Towards the development of a forensic psychology training curriculum in South Africa

Abstract

With the growing need for forensic mental health services and the call for increasing rigour in clinical practice, the development of specialised training programmes appears to be increasing globally. In South Africa, the licencing authority has also been focusing on this issue, and its task group has been investigating specialty training models in regard to future developments in licensure, training, qualifications, and related registration matters. The present investigation was undertaken as a way of informing this process, especially in the area of curriculum content and development. The authors undertook a survey of existing accredited forensic psychology training programmes in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. The aim was to examine the qualification level, period of study, admission criteria, online study option, field placement, and the module content. The results are presented for the 62 programmes surveyed and discussed with reference to the South African context and local needs.