Forensic Psychology Online Degree Concentration Within the Bachelor's in Psychology Program

Becoming a forensic psychologist requires education beyond a bachelor's degree. While requirements differ between states and jurisdictions, a majority require that forensic psychologists hold a doctorate and complete many hours of supervised field training.

Note: SNHU does not currently offer a doctorate in forensic psychology. Check with the appropriate board in your state for licensure requirements.

The American Board of Forensic Psychology defines forensic psychology as “the application of the science and profession of psychology to questions and issues relating to law and the legal system.”² Those who specialize in the field often work in the court or prison system, in criminal justice, as a victim advocate and in many other roles.

Dr. Bernadette Boozer-Madison, who teaches forensic psychology online at SNHU, says it’s common for students to confuse forensic psychology with criminal justice.

“In most cases, they are drawn to forensic psychology because of how it is depicted on television in shows like ‘Law & Order,’ ‘CSI’ and ‘Criminal Minds,’” said Boozer-Madison. “Forensic psychology is a very exciting field, but it also hinges on and relies on the inter-workings of the judicial system and law enforcement.”

Our Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology with a concentration in Forensic Psychology program actually includes a criminal psychology course. Designed to provide insights about crime from a psychological perspective, the course focuses on how various systems influence criminal offenders. Put another way, criminal psychology is about the motives and influences behind antisocial acts.

SNHU adjunct faculty member Kathy Edwards helps put a finer point on the field.

“Forensic psychology has been called ‘the intersection of law and psychology,’” she said. “It's a field in which psychologists apply their psychosocial knowledge to civil and criminal law.”

Yes, as a subfield of psychology, forensic psychology is considered a science. Psychology is commonly recognized as a social science and is included on the National Science Foundation's roster of recognized STEM disciplines.

"Psychology's status as a science is grounded in the use of the scientific method," said Nickolas H. Dominello, PhD, senior associate dean for SNHU's undergraduate psychology program. Psychologists base their professional practice in knowledge obtained through verifiable evidence of human behavior and mental processes. They design psychological studies in much the same way as studies in other scientific fields.

Learning to design these studies and interpret the findings is a significant part of psychology education. Undergraduate students learn to develop a research question and select a data collection method. At the same time, they have the opportunity to design and refine a hypothetical research investigation.

Why do some people think of psychology as a "soft science"? Dominello offers an explanation: “I feel that in part it’s the fact that psychological science findings often lead to more questions and avenues of future research,” he said. “This contrasts with some of the more traditional sciences that only search for concrete, definitive answers.”

Research methods are either quantitative or qualitative. Quantitative research generates numerical data that can be analyzed. Qualitative research relies on questionnaires, interviews, observations and the like.

“Psychology as a science embraces this broader exploratory perspective in order to better understand human phenomena. When merged, qualitative data can breathe life into quantitative data,” Dominello said.

At colleges and universities, a concentration is a focused area of study within a larger degree program. A concentration generally replaces elective coursework in the major or discipline, allowing students to focus their studies on an area of interest.