Forensic Psychology, Bachelor of Arts / Master of Arts
The Forensic Psychology BA/MA program is designed for students who are interested in the relationship between psychology and the criminal justice system. The mission of the Forensic Psychology major is to enhance students’ understanding of individual behavior, in terms of its biological, cognitive, social and emotional components and their interaction, and its effects on the broader community. Students will learn to employ an empirical approach to understand human behavior. The major prepares students for a number of careers and graduate work in psychology, social work, law enforcement, or other criminal justice professions.
Learning Outcomes. Students will:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the historical and theoretical foundations of psychology, as well as key concepts, content, and research methods in the major sub-disciplines of psychology and in the field of “psychology and the law”.
- Demonstrate appropriate information literacy, including the ability to perform effective database searches.
- Demonstrate the ability to design an ethically appropriate psychological research study and analyze and interpret basic research data.
- Gather, read, synthesize and critique primary source psychological and psycho-legal literature.
- Communicate effectively through oral and written presentations and demonstrate appropriate use of APA style.
- Critically and skeptically evaluate psychological information and extend this critical thinking to one’s own work and all aspects of life-long learning.
- Demonstrate an appreciation of contextual influences on individual behavior and diversity of perspectives, including those related to race, class, gender, sexuality, disability, nationality and culture.
- Recognize professional ethics inherent in different aspects of psychology, including forensic psychology.
- Demonstrate an appreciation of how psychology relates to real-life professional and personal situations.
- Demonstrate an awareness of the scope and entry qualifications of professional and graduate programs in psychology.
Credits Required.
| Forensic Psychology BA Major |
28 |
| Other Required Undergraduate Courses |
0-3 |
| General Education |
42 |
| Undergraduate Electives |
19-22 |
| MA in Forensic Psychology |
42 |
| Total Credits Required for BA/MA Degree |
134 |
BA/MA Coordinator. Professor Rebecca Weiss, Psychology Department (646.557.1160, bamadirector@jjay.cuny.edu)
Tuition and Financial Aid Information. This program is accelerated and intended for students to attend full-time (at least 12 cr. for undergraduate students, at least 9 cr. for graduate students). Full-time students pay undergraduate tuition rates until they complete 120 credits. Starting in the semester after 120 credits have been earned, credits will be charged at the graduate rate. Students that are below 120 credits and meet eligibility requirements, may continue to be considered for undergraduate federal and state financial aid programs including PELL and TAP. Once students complete 120 credits, they will no longer be eligible for undergraduate financial aid. Students may apply for federal loans at the graduate level to finance their completion of the joint degree.
If circumstances occur that require students to attend part-time, tuition rates will be determined by the level of the courses (undergraduate or graduate) they are registered for.
All students in the BA/MA joint degree programs are encouraged to consult with the Financial Aid Office about their eligibility for aid under federal and state guidelines and the Bursar’s Office about tuition charges when they are considering admission to these programs.
Forensic Psychology BA Core Required Courses
Required
Please note: STA 250 must be completed in the undergraduate portion of the program.
Choose one
| PSY 421 | Forensic Social and Experimental Psychology | 3 |
| or | |
| PSY 425 | Seminar in Forensic Psychology | 3 |
| or | |
| PSY 430 | Clinical Topics in Forensic Psychology | 3 |
| or | |
| PSY 476 | Seminar in the Psychological Analysis of Criminal Behavior and the Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| or | |
| PSY 485 | Advanced Undergraduate Research Experience in Psychology | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 28
Other Required Undergraduate Courses
Required depending on math placement
MAT 108 Social Science Math or MAT 141 Pre-Calculus may be needed depending on student's math placement. These courses can fulfill the Required Core: Math and Quantitative Reasoning area in the College's General Education program.
Total Credit Hours: 0-3
Undergraduate Electives
Students must complete 19-22 credits of electives to fulfill the undergraduate portion of the degree program. Students have free choice of electives being mindful of the requirements for earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. Students must have 90 credits of courses in liberal arts and sciences. Student may opt to complete a minor with their elective credits.
Total Credit Hours: 19-22
Forensic Psychology Master's Program
The remaining 42 credits are applied to courses taken in the Master's degree program, which is outlined below. If a student decides to leave the B.A./M.A. program or fails to maintain the required 3.5 GPA for the program, they are required to complete the entire undergraduate major to earn the Bachelor's Degree.
Two Additional Courses
One course in PSY 731 or PSY 741 and one course in PSY 760 or PSY 761.
Tracks
There are three track options for students in the Forensic Psychology Master's program: Thesis, Externship, and Externship/Thesis Combination. Students are required to complete one of the three tracks.
Thesis Track
9 credit Thesis Track plus 9 elective credits
| PSY 737 | Descriptive and Statistical Data Analysis in Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 738 | Advanced Research Methods | 3 |
| PSY 791 | Prospectus Seminar | 3 |
Students who elect to complete their degree by writing a master's thesis must earn a grade of A or A- in PSY 715 and PSY 769. These two courses are pre-requisites for PSY 738 and PSY 791. Students must obtain approval from a full-time faculty mentor serving as a a thesis sponsor and permission of the Program Director before enrolling in PSY 791.
Externship Track
3 credit Externship Track plus 15 elective credits
Students who elect to complete their degree by completing the Externship Track will complete a 300-hour in an appropriate psychological setting, under the supervision of a licensed psychologist or other trained mental health professional approved by the Program Director.
Externship/Thesis Track
13 credit Externship/Thesis Combo Track plus 6 elective credits
| PSY 737 | Descriptive and Statistical Data Analysis in Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 738 | Advanced Research Methods | 3 |
| PSY 780 | Fieldwork in Counseling I | 3 |
| PSY 791 | Prospectus Seminar | 3 |
Required Courses
| PSY 700 | Mental Health Professionals, Social Science and the Law | 3 |
| PSY 715 | Research Design and Methods | 3 |
| PSY 745 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSY 769 | Intermediate Statistics in the Social Sciences | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |
Psychological Testing Courses
Select two.
| PSY 734 | Criminal Psychological Assessment | 3 |
| PSY 751 | Intellectual and Cognitive Assessment | 3 |
| PSY 752 | Projective Personality Assessment | 3 |
| PSY 753 | Objective Personality Assessment | 3 |
| PSY 779 | Brain and Behavior | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 6 |
*
PSY 745 is a prerequisite for all testing courses.
Forensic Psychology MA Electives
6-15 credits required depending on Track choice
| PSY 701 | Criminal Behavior | 3 |
| PSY 703 | Violence and Aggression | 3 |
| PSY 705 | Victimology | 3 |
| PSY 707 | Counseling and Rehabilitation of the Offender | 3 |
| PSY 708 | Crisis Intervention and Short-term Counseling | 3 |
| PSY 714 | Alcoholism and Substance Abuse | 3 |
| PSY 716 | Assessment and Counseling of the Juvenile Offender | 3 |
| PSY 718 | Social Science Evidence in Court | 3 |
| PSY 720 | Social Psychology and the Legal System | 3 |
| PSY 722 | Evaluation and Counseling of the Sex Offender | 3 |
| PSY 726 | Mental Health Issues in Policing | 3 |
| PSY 727 | Eyewitness Identification | 3 |
| PSY 728 | Social Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSY 729 | Terrorism | 3 |
| PSY 730 | Ethical Issues in Forensic Mental Health | 3 |
| PSY 742 | Family Violence and Disputes | 3 |
| PSY 746 | Empirical Profiling Methods | 3 |
| PSY 747 | The Treatment and Prevention of Childhood Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSY 748 | Empirical Crime Scene Analysis | 3 |
| PSY 754 | Advanced Forensic Assessment | 3 |
| PSY 763 | Behavior Modification and Learning Theory | 3 |
| PSY 764 | Hypnosis, Psychology and the Law | 3 |
| PSY 766 | Personality Profiles of the Homicidal Offender | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 6-15 |
Total Credit Hours: 42
Total Credit Hours: 134