Criminal Profiling Courses | Master's Curriculum

Curriculum Overview

Master of Science in Criminal Profiling

36 U.S. credits · 12 graduate courses · 100% online

The Master of Science in Criminal Profiling trains expert behavior analysts through the combined study of Behavioral Sciences and Criminal Psychology. Its curriculum addresses profiling methodologies, criminal behavior analysis from a scientific and analytical approach, and the development of criminal profiles that can assist investigations. Case studies, debate, and critical thinking support the acquisition of strategies and skills for profile elaboration.

Master of Science Criminal Profiling 36 credits · 100% online · Licensed by Florida CIE #9097

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Master of Science in Criminal Profiling. 12 courses, 36 U.S. credit hours, 100% online. Licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education, License #9097.
Course	What you study
ISM 500Technological Learning Tools	The program begins with an in-depth orientation to the virtual learning environment that structures a fully online graduate program. The course is designed to build understanding of Moodle, Google Drive, online questionnaires, forums, and collaboration tools. Students see how these systems organize coursework, interaction, and collaborative academic work.
PRO 505Introduction to Criminal Profiling	Criminal Profiling is presented as a technique with its own historical development and basic conceptual framework. Students learn how the field emerged, how it has developed in recent decades, and which initial elements of analysis will be treated in greater detail throughout the rest of the curriculum. Those elements become the entry point for later study.
PRO 510Criminal Investigative Analysis I	Set within the context of criminal investigation, the course examines the aspects a profiler must know when a criminological profile is developed. It contextualizes the method and shows the importance of criminal behavior analysis as a tool to assist investigations, incorporating input from experts in Behavior Analysis Units. The profile is considered within the setting where it arises.
PRO 615Criminal Investigative Analysis II	The second investigative analysis course delves into the criminal profiling method developed for criminal behavior analysis. Modus Operandi, ritual, and crime scene analysis are approached from a practical point of view, using real cases of serial murders or sexual murderers to examine how these elements are read. The method stays tied to case material.
PRO 520Psychological Profiling	Psychological profiling is approached through the VERA method, a criminal profiling technique developed in Spain by the Criminal Behavior Analysis Section of the National Police. The course organizes analysis around the Victim, the Crime Scene, the Reconstruction of the Crime, and the Author as the method’s core elements. Each dimension is treated as part of the profiling procedure.
PRO 625Indirect Personality Profiling	Indirect personality assessment is presented as a profiling approach that studies what a person is like through behavior and observable elements that express personality. The course places this perspective within criminal investigation, where it can offer a strategic advantage, and it does not require prior knowledge of Psychology. The focus remains on observation through behavior.
PRO 630Nonverbal Behavior Analysis Applied to Profiling	Non-verbal behavior analysis is studied as a complementary approach to Criminal Profiling. Across different channels of expression, students examine indicators of lying or compatibility with verbal behavior. The course situates these observations in the context of a police interview, where they may support behavioral analysis and profiling tasks.
PRO 635Inductive Profiling in Serial Criminality	Serial crime is treated as one of the criminal typologies where profiling has been used most, especially in serial killer and sex offender cases. Students review notable types and studies of murderers and sexual offenders, using that material to classify criminal behavior within the framework of inductive profiling. The focus remains on classification of conduct.
CRI 540Criminal Typologies	A more scientific approach to Criminal Profiling is developed through the statistical analysis of cases and the creation of typologies and patterns of criminal behavior. Arsonists and cybercriminals serve as examples for examining how classifications are built and how they may be used for profiling future cases. The emphasis is on patterns derived from case analysis.
PRO 645Geographic Profiling	Geographic Profiling is introduced as an analysis of criminal geographic behavior and as one of the latest developments in criminal profiling. By analyzing and comparing the places where crimes are committed, students learn to use a Geographic Information System to identify search areas for the offender. The focus is the link between crime locations and search areas.
RSC 550Research and Scientific Communication	Research practice is addressed through a specific view of scientific inquiry and communication. Students work with bibliographic searches in scientific databases, bibliographic reference formats, and APA referencing. The course also covers dissemination of research through conferences and scientific poster presentations, keeping attention on both research process and presentation.
CAP 701Capstone Project	The Capstone Project serves as the culminating academic and intellectual experience of the program. As a multifaceted assignment, it includes continuous tutoring to support academic writing. The student concludes by presenting the work before an online tribunal of professors who evaluate it, bringing the program’s academic work to a final presentation.