Forensic psychologists often evaluate children.
Forensic psychologists apply the elements of psychology to the legal system and may specialize in criminal cases, civil court or family court. As a forensic psychologist, you will work closely with judges and attorneys to help them understand an issue's psychological aspects. You may evaluate suspects, assess child custody cases, work with crime victims and assess mental competency. Expect to testify in court. Becoming a certified forensic psychologist requires a great deal of formal education, followed by clinical work experience.
Instructions
1. Obtain a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Take classes in the principles of human behavior, clinical psychology and social work, criminal justice and law. Some schools offer a specific program geared toward forensic psychology; others offer a general psychology program.
2. Obtain a master's degree in forensic psychology. Expect classes in ethics, statistics, assessments and methods of research. Most master's degree programs in psychology incorporate academic coursework with supervised field work, such as an internship. This degree typically takes two years to complete.
3. Complete a doctoral degree in forensic psychology from a program accredited by the American Psychological Association. Take courses in research design and quantitative experimental methods. Write a dissertation based on your own research to complete your degree.
4. Complete a postdoctoral, one-year training program approved by the American Board of Forensic Psychology. The ABFP is a specialty board of the American Board of Professional Psychology, or ABPP. These training programs consist of a minimum of 100 hours of coursework. Alternatively, complete a minimum of four years of work experience in your field. Fulfilling either one of these requirements makes you eligible to become a certified forensic psychologist.
5. Fill out the ABPP's examination application for forensic psychology. Provide your contact information and education information, and list your professional experience. Describe your clinical internship work and list any other relevant experience that might qualify you to earn your certification. Enclose the application fees listed at the bottom of the form. At the time of publication, the application fee was $125, the written exam fee was $200, the oral exam fee was $450, and the practice sample review fee was $250. Mail the application to the address listed at the bottom of the form.
6. Take the written exam within 12 months of the ABFP's acceptance of your candidacy. The ABFP's correspondence secretary will send you instructions for scheduling the exam. Expect to answer 200 multiple choice questions on topics such as ethics, court rules, individual rights and liberties, criminal competence, and juvenile/parental issues.
7. Submit two practice samples to the ABFP if the board invites you to do so following your examination. Typically, these consist of forensic evaluations that you have conducted. The ABFP may approve other types of practice samples, such as a published, peer-reviewed forensic psychology article, a treatment protocol, or a book chapter on forensic psychology that you wrote. Follow the ABFP's guidelines for the practice samples, available on the organization's website.
8. Schedule your oral examination with the ABFP National Chair of Examinations if he invites you to do so. The National Chair of Examinations will contact you with the pertinent information, including submit ethical clearance forms and your curriculum vitae.
9. Complete the three-hour oral exam. The examiners will question you about your practice samples. For example, if you submit practice samples focusing on child custody and psychological evaluations, the examiners will question you on these topics. The committee will also question you on professional psychological ethics.
10. Wait for notification of your passing or failing. This typically takes four to six weeks. If you have successfully passed the examinations, you are now a certified forensic psychologist. If you failed the oral exam but passed the written exam, submit two new practical samples within a year for reconsideration.
