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Chicago Master of Arts (MA) in Forensic Psychology Courses & Admissions Requirements
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Admissions Requirements
- A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution, a nationally accredited institution approved and documented by the faculty and dean of the College of Counseling, Psychology and Social Sciences, or an appropriately certified foreign institution
- A grade point average (GPA) on (on a scale of 4.0) as described below. Additional requirements may apply.
- 2.7 for the bachelor's degree, or
- 3.0 for the last 60 hours of coursework (including graduate work), or
- Between 2.0 and 2.7 for the bachelor's degree. Students seeking admission with a GPA between 2.0 and 2.7 will be required to submit a personal/professional goal statement with a self-appraisal of qualifications for the profession, current résumé (or career summary), one completed letter from a current employer, and evidence of completing one undergraduate introductory psychology course with a grade of "C" or better. Students admitted with a GPA between 2.0 and 2.7 must enroll in W5096 - Academic Writing within the first 15 week semester and pass within the first 30 weeks. Admission between 2.0 and 2.7 must be approved by the department chair and must be justified, documented, signed, placed, and retained in the student's academic file.
- Between 2.0 and 2.4 for the bachelor's degree. Students are also required to submit three academic or professional letters of recommendation (one from an employer).
- A minimum score on an Argosy University pre-approved English language proficiency test is required for all applicants whose native language is not English or who have not graduated from an institution at which English is the language of instruction as specified in Section Five, Admission Policies, "English Language Proficiency Policy."
The application process for admission into the MA in Forensic Psychology degree program requires the submission of material that will enable the Admissions Department to verify the applicant's academic qualifications for enrollment in the program.
All applicants to the program must submit the following materials by the application deadline:
- Completed Application for Admission Form
- Personal/professional goal statement with a self-appraisal of qualifications for the profession
- If the basis of admission is an earned bachelor's degree with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher (on a scale of 4.0), an official transcript from the degree granting institution
- If the basis of admission is a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) for the last 60 hours of coursework, official transcripts from all post-secondary schools attended during the 60 hours of study
Course List
Students enrolled in the MA in Forensic Psychology degree program are required to complete eight core courses (24 credit hours).
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Students enrolled in the MA in Forensic Psychology degree program may choose to complete one of the following concentrations:
- Assessment and Treatment
- Homeland Security
- Law Enforcement
The Assessment and Treatment concentration is designed to prepare students whose career goals are in the area of evaluating offenders primarily for use in criminal justice dispositions and in the area of treatment interventions for offenders and for those who are victims of criminal behavior.
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The Homeland Security concentration is designed to develop working knowledge of essential interrogation, interviewing, counterintelligence and other skills needed for forensic psychologists working in this field.
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The Law Enforcement concentration is designed to prepare students whose career goals are in law enforcement agencies.
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As an alternative to one of the optional concentrations, students enrolled in the MA in Forensic Psychology degree program may take four elective courses from the list below.
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The Field Experience option is available to only campus-based students, and those who are interested in completing a field experience. Field Experience provides an opportunity for students to apply the knowledge and skills gained within the Forensic Psychology degree program in selected forensic settings within their community.
The Forensic Psychophysiology track of the program is offered at Argosy University, Northern Virginia. This track has been designed for the continued professional development of Department of Defense (DoD) personnel, non-DoD federal personnel, and state and local criminal justice and intelligence agency employees. This track is designed to provide the opportunity for students to receive the theoretical and empirical foundation to apply techniques of forensic psychophysiology and to understand the role of these methods in the broader forensic psychology systems.
The MA in Forensic Psychology degree program with the Forensic Psychophysiology track requires the satisfactory completion of 39 credit hours by the end of the fourth year of matriculation, distributed as follows: core course requirements, 21 credit hours; National Center for Credibility Assessment (NCCA) transfer course requirements, 15 credit hours; and elective requirements, 3 credit hours.
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- PDD501 Interview Techniques (4)
- PDD503 PDD Analysis II (2)
- PDD505 PDD Methods II (2)
- PHY501 Physiology of PDD (4)
- PSY501 Psychology of PDD (3)
Note:
†The National Center for Credibility Assessment (NCCA) courses (PDD) are the only approved transfer courses accepted from NCCA for the Forensic Psychophysiology track offered at Argosy University, Northern Virginia.
- Option 1 PDD600 PDD Internship (offered through NCCA)
- Option 2 One additional course from the Argosy University, Northern Virginia Forensic Psychology Program
All students must successfully complete a Comprehensive Examination. The examination requires students to integrate course material into a form demonstrating both mastery and the ability to organize the material coherently and logically. Students who do not pass the Comprehensive Examination will receive feedback concerning their performance on the examination, and assistance in gaining additional experience to facilitate successful completion of this program requirement. A student who does not pass all parts of the comprehensive exam within three attempts will be automatically dismissed from the program.
Prior to taking the Comprehensive Examination, students must successfully complete all required courses, excluding the Forensic Seminar, as demonstrated by earning a grade of "B-" or better in all coursework. They must also submit an application to take the exam to the campus dean or department chair. Transferred courses are considered successfully completed.
Students taking the Comprehensive Examination must be in good academic standing, with a GPA of 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0).
Comprehensive Examination Procedures
The Comprehensive Examination is offered during class a minimum of two times a year. The schedule of the exams will be distributed by the department. Students interested in taking the Comprehensive Examination should complete a request form at least two months before they intend to take the exam and return it to the department.
More information concerning preparation for the Comprehensive Examination will be provided as students become eligible to take the exam.
Students may transfer a maximum of 12 credit hours toward the MA in Forensic Psychology degree program. For further information on course/credit transfer criteria, please refer to Section Seven, Academic Policies and Procedures.
