The Masters degree in Forensic Psychology is a two year course and provides graduate training for psychologists who intend to pursue a career in forensic settings. Forensic psychology is involved with all professional aspects of the interface between psychology and law.

There is an increasing demand from legal, investigative, corrective, policy and consulting agencies across Australia to obtain psychological expertise in the understanding and management of forensic issues. Forensic psychologists work in a wide range of settings, including prisons, courts, police, probation and parole, child protection, juvenile justice, insurance, victims services, consumer protection, mediation, private practice, public policy, university teaching and research and legislative review.

The MPsychol (Forensic) program aims to educate graduates with expertise in both the criminal and civil domains of forensic psychology. Graduates will be equipped with a diverse range of knowledge and skills, including interviewing and intervention skills, ability to use critical thinking skills in report writing, civil and criminal law practices and outcomes, assessment and management of adult and child needs and rights, expert testimony, investigative approaches, measuring impact on those affected by crime and research into broad and narrow policy issues. There is a strong focus on case-based learning with considerable emphasis on the application of psychological and legal skills.

The Masters course has three components:
1. Course Work
2. Professional Practice
3. Research Thesis

1. Course Work
Students attend lectures and tutorials in the following subjects: Civil and Criminal Law for Psychologists, Research and Evaluation Methods, Psychological Assessment, Applications of Forensic Psychology, Professional and Ethical Practice, Interventions in Forensic Psychology, Experimental Psychology and Law.

2. Professional Practice
Professional Practice has two components: seminars and workshops conducted internally at the university and placements in an external setting

Students attend seminars, workshops, and once-monthly meetings that focus on ethical practice and skills training, such as interviewing children, adults and families, cognitive techniques, group interaction and jury processes, providing expert testimony, the provision of expert advice, the handling of complaints, professional supervision and mediation counselling. There is a strong emphasis on the code of professional conduct and ethical issues that arise in the context of working with individuals of diverse cultural backgrounds, groups, organizations, other professionals and the public

Placements in an external setting contain the following:

3. Research Thesis
The research project and thesis aims to help the student to develop research skills that would be relevant to their subsequent forensic work. The thesis should be an investigation into some aspect of forensic psychology. The research project may be conducted either at the university or in a suitable field setting. No particular type of project is stipulated, but the student must make a major contribution to the design, implementation and evaluation of the research project. The thesis is written in the style of a journal article suitable for submission to a specific refereed journal.