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Forensic Psychology

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Forensic Psychology with Clinical Mental Health Counseling Option (M.A./M.A.)

Forensic Psychology (M.A.)

This program provides graduates with the skills and knowledge they need to provide effective, high-quality services in a variety of forensic settings. These include probation and parole, victim assistance, law enforcement, intelligence, trial consultation, policy, and advocacy. To accomplish this goal, the program balances traditional psychological knowledge and skills with a specialized understanding of the criminal justice and legal systems.

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to

think and write critically about issues in forensic psychology and deliver conclusions in an effective oral presentation;
discriminate between the various types of criminal behaviors;
examine justice and legal issues via various lenses, including, but not limited to, social psychology, neuropsychology, abnormal psychology, developmental psychology and sociology;
appraise the legitimacy and utility of numerous investigative and assessment techniques;
compare and contrast biopsychosocial theories that explain the reasons why people engage in deviant and criminal acts;
argue the strengths and weaknesses of relevant public policy issues to the field of forensic psychology;
assess the structure of the American adversary system, its strengths and weaknesses, and its relationship to our democratic society; and
propose and evaluate solutions to major problems in the system, taking into account political and ethical considerations.

Admission Requirements: In addition to universitywide requirements for graduate admission on page 11, the following are required:

a bachelor’s degree and satisfactory GPA (an undergraduate major in psychology is preferred, however candidates from other fields will be considered);
satisfactory scores on the GRE (including the Analytical Writing score), as determined by the department;
two letters of recommendation, using the official recommendation form provided by the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services, that speak directly to the applicant’s academic and interpersonal skills; and
a personal statement, maximum 500 words, describing the applicant’s background and motivation for entering the field of study for which he/she is applying, as well as the applicant’s rationale for applying to Marymount’s forensic psychology program.

Application Deadlines: Students are admitted for the fall semester only. Completed applications must be received by February 17. Applications received after February 17 will be considered for a future academic year.

Internship Prerequisite: In order to be admitted to an internship, students must have completed the following: the internship application process, which includes a review of academic progress; prerequisite coursework; and appropriate paperwork. Students must also submit the required application fee and gain the permission of the faculty. See the Forensic Psychology Student Handbook for additional details.

Research Requirement: All graduate students are required to log a minimum of 20 hours of research assistance under the guidance of one or more members of the forensic psychology faculty. See the Forensic Psychology Student Handbook for details.

Transfer Policies: Students in the program requesting course substitutions or course transfer from other institutions will be required to submit paperwork for review by the forensic psychology faculty.

Degree Requirements – Forensic Psychology

39 credits

PS 500 Research and Evaluation

PS 501 Bases of Psychopathology

PS 507 Social Psychology of Aggression

PS 517 Neuropsychological Issues, Treatments, and Assessments

PS 580 Foundations of Forensic Psychology

PS 581 Psychology and the Law

PS 582 Advanced Issues in Forensic Psychology

PS 584 Psychology of Criminal Behavior

PS 585 Forensic Assessment

PS 599F Internship: Forensic Psychology

SOC 510 Theories of Social Deviance

Two (2) courses from the following: CE 508 Crisis Intervention*; CE 509 Substance Abuse Assessment and Intervention*; CE 524 Theories and Techniques of Family Counseling; CE 551 Multicultural Counseling; CJ 501 Victims of Interpersonal Violence; CJ 508 Principles of Forensic Science I; CJ 509 Principles of Forensic Science II: Advanced Criminalistics; LA 500 Introduction to the Legal System; LA 590 Supervising Legal Research and Writing; LA 591 Advanced Legal Research and Writing/
Computerized Legal Research; PS 529 Psychopathology of Childhood and Adolescence; PS 583 Psychology and Treatment of the Juvenile Offender; PS 586 Field Experience in Criminal Court; PS 587 Psychology, Social Policy, and Law; PS 588 Police Psychology; PS 589 Behavioral Criminology; PS 590 Issues in Criminal Assessment and Investigation; PS 591 Child Victimization; PS 592 Individual Profiling: International and Political; PS 593 Group and Country Profiling: International and Political; PS 598 Project; SOC 507 Juvenile Justice

*Students considering the M.A. in forensic psychology and M.A. in clinical mental health counseling should select CE 508 and CE 509 as their electives.

With prior approval of faculty, graduate credit for other elective courses can be applied toward the student’s degree.

Forensic Psychology with Clinical Mental Health Counseling Option (M.A./M.A.)

Marymount offers a clinical mental health counseling option for students in the forensic psychology program. This is an opportunity to earn both a Master of Arts in forensic psychology and a Master of Arts in clinical mental health counseling, while completing the academic requirements needed for licensure as a professional counselor (LPC). Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) examination and begin the supervised experience necessary to become a licensed professional counselor.

Marymount’s clinical mental health counseling program focuses on clinical techniques applicable to specific populations, providing experiences that are transferable to the contemporary workplace. See the M.A. in clinical mental health counseling program on page 52 for additional information.

Marymount’s forensic psychology program prepares students to work in a variety of forensic settings through interdisciplinary coursework in psychology, counselor education, sociology, criminal justice, and public policy.

Admission Requirement: To be admitted to this program, students must first seek admission to the forensic psychology program. After completion of 26 credit hours in the forensic psychology program, the student may apply to be admitted to the clinical mental health counseling program. An interview is required as part of the clinical mental health counseling program admission process.

Total Program Requirements – Forensic Psychology with Clinical Mental Health Counseling Option

75 credits

PS 500 or CE 500 Research and Evaluation

PS 501 or CE 501 Bases of Psychopathology