Expert: Bruce Borkosky, Psy.D. - 4/27/2010

Question
I want to be a forensic psychologist but i am not sure which college to go to. I want a masters degree. Could you tell me which university is right for me? I reside in Florida, and would much rather go to an in state school.

Answer
Hi, Zukhra, thanks for your questions. Wow, where do I start?


"I want to be a forensic psychologist but ... I want a masters degree."
--------First off, you cannot be any kind of a psychologist (at least in FL), with a masters degree. You have to obtain a doctorate, from an approved program, and then become licensed. Now, it IS possible to work in the criminal justice field, with a Masters, you just can't call yourself a psychologist. For example, I know there are persons with BA degrees, working in jails, they are called Forensic Specialists.


Could you tell me which university is right for me?
-----------Not really, no. Not without an indepth analysis of your needs and wants. It's not simply a matter of providing a listing of schools that have forensic tracks. There are many different kinds of job titles within the forensics area, so it all depends on exactly what it is you want to do. In addition, as a psychologist, you cannot become licensed as a 'forensic' professional. Your work in that field depends more on your training and expertise in a whole host of areas, such as the field of psychology, the laws in that area, psychology research, testifying as an expert, etc. It is a lifelong endeavor, if you want it to be, because the amount of information is growing exponentially.

I am fairly sure that does not answer your questions, but it's the best I can do with the info you provided. If you have additional questions, please feel free to ask follow up.

Dr. Borkosky