Bachelor's Degree in Forensic Psychology

Why Choose Saint Rose for a Bachelor's Degree in Forensic Psychology?

The Forensic Psychology degree at Saint Rose is relatively new, but none-the-less, this major has exploded in popularity resulting from the positive job market growth, strong integrated program design, and limited availability of the major at other institutions. Saint Rose’s location in the Capital Region of New York provides ample opportunities for discipline-specific internships, especially in the field of Forensic Psychology. The American Institute for Economic Research recently ranked Albany, NY, seventh among small metro areas in the country for providing outside-the-classroom opportunities and as a top destination for students to live and work after graduation.

The Forensic Psychology major at Saint Rose is housed in the Department of Psychology, but the major includes a number of highly integrative and multidisciplinary courses in Forensic Psychology. It closely resembles a double major in Psychology and Criminal Justice. The major requires a total of 73 credits including required core courses such as introductory and advanced Forensic Psychology, Forensic Mental Health Law, Criminal Behavior, Court Systems, Abnormal Psychology, and a Senior Seminar capstone course. Graduate training is required to practice in most areas of Forensic Psychology and, as a result, many of our students pursue a master’s degree in Counseling, a doctoral degree in Forensic Psychology or Psychology, or a doctoral degree in Law after graduation.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor & Statistics reports very high job growth (19% average) in Psychology, with some of the highest rates in applied clinical/counseling areas which comprise a significant proportion of Psychologists who practice in a criminal/legal setting or work with a criminal population or victims of crime.

Program Highlights

• With 73 required credits, the education that Forensic Psychology degree students acquire has a much greater breadth and depth within the field of Forensic Psychology in comparison to most other institutions.
• Students may choose from one of three paths within the degree:
  • Basic Degree – students distribute their coursework more evenly across Psychology, Criminal Justice, and Law.
  • Clinical Concentration – students opt for more coursework in Psychology, providing optimal preparation for a graduate degree in clinical or counseling.
  • Legal Concentration – students opt for more coursework in Law, providing optimal preparation for law school.
• William J. Hagan Research Honors Concentration. This unique Honors Concentration may be completed by qualified Forensic Psychology college students with strong interests in graduate school and/or post-graduate work involving research.
• Highly diverse faculty interests in both the Psychology and Criminal Justice Departments resulting in equally diverse course offerings.
• Wide variety of internship opportunities, including the chance for selected students to intern with our expert faculty advisors and work on true cold cases in our Cold Case Analysis Center.