Program Description
The Chicago School's forensic psychology master's program teaches students to apply the art and science of psychology within the legal system and related fields. Students have the opportunity to obtain valuable real-world training opportunities. Housed in the heart of our nation's capitol, the D.C. Campus is well-positioned to take advantage of its location to prepare students to work with the federal criminal justice and security systems.
Graduates may work with individuals residing in correctional institutions, psychiatric facilities, or community-based agencies, or they may work with the court system, the federal criminal justice and security systems, or victimized or traumatized populations. In these settings, they may provide psychotherapy and other services to help minimize or eliminate the psychiatric symptoms that led to their patients' criminal acts. Students learn to help perform assessments, interventions, and treatment planning for various problems and populations, and are prepared to work in legal and public policy arenas in an ethical, academically informed, and research-based manner.
The M.A. in Forensic Psychology is designed in accordance with licensure requirements in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware and can be adjusted to conform with the requirements for licensure in other nearby states in the region.
Department
Forensic Psychology
Concentrations
Licensure
The M.A. in Forensic Psychology is designed in accordance with licensure requirements in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware and can be adjusted to conform with the requirements for licensure in other nearby states in the region.
Total Credits
60
Fieldwork Requirements
700 hours over 9-12 months
Sample Courses
Forensic Mediation and Dispute Resolution
Focuses on emerging issues in mediation and mediation techniques for managing conflict. Dispute resolution techniques are also a strong focus of this course.
Hostage Negotiations
Examines strategies for negotiating a critical incident, understanding and managing the critical incident, and communication techniques, as well as understanding perpetrators, stress and stress management, and the Stockholm syndrome within a hostage situation. In addition, students gain an understanding of crisis negotiation, debriefing, hostage-taker demands, and the effects of time on a situation.
Evaluation and Treatment of the Juvenile Offender
Addresses the classification, assessment, and treatment of the juvenile offender. Various factors contributing to juvenile delinquency and empirically-based treatment approaches are discussed. Legal and institutional responses to juvenile crime are analyzed, and the role of the forensic clinician in the juvenile justice system is discussed utilizing case material. Case lectures and discussions, case examples, and video presentations are used to illustrate key concepts.
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