Clinical forensic psychology, 7.5 credits

As admission requirements to higher semester, it is required that student may remain no more than 15 HE credits from previous semester and no credit points may remain from semesters that have preceded this.

After the course, the student is expected to be able to
a) account for legal and organizational preconditions for clinical forensic psychology at a general level in Sweden
b) describe some fundamental features within general criminological theory, give examples of risk factors for criminality among offenders with and without mental disorder and account for research about criminal recidivism
c) reflect over ethical issues associated with compulsory institutional care
d) define the key concepts psychopathy, risk and severe mental disorder and account for clinical applications of the concepts
e) give examples of and describe psychological treatment for offenders and account for the evidence whereupon the treatment rests
f) account for clinical psychologists' different spheres of activity and - assignments in the area of clinical forensic psychology in Sweden and reflect on the integration between theory and clinical application

Forensic psychology is the field of psychology that integrates psychology and the judicial system. The course in clinical forensic psychology presents an introduction to clinical psychologists' work within the field. In Sweden, this work is carried out mainly within units for forensic psychiatric assessment, forensic psychiatric treatment, correctional treatment, youth detention centers, the police service but also within general psychiatric treatment. The course includes an orientation in the judicial and organizational preconditions with impact on clinical psychologists' work within the field. The course also presents theories of criminality among and treatment of different offender groups (for example mentally disordered offenders, sex offenders, and juvenile offenders). The course also gives an understanding of the key concepts of psychopathy, risk (assessment, prediction, management) and severe mental disorder, and gives an orientation as to how these concepts are used in clinical work. During the entire course ethical issues associated with psychological work with individuals treated in compulsory care are discussed. On completion of the course should students should be acquainted with a number of fields where clinical forensic psychologists in Sweden are active today along with the tasks they complete in their respective fields.

The course starts and closes with teacher-supervised seminars. In between, the student acquires information on his/her own through literature and internet searches according to teachers' instructions. The course is mainly carried out through the web-based learning platform PingPong. In the course, a one-day clinical internship is included extensive with a professional psychologist within the field. Written reflection sheets can be requested according to study instructions.

1. The student's theoretical knowledge are examined through continuing discussion seminars via PingPong. To pass the course the student should both have participated in all discussion seminars and made discussion posts of sufficient quality according to the learning objectives. Discussion posts assessed by examining teachers not to be of sufficient quality may be supplemented according to instructions.
2. After completed internship, a written assignment is submitted. The written assignment is examined by one of the grades Fail (U) or Pass (G). The student who does not fulfill the criteria for Pass (G) at the written assignment is given more opportunities to submit the assignment in accordance with KI's local guidelines. The student has, according to KI's guidelines, a right to at most six examination sessions per course to achieve passed results at written examinations. The maximum number of opportunities for clinical internships or the equivalent is two. Information concerning re-examinations is given at the start of the course.

Compulsory attendance is requested at the teacher-supervised seminars and at the clinical internship. Student that misses a teacher-supervised seminar may compensate with a specific advanced assignment. The clinical internship is carried out at specific occasion during the course according to the teacher's instructions.

The transition rules follow KI's local guidelines for examination.

Course evaluation takes place according to KI's local guidelines. Results and possible measures are returned to the students via course web.