If you'd like to learn how to become a forensic psychologist, this article will guide you through the requirements as well as career pathways and salary information.
What Do Forensic Psychologists Do?
Forensic Psychology is not only a branch of Forensic Science, but it is where psychology and criminal justice meet. A Forensic Psychologist must be able to understand and relate to legal language and understand how the judiciary system works in order to have credibility in the court of law. Often your evaluations, reports, evaluation of whether a criminal is mentally fit for trial, your sentencing recommendations, assessing whether the suspect would carry out another offense once released, or even your testimony as an expert witness may be needed in a court of law. You may also work with child witnesses, evlauate abuse, and other legal proceedings dealing with custody following cases of abuse or a divorce.
A Forensic Psychologist can be trained in clinical, social, organizational or any other branch of psychology, and once the knowledge is applied in legal preceedings, it becomes forensic psychology.
Source: www.degreetree.com
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A friend of mine wanted to go into forensic psychology when she was an undergraduate, but got a rude awakening when she found the field has almost no jobs available in any given year (like, maybe a dozen openings a year across the entire country). You'd have an easier time finding a job teaching social studies.
With some graduate training in clinical psychology, you might be able to go into practice in the military or the prison system. I'm not sure how the prison system openings are looking at the moment, but the military is usually looking for more.
Take general psych in undergraduate school with a course in forensic psych if it is offered. For a career in this field you need a doctorate, probably a Ph.D., possibly a Psy.D. You can concentrate on the forensic area in your doctoral work after you have met the basic doctoral course requirements.
To earn a degree in forensic psychology, you'll have to go to college! Text location for local schools