Psychology - Forensic Psychology, M.S.

Major Code: 3812

The master’s degree in Forensic Psychology prepares students for careers in intelligence analysis and criminal investigation at the local, state, and federal levels of law enforcement. The program emphasizes scientific research in experimental psychology and applications to forensics issues. This is a non-clinical program that trains students in quantitative methods of scientific inquiry.

The Forensic Psychology major requires a minimum of 37 graduate credit hours. In addition to the core courses required for all Psychology M.S. students, a student exercising the Forensic Psychology major must also enroll in the Forensic Psychology course work and additional course work as required by the advisory committee. A student enrolled in this major must submit a thesis in partial fulfillment of their degree requirements. The student’s advisory committee, with the addition of one faculty member from outside the department, will constitute the reading committee for the master’s thesis. The member from outside the department will, at the request of the student, be appointed by the graduate dean along with confirmation of the total committee as the thesis is begun. The master’s thesis is a research project which has the potential for publication in a psychological journal. For clarification of what qualifies as research in the field of psychology and for matters of concern regarding the design and reporting of research, the student is referred to the publication manual of the American Psychological Association.

Contacts

Graduate Admissions: Carlie Wellington

Email: cwellington@uco.edu

Office: Box 106, EDU 225

Phone: 405 - 974 - 5105

Coordinator/Advisor: Dr. Alicia Limke-McLean

Email: alimke@uco.edu

Office: OLN 111A

Phone: 405 - 974 - 5454

Admission Requirements

Submit the following items to:

Jackson College of Graduate Studies

100 N. University Drive, NUC 404

Edmond, OK 73034

• Admission to the Graduate Forensic Psychology Program is for Fall semester only. Application Deadline is January 15. Online application for admission (www.uco.edu/graduate/).

• Official copies of undergraduate and graduate transcripts from each institution attended with all degrees posted. All transcripts must be from accredited institutions. Undergraduate transcripts must show:

A minimum 2.75 GPA AND a minimum 3.0 in the student’s major, or in the 60 hours attempted.
Completion of 21 undergraduate hours in psychology including a course in Advanced Statistics: SPSS or an equivalant course and FRSC 2503.

• Students with a native language other than English must submit evidence of English language proficiency. See Admission to Graduate Studies - English Language Proficiency .

• Graduate Record Examination scores.

A preferred GRE score of at least 290 on the combined verbal reasoning and quantitative sections and a minimum of 3.5 on the analytical writing section. Combined verbal reasoning and quantitative scores above the median are strongly preferred.

• A personal statement describing the student’s academic interests and prior academic experiences for use in identifying potential capstone mentors (maximum 500 words) should accompany the application.

• Two letters of recommendation that describe the applicant’s academic preparation, research potential, and readiness for graduate college should accompany the application. Letters of recommendation are requested through the online application portal.

Other Requirements

• Plan of Study. Students must complete a plan of study during their first semester, which they must then file immediately with the Jackson College of Graduate Studies (JCGS). The plan must be signed and dated by the student and the graduate program advisor before it can be considered official.

• Academic Standards. Students must meet the following course work standards:

Overall GPA of 3.00 or higher; and
No more than six (6) hours of “C” shall be applied to the degree; and ◦ No grade below “C” will be applied to the degree requirements.
No more than six advisor-approved hours from traditional correspondence courses.

• Thesis. Enroll in PSY 5990, complete an acceptable Thesis, and successfully defend it in public in accordance with the guidelines of the Jackson College of Graduate Studies.

• Final Requirements. Apply for graduation through the JCGS by advertised deadline.

Graduation Requirements

Core Psychology Coursework: 18 Hours

Forensic Psychology Required Coursework: 18 Hours

PSY 5183 - Psychology and Law
PSY 5383 - Multivariate Analysis w/SPSS
FRSC 5863 - Expert Witness
FRSC 5223 - Behavior and Crime Scenes
FRSC 5233 - Forensic Interview Techniques
One additional FRSC 5000-level course. Advisor approval required.

Capstone Experience: 1 Hour

PSY 5990 - Thesis

TOTAL HOURS REQUIRED: 37 HOURS

Accelerated Degree Pathway: BS to MS

Students expecting to graduate with an undergraduate degree in Psychology from UCO may apply during the last semester of their junior year (or within 30 hours of graduation) for application to the Accelerated Degree Program in Psychology - Forensic Psychology M.S. if they have a 3.0 overall GPA. If accepted to the Accelerated Degree Program, students may take up to 9 graduate hours during their senior year that will count toward both the Psychology bachelor’s degree as upper-elective credits as well as the Psychology - Forensic Psychology M.S. degree. The following graduate courses are approved for dual credit: PSY 5623, 5383, 5653, 5193, and 5143.

Accelerated Degree Pathway (ADP) Requirements