So you think you want a career in …
Forensic Psychology
Forensic Psychology refers broadly to the production and application of psychological knowledge to the civil and criminal justice systems. It includes such areas as police psychology, correctional psychology (including institutional and community corrections), psychology and law, victim services, and the delivery and evaluation of intervention and treatment programs for juvenile and adult offenders.
What are the best resources to learn more about this area?
These internet sites are the best place to start.
Will I need to get a degree beyond my bachelors?
Definitely. You will probably eventually need a Ph.D. (or a Psy.D. if you only plan on doing clinical work) if you hope to do the kind of work most students seek by majoring in this area. Even good schools that only offer a Masters in the area (e.g., John Jay) may be planning to have Ph.D. degrees or to affiliate with schools that do. For schools that are not too far off, check out Indiana University of Pennsylvania, which has a Masters and Ph.D. in the area. Also check out these schools that often come up whenever someone mentions graduate schools in the area: John Jay College of Criminal Justice, University of Denver, Sam Houston State, Florida International, California School of Professional Psychology--Fresno. Looking at the programs will help you see the type of course work you will take and tell you more about potential jobs.
What types of employment would I be qualified for?
If you think you are going to be a profiler or Clarice Starling in "Silence of the Lambs," don't count on it. Be sure to visit the websites below to see the types of positions available in this area, and you will see that most employers are at the local or state level. Most forensic experts work in one of two settings: (a) within the criminal justice area at the local, state, or national level, maybe in Behavioral Science divisions, although you might also be employed in a hands-on position (e.g., a police office or agent); or (b) within the mental health area, often doing competence assessments, which means you need extensive training in testing, at least a Masters and usually a Ph.D., and usually a license, and/or as a clinician, probably in a hospital or prison setting, as a police psychologist, or helping ex-prisoners return to the community (get a good grounding in anger management for any of these positions). For a career in the mental health area you will almost surely need a Ph.D. or Psy.D. and a license.
What courses should I take while at Bloomsburg University to prepare me for this career field? Should I take a minor or a concentration?
Because the first career emphasis listed above emphasizes scientific expertise, the courses required for a psychology major are useful for getting into a graduate school in forensic psychology. Courses like Statistics, the two Experimental courses, Social Psychology, Child Psychology, Psychological Tests and Measures, Cognitive Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, and Abnormal Psychology would be especially important. Doing an independent study would increase your research skills and increase your chances of getting into a graduate program in any specialty area. If you want to get a flavor for the area, doing a practicum related to the forensic area would be useful. Courses within the Criminal Justice specialty in Sociology would also help prepare you for the field. Good grades and good GRE scores are very important.
For the second area listed above, a psychology degree with an emphasis more on the clinical aspects is suggested. However, doing an independent study will get you into a clinical graduate program better than any other applied course that you can take as a capstone course. A practicum is usually rated lower in importance by graduate programs when they look at applicants. Psychological Tests and Measures is essential since you will be doing assessments if you follow this track.
For either career path, a language minor, especially in Spanish, would be a huge plus. You should also be grounded in Computer Science, especially if you choose the more experimentally-oriented path discussed above. Much of your research will involve computer use, so this skill will make you more marketable. Biology, chemistry, or physics courses might also be useful if you decide to pursue a more laboratory-related career path (see the websites below for options).
Do I need to work in the area to increase my chances of getting a "real" job in the field?
It certainly helps. Almost everyone I've talked to about the field and almost all the career preparation literature stresses the importance of working in the area at some point in your training. This doesn't just mean doing a practicum, although that may warn you off if your image of the field doesn't fit reality. Working with juvenile or adult offenders in some capacity, in a prison, or in a law enforcement position definitely helps when it comes to job searches after your graduate degree. Some people get a Masters before taking one of these jobs, and you may be better prepared and able to get a better job this way.
Within the Psychology Department, who is most knowledgeable about this area?
Dr. Leitzel and our temporary faculty member Dr. Yarnell
Interesting Internet Sites
This is a good place to start: http://flash.lakeheadu.ca/~pals/forensics/ This is a very comprehensive site, and you can also sign up to get a weekly newsletter.
Online journal/newspaper about Forensic Psychology, http://suite101.com/welcome.cfm/forensic_psychology
Justice Information Center, This has good information about the field, and it has a database of abstracts and full-length articles like PsychLIT.
Careers in Forensic Psychology, What students need to know about pursuing a career in forensic psychology. This site also provides many additional links.
Academy of Behavioral Profiling,
Forensic Psychology at PsychWatch, Here you will find organizations, schools, and interesting websites.