Partly, and the right answer depends on the program. Some online degrees touch deception briefly, while others build whole courses around nonverbal behavior and evidence. An online forensic psychology degree is a broad label, so you’ll need to read the course list to see how deep deception training actually goes.

Evidentia University offers a clear example. It has a Master of Science in Nonverbal and Deceptive Behavior, plus short courses in lie detection, facial coding, and nonverbal analysis. Below, we’ll look at what’s offered, who teaches it, and how to approach this topic with healthy skepticism.

What Does Evidentia Offer on Deception?

Is there a full master’s in this area?

Yes. The Master of Science in Nonverbal and Deceptive Behavior appears under both of Evidentia’s schools, Crime and Security and Business and Behavior. That placement makes sense. Reading behavior matters to investigators, but it also matters to negotiators, managers, and anyone who needs to judge communication accurately.

Like the other master’s degrees, it’s 36 US credits and 100% online. Evidentia says each master’s is built around your work and life. If you’re comparing a forensic psychology online degree against this specialist route, notice how much narrower the focus is, and ask whether that depth matches your daily work.

Which Short Courses Build Specific Skills?

What can you learn in four to eight weeks?

Evidentia’s four week intensive, Lie Detection from a Scientific Perspective, is the fastest entry point. The eight week advanced programs include Nonverbal Communication Analysis, FACS (coding facial movements), and Nonverbal Communication for Healthcare Personnel. Each one narrows to a single skill and applies it.

Notice the phrase scientific perspective. It suggests an approach based on evidence, not folklore about shifty eyes or fidgeting hands. Honestly, that’s the attitude to look for in any deception course. Anything that promises a foolproof lie spotting trick deserves doubt, because behavior is complicated and context always matters.

Longer routes

If you want more depth, these options go further:

• Certificate in Nonverbal Communication (more than 12 weeks)
• Certificate in Forensic Linguistics (more than 12 weeks)
• Personality Profiling Through Behavior (8 weeks)

Who Teaches Behavior Reading?

The Criminal Profiling faculty includes Carmen Feijoo, who trains aviation security behavioral detection. José Villena is a criminologist focused on criminal analysis and nonverbal behavior. Sergio Martínez Pacheco, an ex member of a law enforcement Behavioral Analysis Section, is a psychologist and behavioral analyst with a PhD in Psychology. These are practical backgrounds, grounded in security and investigation.

Mark Safarik, a retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent with over 23 years in the Behavioral Analysis Unit, is part of a faculty known for field experience. Evidentia also shares video testimonials, including Manuel De Toro on the Master in Nonverbal Behavior, recorded in Spanish. Hearing graduates describe the experience helps you gauge fit, though their stories reflect personal experiences, not guarantees.

Is It Realistic to Learn This Online?

Behavior reading sounds like a classroom skill, but the format works. Evidentia’s courses use a secure online campus, materials on any device, and faculty who read your work and give genuine feedback. For a skill built on careful observation, feedback on your analysis matters more than a live lecture.

Short courses also come with rolling enrollment and no degree requirement, which helps if you’re testing the waters. A four week intensive costs less time than a master’s, and it can tell you quickly whether the topic fits your work. Ask the counselor for current pricing and dates.

How Do Nonverbal Skills Help Outside Policing?

Evidentia places nonverbal analysis in healthcare, too, with a program for doctors and healthcare personnel, and in business, where the Business and Behavior school offers it. A physician reading a worried patient and an analyst reading a tense interview both rely on careful observation. Different settings, shared habit.

That breadth is a reminder that behavior reading is a skill, not a gimmick. Evidentia’s Criminal Profiling master includes nonverbal behavior among its topics, next to typologies and inductive profiling. Skills like these serve many roles when they’re taught with rigor. Quality of instruction matters most.

How Should You Treat Deception Skills?

With humility. Observation supports judgment, but it never replaces evidence. A twitch isn’t proof, and a calm face isn’t innocence. Anyone weighing an online forensic psychology degree that includes deception topics should look for training that stresses context, bias control, and corroboration alongside any behavioral cues.

Also keep the limits in view. Evidentia’s Criminal Profiling page states that its master’s does not qualify students for professional licensing such as psychologist or licensed investigator, and it offers no job or salary guarantee. Ask whether the same applies to the nonverbal master, check local requirements, and remember the school is licensed by the Florida Department of Education, CIE #9097.

Conclusion

Yes, an online forensic psychology degree route can cover lie detection, but depth varies, so read the syllabus. Evidentia offers a full master’s and several short courses, all framed around evidence. Treat behavior cues as clues, not proof, and talk to admissions before you choose.

FAQs

Is there a short course on lie detection?
Yes. Evidentia offers a 4 week intensive called Lie Detection from a Scientific Perspective.

Which master’s focuses on this area?
The Master of Science in Nonverbal and Deceptive Behavior, which is 36 US credits and 100% online.

What is FACS?
Evidentia lists an 8 week advanced program on FACS, which centers on coding facial movements.

Do short courses require a degree?
No. Continuing Education has no degree requirement and uses rolling enrollment.