Course for international guest/part time students

Faculty

Faculty of Education and Psychology

Organization

PPK Institute of Psychology

Code

PPK-PSZI:68

Title

Psychology and crime - case studies

Usual semester

Both

Published semester

2025/26/2, 2026/27/1

ECTS

4

Language

en

Learning outcomes

Aim of the course: The course will focus on the practical and theoretical background of techniques and tools in which behavioural analysis is used in the field of Criminal Psychology, from development to treatment including the stages of investigations and sentencing. Learning outcome, competences knowledge and skills: familiar with the main psychological theories, and explanations of crime and criminality; familiar with the areas of application of criminal behavioral analysis; know what sources (e.g., online platforms, databases, etc.) they can use to gain additional knowledge; attitude: cooperative; unprejudiced, respectful, and helpful to people; familiar with the limits of competence; autonomy and responsibility: upholds the rules of professional communication and ethics.

Course content

Topics of the course: Developmental theories and prevention Personality theories Relevant psychological constructs Mental disorders Investigative support (Clinical) forensic psychology Learning activities, learning methods: case analysis, individual and group work, interactive lectures

Assessment method

Learning requirements, mode of evaluation, criteria of evaluation Requirements: Active participation in classes, in small and large group discussions. Practical assignments related to the topics of the course. Case analysis. Mode of evaluation: 1-5 grades Criteria of evaluation: Active participation in classes, in small and large group discussions. Practical assignments related to the topics of the course. Case analysis.

Bibliography

Alison, L., Rainbow, L. (eds.). (2011). Professionalizing Offender Profiling: Forensic and Investigative Psychology in Practice. Routledge, Oxon, UK. Brown, J. & Campbell, E. (eds.). (2010). The Cambridge handbook of forensic psychology. Cambridge: CUP. Bull, Ray, and Iris Blandón-Gitlin, (eds.). (2020). The Routledge international handbook of legal and investigative psychology. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Clevenger, S., Navarro, J. N., Marcum, C. D., & Higgins, G. E. (2018). Understanding victimology.. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315151571 Day, D. M., & Weisner, M. (2019). Criminal trajectories: A developmental perspective. New York University Press. Hare, R. (1993). Without conscience. The disturbing world of the psychopaths among us. New York: Guilford. Gold, L. H., & Frierson, R. L. (eds.). (2018). The American Psychiatric Association publishing textbook of Forensic Psychiatry (3rd ed.). American Psychiatric Association Publishing. Winterdyk, J. A. (ed.). (2017). Crime prevention: International perspectives, issues, and trends. Taylor & Francis Group.

Programmes of the course