Online Forensic Psychology Masters

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Students exploring online master’s in forensic psychology programs will notice that many universities offer these programs. But not all programs are equal. Some are accredited, while others are not. Some programs maintain high quality while others don’t. We have researched dozens of online master’s in forensic psychology programs and created a list of the best colleges for forensic psychology. Considering all this and factors like tuition fees, graduation rates, teacher-student ratio, and online flexibility, we created the list of the best online forensics psychology master’s programs. Here is the list:

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Source – Integrated Post Secondary Education Data System & University Data
*Tuition rates are for in-state and per year. Program specific rates may apply.
**NA – data not available

Students that enroll in an Online Forensic Psychology Masters will learn the principles and concepts of legal systems, psychological aspects of the criminal justice system, and how to apply behavioral science to help legal investigations. This program enhances students’ knowledge and skills in legal investigations determining the defendant’s mental stability, creating psychological profiles, etc. This sounds exciting, but it is essential for students to fully understand the forensic psychology master’s programs before diving in. This section will break down the program and all aspects of the online master’s in forensic programs.

Degree Types in Masters in Forensic Psychology Programs

Some universities offer an online master’s in forensic psychology as a concentration within their criminal justice programs while offering the same program as a concentration in their psychology programs. Forensic Psychology stands at crossroads between criminal justice and psychology. There is not much of a difference between either of the above concentrations. A Master’s degree in forensics psychology program is mainly offered in two formats. 

• MS in Forensic Psychology – Master of Science in Forensic Psychology
• MA in Forensic Psychology – Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology

While there isn’t much of a difference between both formats, some universities enforce a thesis option for the MS format. An MA in Forensic Psychology does not come with a thesis option. 

Curriculum and Skills Gained in Masters in Forensic Psychology Program

With the advent of technology, how criminal justice investigations have been conducted has also changed rapidly. This led to immense growth and change in Forensic Psychology as well. Universities that offer a master’s program in forensic psychology have been adopting these changes, and the curricula have also been changed to fit into modern forensic psychology. While the forensic psychology curriculum varies from university to university, many common courses are common between various universities. Here are a few forensic psychology courses that students can expect to come across in their online masters in forensic psychology degrees:

• The intersection of Law and Psychology
• Psychology in the Courtroom
• Forensic Psychology basics
• Cognitive Processes
• Personality Traits
• Ethical Forensic Psychology
• Capstone 

Apart from learning the ins and outs about forensic psychology, students will also learn and improve the following skills in online forensic psychology master’s programs:

Communication SkillsForensic psychologists are in continuous conversation with criminal defendants, patients, law enforcement personnel, etc. Students will learn and adopt various communication styles to fit this need and need to change the communication style depending on the situation. 

Critical Thinking Forensic Psychologists are expected to do critical thinking depending on the situation, interpret the circumstances, and provide analysis to law enforcement personnel. So, students will be trained and tested for critical thinking.

One of the most important questions that students have today is – how to pay for higher education. With rising tuition costs, this question has become central. Forensic psychology master’s programs are no different from other higher educational degrees in tuition fees. There are several ways students can fund their online masters in forensic psychology programs. Here are some of them:

Students looking to search for free online master’s programs in forensic psychology needs to know that there aren’t any accredited programs that are free. However, many free forensic psychology programs are available online. Reputable institutions offer these free online forensic psychology courses. These courses are from taken previous years’ forensic master’s programs and are offered now for free. Here are some of those free forensic psychology courses.

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers many online forensic psychology courses through its MIT Courseware program. MIT’s courses are Introduction to Psychology, The society of Mind, Neuroscience and Brain, Social Psychology, etc.
• Johns Hopkins University – Johns Hopkins offers many previous years’ courses online for free through its Open Courseware program. Some of the programs they offer are Statistics in Psychology Research Management, Psychiatric Epidemiology, Introduction to Mental Health and Disaster, etc. 
• Yale University – Yale University offers many online free courses from its previous years’ curricula through its Open Yale program.

Most universities’ admission requirements that offer online master’s in forensic psychology programs include standardized test scores like a GRE test. Students and professionals looking to get admission to the programs to prepare for, take the GRE and report their scores. Here is the best GRE prep guide that will help students prepare and get a good GRE score. However, many universities are moving towards waiving or dropping the GRE requirement from their admission requirements. This is because of the increasing belief that standardized test scores are not a true reflection of students’ ability to pursue and graduate online master’s programs. Here are a few universities that offer online forensic psychology masters, no GRE programs:

• Southern New Hampshire University
• North Central University
• University of North Dakota

Certificates and licenses are essential for forensic psychology professionals. Licensure is a mandatory requirement to pursue psychology practice. And having certifications enhances the reputation of the professionals and sends a signal about the depth of understanding to potential employers. Here are some certifications for forensic psychology professionals:

• Certified Cognitive-Behavioral Therapist
• American Board of Professional Psychology
• American Board of Professional Neuropsychology

It is essential to understand that different states have different licensing requirements before starting the work as a Psychologist. Most experts recommend a doctoral degree, an internship, and 1-2 years of supervised work experience before getting any licensure. If you hold a psychology master’s degree, it does not mean that you hold eligibility for earning licensure. You may have to work under a licensed professional for a while before you apply for the license. The American Board of Professional Psychology issues 15 different certifications in this discipline to the master’s students. Though it may not be required to prove that you are a psychologist, several institutions may require such certificates. 

An Online Master’s in Forensic Psychology will open a lot of career opportunities for students. Forensic Psychologists use psychological principles in the legal and criminal justice system to help judges, attorneys, and other legal specialists understand the psychological aspects of a particular case. They often testify in court as expert witnesses. They typically specialize in family, civil, or criminal casework. The main career path for forensic psychology students is in the criminal justice system. Forensic Psychology professionals can expect to work in victim advocacy groups, law enforcement, jury liaison, etc. Here are some career titles that students pursuing forensic psychology can expect to have after graduation: 

Jury Consultant

Mental Health Expert

Correctional Treatment Specialist

Law Enforcement Officer

Mental Health Counselor

Research Assistant

Source: BLS

Getting an online master’s in forensic psychology will certainly help the career aspirations of students. But it is also important for students to associate themselves with associations, agencies, professional bodies to stay in touch with the forensic psychology world. These groups will help students network with fellow professionals, open up career opportunities, keep students up to date with licensing requirements or changes, and provide access to the knowledge base. Here are a few resources that students should associate with:

• American Psychological Association: APA is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 121,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students as its members. 
• Association for Psychological Science:  Association for Psychological Science is the leading international organization dedicated to scientific psychology across various disciplines. 
• National Association of School Psychologists: The National Association of School Psychologists, commonly known as NASP, represents more than 25000 graduates, psychological students, and related professionals across the United States. 
• Society of Psychologists in Management:  Society of Psychologists in Management is a professional society of Psychologists who work as executives. This is a great organization for students for networking and professional growth.