Forensic psychology is a subfield of psychology that involves psychological methods along with knowledge relating to the legal system. It is a complex field, combining criminal motivati0n and the legal system, making this a career that could land you in a variety of different job opportunities, depending on what you’re interested in specifically.
This field is dynamic, a place where the worlds of mental health and law intersect, offering plenty of chances to try something new, step out of your comfort zone, and find your niche within this broad career path. Not only is forensic psychology critical for upholding parts of the judicial system and those who commit crimes, but it is a field that has endless possibilities.
With involvement in court proceedings and witness assessment, or the chance to be a mental health counselor – depending on how you decide to use your degree – forensic psychology will require you to take on many different responsibilities.
To pursue a career in this area of expertise, it will be important to take note of these different ways to build your future and create success doing what you love as a forensic psychologist.
Know the Requirements for this Career Path
If you have been looking for ways to build a successful career in forensic psychology, it is important to learn some background information about what will be required to make a future for yourself in this field.
Educational Requirments
To begin a career in forensic psychology, you will need to start by getting a Bachelor’s degree in either criminal justice, criminology, or psychology – which will all provide a strong foundation to flourish in the future.
Once you’ve received a Bachelor’s, it is always a good idea to continue through school and get a Master’s degree. You could study general psychology, forensic psychology, or psychology with a focus on law. With plenty of programs available to help you gain the educational requirements you need to build a career, there is no reason not to pursue your dream job.
Licensure Requirements
To become a forensic psychologist, there is a special license required, which a clinical psychologist would have to get to start their career. Keep in mind, this will require taking the EPPP (Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology) in some states, so be sure to confirm what these requirements look like where you live.
Certification Requirements
The American Board of Professional Psychology offers a certification, specially curated for a degree in forensic psychology. To pursue this endeavor successfully, it will be important to meet the ABPP’s requirements so that you will be considered to take the exam.
Experience Requirements
By making sure that you are getting enough pre-career experience, whether that is through an internship or a supervised experience in the field, you need to have some previous experience, showing your interest, and ability to build a career with your degree and work history.
Learn What Skills and Traits Will Be Necessary
If you want to build your career in the field of forensic psychology, it will be important to make sure you encompass all of these traits, making you even more eligible for the job role and responsibilities that lie ahead on your career journey.
Strong Communications Skills
With a career in this field, you will be required to communicate frequently with many different people every single day. You may find yourself talking to inmates, victims, lawyers, or judges – making communication essential to your career.
It is also an important skill to be able to communicate effectively to various parties, choosing the right language and communication style to use. While this may seem like an easy skill to obtain, communication will play a key role once you become a forensic psychologist.
Critical Thinking Skills
To build a career in psychology, critical thinking skills are a must. Since this job role will require you to combine psychological concepts, counseling public concepts, and the legal system – it will require a strong set of critical thinking skills.
As an interdisciplinary career, forensic psychology has many branches of knowledge and it is always in demand for critical thinking skills to help you build a fruitful future in your job role.
Have Compassion and Drive
As an intelligent, enthusiastic, and driven forensic psychologist, it is inevitable that you will grow to care for those who you work with, work for, and are trying to help each day.
Ultimately, this is the complexity that comes along with choosing this career path that requires you to balance your professional needs while also completing work that involves a lot of care and attention to detail.
Pay Attention to Detail
With this job title, you will be relying on your perspective observation and analysis, such as observing body language, which will make it vital to pay attention to detail. You will need to look out for body language, group dynamics, and other details to move up with your degree.
While these skills will be required to continue building your career, there are plenty of different paths you can take which will vary in their duties and responsibilities.
Understand What Career Path Makes the Most Sense for You
Since forensic psychology is such a broad career that umbrellas many different branches, there are a ton of career paths you could opt for once you’ve earned your degree. By looking at the options that are available to you and deciding what makes the most sense to meet your goals, – you will be able to head in the right direction towards success.
To help you find what job role could be the best fit, here are some of the most popular career paths to take with a forensic psychology degree and what they entail.
Correctional Counselor
If you are interested in providing essential tools to inmates and ex-convicts who want to transition from their past towards a more fruitful future, then becoming a correctional counselor may be the right path to take. With this role, your main goal would be to support any clients you take on while providing strategies to prevent criminals from falling back into their old ways.
This job role can be rewarding, allowing you to help make a difference in others’ lives and see them create a positive future by making better choices.
Forensic Social Worker
With a degree in forensic psychology, there is always to option to become a forensic social worker. In this career, you will apply different social work methods to make sure your client’s voice is heard and respected, especially in a legal setting.
Keep in mind with this career role, you will be required to have a Master’s in social work along with a Bachelor’s in either criminal justice or psychology.
Forensic Psychology Professor
If you want to share your love for forensic psychology with others who also have similar interests, then you may consider becoming a professor who teaches the dynamics of forensic psychology to knowledge-seeking students. You will work in an educational institution, providing direction and leadership to those who are interested in the same field of study as you.
Forensic Case Manager
With this role, you will be using your degree to administer treatment and monitor convicts’ obstacles, due to substance abuse or mental illness. You will be able to help provide the right mental health, drug abuse, or alcohol abuse treatment, to see your clients continue to flourish and grow.
In this position, you will be learning even more about the criminal justice system, mental illness, and substance abuse along with the effects it has on people every single day.
Correctional Psychologist
In this niche, you will be required to provide mental health treatment to inmates while helping them rehabilitate and support their transition from prison to the real world. Keep in mind, for this job title you will need to obtain a doctoral degree along with gaining expertise by studying not only forensic psychology but criminal profiling and advanced statistics as well.
If you are personable, resilient, and compassionate about others, then this job may be the right fit for you – especially if you are interested in forensic psychology with an added twist.
Probation Officer
If you have an interest in the judicial system but want to work it a bit more peripherally, then becoming a probation officer may be a great option to consider. You will be able to assist in supervising those who have recently been released from prison and those placed on parole.
You will be required to make decisions regarding release date determination, along with evaluating the likelihood of risky behavior and advising past offenders too.
Crime Analyst
If you want to work closely with law enforcement agencies to help sort out crime profiles and look for criminals by collating and sampling different pieces of data, it may be in your best interest to become a crime analyst.
You’ll be able to work with different variables including demographic, economic, and geographical factors based on different crimes and their frequency. By using tactical methods, you will be able to find strategic meanings, conduct research, and put your forensic psychology degree to good use with this job role as a part of your future.
Creating a Successful Career in Forensic Psychology
If you have always thought about pursuing a career in forensic psychology, there are many ways to build your knowledge, expand your way of thinking, and prepare for a job in this field successfully.
By meeting the proper requirements, gaining important skills, and looking into all of your job options with this degree, you will be able to build a fruitful future for yourself. With the right amount of passion, motivation, and compassion, you can better prepare to uphold a career in forensic psychology.