FORENSIC CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY - 2026/7

Module Overview

This module builds on the abnormal psychology knowledge acquired in previous years and focuses on the forensic aspects of clinical psychology, that is the assessment and treatment of offenders with psychological disorders including psychosis, personality disorder and neurodevelopmental disorders. The course aims are to introduce mental health issues within secure mental health settings (secure hospitals and prisons) and to develop a critical understanding of the theories, methods and applications within forensic clinical psychology. Its objective is to demonstrate how an applied understanding of abnormal psychology can help understanding, risk management and treatment within secure settings with offenders with psychological disorders.

Module provider

Psychology

Module Leader

DRAYCOTT Simon (Psychology)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): 130

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

You will be taught about different serious mental health issues by a clinical psychologist working in a secure unit. Indicative content includes topics such as offending, risk assessment, personality disorder and sexual deviation. Please note: topics vary from year to year.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate a critical understanding of: 

The theories and methods underpinning forensic clinical psychology; 

The aetiology of serious mental health conditions; the aetiology of offending behaviour and how it can be assessed and treated; 

How forensic mental health conditions can be treated and managed effectively.

The strategy provides students with the opportunity to evidence engagement with the wider published literature surrounding key topic areas and demonstration of critical evaluation of this literature.  Students will display the ability to critically reflect on their assignment preparation and provide clear, relevant justifications to ensure engagement with learning materials, effective application of theory to practice and alignment with the assignment brief.

Case Study 1

Students will be provided with a case study, available from the outset of the module and outlining a separate fictional patient, and required to develop a risk assessment based on taught materials, a clinical formulation explaining a specific future risk the patient poses, and to comment on reasons why the patient might or might not be held criminally responsible for their offence.

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate a critical understanding of:

• the theories and methods underpinning forensic clinical psychology; the aetiology of serious mental health conditions
• the aetiology of offending behaviour and how it can be assessed and treated; and how forensic mental health conditions can be treated and managed effectively.
• the wider published literature surrounding key topic areas and demonstration of critical evaluation of this literature.

As part of the case study assignment students will be assessed on the process of developing their responses.  They will be asked to submit an annotated version of the case study material where they highlight elements of the case study material they will draw on in their assignment.  They will be required to describe their process of researching and applying the published literature relevant to this element of the case study and how this informed their thinking.  This annotation must be submitted as an appendix within the assignment in order to pass.   

This aligns with the following learning outcomes:

• A critical understanding of the theories and methods underpinning forensic clinical psychology
• A critical understanding of how risk of offending behaviour can be assessed, managed and treated effectively in secure settings
• Evidence of engagement with the wider published literature surrounding key topic areas and demonstration of critical evaluation of this literature
• Experience of the application of psychological concepts and theories in relation to forensic clinical presentations, including development of process-oriented skills (e.g how to locate and apply relevant information) and reflective-oriented skills (e.g. understanding the impact of personal biases and psychological factors on judgement)

Formative assessment and feedback 

Students will receive a written summary of themes from the feedback of the case study.

Case Study 2

Students will be provided with a second case study, also available from the outset of the module and outlining a second fictional patient.  They will be required to develop an analysis of the patient's treatment needs in order to reduce risk of reoffending, culminating in a recommended treatment plan which should include at least three separate treatment elements.  They will be required to explore the patient's readiness to change and locate this within a wider awareness of the patient's social-cultural background, gender, age and other variables they judge relevant to the treatment plan.  As per Case Study 1, they must include an annotated version of the case study as an appendix, to describe their process of researching and applying the published literature relevant to the case study and how this informed their thinking.

This assignment aligns with the following learning outcomes:

• A critical understanding of the aetiology of psychological conditions and offending behaviour, and how the two may interact
• A critical understanding of how psychological conditions can be treated and managed effectively in secure settings
• Evidence of engagement with the wider published literature surrounding key topic areas and demonstration of critical evaluation of this literature
• Experience of the application of psychological concepts and theories in relation to forensic clinical presentations, including development of process-oriented skills (e.g how to locate and apply relevant information) and reflective-oriented skills (e.g. understanding the impact of personal biases and psychological factors on judgement)

Module aims

• As stated, this module aims to familiarize students with serious mental health issues and their treatment within secure settings.
• It builds on previous knowledge of abnormal and clinical psychology, imparted at lower levels, and teaches how to assess mental health and risk within secure settings and types of treatment offered this these contexts.
• The module invites students to look closely into a set of serious mental health problems, and issues encountered in forensic clinical psychology and demonstrates the types of treatment for these problems and how the issues presented can be dealt with.
• Students are encouraged to engage critically with published research in each of the respective areas.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

This module is made up of weekly lectures, seminars and guided learning activities. Each week there will be both lecture content and discussion.

Students will be encouraged to actively participate and ask questions. Lecturers will seek to facilitate group discussion where possible. Lecture slides will be available on Surreylearn at least 48 hours before each lecture.

Surreylearn will be a key resource for supplementary materials, links, and a dedicated discussion board.

Students will be encouraged to engage with the wider, and recent, published literature for each of the key topics covered.

Lecturers will provide key references that students will be required to familiarise themselves with. The module will be supported by a number of core textbooks to support an understanding of key theories and models; however, the emphasis is very much on engagement with journal articles and other recent publications.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: PSY3128

Other information

Employability: Students are taught by an experienced forensic clinical psychologist who works in a secure unit. Students will gain a theoretical understanding of how common psychological concepts and interventions are used in this highly applied setting.

Resourcefulness and Resilience: A self-directed approach to learning is expected at level 6 with sufficient materials supplied to enable assignment completion and exam preparation. The learning, teaching and assessment strategy for this module has been designed to encourage active participation, peer support and reflective engagement. 

Global and Cultural Capabilities: Cultural aspects of both serious mental health presentation and treatment approaches are covered in a number of topics, as well as integral to several of the case materials discussed in seminars.

Digital Capabilities: Students will have access to AI tools through the My AI Surrey platform to enhance their learning

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2026/7 academic year.