Investigative Psychology Masters attracts record numbers

The blended-learning programme attracts students from across the globe

HUDDERSFIELD was the destination for a record number of students when they came to enrol on a pioneering Master’s degree delivered at the University of Huddersfield.

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The MSc in Investigative Psychology is a blended-learning postgraduate programme, accredited by the British Psychological Society that combines a series of intensive on campus teaching weeks supplemented with online learning on the University’s Virtual Learning Platforms.

Investigative Psychology (IP), now an established branch of Forensic Psychology, is the application of psychology towards the investigative process.  Topics including interview techniques, managing offenders and prison systems, investigative advice for the police, geographic and offender profiling and violent and sexual crime.  The subject also looks at the emerging area of cyber-crime and the psychological aspects surrounding trolling behaviour and cyber-bullying.

The amount of students studying on the course has risen year-on-year and the blended-learning format has a global appeal with this year’s cohorts arriving to enrol from countries including Australia, Brazil, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Lithuanian and the USA.

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Dr Maria Ioannou is a Reader in Investigative and Forensic Psychology and Course Director for the MSc Investigative Psychology.  Dr Ioannou identified the need for postgraduate study to be more flexible to student learning and devised the course to take on the format of blended-learning in 2012.  Since then the course has gone from strength to strength.

…the success of the course is in having the opportunity to not only undertake a fully-accredited postgraduate degree, but also allowing the individual to pursue their career by carrying on working…

One of this year’s overseas students is Amy from Australia who said she became interested in studying at the University of Huddersfield because of the course’s unique attributes.

“I have an honours degree in Psychology and in Australia you can either choose postgraduate study in Clinical Psychology or Forensic Psychology, but I didn’t have an interest in either,” said Amy.

“After searching on the internet I discovered the Investigative Psychology degree at the University of Huddersfield and it is perfect because it allows me to complete my studies whilst still residing in Australia.”

Amy hopes that once she has finished her Master’s degree she will be able to apply for a job with the police.

The course also attracts a heavy UK contingent, including members of high-profile companies.  Hannah works for the National Crime Agency and said the degree stood out to her because it was the only course of its kind to be accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).

Managing the degree alongside Dr Ioannou is Dr John Synnott who is a Senior Lecturer in Investigative and Forensic Psychology and the course’s Associate Director.  He attributes the success of the course to having the opportunity to not only undertake a fully-accredited postgraduate degree but also allowing the individual to pursue their career by carrying on working.

The students will now undertake their studies online and will be returning to Huddersfield for an intensive week of learning in January.