Forensic Psychologyis basically a subdivision of psychology that is integrated with law and criminal justice.Forensic psychologistsuse their psychological knowledge and apply it on studying the mental states of criminals and assisting on issues like child custody, discrimination, dispute resolution, civil damages etc.
The field of forensic psychology has gained popularity in the recent years and has experienced interest and rapid growth. There areplenty of psychology schools in Californiafor students to receive high quality education and training in forensic psychology.
Forensic Psychology College Programs in California
Here are some of the popular schools offering forensic psychology programs in California:
Alliant International Universityis located in San Diego and is the largest forensic psychology school in the state. The degree programs offered focus on combining classroom learning with practice in the field. The degree programs include PhD and PsyD in Clinical Forensic Psychology, Bachelor’s in Criminal Studies and Master’s in Applied Criminology.
California Baptist Universityoffers a Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology, which focuses on psychosocial and biblical understanding of psychopathology, law and psychology, and police psychology. The courses offered in this program include criminal law, theories of criminal behavior, social psychology, human development etc.
The Chicago School of Los Angelesdoes not only offer Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology, but also Psy.D in Clinical Forensic Psychology for students who are interested in a broad range of applied and real-world learning experiences within communities. This degree also prepares students for the important national licensure exam in clinical psychology and the California Board of Psychology exam.
Several schools offer internships and co-op experience, which gives students opportunities to start off their career while getting training from experienced faculty members. Graduates from forensic psychology programs can work in rehabilitation centers, law firms, prisons, schools, government agencies and even police departments.
