February 8, 2012 By
Patricia Zapf
al
t=”" width=”200″ height=”150″ />After having reviewed the five fully online masters programs in forensic psychology, numerous requests were received for more information on the campus-based masters programs in forensic psychology that are available. Thus, this series of articles will review each of the masters programs in forensic psychology and provide information on each program in a similar format so as to assist in comparisons between the various options.
The goal of this series of articles is simply to provide information in a consistent format to assist those individuals who are considering an education in forensic psychology and not to convince anyone to attend a particular program. Having been a professor in this field for the last 13 years I am familiar at some level with almost every forensic psychology program available in North America. Many undergraduate students are not familiar with all the possible options and so this series will lay them out in a consistent format for ease of comparison.
Masters Degree in Forensic Psychology –University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Program Description
From the website: The Law-Psychology Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is one of the leading centers for education and research in the interdisciplinary study of law and psychology. In existence since 1974, our program trains scholars who are engaged in basic and applied research and writing on psychosocial issues and problems related to the law. The Department of Psychology and the College of Law jointly sponsor the program, which is the world’s oldest ongoing integrated program in psycholegal studies. It remains unusual in the breadth of training with students specializing in virtually any area of psycholegal studies. Law-psychology faculty and students focus their studies in traditionally important psycholegal areas such as jury decision-making, eyewitness memory, children’s decision-making, distributive and procedural justice, domestic violence, criminal responsibility, juvenile justice, the admissibility of scientific evidence in litigation, and so on. They also work on less-studied topics, such as tax compliance, altruistic behavior, child support, death penalty issues, sexual harassment, workplace discrimination, mental health, financial literacy, bankruptcy, alternative dispute resolution, health care policy issues, and elder law.
The Law-Psychology Program offers interdisciplinary training in psychology and law. The Program specializes in training scholars who will be able to apply psychology and other social and behavioral sciences to analyses of empirical questions in law and policy. Students in the program study and apply theory and research from social, cognitive, clinical, and developmental psychology to problems of law and policy. The Law-Psychology program trains researchers and professionals to identify and evaluate the psychological assumptions underlying laws and court decisions and to apply their psycholegal expertise to improve understanding of the operation of law in our society.
Graduates of the program work in universities, research or public interest organizations, or in local, state or federal government. Graduates go on to take positions in a variety of settings specializing in diverse tasks and problems. For example, recent graduates work in universities (i.e. John Jay College, Florida International University, University of Nevada, and Carelton University), research or public interest organizations, law firms, jury consulting organizations, and the courts. Faculty and graduate students regularly consult with government and private agencies applying psycholegal scholarship to problems of law in everyday life.
The JD/MA Track
The J.D./M.A. track is for students who wish to be legal practitioners but who also desire to obtain a strong background in psychology or social science methods. It provides sufficient background in interdisciplinary studies, social science methods, and psychological knowledge to permit thorough evaluation of psychological research and practice and interdisciplinary collaboration in policy formation or implementation. In addition to interdisciplinary courses, J.D./M.A. students take courses designed to provide an overview of psychological research, theory and methods. In the first year, students take the same Law College curriculum as the rest of the first year law students. During subsequent years, students take courses from both the Law College and the Psychology Department tailored for their individual programs. Most students will complete the program in about four years and the M.A. degree is presumed to be terminal.
Credits
The program is a 4-year program, with the first year being completed at the Law School. The website does not easily delineate the number of credit hours required form this joint MA/JD program.
Thesis
Students are required to complete a thesis in this program.
Externship/Practicum
The focus of the MA/JD joint degree is on research; therefore a clinical externship is not part of the program requirements. It does appear, however, that supervised fieldwork in law and psychology is available; this fieldwork would emphasize the integration of legal analysis and psychological research in the formulation or implementation of public policy.
Admission Requirements
From the website: Applicants are required to have the following:
- B.A. or B.S. degree with a major in psychology (see below if you are a non-psychology major)
- Laboratory course in experimental psychology
- Undergraduate course in statistics
- Typically a grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale (see below if your GPA is below 3.5)
- GRE scores (Verbal, Quantitative, Written)
- GRE Subject Test is recommended if not a psychology major
- LSAT, if applying for a JD
Applicants to the Law and Psychology program must also submit a law school application to the UNL College of Law.
Tuition & Fees
Tuition and fees at UNL vary by College, which means that the tuition is most likely different for the law school classes and the psychology classes. Interested students should call the program for more detailed information.
In-State Residents
$236-$380 per credit hour
Out-of-State Residents
$275 – $978 per credit hour
Coursework
The coursework for the joint MA/JD degree is not easily set out on the program website. The first year is taken in the Law School along with the rest of the incoming law class. The subsequent 3 years are a mix of law and psychology courses. Students who are interested in this joint MA/JD program are advised to contact the program directly for more specific information.
Law and Psychology Courses
- 985. Law and Behavioral Science (LAW 762G) (1-4 cr)
- 988. Mental Health Law (LAW 763G) (1-4 cr)
- 989. Topics in Law and Psychology I (LAW 764G) (1-4 cr per sem)
- 989. Topics in Law and Psychology II (LAW 765G) (1-4 cr per sem)
- 995. Psycholegal Research Other than Thesis I (LAW 757G) (3-6 cr)
- 995. Psycholegal Research Other than Thesis II (LAW 758G) (3-6 cr)
- 998. Practicum in Law and Psychology (3 cr per sem, max 6) Prereq: Full graduate standing in Law/Psychology Graduate Training Program or permission of the director of the Law/Psychology Program.
Concluding Comments
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has one of the longest standing and well-recognized Law and Psychology graduate programs. The majority of the students admitted to UNL are admitted to the doctoral degree programs. They do offer a joint MA/JD program for those students not interested in doctoral-level education. This program has a strong emphasis on research and prepares students to be legal practitioners with specific knowledge in psychology and social science methods. The Masters program is terminal, meaning that students do not typically do on to doctoral-level training within the same program. Students who desire a doctoral-level degree are encouraged to consider the doctoral programs at UNL.
January 30, 2012 By
Patricia Zapf
” width=”234″ height=”216″ />After having reviewed the five fully online masters programs in forensic psychology, numerous requests were received for more information on the campus-based masters programs in forensic psychology that are available. Thus, this series of articles will review each of the masters programs in forensic psychology and provide information on each program in a similar format so as to assist in comparisons between the various options.
The goal of this series of articles is simply to provide information in a consistent format to assist those individuals who are considering an education in forensic psychology and not to convince anyone to attend a particular program. Having been a professor in this field for the last 13 years I am familiar at some level with almost every forensic psychology program available in North America. Many undergraduate students are not familiar with all the possible options and so this series will lay them out in a consistent format for ease of comparison.
Masters Degree in Forensic Psychology –University of North Dakota
Program Description
There are two masters degree programs in forensic psychology offered by the University of North Dakota, a Science-based program (M.S.) and an Arts-based program (M.A.) From the website: 1) Master’s of Science (M.S.). In the U.S. forensic graduates obtain master’s-level psychology jobs in agencies and institutions such as prisons, juvenile facilities, social service agencies, police departments, child care agencies, probation, parole, family court, addiction services, hospitals, and community mental health centers. Some students get jobs as forensic researchers doing studies and evaluations of at-risk populations. A few graduates will be accepted in federal law enforcement agencies after earning the Master’s degree. You would expect to see forensic graduates working in the following areas: secure forensic units in state facilities, jails/prisons, probation services, court service units, community mental health centers, protective services, violence risk assessment, specialized agencies (i.e. child advocacy centers), law enforcement, and trial consulting. The M.S. degree in forensic psychology will also allow some students to advance to doctoral programs in forensic psychology, forensic science, and law school. Students in the M.S. Forensic Psychology Program at UND are required to attend classes on campus and complete 44 credits of study. This includes 26 credits of required course work, 12 credits of elective courses, and a minimum of 6 credit hours for thesis work.
2) Master’s of Arts (M.A.). The Department of Psychology, in conjunction with the Division of Continuing Education, has designed an online forensic psychology program targeted for working professionals. The M.A. Forensic Psychology program is the first to be offered online by a nationally recognized, fully accredited university. Through the 34-credit M.A. program, students will learn how to provide the psychological expertise and knowledge needed by the legal community and agencies having a strong forensic focus. Students in the program will likely be in-service professionals, such as law enforcement personnel, who want to further their career as well as those with a behavioral or social science background, such as counselors or social workers, who are interested in applying psychology to their work involving forensic issues.
The online Master’s degree is described elsewhere. The M.S. in Forensic Psychology is described below.
Specializations
The Masters in Forensic Psychology does not appear to have formal specializations, but allows for an individualized program of study by allowing students to choose from a number of electives (minimum of 12 credits/4 courses).
Credits
The program consists of 44 credits, which include 26 credits of required coursework, 12 credits of elective coursework, and 6 credits of thesis work.
Thesis
Students are required to complete a thesis in this program. The thesis is worth 6 credits of the 44 required credits for this program.
Externship/Practicum
Although the required coursework includes a 2-credit course in Supervised Field Work, it does not appear that this would be a clinical placement, but rather, would include placement at various settings where research would be the primary focus of the fieldwork.
Admission Requirements
From the website: Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a behavioral or social science major allied with psychology, e.g., psychology, criminal justice, sociology, counseling, social work. Applicants must submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination, including the Advanced Examination in Psychology. Advanced students who have earned, or will earn, a graduate degree in psychology, counseling, social work, sociology, any related behavioral science can also apply. Applicants must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or above, or a graduate GPA > 3.75; an analytic GRE writing test score > 2.5; and Verbal & Quantitative GRE scores must both equal or exceed the 30th percentile. Applicant must also submit three letters of recommendation, academic transcripts, and an essay. Applicants not meeting these standards may be admitted on a provisional basis with continued enrollment contingent on successful performance in the program. A 250-300 words essay discussing reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in forensic psychology is required as part of the admissions material to be submitted. Three letters of recommendation from those who can comment on the applicant’s academic abilities are also required. Consideration will be given for experience working in forensic areas or participating in research as an assistant prior to the program application.
Tuition & Fees
The University of North Dakota’s website presents tuition averages for a full year of study (Fall & Spring semesters). Discounted tuition rates are given to Western Exchange States, which include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
In-State Residents
$7,531 per year (the Masters degree appears to be a 2-year program)
Out-of-State Residents
$17,938 for the first year (the Masters degree is a 2-year program; it appears that the ongoing tuition after the first year is at the rate of $10,647/year).
Coursework
Required Core Classes (32 credits)
• Psy 520 – Foundations of Forensic Psychology (3cr)
• Psy 521 – Diversity Psychology (3cr)
• Psy 524 – Psychology & Law (3cr)
• Psy 541 – Advanced Univariate Statistics (3cr)
• Psy 542 – Multivariate Analysis (3cr)
• Psy 543 – Experimental Design (3cr)
• Psy 575 – Behavior Pathology (3cr)
• Psy 587 – Supervised Field Work (2cr)
• Psy 593 – Readings in Psychology (3cr)
• Psy 998 – Thesis (6-9cr)
Elective Courses (12 credits)
Choose four of the following:
• Psy 501 – Psychological Foundations of Education (3cr)
• Psy 526 – Psychological Profiling & Criminal Behavior (3cr)
• Psy 539 – Cognitive Psychology (3cr)
• Psy 560 – Advanced Social Psychology (3cr)
• Psy 572 – Community Psychology (3cr)
• Psy 576 – Child Psychopathology & Treatment (3cr)
• Psy 594 – Special Topics: Conflict Management (3cr)
• Psy 594 – Special Topics: Neuropsychology (3cr)
• Psy 594 – Special Topics: Psychopharmocology (3cr)
• CJ 515 – Human Nature & Crime (3cr)
• CJ 535 – Seminar in Juvenile Justice (3cr)
• CJ 565 – Victimology (3cr)
Concluding Comments
This program is a research-based program that provides the necessary foundation for those students interested in research careers or in further study in psychology at the doctoral level. There are a good number of electives from which to choose so that students may personalize the coursework to fit their interests. The coursework does not appear to be intended to prepare master’s level clinicians and so students interested in becoming master’s level clinicians should consider either the online M.A. in Forensic Psychology offered by the University of North Dakota or another master program. This is one of the few master’s program that prepares students for research careers or further study at the doctoral level.
