Basic Polygraph Course

10 Weeks  ·  ~400 Instructional Hours

Program overview

This program builds durable professional habits: not just how to run a test, but how to plan, execute, document, and critically review examinations. Immersive daily sessions integrate classroom instruction, laboratory exercises, and supervised mock examinations throughout all 10 weeks.

Curriculum — hours by module

Module learning outcomes

Law and Human Rights

Students summarize laws and legal issues applicable to credibility assessment examiners and examinees, and describe human rights considerations, including the distinction between proper examination protocols and practices that could rise to the level of a human rights violation.

Ethics, Standards of Practice and By-Laws

Students describe the relationships between the APA Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice, and By-Laws and other ethical considerations for the practice of credibility assessment, including the ethical implications of potential cognitive, contextual, and educational biases in examiner decision making.

History and Evolution of Credibility Assessment

Students identify key contributors to the early and contemporary history of credibility assessment and explain the evolution of instrumentation, techniques, test data analysis methods, professional associations, and alternative methods of detection of deception.

Scientific Testing

Students demonstrate conceptual knowledge of sensitivity, specificity, false positive errors, false negative errors, and statistical significance as applied to diagnostic and screening tests. Students are exposed to various types of research articles from Polygraph & Forensic Credibility Assessment: A Journal of Science and Field Practice and similar publications, and differentiate between empirical studies, literature reviews, and case studies in terms of their methodological strengths and weaknesses.

Mechanics of Instrument Operation

Students perform a proper functionality check and demonstrate, in laboratory exercises, proper component placement including primary and alternate locations, correct examinee positioning, proper software operations, acceptable data collection practices, and standardized chart annotation.

Credibility Assessment Techniques

Students demonstrate a working knowledge of at least one validated testing protocol for each of the following applications: evidentiary, investigative, and screening. Exposure to two or more validated protocols is recommended. Students understand the essential components of each protocol including number of presentations, number of tests, and question sequence rules, and demonstrate this knowledge through description, explanation, or practical mock examination exercises.

Pre-Test Interview

Students explain the rationale underlying pre-test procedures and demonstrate the ability to conduct free narrative, structured, and semi-structured interviews appropriate to the examination context and question set.

Post-Test Interview

Students explain the rationale underlying post-test procedures, identify basic interview approaches by outcome type, and demonstrate the post-test interview process across the range of possible test results.

Psychology

Students explain the basic elements of human psychology and their applicability to credibility assessment, including learning theory, perception, memory, cognition, and psychological conditions that may impact suitability for testing.

Physiology

Students demonstrate understanding of the cardiovascular, respiratory, central nervous, peripheral nervous, integumentary, and skeletal-muscular systems, as well as pharmacology, as they relate to credibility assessment data.

Test Question Construction

Through classroom and laboratory exercises, students demonstrate in writing an effective working knowledge of credibility assessment test question construction for validated techniques.

Test Data Analysis

Students demonstrate a working knowledge of physiological response patterns used in chart interpretation, differentiate between data suitable and unsuitable for analysis, and apply a validated scoring system using appropriate decision rules.

Countermeasures

Students describe common types of countermeasure attempts and identify atypical physiological patterns that may indicate countermeasure use during an examination.

Information and Results Reporting

Students demonstrate understanding of the fundamentals of ethical and effective report writing, including the necessary information and content for intended audiences and the presentation of scientific test results consistent with APA Standards of Practice.

Practical Application / Mock Examinations

Students demonstrate basic proficiency in conducting full-process examinations under field-like conditions. A minimum of three complete examinations are conducted under faculty or instructional assistant monitoring, with a student-to-monitor ratio not exceeding 3:1.

Elective Instruction

Students are exposed to additional credibility assessment-related content or receive supplemental instruction on topics from the core curriculum, at the discretion of the program faculty.

Assessments

In accordance with APA accreditation standards (?3.3.3.4), the program administers a minimum of three written examinations throughout the course, in addition to a comprehensive final examination. Students must meet the minimum passing score on each required examination to graduate. A student who does not pass an examination on the first attempt may be given one additional opportunity. Failure on the second attempt may result in dismissal. See Course Policies for complete academic progress requirements.

Upcoming cohorts

Dates and tuition confirmed upon registration. Contact admissions to secure your seat.