Choose an undergraduate major that pertains to forensic psychology before applying to a graduate program. While general psychology is offered at almost every school, students can also look for specific programs in counseling psychology or clinical psychology.
Sign up for courses in subjects outside psychology, like criminal justice or law. These classes will look great on an application for a forensic psychology graduate program. Students should consider minoring in one of these areas, if possible.
Look for an internship in your field. Volunteer at an addiction recovery center or see if there are part-time positions at a mental health clinic.
Search for schools offering a master's degree specifically in forensic psychology. Several universities offer this degree, including some online schools. The University of Denver's Graduate School of Professional Psychology is a reputable college that offers a master's degree in forensic psychology.
Complete the general requirements for your degree. A forensic psychology program will cover a variety of topics, including psychotherapy, mental health, research methods and ethics. Students will learn specific skills like crisis intervention, clinical interviewing and diagnosis.
Take classes that cover the area in which you hope to specialize. Consider where you would eventually like to work and choose your classes accordingly. For example, if you want to work with prisoners at a correctional facility, make sure you take a considerable amount of classes that deal with criminal justice and legal matters.
Complete your field placement assignment. Most graduate programs will require a significant amount of on-the-job experience. Students may work at several different settings or they may work in one position throughout the duration of the program. The field placement will require an extensive amount of time both at work and doing research, evaluations and reports on your own.
Pass your final examinations. For many programs, this includes a thesis paper based on your experiences at your field placement. An oral exam may be required in addition to several written tests. Once you've completed the examination process, you'll graduate with a master's degree in forensic psychology.