Karen Franklin, Ph.D.



         PSY 8565: Forensic Consultation & Expert Witnessing

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Course Overview Instructional Objectives Student Evaluation
Cultural Issues   Required Readings      Syllabus



          COURSE OVERVIEW

This is a Supervision/Consultation course required of third-year Forensic Family Child Track students. It surveys common ethical, professional, and practical issues in contracting for and providing forensic psychology services. Topics include forensic data organizing, report writing, court testimony, applied research skills, and diagnosis and testing within the forensic context. It is assumed that students enter this class with some knowledge of basic forensic theory and practice. The emphasis is on navigating an ethical path and not losing one’s moral bearing in these often-treacherous waters. A secondary emphasis is to assist students in developing their critical reading and thinking skills. Prerequisites: Completion of P540 or consent of instructor.

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this overview course, students will have a basic understanding of the functions of psychologists as experts in legal matters, especially those pertaining to children and families. They will be aware of some of the common ethical and moral pitfalls facing psychologists who practice in legal contexts. This overview will help students decide how to tailor their further education, training, internships, postdoctoral training, and supervision so that they may later qualify to practice in the forensic specialty area(s) of their choosing.

EVALUATING STUDENT LEARNING

Discussion participation            45 percent
Quizzes                                  35 percent
Written assigment                   15 percent
Oral presentation                      5 percent
Attendance                              See course syllabus

CLASS COMPONENT ON CULTURAL AND ETHNIC ISSUES
An understanding of how culture interacts with psycholegal issues is absolutely essential to competence as a forensic psychologist. Cultural issues will be an integral aspect of every topic in this course, and will also be a he focus of class lectures. Similarly, ethical guidelines for the practice of forensic psychology will be discussed separately as well as within the context of each course topic.

COMPLETE COURSE SYLLABUS
Please note that this syllabus may be updated. The weekly assignments folders will reflect the most recent version.

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P.O. Box 1084, El Cerrito, CA 94530
Telephone and fax: (510) 232-1920

California License #PSY 16570
Washington License #PY 2305

Contact information: query at karenfranklin.com