Those interested in pursuing a career in criminal psychology can do so by earning a master’s degree in psychology, obtaining certification, and finding work in the field. Working in prisons, police departments, hospitals, and private practice are all possibilities. There are several ways to earn a degree in psychology that will allow you to specialize in psychology, depending on your region, including a traditional research-oriented doctorate and a clinical-based psychology doctorate. Most regions have professional organizations dedicated to criminal psychology that regulate the field and issue board certifications.
A career in criminal psychology begins in college, where you can major in either a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. The psychology classes in both degree programs are the same, but the amount of math and science courses required to graduate differs. Many research-based psychology programs prefer you to have completed a higher level of science and math classes, so a Bachelor of Science may be preferable. Psychology is a competitive major at many undergraduate colleges and universities. Before you can begin formally working toward a degree at these schools, you must usually demonstrate a certain grade point average in entry-level coursework.
While an undergraduate degree is required before enrolling in graduate school for criminal psychology, you are not required to major in psychology. Typically, it’s critical to ensure that your undergraduate program is academically rigorous and includes any prerequisite coursework that may be required. A graduate admissions test, participation in extracurricular activities, and the submission of letters of recommendation with your application may be additional requirements for acceptance into a psychology graduate program. Graduate school in psychology can be either research or clinical, with each type conferring a different doctorate, both of which will allow you to practice criminal psychology. You should enroll in a graduate program that focuses on the treatment and study of criminal behavior.
After completing your education and earning your doctorate in psychology, you will usually be ready to begin a career in criminal psychology after obtaining board certification. Psychologists are certified by professional organizations after passing an exam. Certification must be maintained throughout a person’s career and expires after a certain period of time. Psychologists are employed by the criminal justice system to treat inmates, assist in the investigation of crimes by analyzing criminal behavior patterns, and provide expert testimony in court cases. A private consulting practice where they also provide therapy to patients is where many criminal psychologists get their start working with the court system.