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Forensic Psychology
Forensic psychology is one of the fastest growing criminal justice careers available to date. This specialized sector of psychology focuses on detecting criminal actions and understanding criminal minds. Forensic psychologists work with government groups, law enforcement, courts, and other organizations to improve justice in the country. If you are looking for a new career to get into, this may be a perfect fit for you. The forensic psychology job description below should give you a rough idea of what may be in store for you.
What Does a Forensic Psychologist Do?
It is hard to define the duties of a forensic psychologist because these professionals can work in so many areas of the job force. Many forensic psychologists are called on as expert witnesses in court cases, where they have to provide testimony on the behalf of a case to help determine if a person is guilty or innocent. Forensic psychologists may also work with police officers to question and analyze suspected criminals before they file charges on them. Forensic psychology may also be found in school systems, where psychologists analyze specific students to determine if they may come from abusive homes.
What you do as a forensic psychologist will depend on the place you work and the type of work you like to do. Regardless of the situation though, you will be working with other people in the criminal justice system to ensure that criminals receive the punishment or treatment they need.
Forensic Psychology Degree Programs
In order to become a fully certified forensic psychologist, you must complete a doctorate degree program in forensic psychology. This will take roughly five to seven years of study, on top of the time you spent on a bachelor’s degree. You can earn a lower degree with a focus in forensic psychology, but that will not be sufficient enough for a lot of work in this industry. Forensic psychologists are trained to be clinical psychologists with special skills, so you will need to go through most of the educational programs that standard psychologists go through. The only difference is that you will have to go through additional training befitting of your criminal justice career.
The courses you take in your forensic psychology degree program will vary based on the school you go to. You can choose to attend college online or through a traditional college, depending on how you like to learn. Some common courses you may come across include: Social Psychology, Victimology, Intro to Counseling, Abnormal Behavior, Death and Dying, Statistical Application in Forensic Psychology, Psychology and Law, Drugs and Society, Human Sexuality, and Comparative Psychotherapies and Therapeutic Techniques. On top of those courses, you will be required to go through basic courses needed for any degree program (math, English, natural sciences, etc.).
Job Outlook for Forensic Psychologists
Forensic psychology is a rapidly growing career path, and the demand for forensic psychologists in the work force is quite high at this time. Advances in criminology and technology make forensic psychology practices more accurate now than ever, so members in this profession are becoming vital workers in the criminal justice system. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a steady growth for forensic psychology well into the future, so you should have no trouble finding a job once you graduate.
In terms of salary, you can expect to earn between $40,000 and $100,000+ a year as a forensic psychologist. It is hard to pinpoint an average forensic psychology salary because this is not a standard job. Forensic psychologists make whatever someone is willing to pay them for their advice, but most make hefty salaries by providing their expertise to criminal justice officials. What you make will largely depend on where you work and who you work for.
Is Forensic Psychology Right for You?
Determining if you are fit for a career in forensic psychology can be a challenge. For the most part, people driven to become psychologists work well in forensic psychology. You have to have an analytical mind, and you also need a decent set of people skills. This job can be stressful and time consuming, so you need to make sure you can stand up to the pressure. Most of the individuals that leave this career path do so because they can no longer stand the pressures of the job. A little research will help you figure out if this will happen to you.
Take an introductory course to forensic psychology and see if it suits the way you think and plan to work in the future. If everything goes well, you could be an authorized forensic psychologist in no time.
