M.A. in Forensic Psychology, Child Protection Concentration

Program Description

Students in the Child Protection concentration within the Licensure Track of the M.A. Forensic program learn about child maltreatment and trauma, as well as engage in the application of empirically-based treatments with children and families involved with a state agency. Students select a two-course sequence (i.e., Theoretical and Clinical Application of Empirically Based Treatment I and II) and will gain a mastery of forensic psychology, enabling them to bring psychology into the legal and public policy arenas in an ethical, academically informed, and research-based manner.

Chicago Campus students in the M.A. Forensic program gain hands-on experience at The Chicago School Forensic Center, which provides high-quality forensic psychological services and programming (such as evidence-based interventions, policy advocacy, and program development) to improve the health and well-being of individuals within diverse communities.

Through a range of community partnerships, the center gives students powerful service-learning opportunities that prepare them to be competent and civically engaged forensic mental health practitioners. Internship placement rates typically exceed 95% for students enrolled in the Forensic program licensure track. The Chicago School offers students a wide range of applied forensic psychology learning experiences rarely available at other schools, such as providing expert witness testimony in front of practicing judges and attorneys during a realistic mock trial experience, participating in a hostage negotiation simulation, or providing Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) to families involved with the juvenile court system.

Students pursuing the forensic psychology master's degree may tailor their coursework to meet particular educational and professional goals and may choose from forensic psychology concentrations in child protection, sex offenders, or corrections. The program prepares licensure track students to sit for the professional counselor licensure exams in Illinois (LPC and LCPC).

Department

Concentrations

Licensure

Total Credits

Fieldwork Requirements

Degree

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution

Coursework

• A course in Psychology, with a grade earned of C or better
• A course in Statistics, with a grade earned of C or better
• A course in Research Methods, with a grade earned of C or better

Additional

• N/A

Admission Requirements

• Forensic Psychology Requirements

GRE Requirements

Sample Courses

Violence and Risk Assessment

Provides students with the fundamental aspects of conducting violence and risk assessment evaluations and the manner in which opinions are communicated. Students gain an understanding of empirically-based risk factors and assessment tools used to conduct violence and risk evaluations, as well as management strategies employed to ameliorate risk/risk conditions. Practical exercises drawn from actual cases are used to illustrate key concepts.

Theoretical and Clinical Application of Empirically Based Treatment

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Faculty

• 
  Laura Benton Program Faculty
  Forensic Psychology
  Associate Professor Forensic Program
• Kendell Coker

  Department Faculty
  Forensic Psychology

  Forensic Program
• 
  Michael Fogel

  Department Faculty
  Forensic Psychology
  Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Psychology

  Forensic Program
• 
  Evan Harrington

  Forensic Psychology
  Associate Professor
   

  Forensic Program
• 
  Michelle Hoy-Watkins Department Faculty -Forensic Psychology
  Chair of the Forensic Department Forensic Program
• 
  Jim Iaccino Department Faculty
  Forensic Psychology
  Associate Professor
  
  Forensic Program
• Erika Liljedahl Forensic Program
• 
  Perry Meyers Department Faculty
  Forensic Psychology
  Associate Professor Forensic Program
• Kelly Neville Forensic Program
• 
  Darlene Perry

  Department Faculty
  Forensic Psychology
  Executive Director, The Forensic Center

  Forensic Program
• 
  Wendy Schiffman Department Faculty
  Forensic Psychology
  Assistant Professor
  Associate Chair Forensic Program
• Casey Sharpe Department Faculty
  Forensic Forensic Program
• 
  Nancy Zarse Department Faculty
  Forensic Psychology
  Associate Professor Forensic Program