Forensic Psychologists apply the art and science of psychology within the legal system and related fields. Many work with individuals residing in correctional institutions, psychiatric facilities, or community-based agencies, where they conduct diagnostic and risk assessments to determine whether their patients are at risk of re-offending, and provide psychotherapy and other services to help minimize or eliminate the psychiatric symptoms that led to their patients’ criminal acts.

Other Forensic Psychologists work in the court system as jury consultants (advising attorneys on jury selection and trial strategy) or as expert witnesses (testifying about defendants’ mental states at the time they committed their crimes, as well as their competency to stand trial).

Still other Forensic Psychologists work primarily with victimized or at-risk populations such as inner-city youth, victims of sexual / domestic abuse, trauma survivors, substance abusers, the chronically mentally ill, and others. They provide assessments, counseling, case management, advocacy, and other services to help their clients cope with the mental and emotional effects of traumatic experiences, overcome addictions, make more positive life choices, and more.

Forensic psychology is one of the fastest growing areas of psychology and practitioners find work in an ever-expanding range of settings—including child welfare agencies, forensic units in state mental health facilities, jails and prisons, community mental health centers, juvenile correctional facilities, government agencies, family courts, and private practice.

Psy.D. in Clinical Forensic Psychology

• Offered in Los Angeles
• Four to five years full time (Program offered in a convenient format—classes every other weekend—to meet the needs of working professionals and those with family commitments)
• Program integrates the eight core competencies informed by the educational model of the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP), helping prepare students to sit for the national licensure exam in clinical psychology.
• Students may tailor their coursework to meet particular educational and professional goals and enjoy opportunities to do empirical and applied research within forensic settings and populations.
• Students gain applied experience in the classroom and through a range of service-learning opportunities in the Los Angeles community.
• Students gain specialized knowledge in the principles and practices of forensic psychology. Graduates are equipped with advanced clinical skills that can be applied to law and many legal settings. Graduates are prepared to conduct research and assessments, complete treatment planning for various disorders and populations, provide interventions and treatments, perform risk assessments, and serve as head practitioners and senior administrators in both educational and forensic settings.
  

M.A. in Forensic Psychology

• Offered in Chicago and Los Angeles
• Two years full time or up to four years part time (Los Angeles program offered in a flexible format convenient for working professionals).
• Internship placement rates typically exceed 95% for students enrolled in the Forensic program licensure track.
• Chicago campus program prepares licensure track students to sit for the professional counselor licensure exams in Illinois (LPC and LCPC).
• Students may tailor their coursework to meet particular educational and professional goals and may choose from concentrations in child protection, sex offenders, or corrections.
• Students 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 provides students powerful service-learning opportunities that prepare them to be competent and civically engaged forensic mental health practitioners. 
• Students benefit from a range of applied 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.
• Graduates are able to perform assessments, interventions, and treatment planning for various problems and populations—preparing them to work in legal and public policy arenas in an ethical, academically informed, and research-based manner.
  

Our M.A. in Applied Forensic Psychology Services

• Offered online
• Completed in as little as 20 months (offered in a flexible format convenient for working professionals)
• Designed for students who wish to advance their current careers by learning strategies that positively affect human behavior and how to apply those skills within a wide range of contexts, from local police precincts to child welfare agencies.
• Students enjoy opportunities to do empirical and applied research within forensic settings, and gain knowledge of psychology and mental health, as well as the technical skills necessary to perform risk assessments, interventions, and treatment planning within a range of settings and populations.

Certificate in Applied Forensics

• Offered online
• Completed in as little as five months. (Offered in a flexible format convenient for working professionals)
•  Specifically tailored to working professionals who wish to deepen their understanding of forensic psychology and strengthen their ability to apply that knowledge to their current professional challenges
• Students may apply their certificate credits toward earning a master’s degree in Forensic Psychology.