College and Beyond: Steps to a Forensic Psychology Degree

You want to have a good life and a great job. You want to be able to make a difference in the lives of others, and that’s why you are choosing to go to school and receive a forensic psychology degree. When you become a forensic psychologist, you will be able to ensure that the wrong people don’t go to jail and that dangerous people remain in jail. It’s a huge responsibility, but it is a great service that these psychologists do for society. If you want to pursue this career, you need to know the steps that it’s going to take to get there.

One of the things that you have to understand is that it’s not the same as what you see on television. Instead, you will have far more tasks and duties than just providing profiles for the police! In actuality, profiling is a very small part of the job, and some forensic psychologists may never have to provide a profile, particularly those who go into research.

Find a Quality School for Your Forensic Psychology Degree

You have quite a few choices when it comes to getting your degree today, and choice is certainly a good thing. Many different schools are offering these programs now, and it’s possible to get a four-year degree in forensic psychology. Something that you will find is that you now have the option of going to school in a traditional setting or an online degree. Both have their benefits and drawbacks, so make sure that you choose the option that is going to help you learn the best.

Regardless of which type of school you choose, you do have to do your research to make sure that you are going to a quality school. This is true whether you are getting a forensic psychology degree or any other type of degree. Choose a school that has accreditation as well as a good reputation. After all, you are going to need a great degree for the next step!

Getting a Doctorate or Master’s Degree

When you have your four-year degree, you may find that you want to continue your education. Some people who have their four-year degree find that it’s all they need. They find jobs in support and research for forensic psychologists. While the jobs can be interesting and pay well, most who get their bachelor’s degree in psychology will want to pursue their master’s degree or doctorate.

When you are getting your doctorate and master’s, you will do an internship where you work with actual patients. In most cases, you aren’t going to work with criminals at this time. Instead, it will be traditional clinical psychology, which gives you experience that you can carry with you throughout the rest of your career whether you follow forensics or not.

As with the school for your four-year degree, you have to be very careful when you are choosing your school for your higher education. The reputation of the school is going to be important. The better the school the easier it’s going to be to find work in many cases.

After Graduation

After graduation, you still need to make sure that you can pass the exams to receive your license. Once you have your license, you can then start working in different areas in need of forensic science. You could work within the corrections and prison system, or you could work with the courts. It’s also possible to find work with police departments. Others go right into research or teaching. You have plenty of options, but it does take some time to get your degree. Make sure you are ready for the work.