Forensic and Legal Psychology (M.A.)
This master's degree program provides graduates with the skills and knowledge they need to provide effective, high-quality services in a variety of forensic and legal settings. These include probation and parole, victim assistance, mitigation and sentencing advocacy, law enforcement, intelligence, trial consultation, policy, advocacy, and research. To accomplish this goal, the program balances traditional psychological knowledge and skills with a specialized understanding of the legal system.
Upon successful completion of the forensic and legal psychology program, students will be able to
- evaluate existing research in the field;
- develop and deliver effective oral presentations;
- analyze the effectiveness of public policies in the legal system and propose workable solutions;
- design and defend solutions to major problems in the field using current research and theory; and
- analyze the complexities involved in various ethical dilemmas in the field and argue for preferred solutions.
Admission Requirements: In addition to the university's requirements for graduate admission, the following are required:
- satisfactory GPA (An undergraduate major in psychology is preferred; however, candidates from other fields will be considered.)
- satisfactory scores on the GRE* (including the Analytical Writing score), as determined by the program
- two letters of recommendation, using the official recommendation form provided by the Office of Graduate Enrollment Services, that speak directly to the applicant’s academic and interpersonal skills
- a personal statement, maximum 500 words, describing the applicant’s background and motivation for entering the field of study as well as the applicant’s rationale for applying to Marymount’s forensic and legal psychology program
*GRE is waived for a previously earned graduate degree from an accredited college or university. GRE waivers may be considered on a case-by-case basis for exceptional work history in a forensically relevant field. The program will also consider substitution of GRE scores with comparable graduate-level standardized exams (e.g., LSAT, GMAT, MCAT, etc.).
Intelligence Studies Concentration Admission Requirements: Forensic and legal psychology students who are interested in completing the intelligence studies concentration must meet the following requirements (after at least one semester in the program):
- declare their intent to complete the concentration by the spring semester of their first year in the program
- complete a minimum of nine (9) FLP credits (including FLP 570)
- complete FLP 570 with a B or higher
- have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or school director approval
Once these criteria are met, students will meet with their academic advisor to complete a Change of Program form in order to formally enter the intelligence studies concentration.
Maximum Credits: Students enrolled in the M.A. in forensic and legal psychology program are limited to registering for a maximum of nine (9) credits per semester.
Application Deadlines: Students are admitted for the fall semester only. Completed applications must be received by February 15. Applications received after February 15 will be considered for a future academic year.
Internship Prerequisite: In order to be admitted to an internship, students must have completed the internship application process, which includes a review of academic progress, prerequisite coursework, and appropriate paperwork. Students must also submit the required application fee and gain the permission of the faculty. See the Forensic and Legal Psychology Student Handbook for additional details.
Research Requirement: All graduate students are required to log a minimum of 20 hours of research assistance under the guidance of one or more members of the forensic and legal psychology faculty. See the Forensic and Legal Psychology Student Handbook for details.
Transfer Policies: Students in the program requesting course substitutions or course transfer from other institutions will be required to submit paperwork for review by the forensic and legal psychology faculty.
Academic Probation: Students may only be on nonconsecutive probation once during their graduate studies. If a student's cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 for a second consecutive time, the student will be dismissed. Students who wish to appeal their dismissal should refer to the Academic Dismissal section of this catalog for the proper procedure.
Degree Requirements — Forensic and Legal Psychology
39 credits
| FLP 501 | Bases of Psychopathology | 3 |
| FLP 502 | Research Methods | 3 |
| FLP 511 | Legal and Investigative Psychology | 3 |
| FLP 512 | Issues in the American Legal System | 3 |
| FLP 527 | Psychology, Public Policy, and Law | 3 |
| FLP 531 | Psychology of Criminal Behavior | 3 |
| FLP 540 | Forensic Assessment | 3 |
| FLP 599 | Internship: Forensic and Legal Psychology | 3 |
FLP 502: Students considering the forensic and legal psychology with clinical mental health counseling option (M.A./M.A.) need to be aware that, per CACREP requirements, FLP 502 is not an approved course. CE 500 is instead required.
Five (5) courses from the following:
| CE 508 | Crisis Assessment and Intervention | 3 |
| CE 509 | Substance Abuse Assessment and Intervention | 3 |
| CE 517 | Neuropsychological Issues, Treatments, and Assessments | 3 |
| FLP 503 | Statistics | 3 |
| FLP 515 | Death Penalty and Mitigation | 3 |
| FLP 520 | Wrongful Convictions: Case Analysis | 3 |
| FLP 526 | Field Experience in Criminal Court | 3 |
| FLP 533 | Psychology of Sexual Violence and Exploitation | 3 |
| FLP 534 | Substance Use and Abuse: Treatment and Legal Responses | 3 |
| FLP 536 | Victims of Interpersonal Violence | 3 |
| FLP 552 | Psychology of Law Enforcement | 3 |
| FLP 555 | Individual Profiling: International and Political | 3 |
| FLP 556 | Group and Country Profiling: International and Political | 3 |
| FLP 559 | Behavioral Criminology | 3 |
| FLP 560 | Psychopathology of Childhood and Adolescence | 3 |
| FLP 563 | Psychology and Treatment of the Juvenile Offender | 3 |
| FLP 566 | Child Victimization | 3 |
| FLP 567 | Juvenile Justice | 3 |
| FLP 570 | The Intelligence Community: Theory, Process, and Challenges | 3 |
| FLP 571 | Intelligence Analysis I | 3 |
| FLP 572 | Intelligence Analysis II | 3 |
| FLP 573 | Counterintelligence | 3 |
| FLP 574 | Contemporary Terrorism and the U.S. Response | 3 |
| FLP 575 | Intelligence-Led Policing: Application and Methods | 3 |
| FLP 598 | Project: Forensic and Legal Psychology | 3 |
With prior approval of faculty, graduate credit for other elective courses can be applied toward the student’s degree. Students who complete FLP 502 and FLP 503 should complete a research-focused internship.
Intelligence Studies Concentration
Students choosing the intelligence studies concentration will complete five (5) courses listed here instead of five electives.
In addition, students in the intelligence studies concentration must complete an internship in the intelligence community or at a private sector company that supports the intelligence community. Students who complete FLP 502 and FLP 503 should complete a research-focused internship.
| FLP 570 | The Intelligence Community: Theory, Process, and Challenges | 3 |
| FLP 571 | Intelligence Analysis I | 3 |
| FLP 572 | Intelligence Analysis II | 3 |
| FLP 573 | Counterintelligence | 3 |
Students choose one (1) of the following:
| FLP 555 | Individual Profiling: International and Political | 3 |
| FLP 556 | Group and Country Profiling: International and Political | 3 |
| FLP 574 | Contemporary Terrorism and the U.S. Response | 3 |
| FLP 575 | Intelligence-Led Policing: Application and Methods | 3 |
| IT 577 | Human Factors in Cybersecurity | 3 |
With prior approval of faculty, graduate credit for other elective courses can be applied toward the student's degree.