Forensic Mental Health

FMH Research

2712 Master of Philosophy in Forensic Mental Health (MPhil)

The School offers the Master of Philosophy in Forensic Mental Health (MPhil). This has been established in response to requests from MFMH students who wish to undertake supervised research in forensic mental health who have not had prior research experience (and thereby not being eligible to enroll for the MSc by research or a PhD).

The Master of Philosophy in Forensic Mental Health is a research degree designed to provide research training for candidates wishing to progress to a PhD, or who wish to develop competence in researching Forensic Mental Health. The MPhil comprises 24 units of credit (UOC) of coursework, and a thesis of no more than 40,000 words on an approved topic. The normal full-time duration is three semesters (one semester of coursework and two of thesis) full-time or six semesters part-time. Articulation from an MPhil to a PhD is possible, and advanced standing may be given for courses completed as part of the Master of Forensic Mental Health or equivalent.

If you are first undertaking the Master of Forensic Mental Health 9012 and wish to proceed to MPhil FMH, please take prerequisite research electives listed under Program of Study, core courses and electives:

  • PHCM9498 Epidemiology and Statistics for Public Health OR

  • PHCM9781 Evidence-informed Decision Making AND

  • PHCM9132 Applied Research Methods for Public Health

View our Current Research

Co-ordinator:
A/Professor Kimberlie Dean
Email: k.dean@unsw.edu.au

Associate Professor Kimberlie Dean
is the Inaugural Chair in Forensic Mental Health in the School of Psychiatry at UNSW, a position funded by Justice Health & Forensic Mental Health Network, the public health service in NSW which is tasked with providing healthcare to those in contact with the criminal justice system.  The Chair has been established to develop a robust and integrated program of research focused on clinically relevant aetiological and interventional research questions, with the overall aim of contributing to the improvement of health outcomes for those with mental ill health in contact with the criminal justice system in NSW.  In addition, the forensic mental health research program is committed to producing high-quality scientific research output that will play an important role in informing future policy and service development initiatives locally and nationally as well as contributing to the international evidence-base.