Master of Science in Forensic Psychology

Admission Requirements 

The applicant must meet the School of Graduate Studies’ current minimum general admission requirements as published in the graduate catalog.

  1. Applicants must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.  For U.S. degrees, accreditation must be by one of the six regional accrediting associations.  A degree in behavioral or social science major allied with psychology, e.g., psychology, criminal justice, sociology, counseling, and social work, is recommended.
  2. Although not required, applicants are recommended to have a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.2 for all undergraduate work, or a graduate degree GPA of 3.5.
  3. A personal statement discussing:
    1. academic and professional accomplishments;
    2. reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in Forensic Psychology;
    3. research interests; and
    4. any additional information the applicant would like the admissions committee to know.
  4. A curriculum vita summarizing relevant experiences including but not limited to academic course work and work, volunteer, and research activities.
  5. Three letters of recommendation from those who can comment on the applicant’s academic abilities are also required. Consideration will be given for experience working in forensic areas or participating in research as an assistant prior to the program application.
  6. Satisfy the School of Graduate Studies’ English Language Proficiency requirements as published in the graduate catalog.                                                                                                                            

Degree Requirements

Students seeking the Master of Science in Forensic Psychology at the University of North Dakota must satisfy all general requirements set forth by the School of Graduate Studies as well as particular requirements set forth by the Forensic Psychology program.

Students in the M.S. Forensic Psychology Program at UND are required to complete 30 credits. This includes 18 credits of required coursework, 6 to 9 credits of elective courses, and 6 credit hours of thesis credit. The Forensic Psychology program does not have a comprehensive examination. 

* Requirements for Matriculating

  1. Overall GPA = 3.5
  2. Permission of Advisor and Program Director
Required Courses (18 Credits)
PSYC 523Forensic Assessment3
PSYC 524Psychology and Law3
PSYC 541Advanced Univariate Statistics3
PSYC 542Multivariate Statistics for Psychology3
PSYC 543Experimental Design3
PSYC 575Behavior Pathology3
Elective Courses (6-9 credits):
Choose two or three of the following:6-9
PSYC 539
Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 560
Advanced Social Psychology
PSYC 587
Supervised Field Work
PSYC 594
Special Topics in Psychology (can be repeated for credit)
CJ 515
Human Nature and Crime
CJ 535
Seminar in Juvenile Justice
CJ 565
Victimology
Thesis Requirement (6 Credits)
PSYC 998Thesis1-9

Note: The student’s Advisory Committee will also consider other graduate classes as appropriate electives on a case-by-case basis. Students who have a strong psychology undergraduate background may, after review by the Committee, be permitted to substitute an appropriate forensic psychology class.