8 Forensic Psychology Career Paths to Pursue Now
Graduates with a forensic psychology degree may work in a local court system, in a police department, or in a prison or probation department. Forensic psychology is the application of psychological theory and research to the criminal justice system and related fields. Although forensic psychologists typically have advanced degrees, there are a variety of job opportunities for students with bachelor-level degrees as well.
8 career paths you can pursue with a forensic psychology degree.
1. Investigative Researcher.
An investigative researcher interviews witnesses, researches documents or records and writes reports about their findings for lawyers. An individual in this position may work for a lawyer or complete freelance projects for a variety of different offices. As part of the forensic psychology degree program at Florida Tech, students have the opportunity to take on internships at a number of organizations, including with the Florida State Attorney and Public Defender’s Office.
2. Psychological Assistant.
A doctoral degree is required to become a licensed psychologist, but a psychological assistant might do clinical or experimental work under the supervision of a licensed psychologist. Potential job responsibilities include administering psychological tests, assisting with diagnosing clients or helping to design and execute experiments. Florida Tech forensic psychology students have been recruited for positions with leading behavioral health organizations like Devereux.
3. Victim Advocate.
A victim advocate helps crime victims through the process of finding resources, filling out paperwork, and going to court. Victim advocates also provide emotional support for victims and may even run support groups or work at crisis centers.
4. Forensic Case Manager.
Forensic case managers help those currently incarcerated or formerly incarcerated find support systems to help them meet recovery and reassimilation goals. This may include both connecting to community resources and also getting mental health services when needed.
5. Crime Analyst.
Data analysis of crime scenes and criminal activity patterns helps police and others in the criminal justice field to understand and combat criminal activity. Crime analysts search out and analyze this information to help police solve crimes better.
6. Court Liaison.
The main function of court liaisons is to facilitate communication between law enforcement and the courts. This is mainly an administrative position that includes scheduling depositions, handling subpoenas and processing paperwork and court filings before an appearance so that everything is in order when the parties are before the court.
7. Law Enforcement Officer.
Having forensic psychology experience is a benefit for many law enforcement jobs, from patrol officer to sergeant or lieutenant and above. Detectives may particularly benefit from having psychological knowledge when trying to figure out motives for crimes, or as part of a cold case team.
8. Probation Officer.
Working with those recently incarcerated can be challenging, but having forensic psychology knowledge can help to facilitate former prisoners’ rehabilitation when things are more complex or require some figuring out. Florida Tech forensic psychology students have the opportunity to intern with local jails and correctional facilities.
Florida Institute of Technology offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Forensic Psychology with research opportunities as well as field internships that will give you an idea of what to expect when working with criminal justice populations. Local criminal justice departments and organizations including the FBI recruit students from FIT to fill their job openings upon graduation from the program.Florida Tech’s forensic psychology degree program also provides students with an opportunity to work side-by-side with faculty research teams as they seek to understand and solve complex issues within the field of forensic psychology. These programs serve as valuable hands-on research experiences.
