Investigating a murder with forensic psychology

Ever wondered about the role that psychology might play in police investigations? Would you like to investigate a fictional criminal case, working alongside a team of detectives, and explore how psychology can be applied to an investigation?In this four-week course, you’ll explore the way suspects are dealt with during a police investigation and learn about how psychology can help the police with their enquiries.You’ll become a detective investigating a murder as you join two fictional detectives working alongside a senior investigating officer.You’ll delve into the psychological skills that can help police in an investigation. You’ll learn about detecting deception, how to establish rapport, the impact of cognitive bias, and how to develop and assess an interview plan.This interactive course has been created by the experts at The Open University’s Centre for Policing Research and Learning, and Forensic Cognition Research Group.

• Week 1: Introduction to the case
• Week 2: Police suspect interviews
• Week 3: How reliable are confessions in criminal investigations?
• Week 4: Solving the case