My teen is interested in a Forensics Psychology major. Please share any information about this major. Are there opportunities for internships in the field? Does UofA offer cooperative education?
To my knowledge, UA does not offer an undergraduate major in forensic psychology. It does offer a psychology major with BA and BS options. A few elective undergraduate courses in forensic psychology are offered.
To become a forensic psychologist, one would need to obtain a PhD or PsyD in clinical psychology, obtain subspecialty training in forensic psychology either as a component of the doctoral program or subsequent to the doctorate, and get licensed as a psychologist. Some universities offer joint law/psychology doctoral programs, which is another option for this career. At the bachelor’s or master’s level, one could not work as a forensic psychologist, although there are some entry-level positions in correctional, probation/parole, or delinquency programs. These jobs might involve some counseling or similar work, but do not involve the assessment or treatment work done by forensic psychologists.
So, to get on that pathway, your teen should major in psychology, possibly take some electives or a minor in criminal justice or sociology (criminology courses), and apply to a doctoral program in clinical psychology after completing an undergrad degree. There might be some internship opportunities in criminal justice agencies for undergrad psychology majors, which might be good experience, but there are not going to provide training as s forensic psychologist.
If your teen wants to be a forensic psychologist, I advise him/her to watch less TV (Law & Order, CSI, Criminal Minds, etc.) and to study more.
Thank you for your detailed response. She is still very interested in the profession. She understands it’s a long journey. I think majoring in Psychology will provide the most options for graduate school. She read an memoir by a Forensic Psychologist from New York state. “Mom, this is what I want” she explained to me.