I have been getting many emails and messages from students interested in pursuing forensic psychology as a specialization and career later on. This post is specifically for those students who want to pursue Forensic Psychology.
According to many of the emails I have received, there is very little information available online to answer these students’ questions. It is unfortunate that most of the information available on the Internet specially in Forensic fields is by amateurs and those who have limited knowledge about the field themselves.
You must have seen many Forensic Psychologists on big screen. Interest in forensic psychology has surged in recent years, thanks to movies and series like Silence of the Lambs. The Criminal Minds,Mindhunter,Cracker, etc. The actors have made the profession look so cool, so larger than life and so eerie at the same time.
Let us understand the nitty gritty of the profession first.
What is Forensic Psychology?
Forensic psychology, as defined by the American Psychological Association, is the application of clinical specialties to the legal arena. In simpler terms, it is the application of knowledge of psychology in legal arena.
What does a Forensic Psychologist Do?
Forensic Psychologists are responsible for ascertaining why certain types of people commit crimes; what type of person committed a crime; and how to prevent people from committing crimes.
Forensic psychologists help solve criminal cases by studying suspects and evidence to determine a motive(mens rea).
Note- Forensic Psychologist do not do criminal profiling, however!! A criminologist does that. Criminology is the study of the causes of crime and ways to prevent and control it; while forensic psychology focuses on studying the thoughts, feelings and behaviors of criminals.
In India, only Gujarat Forensic Science University offers M.Sc. Forensic Psychology and M.A. Criminology with Specialization in Forensic Psychology(full time courses).
Pune University offers Post Graduate Diploma in Criminal and Forensic Psychology. Christ University also offers a course on Advanced Forensic Psychology. NIMHANS also runs a PG certificate course but the fee for that is sky high.
But, if you are really serious to specialize in “Forensic Psychology”, I suggest you to do it from abroad.
Read on to find some of the best Universities Offering Forensic Psychology in UK for Graduation.
If you want to pursue Masters in Forensic Psychology in UK,you need to have Psychology in Grad level. So , I am jotting down list of those universities that offer Bachelors in Forensic Psychology.
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