Ph.D/Psy.D in Clinical Psych with Law/Forensics

Graduate School
1

<p>Hello, I am currently a junior at FSU majoring in Psychology and Criminology. I want to be a correctional psychologist (aka a prison psychologist). I had a few questions.</p>

<p>1) Should I get my Ph.D. or a Psy.D?
2) There about approximately 15-20 schools that offer clinical programs with concentrations in forensics/law, should I take that road or will any clinical psych program get the job done?
3) What else should I do to improve any kind of chance?</p>

<p>Stats:
-GRE: Going to take soon.</p>

<p>-GPA: 3.3 - weakness</p>

<p>-I've worked at the hospital up here in the neurology/neurosurgery intensive care unit now for a year and a half (and still working there..) </p>

<p>-I am doing research right now working at a juvenile boys prison measuring stress levels and doing research on personality disorders. That has been going on since December and will go until next December (quite different than most research that usually last just one semester, yes?)</p>

<p>-This summer I'll be taking an internship with a police forensic and correctional unit. Then i'll possibly volunteer at the mental hospital.</p>

<p>-In the spring of 2011, i'll be doing an abnormal field experience and a criminology field experience. I'm not sure what they do, but they offer it here.</p>

<p>-I have 3 years of ABA/volunteer work with Autism. I'm not sure that makes a difference, but I spent a lot of time with it.</p>

<p>I realized my numbers are low, but I feel like I have a lot of backup, so to speak. Any advice would be lovely. :)</p>

2

<p>I’m in psychology as a researcher, not a clincian. The PsyD would be fine if you wanted to be a practitioner in private practice, and some PsyDs even do teach at universities as lecturers. But the generally accepted degree would be a PhD.</p>

<p>You will need to go to a place that has people doing research on corrections, prisons, law, forensics, etc. You will need to get involved in that kind of research in order to get hired at a correctional facility when you’re finished, and it would be ideal to do your internship in a correctional facility or prison system. Technically any clinical program will get the job done as long as you do the research, but the forensics/law concentration might help you a lot. You might also consider JD/PhD programs.</p>

<p>Your GPA is a mild weakness but will be outweighed by your research experience, especially within the field. Work on securing excellent letters of recommendation and a strong statement of purpose.</p>

3

<p>I agree with Juillet - the PhD is generally accepted and preferable.</p>