1 Course Syllabus Psyc. 3308-001: Forensic Psychology Instructor: Kevin Murch, Ph.D. Office: Life Science, Room 426 Phone: (214) 995-8235 Email: [email protected] Office Hours: Wed. 9-10AM and by appointment Course Number, Section Number, and Course Title: Psychology 3308-001, Forensic Psychology Time and Place of Class Meetings: MWF 10-10:50AM, Life Science 100 Required Textbooks and Other Course Materials: Bartol, C.R., & Bartol, A.M. (2008). Introduction to Forensic Psychology Research and Application. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Description of Course: This course examines the legal system’s basic assumptions and procedures in light of social scientific evidence pertaining to human behavior relevant to the rights of defendants, victims, children, and mental patients, including areas of clinical psychology in which psychologists act as expert witnesses and consultants. Student Learning Outcomes: By the end of this course, students should be able to: Contrast the perspectives of psychology and law; Demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles and systems of American jurisprudence (i.e. how laws are made, the organization of state and federal courts, and the basics of civil and criminal court procedures); Demonstrate understanding of psychological research on relevant legal topics (e.g. assessment of risk among criminal offenders, etc.); Appreciate the unique ethical issues involved with the practice of forensic psychology; Appreciate the potential benefits and limitations of psychological knowledge applied to assist law enforcement personnel; Describe the different types of forensic psychological evaluations and the procedures used by psychologists to obtain information that forms the basis of their opinions; Appreciate the challenges facing psychologists who work in corrections; and Understand the various career opportunities in forensic psychology and the training each requires.2 Course Requirements: 1. Evaluation Reports (200 points): During the course of the semester, the class will conduct two forensic psychological assessments. The purpose of these assessments is to allow students the opportunity to apply concepts learned in class to address specific referral questions in forensic settings. Interviews will be conducted in class in a group format, with students serving as the forensic examiners. In addition, relevant psychological testing results and background information will be provided to students for review. At the conclusion of the assessment, students will prepare a forensic evaluation report considering the relevant referral question(s). Evaluation reports will be worth 100 points each. Twenty-five points will be awarded simply for attending in-class interviews and the remaining 75 points will come from a critical assessment of the student’s evaluation report. 2. Regular Examinations (200 points): This course will have two in-class examinations. Each examination will be worth 100 points and cover material from the assigned reading and lectures. Exam questions will be based on learning objectives for each chapter as well as information covered on take-home assignments (See below). Typically, in-class review sessions are conducted to assist students in preparing for these examinations. The format of exam questions will be multiple-choice and short answer. 3. Final Examination This course will have a comprehensive final examination which will cover all the material presented in the course. The final examination will be worth 200 points. As will be the case with regular examinations, questions on the final examination will be presented in a multiple- choice and short answer format. 4. Take-Home Assignments (Optional) Take-home assignments covering important course material will be distributed throughout the semester. These assignments are intended to assist students in keeping up with the course material and preparing for examinations. The format of the assignments will be short answer questions and these questions will reappear on the corresponding sections of regular examinations. In addition, these assignments will provide some flexibility with respect to course grades, as make-up examinations will not be offered under any circumstances. Over the3 course of the semester, assignment points will total at least 200 points, and likely more. At the end of the semester students may elect to substitute a maximum of 200 assignment points for any other grading component (e.g. regular examinations, evaluation reports, or the final examination). Cumulative assignment grades must be substituted in total and may not serve as a supplement to other grading components. Grading Policy: Final course grades will be based on a total of 600 possible points. As noted above, a maximum of 200 cumulative quiz points may be substituted for any other grading component (e.g. regular examinations, evaluation reports, or the final examination). Final course grades will be calculated as follows: 540-600 = A, 480-539 = B, 420-479 = C, 360-419 = D, 0-359 = F Attendance Policy: Regular class attendance is strongly encouraged. Additionally, 25 points for each evaluation report are awarded based on attendance to in-class interviews. Students are expected to complete the assigned reading prior to the class meeting for which it was assigned. Drop Policy: Please refer to the University of Texas at Arlington’s drop policy. Americans With Disabilities Act: The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation; reference Public Law 92-112 - The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. With the passage of federal legislation entitled Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), pursuant to section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, there is renewed focus on providing this population with the same opportunities enjoyed by all citizens. As a faculty member, I am required by law to provide "reasonable accommodations" to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. Student responsibility primarily rests with informing faculty of their need for accommodation and in providing authorized documentation through designated administrative channels. Information regarding specific diagnostic criteria and policies for obtaining academic accommodations can be found at www.uta.edu/disability. Also, you may visit the Office for