Today’s Best Degree – Forensic Psychology

Forensic psychology—one of the best degrees to get today—is essentially the fusion of psychology and criminal law, or the legal system in general. When a person commits a crime, the criminal justice system often requires the assistance of a psychologist who can assess witness testimony, investigate the perpetrator’s intent, help prosecutors and defense attorneys choose jury members who are most likely to be sympathetic to their case, assess how dangerous a particular criminal may be, and even interpret the law as it relates to psychological issues, such as sanity.

The difference between psychology and forensic psychology is the difference between treating a patient for trauma and testifying in court about the extent of the trauma. Basically, any time a psychologist becomes involved with the legal system, he or she is acting as a forensic psychologist.

To get a degree in forensic psychology, one of the best degrees to get today, a student would need to take a combination of psychology and criminal justice (often law-related) classes. Some of these classes would include abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, criminal investigation, behavior pathology, clinical assessment, psychological profiling and criminal behavior, and psychology and law.

Colleges that offer a degree in forensic psychology include The University of North Dakota, University of the Rockies (CO), Widener University (PA), California Baptist University, Marymount University (VA), Fairleigh Dickinson University (NJ), Castleton State College (VT), and many others. A forensic psychology degree is also offered online. For more information on degree programs and conferences, see websites such as www.forensicpsychology.org, www.gradschools.com, www.educationengine.com, www.elearners.com, www.educationconnection.com, www.educationdegreesource.com, www.wcupa.com, www.all-about-forensic-psychology.com, and others.

People interested in pursuing a career in forensic psychology—one of the best degrees to get today—can get more information from the American Board of Forensic Psychology (ABFP). The ABFP offers a program that allows forensic psychologists to be board-certified.

TV shows and movies have recently popularized this profession by showing criminal profilers, courtroom dramas involving intent and insanity, criminal perversions resulting from childhood trauma, child custody, the identification of sexual predators, the study of a perpetrator’s background to determine the location of additional victims. People are perhaps drawn to these types of stories because of their natural curiosity about the bizarre.

The increased dramatization of forensic psychologists has helped the field to grow. More people are pursuing dual psychology and law degrees, and more universities are offering advanced degrees specifically in forensic psychology.

Although the idea of forensic psychology has its roots as far back as the late 1800s, the field was not recognized by the American Psychological Association as a “specialization” within psychology until 2001. Recent advances in brain research have given psychology, and therefore forensic psychology, less of a “soft-science” stigma. Forensic psychologists are called in as expert witnesses more and more, and their testimony holds more weight now than it ever has.

To put it simply, there is basically no where for this field of study to go but up in terms of respect and demand. Without question, forensic psychology—one of the best degrees to get today—is a booming field full of opportunity.