10 Good Schools For Forensic Psychology
Why should I attend the best schools for forensic psychology? Well, it may interest you to know that the demand for one has been projected to increase by 16% before 2030.
And with increased demand comes an increased payment for the jobs but the school you attend will also matter, due to increased competition.
Holders of degrees in forensic psychology may offer expert testimony in court as they frequently look into, research, and evaluate offenders in a range of civil, familial, and criminal situations.
In this article, you will see the best schools for forensic psychology, their requirements, and other details that will help you to make a choice of school to study.
A look at forensic psychology
Forensic psychology is a relatively recent discipline that can be viewed as a meeting point between law and psychology.
For those working in the legal system, forensic psychologists use their knowledge of psychology.
This may be relevant to civil or criminal court cases involving lawsuits, custody battles, killings, or a variety of other problems.
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Is forensic psychology hard?
Yes, forensic psychology is hard. But this is not to scare you off, but to make you realize that just like every other course, you will need to put in the same effort as you would for courses you deem difficult.
And below, you will see some reasons why forensic psychology is hard.
You need a doctorate degree to get the best jobs:
The best jobs in the field of forensic psychology require you to have a doctorate degree. And this is in line with the guide of the American Psychological Association.
That is to say, it would take you up to five to seven years of post-graduate studies to be eligible for any of the best jobs in this field.
It requires you to work for long days:
If you like to work in planned hours, or a 9 to 5, you may not find the field of forensic psychology interesting.
And this is because you would be working with human cases, and would need to get various facts and details within a time frame. Thus, eliminating the need for a set time.
It stresses you out with emergency cases:
Just like the long hours it takes for you to work on a case, it would also take you a lot of stress to maintain your work period.
Working all night, on weekends, and even on holidays would significantly increase the stress hormone (cortisol), which you would need to carefully manage.
You will face thorough questioning in various court cases:
The cases that turn out to be forensic cases are mostly crimes related to crimes involving human beings.
And with human beings and court cases, comes a flood of emotions. During the court hearings, you will hear a lot of things that may make you want to take sides with an alleged offender.
Hence, you will need to be someone with a very tough heart and the ability to stand firm in the face of the truth.
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What degree is best for forensic psychology?
The degree that is best for forensic psychology is a doctorate degree. But before getting this doctorate degree, you will first need a bachelor’s degree.
During your studies for a bachelor’s degree, you will be prepared to work as either a probation officer, a law enforcement officer, or a jury consultant.
How long does it take to be a forensic psychologist?
It takes about ten years or more for one to become a forensic psychologist. This is so because, after your high school degree, you would need to enroll for a bachelor’s degree in forensic psychology.
Unfortunately, a bachelor’s degree in this field takes at least four years, and as established above, a bachelor’s degree will not be enough to give you the type of job you desire.
Therefore, you would need to bag a master’s degree in the field. And a master’s degree would take you another two years. That is six (6) years in total.
The reason for the master’s degree is for you to be able to bag a doctorate degree in forensic psychology. And this doctorate degree will take you at least four (4) years.
Finally, with a doctorate degree, you can then be better employed in the field of forensic psychology.
Is there a high demand for forensic psychologists?
Yes, there is a high demand for forensic psychologists. And this is because the crimes and issues required to be solved in the legal world have a high demand for forensic psychologists.
With this information, you would love to see the best schools for forensic psychology, right? Well, be patient!
Where is the best place to be a forensic psychologist?
According to PayScale, the best places to be a forensic psychologist are cities like Denver, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. Then there are the states that pay so well, and they are Oregon, California, New York, and Louisiana.
After studying in any of the best schools for forensic psychology, you should place emphasis on the application to the above-named states.
Now that you have seen the above details about the best schools for forensic psychology studies, you should be able to pick from any of the best schools below.
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Best schools for forensic psychology studies
1. Washington University in St. Louis
This school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri. It is currently ranked No. 1 among the best schools for forensic psychology studies.
The courses covered in this school for this field are police, investigative, criminal, correctional, and legal psychology.
Furthermore, with an acceptance rate of 14% and a graduation rate of 95%, this school has stood its ground in the field.
In addition, this school requires you to have a GPA of 4.15 0r higher. And this GPA is quite competitive, but you can supplement it with an SAT/ACT if yours is lower.
It would also be in your interest to note that the tuition for this school is $57,386, and it may vary with time.
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2. CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
This school is located in New York, New York. It currently ranks No. 2 among the best schools for forensic psychology studies.
The courses covered in this school for this field are psychological assessment, forensic psychology, and family violence and victims.
This school also emphasizes practicality, giving you the chance to practice the identification of eyewitnesses and give unbiased evidence.
Furthermore, with an acceptance rate of 41%, and a graduation rate of 52%, this school can also be termed quite competitive.
In addition, this school requires you to have a GPA of 2.95 or higher and an SAT score of 980 or higher.
It would also be in your interest to note that the tuition for this school is $7,740 for in-state students and $15,420 for out-of-state students.
3. George Washington University
This school is located in Washington, District of Columbia. It currently ranks No. 3 among the best schools for forensic psychology studies.
The courses covered in this school for this field are psychology and the legal system. Also, if you seek a school that has flexible plans, then this school is a good fit.
Furthermore, with an acceptance rate of 41%, and a graduation rate of 82%, this school has produced notable forensic psychologists.
In addition, this school requires you to have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and an SAT score of 1460 or higher. You also need to note that the tuition for this school is $32,250.
4. SUNY College at Oswego
This school is located in Washington, District of Columbia. It currently ranks No. 4 among the best schools for forensic psychology studies.
The courses covered in this school include cognition and forensics, prevention and corrections, and victimization across the lifespan.
Furthermore, with an acceptance rate of 54%, and a graduation rate of 67%, this school has produced notable forensic psychologists.
In addition, this school requires you to have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and an SAT score of 1070-1240 or higher. You also need to note that the tuition for this school is $8,651 for in-state students and $18,561 for out-of-state students.
5. University of Denver
This school is located in Denver, Colorado. It currently ranks No. 5 among the best schools for forensic psychology studies.
The courses covered in this school include assessment, individual and group therapy, and consultation in legal and criminal justice settings.
Furthermore, with an acceptance rate of 59%, and a graduation rate of 77%, this school has gained ground in applied practice, which prepares students to be mental health professionals.
In addition, this school requires you to have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and an SAT score of 1650 – 1970. You also need to note that the tuition for this school is $48,594.
6. Montclair State University
This school is located in Montclair, New Jersey. It currently ranks No. 6 among the best schools for forensic psychology studies.
The courses covered in this school include psychiatry, social work, forensic assessment, criminology, etc.
Furthermore, with an acceptance rate of 76%, and a graduation rate of 67%, this school has gained ground in applied practice, which prepares students to be mental health professionals.
In addition, this school requires you to have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. You also need to note that the tuition for this school is $26,750 annually.
7. Maryville University of Saint Louis
This school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri. It currently ranks No. 7 among the best schools for forensic psychology studies.
The courses covered in this school include abnormal, social, and forensic psychology. Furthermore, with an acceptance rate of 83%, and a graduation rate of 71%, this school also has an online schooling option.
In addition, this school requires you to have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. You also need to note that the tuition for this school is $26,070 annually.
8. Corban University
This school is located in Salem, Oregon. It currently ranks No. 8 among the best schools for forensic psychology studies.
The courses covered in this school include crisis intervention strategies, and criminal justice classes covering criminology, corrections, and various criminal justice concepts.
Furthermore, with an acceptance rate of 85%, and a graduation rate of 66%, this school has gained ground in applied practice, which prepares students to be mental health professionals.
In addition, this school requires you to have a GPA of 2.9 or higher. You also need to note that the tuition for this school is $34,188 annually.
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9. Arizona State University-Downtown Phoenix
This school is located in Phoenix, Arizona. It currently ranks No. 9 among the best schools for forensic psychology studies.
The courses covered in this school include criminal mind and abnormal psychology, criminal investigations, and criminal law. Furthermore, with an acceptance rate of 82% and a graduation rate of 58%.
In addition, this school requires you to have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. You also need to note that the tuition for this school is $26,750 annually.
10. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott
This school is located in Montclair, New Jersey. It currently ranks No. 10 among the best schools for forensic psychology studies.
The courses covered in this school include psychiatry, social work, forensic assessment, criminology, etc.
Furthermore, with an acceptance rate of 82% and a graduation rate of 58%, this school has stood its ground as the best.
In addition, this school requires you to have a GPA of 3.7 or higher. You also need to note that the tuition for this school is $20,588 annually.
What are the highest paying jobs in forensic psychology?
The highest-paying job in forensic psychology is a forensic architect ($148,776). Clinical forensic psychologist ($125,685), forensic physician ($125,684), etc.
Conclusion
And as promised, you have seen the best schools for forensic psychology, what they have to offer, and their requirements.
With the above-given details, you can easily fit in and make the best of the course.
Frequently asked questions about the best schools for forensic psychology
What is the best major for forensic psychology?
The best major for forensic psychology is education for forensic psychologists.
What major is close to forensic psychology?
The majors that are close to forensic psychology include applied behavior analysis, clinical psychology, community psychology, etc.
Does forensic psychology involve math?
Yes, during your bachelor’s degree program in psychology, you will take part in math classes.
What is the difference between forensic psychology and criminal psychology?
The difference between them is the work they do. A criminal psychologist tends to analyze the alleged criminal, to understand his thoughts and motives.
While a forensic psychologist works with the external evidence that can pin the alleged criminal down, or set him free of the crime.
Where do forensic psychologists work?
Forensic psychologists work in correction facilities, hospitals, police departments, etc.
Reference
Why a doctorate degree is better for a forensic psychologist – American Psychological Association
