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Aug 23, 2025
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FO 725 - Profiling Serial Killers by Type, Motives, Methods, and Victims
This course focuses on a specific type of murderer: the serial killer. Predisposing factors including traumatic childhood experiences such as physical and sexual abuse will be considered that motivate the serial murderer to kill. Several of the most prominent serial killer typologies will further be presented, including Holmes and DeBurger’s classification system (i.e., the visionary, mission, hedonistic, and power/control types). Particular attention will be paid to the female serial killer, and how she differs from her male counterpart with respect to motives and methods of killing. Another area will be on how the serial killer is portrayed in the media including television and film in order to dispel the most prevalent myths associated with this murderer. The course will include weekly discussions and assignments on historical serial killers, sexual serial killers, multiple perpetrators of serial murder, technology and serial killers, as well as psychopathic serial killers. Finally, the course will conclude with an examination of actual serial murder investigations and ways in which a more accurate profile of the serial killer can be established. (3 credit hours)
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