Program Overview:
Forensic Psychologists apply their psychological expertise to the legal and criminal justice fields. Already an interdisciplinary field, the forensic psychology major at Saint Rose brings together two of the colleges programs: Psychology, and Criminal Justice, Behavior and Law. The field of forensic psychology is immense, ranging from assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of criminal and civil forensic populations, courtroom process, and organization analysis to policy studies. If the student is appropriately prepared, s/he can skillfully work among those in the psychotherapeutic management and advocacy communities. Specifically, forensic psychologists examine issues, controversies, social problems, psychological state, and other complex phenomenon within juvenile and adult populations in criminal, civil, family, mental health, and many other domains of practice.
The Departments of Psychology and Criminal Justice, Behavior, and Law offer a wide variety of elective courses for the Forensic Psychology major. Students are strongly recommended to consult with their faculty academic advisor when selecting their elective CJS, PSY, and law courses in order to assure that all courses meet program requirements.
Forensic Psychology Degree - The Forensic Psychology degree is comprised of a core set of classes and selections from courses focusing on criminal justice, psychology, and law. Students have considerable flexibility in the basic degree which focuses on breadth within the field.
Forensic Psychology Degree with Clinical Concentration - The Clinical concentration emphasizes the applied clinical psychological components of Forensic Psychology. Students still select courses with criminal justice and legal content, but are required to take more courses in psychological science. Students completing the Clinical concentration will be especially well-prepared for graduate programs in Forensic Psychology leading to careers in criminal assessment, assessment in other forensic settings, clinical practice or counseling within a correctional, criminal or other forensic settings, police consultation and counseling, and to serve as expert witnesses.
Forensic Psychology Degree with Legal Concentration - The legal concentration emphasizes the practice of Forensic Psychology within the context of being an attorney. Students still select courses with criminal justice and psychological content, but are required to take additional courses to assist them in preparing for law training. The legal concentration is designed to accommodate those forensic psychology students who are interested in continuing their education by attending law school.
Law Enforcement Concentration in Forensic Psychology – The Law Enforcement concentration emphasizes the use of criminal justice, psychology, and law focusing coursework in preparation for careers in law enforcement. Students completing the Law Enforcement Concentration will be prepared for careers with a variety of different law enforcement agencies as well as corrections.
Forensic Psychology Degree with Social, Cognitive, and Developmental Concentration – The Social, Cognitive, and Developmental concentration emphasizes the application of social, cognitive, and developmental psychological theories to the criminal justice system. Students still select courses with criminal justice and legal content, but are required to take more courses in psychological science. Students completing the Social, Cognitive, and Developmental concentration will be especially well-prepared for graduate programs in Forensic Psychology that have particular focuses on research concerning areas such as jury decision making, juvenile justice, false confessions, interrogations, and eyewitnesses. Potential careers in this area of Forensic Psychology include policy evaluation, program evaluation, juvenile justice programs, trial consulting, academic research, and serving as an expert witness.
Students must earn a C or better in all courses used to satisfy requirements for the major. Except in special cases where a student receives written approval from the department of Psychology chairperson based on a decision made by the members of the Forensic Psychology Steering Committee, no student may repeat a course offered for the major more than once. Two failures of a core course will result in the dismissal from the major. Majors may not take courses required for the major (except internships) on a pass/fail basis. Once having declared the Forensic Psychology major, students must satisfy all remaining core, distribution, and other courses applicable to the major at The College of Saint Rose.
Program Contacts:
Dr. Robert Flint
Chair, Psychology Department
Email: flintr@strose.edu
Program Webpage: Forensic Psychology, BS
Program Requirements:
Major in Forensic Psychology (73 Credits)
Core Courses (46 credits):
PSY 310 Social Psychology fulfills the liberal education diversity requirement.
Select one of the following:
| CJS 496 | SeniorSeminar:Crim Jus Systems | 3 to 4 |
| CJS 497 | Senior Seminar: Research | 3 to 4 |
| CJS 498 | Senior Seminar: Law | 3 to 4 |
| PSY 497 | Sr Seminar: History & Systems | 3 |
| PSY 498 | Sr Seminar:Research in Psych | 3 |
| FPY 498 | Senior Sem: Rsch Forensic Psyc | 3 |
Criminal Justice Courses:
Select 5 courses (15 credits) from the following:
- Students may apply 4 credits of CJS 493 toward the major.
- Students may apply 3 credits of CJS 494, 3 credits of PSY 490, OR 3 credits of FPY 491 internship toward the major.
Psychology Courses:
Select 3 courses (9 credits) from the following:
Students may apply 3 credits of CJS 494, 3 credits of PSY 490, OR 3 credits of FPY 491 internship toward the major.
Law Courses:
Select 1-2 courses (3 credits) from the following:
Major in Forensic Psychology with Clinical Concentration (73 Credits)
Core Courses (46 credits):
PSY 310 Social Psychology fulfills the liberal education diversity requirement.
Select one of the following:
| CJS 496 | SeniorSeminar:Crim Jus Systems | 3 to 4 |
| CJS 497 | Senior Seminar: Research | 3 to 4 |
| CJS 498 | Senior Seminar: Law | 3 to 4 |
| PSY 497 | Sr Seminar: History & Systems | 3 |
| PSY 498 | Sr Seminar:Research in Psych | 3 |
| FPY 498 | Senior Sem: Rsch Forensic Psyc | 3 |
Criminal Justice Courses:
Select 3 courses (9 credits) from the following:
- Students may apply 4 credits of CJS 493 toward the major.
- Students may apply 3 credits of CJS 494, 3 credits of PSY 490, OR 3 credits of FPY 491 internship toward the major.
Psychology Courses:
Select 5 courses (15 credits) from the following:
- Students may apply 3 credits of CJS 494, 3 credits of PSY 490, OR 3 credits of FPY 491 internship toward the major.
- PSY 365 and PSY 415 are strongly recommended for students completing the Forensic Psychology Major with Clinical Concentration.
Law Courses:
Select 1-2 courses (3 credits) from the following:
Major in Forensic Psychology with Law Enforcement Concentration (73 Credits)
Core Courses (46 credits):
PSY 310 Social Psychology fulfills the liberal education diversity requirement.
Select one of the following:
| CJS 496 | SeniorSeminar:Crim Jus Systems | 3 to 4 |
| CJS 497 | Senior Seminar: Research | 3 to 4 |
| CJS 498 | Senior Seminar: Law | 3 to 4 |
| PSY 497 | Sr Seminar: History & Systems | 3 |
| PSY 498 | Sr Seminar:Research in Psych | 3 |
| FPY 498 | Senior Sem: Rsch Forensic Psyc | 3 |
Criminal Justice Courses:
Select 3 courses (9 credits) from the following:
- Students may apply 4 credits of CJS 493 toward the major.
- Students may apply 3 credits of CJS 494, 3 credits of PSY 490, OR 3 credits of FPY 491 internship toward the major.
Psychology Courses:
Select 3 courses (9 credits) from the following:
Students may apply 3 credits of CJS 494, 3 credits of PSY 490, OR 3 credits of FPY 491 internship toward the major.
Law Courses:
Select 3-4 courses (9 credits) from the following:
Major in Forensic Psychology with Legal Concentration (73 Credits)
Core Courses (46 credits):
PSY 310 Social Psychology fulfills the liberal education diversity requirement.
Select one of the following:
| CJS 496 | SeniorSeminar:Crim Jus Systems | 3 to 4 |
| CJS 497 | Senior Seminar: Research | 3 to 4 |
| CJS 498 | Senior Seminar: Law | 3 to 4 |
| PSY 497 | Sr Seminar: History & Systems | 3 |
| PSY 498 | Sr Seminar:Research in Psych | 3 |
| FPY 498 | Senior Sem: Rsch Forensic Psyc | 3 |
Criminal Justice Courses:
Select 3-4 courses (9 credits) from the following:
- Students may apply 4 credits of CJS 493 toward the major.
- Students may apply 3 credits of CJS 494, 3 credits of PSY 490, OR 3 credits of FPY 491 internship toward the major.
Psychology Courses:
Select 2 courses (6 credits) from the following:
Students may apply 3 credits of CJS 494, 3 credits of PSY 490, OR 3 credits of FPY 491 internship toward the major.
Law Courses:
Select 4-5 courses (12 credits) from the following:
CJS 201, CJS 238, CJS 252, CJS 431 are strongly recommended for Legal Concentrators.
Note: Legal concentrators are strongly recommended to take BUS 233 (Business Law 1) as their L10 requirement and ACC 122 (Principles of Accounting) as their L13 requirement.
Major in Forensic Psychology with Social, Cognitive, and Developmental Concentration (73 Credits)
Core Courses (46 credits):
PSY 310 Social Psychology fulfills the liberal education diversity requirement.
Select one of the following:
| CJS 496 | SeniorSeminar:Crim Jus Systems | 3 to 4 |
| CJS 497 | Senior Seminar: Research | 3 to 4 |
| CJS 498 | Senior Seminar: Law | 3 to 4 |
| PSY 497 | Sr Seminar: History & Systems | 3 |
| PSY 498 | Sr Seminar:Research in Psych | 3 |
| FPY 498 | Senior Sem: Rsch Forensic Psyc | 3 |
Criminal Justice Courses:
Select 3 courses (9 credits) from the following:
- Students may apply 4 credits of CJS 493 toward the major.
- Students may apply 3 credits of CJS 494, 3 credits of PSY 490, OR 3 credits of FPY 491 internship toward the major.
Psychology Courses:
Select 4 courses (12 credits) from the following:
Students may apply 3 credits of CJS 494, 3 credits of PSY 490, OR 3 credits of FPY 491 internship toward the major.
Law Courses:
Select 2-3 courses (6 credits) from the following:
Internship/Field Experiences/Service:
Internships at The College of Saint Rose are strongly encouraged. Not only do internships assist the student to determine their career goals, it also serves other purposes:
- They provide the students with the opportunity to get a “foot in the door” at an agency they wish to be employed
- They provide the agency with the opportunity to observe and review the skills, strengths and weaknesses of interns before deciding whether or not to hire them.
- They give interns the opportunity to gain valuable hands on experience to gain valuable hands on experience.
- Achieve firsthand knowledge of an agency
- Meet people working in the field
- Make a good impression on future supervisors
Culminating Academic Experiences:
Required Course:
Students choose one course from the following:
| PSY 497 | Sr Seminar: History & Systems | 3 |
| PSY 498 | Sr Seminar:Research in Psych | 3 |
| FPY 498 | Senior Sem: Rsch Forensic Psyc | 3 |
| CJS 496 | SeniorSeminar:Crim Jus Systems | 3 to 4 |
| CJS 497 | Senior Seminar: Research | 3 to 4 |
| CJS 498 | Senior Seminar: Law | 3 to 4 |
Professional Accreditation:
The College of Saint Rose, sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet, Albany Province, is chartered by the Board of Regents of New York State. All of its degrees and programs are registered and its professional programs fully approved by the Board of Regents through the New York State Education Department.
The College of Saint Rose is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. (267-284-5000) The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. http://www.msche.org
Career Opportunities and Graduate Study:
Over the last 20 years, the field of forensic psychology has maintained a steady growth rate. It is expected that over the next ten years, consultation, research work, and clinical practice in psychology and the law will continue to grow. Positions working with lawmakers, attorneys, and the courts are predicted to have the highest demand. It is also expected that jobs working in colleges and universities, teaching and doing research, will continue to increase. Changing laws and the development of new and innovative ways to deal with juvenile offenders has become popular subjects of exploration amongst forensic psychologists. Their expert advice can be vital to the decisions made regarding such delinquents.
There are also a number of positions within the realm of forensics that graduates would be able to hold; most of these require a bachelor’s degree: Correctional counselor, Correctional casework specialist, Correctional care and treatment worker, Court liaison, Juvenile corrections officer, Mental health case manager, Probation counselor, Victim assistance worker, Victim advocate
Some forensic psychologists choose to focus their careers exclusively on research, which ranges anywhere from learning how to improve interrogation methods to the detailed assessment of eyewitness testimony. Public policy is another area of interest for forensic psychologists. In this line of work forensic psychologists act as researchers helping to design prisons and other correctional facilities. Most often Forensic Psychology includes areas between the conventional options of criminal justice (i.e., law enforcement, academic training, and corrections).
According to the Occupational Information Network (O*Net), the projected growth of several areas that graduates of this program would be prepared to pursue is faster than average: (a) the growth of clinical psychology is faster than average (14-20%) and it has been marked as an “in demand” job, (b) the growth of both substance abuse counseling and mental health counseling is labeled as much faster than average (>21%) and these areas have also been marked as “in demand” jobs. These aforementioned jobs would require graduate training to obtain a masters degree or doctorate.
Admissions and Financial Aid Information:
The Undergraduate Admissions Office begins review of Freshman applications each fall in late September for the following Fall. Students are encouraged to submit a complete an application as early as November. The Admissions Team will return a decision on complete applications within just three weeks. The College awards academic scholarships at the same time.
What Makes an Application Complete
- Online or Paper application (fee waived for online applicants!)
- Official High School Transcripts
- Official Transcripts for any College Level Courses
- SAT or ACT scores (See Test Optional FAQ's)
- Letter of Recommendation from a Counselor or Teacher
- Essay or Graded Paper
- Applicants may also apply via the Common Application Online.
- Art applicants are required to complete a portfolio review.
Admissions contact information (telephone number, admissions web pages)
Scholarships and Financial Aid
See Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid section for more information.
The Bottom Line
The total cost of The College of Saint Rose (including tuition, fees, room and board) is one of the lowest of any private college in the Northeast, and we still award more than $25 million in Saint Rose scholarships, grants and financial aid.
Take a look at our bottom line, and view a cost comparison with a four-year public institution.
More about Financial Aid
Financial Aid is defined as any grant, scholarship, loan, or employment opportunity given with the express purpose of assisting you with education-related expenses to make you education affordable. Financial Aid is awarded on the basis of student need and the availability of funds.
The Admission and Financial Aid teams have designed a Guide to Scholarships and Financial Aid to help prospective students and families get to the bottom line and find that The College of Saint Rose is one of the lowest of any private college in the Northeast--while maintaining powerful academic opportunities.
Find Out More: