To become a forensic psychologist, you need to earn your bachelor's degree in psychology. This degree will not focus on forensic psychology but introduce you to variety of different disciplines within the field of psychology. You'll explore cognitive psychology by taking classes such as memory and skill and sensation and perception, which are offered by Michigan State University's psychology program. Classes in behavioral neuroscience include neurobiology of learning and memory, and brain and behavior. You will also learn about social psychology by taking classes such as psychology of women as well as interpersonal behavior and groups. You'll be introduced to personality psychology in classes such as abnormal psychology and personality theories. Your program will likely also include classes in developmental psychology, industrial and organizational psychology, and community psychology.
Once you complete your bachelor's degree in psychology, find a school that offers a master's degree program in forensic psychology. Colleges and universities divide these master's degree classes into two sections. Core courses make up this first section, and you must complete all the classes. Since forensic psychology applies the science of psychology to the criminal mind and the legal system, these classes will focus of criminal behavior and the law. According to Argosy University, some of the core classes that focus on the criminal mind include maladaptive behavior and psychopathology, psychology of criminal behavior and evaluation and treatment of offenders. You will also have to take a class concerning the psychology of the victim. Psychology classes that focus on the law include psychology and the legal system, individual assessment, research and evaluation, professional and ethical issues in forensic psychology, and consultation, triage and testimony in forensic psychology.
Elective classes make up the rest of your forensic psychology program. Depending on the university, you'll have to complete a designated number of credits chosen from a limited pool of classes. These elective classes allow you to focus on a section of forensic psychology that piques your interests. If you want to pursue a career in counseling the at-risk population, you'd want to choose classes that teach you how to counseling people suffering from substance abuse, theories of counseling, and group counseling. If you want to train law enforcement on dealing with troubled individuals, you'll want to take classes such as issues in psychological profiling, interrogation and interviewing, forensic program development and evaluation, and correctional psychology.