Focus your expertise and drive positive change with one of our master’s in forensic psychology specializations.
Walden’s online Master of Science (MS) in Forensic Psychology degree can prepare you to apply new insights, skills, and perspectives to a variety of nonclinical roles in areas like cybercrimes, criminal investigative analysis and profiling, terrorism, and victim advocacy. Explore the biological, psychological, and social factors impacting criminal behavior. Evaluate psychological approaches and their effectiveness in dealing with offenders. Examine research methods used in forensic assessments, and learn to evaluate and enhance systems and programs aimed at forensic populations.
Focus on your interests. In addition to this forensic psychology degree’s General Program, which provides a broad overview of the field, you can choose from 10 specializations to help you tailor your degree to your personal and professional interests.
Enjoy engaging coursework. Multimedia elements bring course content to life and allow you to understand criminal behavior on a deeper level. These include interactive case studies, podcasts, expert interviews, and our unique interactive learning community.
Enhance your real-world knowledge. Your capstone or in-person field experience takes you beyond television crime drama and into the true workings of the criminal justice system.
Learn from subject matter experts. Walden’s core faculty includes well-known authors and thought leaders in this exciting field.
Earn credits toward your PhD. Apply up to half of your coursework to our PhD in Psychology program, saving you time and money should you choose to pursue your doctorate.
By earning your online master’s in forensic psychology at Walden, you can develop a stronger understanding of specific criminal behavior—and develop the expertise needed to make a difference within the criminal justice system. You can also make a positive impact on communities as well as the first responders and professionals who serve those communities.
Through Walden’s master’s in forensic psychology degree program, you can:
Gain familiarity with mental health issues surrounding many aspects of criminal behavior and applications within the criminal justice system.
Compare, contrast, and evaluate psychological approaches as you determine their effectiveness in dealing with criminal offenders and understanding threat assessments associated with offender behavior.
Increase your understanding of violence and threat assessment and translate this knowledge into practical skills that can help you mitigate offender risk in the field.
Leverage the benefits of psychology to gain deeper insights into the criminal justice system as well as schools, colleges, businesses, and communities in order to create positive change.
Acquire focused expertise through relevant specializations that allow you to align your studies with your personal and professional interests.
Engage in exciting, interactive coursework that helps enhance your real-world knowledge of today’s criminal justice system.
Graduates of this forensic psychology degree program will be prepared to:
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than 6.8 million people were on probation, in jail or prison, or on parole at the end of 2014—one in every 36 adults.1 At the same time, an estimated 4.7 million adults were under supervision in their community, either on probation or parole.2
Statistics like this point to a growing need for nonclinical professionals who understand these forensic populations and others, including substance abusers, sex offenders, victims of violence, at-risk youth, and military veterans.
Career options may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this degree program.
I have always been passionate about helping survivors of heinous crimes. I knew that I wanted to get a degree in something that could help me make a difference.
My field experience faculty supervisor inspired and challenged me in very meaningful ways. I feel very fortunate to have completed my degree under his mentorship.
Now that I’ve graduated, I plan to continue making a difference in the lives of adolescents and to be an advocate for them.
Note on Licensure:
The MS in Forensic Psychology is not a licensure program and does not prepare an individual to become a licensed psychology or counseling professional.