced by biological, cognitive, behavioural, and psychodynamic factors.

To deepen your understanding, the course includes a section on psychological research methods. You'll learn how professionals collect and interpret data objectively, and how these methods help inform legal and psychological practices.

The course also covers practical elements, such as interviewing techniques, assessing credibility, identifying false testimonies, and supporting victims. You’ll explore how memory, trauma, and stress can affect witness reliability and how psychologists may navigate these challenges in real-world scenarios.

Finally, you'll examine the involvement of criminal psychologists in court proceedings, including their function as expert witnesses and the ethical considerations that guide their work.

The Criminal Psychologist Diploma Course provides essential foundational knowledge for anyone considering a future career in criminal psychology. It offers a comprehensive introduction to the principles, practices, and ethical considerations that shape this field, giving you insight into the behaviours of offenders and the psychological processes behind criminal acts.

It is also ideal for those with a general interest in understanding the criminal mind, the impact of crime on victims, the process of rehabilitation, and the ways in which psychologists contribute to legal proceedings. You’ll explore topics such as detecting false statements, assessing witness reliability, and how psychological insight supports investigations and courtroom decisions.

Criminal Psychology as a Career

Please note that this course is for educational and professional development purposes only and does not qualify you to practise as a Criminal Psychologist.

The title of Criminal Psychologist is a protected term regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) in the UK. To pursue a career in this field, you will need to complete an HCPC-approved postgraduate training programme, gain substantial practical experience, and become registered with the HCPC.

Part 1: Introduction and Course Overview
Part 2: What is Criminal Psychology?
Part 3: Understanding Criminal Psychology

Part 1: The Meaning of Crime
Part 2: Types of Crimes
Part 3: What Leads to Crime?
Part 4: Mental Illness and Criminality
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 2 Assessment

Part 1: What is Forensic Psychology?
Part 2: Forensic Psychology and Academics
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 3 Assessment

Part 1: The Roles of Criminal Psychologists and Causes of Criminal Behaviour
Part 2: Criminal Conduct
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 4 Assessment

Part 1: Scientific Method of Research
Part 2: Hypothesis Formation
Part 3: Ethics and Research
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 5 Assessment

Part 1: The Crime Scene
Part 2: Profiling
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 6 Assessment

Part 1: Biological, Cognitive and Behavioural Theories
Part 2: Self-Control and Psychodynamic Theories
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 7 Assessment

Part 1: Understanding the Victim
Part 2: Helping the Victim
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 8 Assessment

Part 1: Approaches and Techniques
Part 2: Gut Feelings vs. Evidence
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 9 Assessment

Part 1: Witness Interviews
Part 2: Interviewing Techniques
Part 3: Is Our Memory Reliable?
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
Key Learning Points Exercise
Module 10 Assessment

Part 1: The Court
Part 2: Results of Research
Summary
Test Your Knowledge
Conclusion
Module 11 Assessment

The Criminal Psychologist Diploma Course will take you up to 150 hours to complete working from home. There is no time limit for completing this course, it can be studied in your own time at your own pace. This is a Level 3 course and will give you 150 CPD (Continued Professional Development) points.

Upon completion of your course assessments, you receive 2 certificates. A certificate from the Centre of Excellence and a CPD certificate displaying the number of CPD points earned from the course.

This course is endorsed by the Quality Licence Scheme. Therefore, upon successful completion of this course, learners can also receive a certificate of achievement from Quality Licence Scheme and a Learner Unit Summary, which lists the details of all the units the learner has completed as part of the course. (This certificate is optional and costs an additional £25).

The Quality Licence Scheme is part of the Skills and Education Group, a charitable organisation that unites education and skills-orientated organisations that share similar values and objectives. With more than 100 years of collective experience, the Skills and Education Group’s strategic partnerships create opportunities to inform, influence and represent the wider education and skills sector.

The Skills and Education Group also includes two nationally recognised awarding organisations; Skills and Education Group Awards and Skills and Education Group Access. Through their awarding organisations they have developed a reputation for providing high-quality qualifications and assessments for the education and skills sector. They are committed to helping employers, organisations and learners cultivate the relevant skills for learning, skills for employment, and skills for life.

Their knowledge and experience of working within the awarding sector enables them to work with training providers, through the Quality Licence Scheme, to help them develop high-quality courses and/or training programmes for the non-regulated market.

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FAQs

There is no time limit for completing your course it can be studied in your own time at your own pace.

All of our courses vary in length but most of our courses will take you between 50 - 250 hours to complete. The length of this course can be found in the Accreditations section above.

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