Best Online Bachelor's Degrees in Forensic Psychology for 2019
A bachelor's degree in forensic psychology can lead to an exciting and lucrative career, and the demand for skilled employees is particularly high. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of jobs for forensic science technicians is projected to grow by 27% by 2024.
If you're interested in a career in forensics, consider earning your forensic psychology degree online. Our guide will help you consider your options to find the best degree program for you.
What are the Best Online Bachelor's in Forensic Psychology Programs?
Top 8 Bachelors in Forensic Psychology for 2019
Admissions Rate
68%
Graduation Rate
53%
Online Enrollment
32%
Retention Rate
69%
Default Rate
5%
Bushnell University offers an online forensic psychology degree that prepares undergraduate students for entry-level positions or further study at the master's level. The curriculum includes a variety of courses on foundational criminal justice and psychology topics. After completing prerequisite requirements, students enroll in advanced courses on topics like psychometrics, juvenile justice system, and the psychology of trauma. NCU does not charge an application fee and only requires students to have a high school diploma or GED with a minimum GPA of 2.0 to be considered. This program is ideal for adult learners and boasts a generous transfer credit policy. All online students pay the same tuition rate, regardless of residency. Distance learners have access to a variety of grants and scholarships, including the Oregon Opportunity Grant, which provides generous funding for in-state residents.
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What Will I Learn in an Online Forensic Psychology Program?
Forensic psychology programs online don't follow a "one size fits all" approach; the curriculum varies from school to school. Students should check with their prospective school to ensure they offer a particular course or concentration that interests them. The following, however, is a sample of a few of the basic courses a student can expect to encounter during their program.
Introduction to Psychology: This course provides the background and frameworks of mental processes and behavior. Students explore the basics of research and examine a summary of various specializations within the field of psychology.
Criminal Psychology: This course explores criminal behavior from a psychological perspective. Students apply psychological methods to discover the origins of criminal urges and intent.
Cognitive Psychology: By studying mental processing, students learn the research and theory of thinking, memory, and language. Related pathologies are also covered.
Abnormal Psychology: Students learn the differences between healthy cognitive and emotional processing, and various patterns of the disordered brain. Focus is on etiology, assessment, and treatment techniques for psychological disorders.
What can I do with an Online Forensic Psychology Degree?
Graduates from online forensic psychology degree programs have many exciting and lucrative career options to choose from. Depending on their individual interests and expertise, graduates may work as victim advocates, forensic interviewers, probation officers, crime analysts, or case managers. The following chart outlines these careers and their median salaries.
A victim advocate works for nonprofit organizations or governmental entities, such as a police department. They participate in crisis intervention with victims, often of domestic violence. A victim advocate helps victims escape abuse and connect them to necessary resources such as housing, medical care, and legal support.
Median Salary: $34,947
Job Outlook and Salary
Graduates of forensic psychology programs online are well-positioned to secure gainful employment, as the field is expected to significantly grow in the next decade. Employers are looking for well-educated, enthusiastic employees to fill these new positions, and an online bachelor's in forensic psychology is excellent preparation for a variety of careers.
Robust job growth in the field often means that an employee can command an attractive salary, but the specific career, industry, and geographic location in which they work will also impact one's earnings.
| Employment, 2014 | Projected Employment, 2024 |
|---|---|
| 14,400 | 18,200 |
Salary Growth by Experience
As with many other fields, graduates of an online forensic psychology program can expect their salaries to increase over time as they gain more experience in their field. The following chart illustrates how median salaries change with experience.
To determine the best online bachelor's in forensic psychology programs, we looked at the most important factors prospective students, mainly common predictors of future success and a school's commitment to online programs. This boils down to admissions rate, student loan default rate, retention rate, graduation rate, and the percent of students enrolled in online classes. All data points are taken from information provided by colleges and universities to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Each factor is weighted evenly in order to give an objective view and determine the best online bachelor's in forensic psychology programs. To calculate our rankings, we looked at a school's ranking when organized by a single factor, and then averaged each category's ranking to find an overall score: Admissions Rate (20%) + Default Rate (20%) + Retention Rate (20%) + Graduation Rate (20%) + Percent of Students Enrolled in Online Classes (20%) = Final score.