It takes approximately two years to complete a master's degree in forensic psychology. The number of students accepted each year varies by program, but typically is about 20. Because admission requirements vary by institution, applicants should check the website of the institution to which they want to apply to ensure they obtain the necessary requirements while still in undergraduate school. Most institutions request specific scores on the GRE and GPA, but will accept students with lower scores on their merit.
Universities offer a Ph.D. (research-oriented degree) in forensic psychology. Some universities offer a clinical or social psychology degree with a concentration in forensic psychology. The criteria for admission and the competition for acceptance is greater in doctoral level programs than for masters-level degrees. It takes about five or six years to complete doctoral programs. Applicants should check the website for the university to which they would like to apply for specific requirements.
Professional psychology schools offer a Psy.D. (an applied degree) in forensic psychology. These schools accept larger numbers of students into their programs and their requirements tend to be less stringent than in Ph.D. programs, but they provide less funding for students. Some professional schools offer a clinical or social psychology degree with a concentration in forensic psychology.
Some institutions offer a joint Ph.D. in psychology and a J.D.(Juris Doctorate) in law. The average length to complete these programs is five to seven years. Students usually have to apply and be accepted to both the psychology graduate school and the law school.
Forensic psychologists play a multitude of roles and have many possibilities as to where they can work. These psychologists can teach in universities, go into private practice to consult with the legal community (for example, assess the competency of defendants to stand trial or assist an attorney in jury selection), work with police departments in testing and selection of police recruits, or work in mental health or correctional institutions.