Professional Diploma in Criminology & Forensic Psychology Course
This Criminology and Forensic Psychology course is designed for those fascinated by criminal behaviour and the psychology behind it. Whether you are considering a career in criminology, psychology, or simply want to understand how and why crimes occur, this course provides a practical and engaging introduction to the field.
Designed for those interested in criminology, criminal justice or psychological research, this forensic psychology course provides a strong foundation for learners in Ireland and beyond.
Study in a classroom environment one evening a week.
- City centre location
- Fully interactive limited class size
- 10 weeks, 1 evening per week
- Starting Thursday 8th October 2026
- 6.30 to 9.30pm
- Instalment plan available, subject to €100 handling fee
| Location | Starting | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Dublin 2 City Centre | October 2026 | €1,095.00 |
Live online training with real-time instructor-student interaction.
- Live & fully online
- Archived for review
- 10 Weeks, 1 evening per week
- Starting Thursday 8th October 2026
- 6.30 to 9.30pm
- Instalment plan available, subject to €100 handling fee
Course Details
Criminology and Forensic Psychology Courses Ireland
Meet our Tutors
John Deane-O’Keeffe
John Deane-O’Keeffe is a Forensic Criminologist and Lecturer in Criminal Law on the FE1 Solicitor’s Examination. He is also a Church Minister and Lectures in Theology. Additionally John works as a Journalist and Broadcaster.
John is currently Dean, Faculty of Criminology & Policing Studies at City College Dublin. He was a Magistrate in the UK where he sat on the Northumbrian Bench and was a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at St Mark & St John University, Plymouth. He is currently a Departmental Tutor at the University of Oxford, where he teaches on a range of courses across forensic criminology & theology. He is a Member of the Senior Common Room at Regent’s Park College, Oxford and an External Examiner on the Policing Degree at Anglia Ruskin University.
John is formerly Adjunct Faculty at Trinity College Dublin where he was Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology. He also spent a decade as Head of the Law School at Dublin Business School. He was Communications Director at the Garda Representative Association, Editor of the Garda Review for many years.
Aside his Church Ministry, John works as a Hospital and Prison Chaplain. He has undertaken undergraduate studies in History, Law and Theology at UCD, TCD, Bristol and the University of Oxford. He holds post graduate degrees in Forensic Criminology and Law from TCD, London Met and the University of Cambridge.
John has held and holds a number of visiting posts in UK Universities and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Member of the Royal Historical Society. He has a special interest in criminology and theology and the intersection of these two areas within criminality. His book, ‘Christ Alive!’ was published by Wipf & Stock In April 2025 and is a lively and humorous series of lessons exploring how we find God’s presence in places where we least expect – not least in offending. This will be followed in the first half of 2026, by, Finding Jesus in Joyce: From Dedalus to The Dead, a book which will explore aspects of James Joyce’s relationship with faith across a number of his seminal works.
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If you have any questions about this Forensic Psychology course, you can speak directly with a member of our admissions team.
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Professional Diploma in Criminology & Forensic Psychology Course Testimonials
06.11.2025
City College Dublin really suited my continuing education in 2025, when I enrolled for the professional diploma in Criminology and Forensic psychology. Spear headed by the brilliant mind of leading criminologist and magistrate John Deane O Keefe, the course was delivered both in house and on line , with digital students able to engage effortlessly via the Teams app. With some guest speakers throughout the course, the subject matter modules were delivered in a timely and highly informative way. Using Moodle uploads to supplement the class content delivery, the learning was a thorough and informative experience. Excellent technology and a strict integrity ethos on plagiarism / AI , City College Dublin impressed me from day one. Despite the subject matter of crime and victimilogy at times heavy listening , John Deane O Keefe has an inherent ability to deliver course content in a way that values the sensitivity of the students , while ensuring the topics were adequately covered . Overall I was very impressed with both the course and the college and would highly recommend it to those considered advancing their education in specific areas of law, Criminology and Forensic psychology ( amongst others ). I am hoping to do the advanced Dip. In Criminology when it becomes available, so my journey is not complete yet. Researching for the end of term assignments was invigorating. I loved every moment of it. Any opportunity to learn is an opportunity not to be missed .
Read more Read more testimonial from Timothy M. P. Kilcommins 25.02.2026
City College Dublin really suited my continuing education in 2025, when I enrolled for the professional diploma in Criminology and Forensic psychology. Spear headed by the brilliant mind of leading criminologist and magistrate John Deane O Keefe, the course was delivered both in house and on line , with digital students able to engage effortlessly via the Teams app. With some guest speakers throughout the course, the subject matter modules were delivered in a timely and highly informative way. Using Moodle uploads to supplement the class content delivery, the learning was a thorough and informative experience. Excellent technology and a strict integrity ethos on plagiarism / AI , City College Dublin impressed me from day one. Despite the subject matter of crime and victimology at times heavy listening , John Deane O Keefe has an inherent ability to deliver course content in a way that values the sensitivity of the students , while ensuring the topics were adequately covered . Overall I was very impressed with both the course and the college and would highly recommend it to those considered advancing their education in specific areas of law, Criminology and Forensic psychology ( amongst others ). I am hoping to do the advanced Dip. In Criminology when it becomes available, so my journey is not complete yet. Researching for the end of term assignments was invigorating. I loved every moment of it. Any opportunity to learn is an opportunity not to be missed .
Read more Read more testimonial from Tadhg KilcomminsAfter moving from South Africa to Holland at the age of 43, I decided I wanted to grow my knowledge in the areas that I have always been passionate about. I enrolled with City College Dublin (Formerly City Colleges) to do the Diploma in Criminology & Criminal Psychology online. From the very first contact I had, it has only been a pleasure. Sarah was ever so helpful and John incredibly informative with regards to all my questions prior to enrollment. Paying the very affordable fees and receiving my login details was done efficiently. Studying via correspondence always made me think that it would be impersonal and I wouldn’t get personal attention when and if I had issues. I am thrilled to say that this was not my experience. The class given was prompt, it was professional yet never boring or tedious. John has a vast knowledge of Psychology and Criminology and the way he carried that over to his students (me) was passionate. The attention to detail and the study material supplied was always timeously loaded onto the system and I could access it at my leisure. The lecturer engaged with the class (even though I wasn’t physically there I was able to hear and understand their feedback or comments). He was also an entertaining man, if at all possible with criminology. I never had an IT issue but if I had questions regarding this the query could be emailed through. Sarah is a star and I hope to be dealing with her again in September. I have enrolled in my next course and I would encourage anyone who wants to further their education in the comfort of their own home, on whichever continent, to do so and City College Dublin is a great institution to do it through.
John is engaging, entertaining and knowledgeable. His enthusiasm for the subject matter is contagious. He has a huge breadth of knowledge and this enables him to link a wide variety of text, cases and individuals to bolster each of the subjects. John is always punctual and has a mix of text, video and spoken matter readily prepared to impart to the class, ensuring that all learning styles are catered for. I would gladly recommend this course to anyone considering an associated career or anyone who has an interest in criminology and would like an informative and entertaining short course.
John is a very good teacher, and at getting points across. He has an obvious interest in the subject, which makes the lesson interesting as he is not just reading off information. He is humorous and brings a laid-back atmosphere to the class, making it enjoyable to sit through each week.
What a course. Not what I expected. In one word? BRILLIANT. And I loved the good humour. Thanks a million.
I would highly recommend the course to anyone, especially any one in the Gardai like myself. If you have an interest in Crime/Branch in particular, then this course is definitely for you. Extremely interesting but also highly relevant for work related purposes in a wide variety of areas in relation to crime investigation. Brilliant to have on your CV. It was worth every penny. I travelled from Cavan to Dublin once a week for the course and it was well worth it. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
The course material goes beyond what I expected and is structured in a good way where you gain and insights into the behaviour behind criminals. John is a fantastic lecturer and although he follows his slides, he does not need them behind him to educate students. He has such deep understanding, knowledge and experience and clearly has great passion and professionalism in his area of expertise. All of which, makes it an enjoyable, well-rounded course!
It would be hard to improve this course, as it is very well delivered at each lecture.
I believe that this course should be delivered to every member of An Garda Siochána it is very relevant to modern-day policing.
Although dealing with rather tough topics, John manages to keep your attention at all times. I've never known three hours to go so quickly.
Overall a great experience and ability to interact with students, his approach to subjects gets you hooked and has a great sense of humour in such dark topics.
I recently completed The Professional Diploma in Criminology and Forensic Psychology and found John's lectures extremely enjoyable and intuitive. If you are considering a career or are already employed in the criminal justice system the various courses on offer at City College Dublin (formerly City Colleges) provide fantastic insight.
Thank you so much! This was the most serious, but also the funniest and best-presented course I have ever attended. John's presentation skills are remarkable and I enjoyed every single week never once feeling bored. Can't wait for his new book.
FAQ
It provides foundational knowledge supporting further study or roles related to criminal justice, research and behavioural analysis.
No. This course is suitable for beginners and those with psychology or criminology interests.
Yes. This course is designed for the Irish context and aligns with recognised academic frameworks.
A forensic psychology course explores how psychological principles are applied to crime, legal systems and behaviour analysis.
