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Online Bachelor's Degree BA in Psychology Forensic Psychology

Help Solve Criminal Investigations with a Forensic Psychology Degree Online

Pursue a career that combines psychology, criminal investigation and law by earning your BA in Psychology with a concentration in Forensic Psychology from Southern New Hampshire University. If you enjoy working with others and the idea of dealing with clients or criminal offenders to help solve criminal investigations, this is your degree. The forensic psychology degree online instills the research skills, knowledge of psychology and critical-thinking ability to deal with a variety of issues facing the legal system.

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The Psychology of Preparing for a Penalty Kick

The Psychology of Preparing for a Penalty Kick

A goalkeeper has 0.08 of a second to make a decision on how to stop a penalty kick, Dr. Michael Hendery, SNHU’s psychology chairman, told former MLS player Calen Carr. Years of training plus split-second information processing can help pull out a win.

See Yourself Succeed in Forensic Psychology

The forensic psychology degree online program will give you both a solid liberal arts foundation and a marketable specialty by allowing you to tailor your degree interests with a forensic psychology concentration. The program prepares students for success within a diverse, global society; in entry-level careers spanning a broad range of fields; and in graduate study in psychology. Within the forensic psychology concentration, you'll study concepts and ideas such as:

  • How psychologists serve as expert witnesses and advisors in courts
  • Motives and patterns of criminal behavior
  • Definitions for insanity
  • Treatment, rehabilitation and assessments used in corrections and in private practice
  • Eyewitness memory
  • Criminal profiling

The real-world applications of what you learn may set you up for success as a self-employed expert witness or consultant who collaborates with a police department, law firm or courthouse to provide services related to the psychological elements of the justice system.

As a private, nonprofit university, SNHU has one mission – to help you see yourself succeed. The benefits of earning your bachelor's in psychology at SNHU include:

  • Affordability. Take advantage of some of the most affordable tuition rates in the nation
  • Convenience. Attend class when it’s convenient for you – online education means 24/7 access
  • Efficiency and flexibility. Complete your undergraduate degree at your own pace, over six 8-week terms per year
  • Expert instruction. Learn from instructors with relevant, real-world experience
  • Honor societies. High-achieving students are invited to join Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology
  • Networking. All students are invited to join our online SNHU Psychology Club and to tap into our nationwide network of alumni for internship and career opportunities
  • Simple application process. Just fill out an online undergraduate application, and we’ll retrieve U.S. transcripts from your previous institutions and automatically complete an official credit evaluation. Plus, there’s no application fee
  • Student support. Count on the ongoing support of dedicated academic and career advisors specialized in your area of study
  • Transfer-friendly enrollment. Transfer up to 90 credits toward an undergraduate degree

Career Outlook

With a psychology degree, you'll have a thorough understanding of psychological principles and how to apply them to social and organizational issues in the real world. The knowledge you obtain in the forensic psychology concentration can be applied to a number of careers in government, criminal justice and the private sector. 

Your degree positions you for roles like market research analyst, which could see 23 percent growth through 2026, or human resources manager or public relations specialist, both of which could see 9 percent growth in the same time period.*

Additional training or certification may be required for certain jobs.

Curriculum

Your forensic psychology degree online will build a solid liberal arts foundation that provides a well-rounded education to support your study of psychology. You’ll have the opportunity to build skillsets around:

  • Abnormal psychology
  • Criminal profiling
  • Trends in crime
  • Criminal behavior
  • Treatment methods for criminal offenders
  • The impact of crime on individuals, groups and society.

Courses are taught by instructors with professional credentials in related fields.

Required Core Courses
General Education Program

Degree Courses
BIO 210 Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology

Discussion/comparison of the principles of mammalian form and function. Includes molecular and cellular mechanisms of major processes (such as muscle contraction, neural transmission, and signal transduction) and examines the structure and function of the 11 organ systems of the human body. Laboratory exercises (BIO-210L) to follow lecture topics.
PSY 108 Introduction to Psychology

This course provides students an introduction to the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. Students prepare for more advanced concepts in upper-level Psychology courses by learning the basics of how to evaluate research and exploring various areas of specialization within the discipline.

PSY 223 Research I: Statistics for Psychology

How do psychologists organize, summarize, and interpret information? Students in this course study applications of statistical methods in psychological research and practice. The emphasis of the course is on the conceptual understanding of statistics so that students can read and conduct psychological research; those skills will be applied to students' original projects in Research II: Scientific Investigations. Computation of tests will be conducted on the computer. Students will build upon statistical knowledge and develop an in-depth conceptual and practical understanding of hypothesis testing, tests of significance, standardization, correlation, and analysis of variance in a wide variety of psychological uses. Students will learn the theory of statistical decisions, practical application of statistical software, and how to analyze journal articles. This course typically should be completed during the first semester of the sophomore year.
PSY 224 Research II: Scientific Investigations

Students in this course will develop an understanding a variety of research methods, including experimental, survey, correlation and case-history techniques. They will become aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each method and understand when each method is best used. Writing intensive course.
PSY 444 Senior Seminar in Psychology (Capstone)

This capstone course integrates previous classroom and practical experience with a focus on current issues in psychology. This course likely will include cross-cultural aspects of psychology, ethics, recent career trends in psychology and other topics dictated by current events in psychology. Coverage may change over time, but the basic focus on integrating the past and anticipating the future for psychology seniors will be the major concern. Writing Intensive Course.
PSY 205 Forensic Psychology

Students will learn how psychology, as a science and a practice, applies to questions and issues relating to law and the legal system. Emphasis will be placed on witness testimony and the social psychology of the courtroom. Topics will include recovered memories, adolescent violence and murder, strategies for interviewing witnesses, expert testimony, and factors influencing the credibility of witnesses, victims and offenders.
PSY 310 Criminal Psychology

This course will provide the student with insights about crime from a psychological perspective. Specifically, the course will focus on how a criminal offender is influenced by multiple systems within the psychosocial environment. This course examines and evaluates the role of psychological factors in understanding the motives behind antisocial acts. Throughout the course, students will acquire knowledge and practice in the application of psychological methods to understanding criminal behavior.

Select two of the following:

PSY 257 Social Psychology

Social psychology is an interesting, dynamic study of how people's thoughts, feelings and actions are affected by others. Issues discussed include prejudice, conformity, interpersonal attraction and violence. The scientific methods of studying such phenomena are emphasized.
PSY 315 Counseling Process and Techniques

This course examines the history and philosophy of specific helping professions in the fields of psychology, sociology and human services. Several broad theoretical perspectives will be studied and applied in role-play situations.
SOC 324 Sociology of Crime and Violence

The course examines the nature, causes, and consequences of crime and violence to a society. Applying a legal and sociological perspective, the course examines: 1) the structure of the law and the criminal justice system; 2) the nature and causation of criminal behavior; and 3) the various types of crime and criminality.

Select two of the following:

SOC 112 Introduction to Sociology

Is one's identity individually or socially constructed? Are all stereotypes invalid or can there be value in generalizations? Is globalization widening the gaps or homogenizing the world? In this course, students will grapple with these essential questions in examining the world through the lens of a sociologist. Sociology offers an empirically-based methodology for critically evaluating society-from issues of individual agency to the roots of global institutions. Culture, norm stratification, systems, structure, social institutions, social change, the organization of social behavior and its relationship to society and social conditions are emphasized. Students will challenge their own preconceived notions and evaluate these constructs in terms of their relevancy to contemporary issues and problems.
POL 210 American Politics

This course offers a broad introduction to the structure and function of the American political system at the national level, including the roles played by the president, Congress, the courts, the bureaucracy, political parties, interest groups and the mass media in the policy- making and electoral processes. This course places special emphasis on how the efforts of the framers of the Constitution to solve what they saw as the political problems of their day continue to shape American national politics in ours.
POL 306 The American Legal Tradition

This course offers a broad introduction to the American legal tradition, including the structure and function of the courts, the legal profession, legal education, and the politics of judicial selection. As an introduction to what it means to "think like a lawyer" in the United States, students learn how to write parts of a predictive legal memorandum of the type that first-year law students learn how to write, in which they analyze a legal issue of concern to hypothetical clients by applying the reasoning and conclusions in selected judicial opinions to the facts of the clients' case.
SCI 215 Contemporary Health

This course exposes students to the three major dimensions of health -- physical, emotional and social. Health, nutrition, substance abuse, infectious diseases and stress management are among the issues that will be discussed. Students will learn to intelligently relate health knowledge to the social issues of our day. For students on program plans/catalogs prior to 2012-13; this course does not satisfy the university core science requirement.
SOC 213 Sociology of Social Problems

Students in this course analyze contemporary social problems in America and other societies. Issues include economic limitations, class and poverty, race and ethnic relations, sexism, ageism, and environmental and population concerns.
SOC 317 Sociology of the Family

This course is a sociological examination of the family institution in America and other societies. Traditional and nontraditional family patterns are studied to provide students with a structure for understanding sex, marriage, family and kinship systems. Offered every other year.
SOC 320 Sociology of Gender

The examination of gender in society. Students will explore the social construction of gender, gender identity development, sexuality and power, and other aspects concerning the meanings and implications of being 'male', 'female', or 'transgendered'.
SOC 326 Sociology of Deviant Behavior

This course is a sociological analysis of the nature, cause, and societal reactions to deviant behavior, including mental illness, suicide, drug and alcohol addiction and sexual deviation.
SOC 328 Sociology of Aging

Students in this course examine the basic social processes and problems of aging. Social and psychological issues and issues involved with death and dying are discussed.

Select four of the following:
PSY 211 Lifespan Development

The purpose of this course is to engage students in meaningful exploration of theories, basic concepts, and research methodologies in psychological development. Students will gain an understanding of patterns of human development from conception through death, including the biological, cognitive, and social-emotional development and the interplay between these areas. This course will also explore the roles of environmental and genetic factors, culture and history, continuity and change in development.
PSY 215 Abnormal Psychology

This course offers students an opportunity to better understand human behavior. It also studies the similarities and differences between normal and abnormal reactions to environmental stimuli.
PSY 216 Psychology of Personality

Personality is studied using theories, applications, and individual and group patterns of behavior formation.
PSY 300 Biopsychology

This course explores how the brain influences our behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. Topics include: evolution, genetics, anatomy and function of the nervous system, psychopharmacology, brain dysfunction, neuropsychological testing, sleep and circadian rhythms, neuroplasticity, emotions, and mental illness.
PSY 305 Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive psychology focuses on mental processes; we explore research and theory relating to memory, thinking, problem-solving, and language. Applied topics will include learning skills to help improve memory, accommodating memory/language disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and dyslexia, and understanding how brain scanning techniques can be used to understand memory.

Free Elective Credits: 30

Total Credits: 120

Program Outcomes

Tuition & Fees

Tuition rates for SNHU's online degree programs are among the lowest in the nation. We offer financial aid packages to those who qualify, plus a 30 percent tuition discount for U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty.

Online Undergraduate Programs Per Course* Per Credit Hour*
Degree/Certificates $960 $320
Degree/Certificates
(U.S. service members, both full and part time, and the spouses of those on active duty) 		$675 $225

*Tuition Rates are subject to change and are reviewed annually.

Additional Costs
No Application Fee, $150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)

University Accreditation

Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges as well as several other accrediting bodies. More...

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the Internet, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/market-research-analysts.htm, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/human-resources-managers.htm and https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/public-relations-specialists.htm (viewed online November 3, 2017). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.