Forensic Psychology Top-up DForenPsy
- Full-time: Up to two years
- Part-time: Up to four years
- Start date: September 2025
- UK fees: To be confirmed
- International fees: To be confirmed
Research overview
Our Stage 2 training programme is ideal for those who have already completed Stage 1 training (already holding a BPS accredited Masters in Criminological/Forensic/Investigative Psychology).
Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). Meaning that upon graduation, you are eligible to apply for BPS Chartered Psychology status, HCPC registration as a Forensic Psychologist, and full member of the Division of Forensic Psychology.
The course is run by the Centre for Forensic and Family Psychology (CFFP), located in the School of Medicine, in collaboration with the Institute of Mental Health.
Course content
This top-up course will see you complete Stage 2 and the doctorate component of training to become a chartered and registered forensic psychologist.
During this course, you’ll apply your knowledge to forensic psychology research and practice while on placement in forensic environments anywhere in the UK and Ireland. You'll also attend the University of Nottingham for two weeks of block teaching each year (usually October and January). On placement, you'll experience interventions with victims and offenders in the community and secure settings from various client groups.
You can choose to complete this programme in two years through full-time study or four years through part-time study.
During the doctorate component (stage 2), you'll develop skills and competency in four core areas:
- conducting psychological assessments and interventions with victims and offenders
- case studies, research, and evaluation
- communicating knowledge and information to other professionals and clients
- training other professionals in psychological skills and methods
At the end of the course, you'll submit:
- a ‘practice portfolio’ summarising your forensic practice experience
- an ‘academic research thesis’ on a specific area of forensic psychology
Entry requirements
All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2025 entry.
| Degree | Undergraduate degree
- 2:1 in psychology (or international equivalent) recognised by the BPS as conferring Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with a minimum grade of 60% overall, plus 60% in your final research project.
Postgraduate degree
- MSc in Forensic/Criminological/Investigative Psychology recognised by the BPS as Stage 1 Training with a minimum grade of 60% overall plus 60% in your final research project
|
| Additional information | You'll also need:
- one clinical and one academic reference from your most recent clinical and academic experiences respectively
- academic transcript(s)
- personal statement
- abstract of your most recent research project
- at least 75 days on application of forensic experience supervised by a registered psychologist
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate issued within the last 12 months (can be issued by the university
|
| Degree | Undergraduate degree
- 2:1 in psychology (or international equivalent) recognised by the BPS as conferring Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with a minimum grade of 60% overall, plus 60% in your final research project.
Postgraduate degree
- MSc in Forensic/Criminological/Investigative Psychology recognised by the BPS as Stage 1 Training with a minimum grade of 60% overall plus 60% in your final research project
|
| International and EU equivalents | We accept a wide range of qualifications from all over the world. For information on entry requirements from your country, see our country pages. |
| IELTS | 7.5 with no less than 7.0 in each element |
| English language requirements | As well as IELTS (listed above), we also accept other English language qualifications. This includes TOEFL iBT, Pearson PTE, GCSE, IB and O level English. |
| Additional information | You will also need:
- one clinical and one academic reference from your most recent clinical and academic experiences respectively
- academic transcript(s)
- personal statement
- abstract of your most recent research project
- at least 75 days on application of forensic experience supervised by a registered forensic psychologist
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate issued within the last 12 months (can be issued by the university)
|
Meeting our English language requirements
If you need support to meet the required level, you may be able to attend a presessional English course. Presessional courses teach you academic skills in addition to English language. Our Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.
If you successfully complete your presessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.
For on-campus presessional English courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations. For online presessional courses, see our CELE webpages for guidance.
Visa restrictions
International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK. Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses. The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses. The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases. Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.
We recognise that applicants have a variety of experiences and follow different pathways to postgraduate study.
We treat all applicants with alternative qualifications on an individual basis. We may also consider relevant work experience.
If you are unsure whether your qualifications or work experience are relevant, contact us.
Applying
We only consider applications submitted between 1 December to 30 June. If you apply after 30 June, your application won’t be considered until the following academic year.
You do not need to write a research proposal or select a supervisor as part of your application. You must include a personal statement of no more than one side of A4 paper.
While a driving licence is not essential, your placement may be difficult to get to on public transport and students find that driving is an advantage.
You do not need to already be working in forensic psychology to apply for this course. We have a range of national placement opportunities. However, those in employment may be able to use their employment as a placement during the supervised practice years. This is subject to being able to move to different Client Groups and Setting Types.
Our step-by-step guide contains everything you need to know about applying for postgraduate research.
How to applyFees
| Home / UK | To be confirmed | To be confirmed |
| International | To be confirmed | To be confirmed |
Additional information for international students
If you are a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you may be asked to complete a fee status questionnaire and your answers will be assessed using guidance issued by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA).
These fees are for full-time study. If you are studying part-time, you will be charged a proportion of this fee each year (subject to inflation).
Additional costs
All students will need at least one device to approve security access requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). We also recommend students have a suitable laptop to work both on and off-campus. For more information, please check the equipment advice.
As a student on this course, you should factor some additional costs into your budget, such as printing, alongside your tuition fees and living expenses.
You should be able to access most of the books you’ll need through our libraries, though you may wish to purchase your own copies or access more specific titles.
Funding
There are no set scholarships for this course.
We have strong relationships with our placement providers, resulting in a variety of scholarships and bursaries, allowing us to increase the breadth and inclusivity of applicants that we can consider for our programmes. These are not guaranteed and are at the discretion of the placement provider.
There are many ways to fund your research degree, from scholarships to government loans.
Check our guide to find out more about funding your postgraduate degree.
Postgraduate fundingSupport
Researcher training and development
The Researcher Academy is the network for researchers, and staff who support them. We work together to promote a healthy research culture, to cultivate researcher excellence, and develop creative partnerships that enable researchers to flourish.
Postgraduate researchers at Nottingham have access to our online Members’ area, which includes a wealth of resources, access to training courses and award-winning postgraduate placements.
Student support
You will have access to a range of support services, including:
- academic and disability support
- childcare services
- counselling service
- faith support
- financial support
- mental health and wellbeing support
- visa and immigration advice
- welfare support
Students' Union
Our Students' Union represents all students. You can join the Postgraduate Students’ Network or contact the dedicated Postgraduate Officer.
There are also a range of support networks, including groups for:
- international students
- black and minority ethnic students
- students who identify as women
- students with disabilities
- LGBT+ students
SU Advice provides free, independent and confidential advice on issues such as accommodation, financial and academic difficulties.
Where you will learn
Jubilee Campus
Jubilee Campus has eco-friendly buildings, alongside green spaces, wildlife and a lake.
This campus is home to our business, education and computer science schools, as well as a sports centre and student accommodation.
You can walk to University Park Campus in around 20 minutes or catch a free hopper bus. Nottingham city centre is 20 minutes away by public bus.
Research Excellence Framework
The University of Nottingham is ranked 7th in the UK for research power, according to analysis by Times Higher Education. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a national assessment of the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.
- 90%* of our research is classed as 'world-leading' (4*) or 'internationally excellent' (3*)
- 100%* of our research is recognised internationally
- 51% of our research is assessed as 'world-leading' (4*) for its impact**
*According to analysis by Times Higher Education ** According to our own analysis.
This content was last updated on 01 July 2024. Every effort has been made to ensure that this information is accurate, but changes are likely to occur between the date of publishing and course start date. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply.