Online Master’s in Forensic Psychology Degree Programs
Criminal profiling, jury selection, and conducting research into the behavioral and psychosocial causes of violence and criminality are the focus of forensic psychology. However, the tools of psychology have broad applications throughout the legal and criminal justice systems. The American Psychological Association (APA) defines forensic psychology in its Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists as “professional practice by any psychologist working within any sub-discipline of psychology (e.g., clinical, developmental, social, cognitive) when applying the scientific, technical, or specialized knowledge of psychology to the law to assist in addressing legal, contractual, and administrative matters.”
While clinical practice in many of these areas is restricted to licensed psychologists who hold a doctoral degree, there are many non-clinical roles for those who have academic training in the theories and methods of forensic psychology. Online master’s in forensic psychology programs are one way for students who hold a bachelor’s degree to receive the training and instruction required to begin work in the field of forensic psychology and/or proceed toward an eventual doctoral degree in psychology.
What Is a Master’s in Forensic Psychology Degree
A master’s degree in forensic psychology is a graduate degree conferred by an academic program that provides advanced training and instruction in the theories, methods, and practices of forensic psychology. This includes Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Science (MS) in Forensic Psychology degree programs, as well as master’s in psychology and master’s in criminal justice degree programs that have a designated specialization or concentration in forensic psychology. These programs are characterized by a curriculum that combines foundational instruction in general psychological principles and research methods with specialized coursework in the law, criminology, and the role of psychology in the criminal justice system.
Online Master’s Forensic Psychology Programs
Online forensic psychology master’s degree programs represent an alternative to traditional, campus-based programs, providing students with a way to earn a master’s degree in forensic psychology without having to commute to a college or university. Online programs offer all or most of their instruction via distance-learning technologies, allowing students to access lectures and other course materials through a secure Internet connection. Students in these programs view live and/or pre-recorded lectures, participate in online discussion groups, and complete various types of assignments and exams through a program’s learning management system (LMS), the generic term for online instructional platforms. Online programs give students who do not live near a school that offers a master’s in forensic psychology program the opportunity to earn a graduate degree without having to relocate.
How OnlineEducation.com Classifies Online Master’s in Forensic Psychology Programs
OnlineEducation.com researches master’s in forensic psychology degree programs and identifies programs that offer all or most of their coursework online. Programs that require students to attend more than two campus visits per year are considered hybrid programs are not currently listed on the site. In addition, to be listed on the site a program must be offered by a regionally accredited, non-profit college or university. Finally, programs that are classified as online master’s in forensic psychology programs must provide training and instruction in the core theories, principles, and methods of forensic psychology and include coursework in the application of psychology to matters involving the law and the criminal justice system.
What Students Learn in Online Master’s in Forensic Psychology Programs
Students in a master’s in forensic psychology program learn to apply accepted psychological theories and methods to various functions within the legal and criminal justice systems, including forensic investigations, civil and criminal proceedings, and research into the causes and effects of crime and violence. Typically, this involves taking courses in psychology, legal procedures, and criminal justice policy, studying the legal and ethical issues surrounding the use of psychology to better understand, address, and deter criminal behavior, and learning about specific aspects of the justice system, such as policing, sentencing policies, incarceration, and criminal rehabilitation.
Online master’s in forensic psychology programs may also include courses in special topics such as criminal profiling, police psychology, victimology, and the standards for mental competence in criminal prosecutions. Some programs culminate in an applied research or capstone project that challenges students to examine a specific problem or issue in the field of forensic psychology.
Online Master’s in Forensic Psychology Program Courses
The table below draws on research into actual online master’s in forensic psychology program curricula and provides a representative overview of the types of courses these programs typically offer. It is important to note that course names and descriptions vary by program.
| Course Title | Course Description |
|---|---|
| Introduction to Forensic Psychology & the Legal System | An overview of psychology’s role in the legal system, including civil and criminal proceedings and various types of forensic investigations. |
| Fundamentals of Forensic Psychology | Applications of psychological research and methods in forensic science, including the use of psychological theories to understand criminal behavior, assess various mental states in the context of legal requirements for competency, and interpret witness testimony. |
| Forensic Psychology Research Methods | Experimental design and the ethical conduct and scientific interpretation of research in the field of forensic psychology with a focus on causal inference, statistical analysis, and data reliability. |
| Psychology in the Courtroom | Contemporary topics in forensic psychology, including the legal admissibility of psychological evidence, expert testimony in the courts, the insanity defense, and abuse syndromes. |
| Psychology & Criminal Behavior | An in-depth consideration of the causes and effects of criminality and violence with a focus on the biological, cognitive, behavioral, developmental, and psychosocial aspects of crime. |
| Behavioral Criminology | The psychologist’s role in investigating and solving crimes using theories of criminal behavior, criminal profiling, and other behavior science methods. |
| Psychopathology & the Law | An examination of psychological disorders, their developmental, biological, and social causations, and the legal implications of psychological diagnoses. |
| Psychology, Public Policy, & the Law | An overview of the American criminal justice system, the legislative process, justice reform, crime deterrence, incarceration, and other legal policy issues from a psychologist’s perspective. |
| Clinical Forensic Psychology | Ethical and procedural concerns in the practice of clinical forensic psychology, including the conduct of formal interviews and the use of psychotherapy in the context of criminal investigations and legal proceedings. |
| Psychology of Law Enforcement | An examination of police behavior and policing with a focus on the impacts of stress, anxiety, trauma, and other psychological factors. |
Online Master’s in Forensic Psychology Program Admissions
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is the baseline requirement for admissions to most online master’s in forensic psychology programs. Additional eligibility requirements vary by program. Some programs may prefer or require candidates with a minimum undergraduate GPA or 3.0 or higher, and some programs may have one or more college-level prerequisites that applicants are expected to have completed, such as an introduction to psychology course. Some programs may also give preference to applicants with an undergraduate degree in psychology, criminal justice, or a related field.
As part of the application process, candidates may be required to submit materials in addition to undergraduate transcripts. These materials may include: standardized admissions test scores (typically the GRE); two or three letters of recommendation; an up-do-date resume or CV; a personal goals statement; and/or answers to one or more essay questions. Potential applicants to online master’s in forensic psychology programs should research admissions policies carefully prior to submitting an application in order to determine their eligibility and to ensure that they submit all required materials.
Online Master’s in Forensic Psychology Program Formats
There are several significant variations in the structure and format of online master’s programs that may be an important consideration for those considering an online master’s in forensic psychology program. For example, there are two different methods for delivering online classes/lectures: synchronous instruction and asynchronous instruction. These methods of online instruction can impact the relative convenience and flexibility of a program, as can enrollment options and required campus visits. Each of these factors is discussed separately in the sections below.
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Instruction: These are the classifications for the two primary methods of instruction used in online degree programs. Synchronous instruction takes place in real-time and involves the live streaming of lectures and virtual class sessions. Students in programs that utilize synchronous instruction must be prepared to log on to a program’s LMS at designated times in order to view and participate in regularly scheduled classes (which are typically held in the evening or on weekends). In contrast, asynchronous instruction has no scheduled class times. Instead, students are provided with on-demand access to pre-recorded lectures and discussion boards through a program’s LMS and are responsible for completing assignments based on course syllabi.
For students whose learning style aligns with the structure provided by regularly scheduled class sessions, programs that utilize synchronous instruction may be the preferable option. Students who want greater flexibility in terms of when they complete schoolwork and who have the self-discipline to manage assignments in the absence of scheduled weekly lectures may prefer a program that primarily or exclusively utilizes asynchronous instruction.
Full-Time vs. Part-Time Enrollment: The difference between full-time and part-time enrollment varies by program and some programs offer flexible enrollment plans that allow students to take as many or as few courses per term as their schedule will allow within certain bounds. As a general rule, students who enroll full-time in an online master’s in forensic psychology program should expect to devote up to 40 hours per week on coursework. This typically equates to three or four courses per semester and leads to graduating in roughly two years. Part-time students take fewer courses per semester (usually one or two) and may take three or more years to earn their degree.
Some online master’s in forensic psychology programs utilize alternatives to the traditional 15-week academic semester, offering courses quarterly, or during eight-week or ten-week modules. Full-time students in a program with an alternate academic calendar may be able to graduate in less than two years by taking several courses per term. Students in an online program with this type of structure may be able to take just one accelerated course per term and still graduate in approximately two years.
Campus Visits: While many online master’s in forensic psychology programs offer all of their coursework online and do not require students to attend any campus visits, some programs incorporate a limited number of required, on-campus sessions as part of their curriculum. Campus visits, sometimes referred to as residencies, intensives, or immersion sessions, may be used for in-person orientations, workshops, seminars, and other learning experiences. These sessions are typically two to three days to a week in length, and they give students a chance to meet with instructors and interact with classmates. However, campus visits require travel and students may incur additional expenses that are not included in a program’s tuition and fees in order to attend a campus residency.
Potential applicants to online master’s in forensic psychology programs should be aware that some programs require campus visits and should therefore check with a program administrator prior to submitting an application to determine if a program requires any in-person instruction. Programs listed on OnlineEducation.com do not require students to attend more than two campus visits per year.