Forensic Psychiatry (PSYT90016)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 6.25Online and On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
Contact information
May
Email: continuing-education@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: + 61 3 8344 0149
Contact hours: https://unimelb.edu.au/professional-development/contact-us
Overview
| Availability | May - Online May - On Campus |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
This selective introduces the fascinating interaction between mental health and the criminal justice system. The objective will be to familiarise students with those aspects of forensic mental health which will be of general applicability in psychiatric practice, as the interaction between mental illness and offending is important for everyone working in mental health. The selective will acquaint students with the nature of the relationships between mental disorder and deviant (including criminal) behaviours. It will provide an introduction to current evidence-based approaches to assessing and managing risk of future violence, and will address treatment and in secure hospital and custodial settings. Finally we will look at specific forms of problem behaviour, such as sexual offending, to illustrate the interactions between deviant and potentially damaging behaviours and disorders of the mind.
Intended learning outcomes
Students who complete this subject should be able to:
- Describe the interaction between a mental disorder and offending behaviour and the nature of the relationships between mental disorder and disordered behaviour that lead to criminal offending
- Demonstrate the basic skills needed to assess and manage risk of violence in patients with a mental disorder
- Demonstrate understanding, and be able to apply, legal aspects of forensic psychiatry (in particular, mental impairment and fitness to be tried)
- Demonstrate understanding of mental health issues within custodial settings
- Be able to formulate patients with forensic issues and develop a rehabilitation plan for them
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Active participation, contribution to discussion, and completion of subject activities | During the teaching period | 10% |
Critical review of the literature in a relevant area chosen by the student, due within 3 weeks of teaching period end date
| 3 Weeks after the end of teaching | 90% |
| Hurdle requirement: 75% of sessions (for face-to-face students) OR 75% completion of online modules (for online students) | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Dates & times
- May - Online
Principal coordinator Mahesh Jayaram Mode of delivery Online Contact hours 6 weeks subject with online modules Total time commitment 85 hours Pre teaching start date 28 April 2025 Pre teaching requirements During the pre-teaching period, students should familiarise themselves with the online platform and may like to take the opportunity to read through preliminary information about the subject and the services and support that is available to them. Students are encouraged to use this time to also introduce themselves to peers and teaching staff and to learn about those they will be studying with throughout the term. Teaching period 5 May 2025 to 13 June 2025 Last self-enrol date 29 April 2025 Census date 16 May 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 20 June 2025 Assessment period ends 18 July 2025 May contact information
Email: continuing-education@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: + 61 3 8344 0149
Contact hours: https://unimelb.edu.au/professional-development/contact-us
- May - On Campus
Time commitment details
85
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Sheehan, R. & Ogloff, J. (eds.), (2014). Working within the Forensic Paradigm: Cross-discipline approaches for policy and practice. Florence: Taylor and Francis.
Gunn, J. & Taylor, P. (2014). Forensic Psychiatry: Clinical, Legal and Ethical Issues, 2nd edition. CRC Press.
Clarke, T & Rooprai D (2011). Practical Forensic Psychiatry, CRC Press.
- Subject notes
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (CAP), subject to applicants meeting the entry requirements for the course.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Psychiatry Course Master of Psychiatry - Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Students wishing to take this subject under Community Access must meet the course entry requirements to be eligible.
Last updated: 4 March 2025