First of its kind in forensic psychology and the psychology of cybercrimes – While the present bachelor’s and master’s degree courses offered by local tertiary institutions related to criminal behaviours are mostly on criminology studying the sociological and legal aspects of offending behaviours, the proposed programme will be focused on the psychological, social, biological and technological factors related to such behaviours and the practical skills in investigating and preventing crimes in Hong Kong. It will also address the rising challenge of digital crimes by highlighting cyber forensic psychology in the programme content.

Psychological Foundation – Students will be given foundational training in psychological studies which apply the strong evidence-based approach in psychology to the study of crime and criminal behaviours. This programme’s graduates are eligible for Graduate Membership of the Hong Kong Psychological Society, and they can apply for professional degrees in psychology including forensic psychology, counselling psychology, industrial and organizational psychology, clinical psychology, educational psychology, or pursue postgraduate research degrees.

Liberal Arts Teaching and Learning Ecology – The impartation of domain knowledge on forensic and investigative psychology will draw not only on the discipline of psychology, but also on other disciplines afforded by HKSYU’s liberal arts teaching and learning ecology, such as sociology and law and business. This broad-based approach will allow students to gain a multidisciplinary perspective of the psychology of crime and digital forensics and expand the career pathways open to them.

Connection to Industries – The programme will invite professionals in the field of forensic and investigative psychology to share their expert knowledge and experience with students. In addition, the programme will feature credit-bearing industrial attachment and visits with related stakeholders, such as law enforcement agencies, NGOs specialized in offender rehabilitation and financial institutions, so that students can acquire hands-on experience and networks that will stand them in good stead in pursuing their careers upon graduation.

Regional and International Exposure – In recognition that the proposed programme involves the state-of-the-art knowledge about the theories and technology in understanding and detecting crimes developed both regionally and internationally, regional and international exposure will be a key feature of the programme. Both local and overseas experts will be invited to share their knowledge and experience through giving guest lectures and conducting workshops. Students will also be given ample opportunities to join the Study Abroad Scheme, Overseas Summer Internship, or overseas study trips, so that they can acquire domain knowledge and related best practices in regional/international contexts. Such exposure will help graduates establish regional/international networks and equip them to contribute to the further development of Hong Kong as one of the safest cities in the world.