Forensic psychology blends psychology and law to analyze criminal behavior. You delve into why people commit crimes, assess mental health in legal cases, and help shape the justice system. With this expertise, you can pursue various career paths. You might work in law enforcement, aiding investigations by creating profiles of suspects. Or you could assist in courtrooms, evaluating defendants' mental states. Rehabilitation facilities might enlist you to design programs for offenders. Alternatively, you could contribute to academia, conducting research to enhance our understanding of criminal minds. Forensic psychology offers a diverse range of opportunities to make a meaningful impact in the legal sphere.
At Graceland, Forensic Psychology is an elite program with high academic standards and ties to the Graceland Honors Program. You will study a broad range of subjects ranging from multicultural policing and criminal law to abnormal psychology and research methods with concentrated studies in either criminal justice or psychology. This challenging program is intended to prepare you to thrive in what can be a high stress and exceptionally competitive career field.
In addition to the general education requirements, majors in Forensic Psychology must complete 27 semester hours of core requirements and one 9 semester hour concentration (Criminal Justice or Psychology) totaling 36 or more semester hour as listed below. Students in this major must maintain a 3.00 cumulative GPA and 3.50 GPA in the major courses in order to remain in the major. Students GPAs will be monitored each semester and those who fall below the 3.50 GPA requirement will be granted a probationary period of one semester to re-instate back into the major. Those students who fall below that threshold after a one-semester probationary period will be allowed to transition into a Psychology or Criminal Justice major.
Core courses (27 s.h.)
One Concentration Required: Criminal Justice or Psychology
Criminal Justice Concentration (9 s.h.)
Psychology Concentration (9 s.h.)
Course Required for General Education
This course will expose students to the field of forensic science primarily using chemical forensics and testing. Topics include evidence collection and preservation, drugs and drug chemistry, heat and explosions, poisons and others. The course will cover basic chemical concepts needed to plan, execute, and interpret forensic results. All necessary scientific concepts will be developed in the context of forensic science. Additional fee required. ELO6 Science - World Citizenship, ELO6 Science - Innovation, GE3D Liberal Learning-Natural Sciences
A survey of the structure and process of the criminal justice system, including the study of law enforcement, criminal courts, and correctional agencies. ELO5 Social Science - Peace, ELO5 Social Science - Equality and Peace
Explores the differing, yet varied facets of the field of forensic psychology including landmark legal cases relevant to psychology, potential careers in forensic psychology, police psychology, expert testimony, forensic psychological assessment, psychopathy, homeland security, ethics, correctional psychology, and issues in working in the juvenile justice system.
A survey of the concept of terrorism, from the French Revolution to present day. Students will critically interrogate the varied meanings of the term, the use of the term to delegitimize opponents, and the problematic nature of the concept of terrorism.
This course focuses on the challenges present in policing multicultural settings. Issues pertaining to understanding diverse cultures and effective communication across cultures from the standpoint of law enforcement are explored in detail. Recommended prerequisite: CRMJ1200.
An overview of Constitutional law that impacts the American justice system from arrest through trial, punishment to release. Key legal cases and precedents for policing, prosecution, sentencing, and corrections will be covered in depth. Prerequisite: CRMJ2400.
This course is a comprehensive approach to the examination and treatment of physical evidence as it relates to the criminal justice system. Students will be involved in an interactive learning experience tied to the securing and preserving of crime scenes and maintaining the integrity of trace evidence for future court proceedings. Prerequisite: CRMJ1200.
A theoretical and conceptual framework of how domestic and international terrorism arises and functions. Topics discussed will include theories of the world's best terrorist analysts, the historical background on the phenomenon of terrorism, the roots of contemporary conflicts, current conflicts shaping the world stage, emerging groups, and US Homeland Security organizations—including controversies surrounding human rights and protecting civil liberties.
Study of the history and design of community-based correctional programs, including probation and parole. The nature and variety of community corrections programs are examined and analyzed. +This course is only offered every other year.
This course provides students with an understanding of United States drug policy, its evolution and current status, and alternatives from throughout the world. Updated with the latest data and research, this course also presents expanded material on cannabis, hallucinogens, the illegal drug business, and global drug policy. This course will explore addiction from a psychological and physiological lens and introduce diversion strategies and restorative justice concepts.
Survey of the history, scope, and nature of criminal law in the United States. Includes study of the legal process and rules of evidence.
Includes an examination of the nature, extent, and patterns of juvenile delinquency, evaluation of theories and causal explanations of delinquency and investigation of delinquent subcultures, as well as an examination of legal processing and treatment programs for young offenders. PREREQUISITE: SOCI1300 Introduction to Sociology. +This course is only offered every other year.
An intensive internship program in appropriate agencies or departments directly related to criminal justice, law enforcement, or corrections. Placements will be supervised by department faculty and developed in conjunction with the interests of the student. (Graded on a Pass/Fail basis.) Prerequisites: CRMJ2400, minimum 3 s.h. upper division Criminal Justice course, major in Criminal Justice, junior/senior status, a minimum GPA of 2.75 or better in the major, and instructor's consent.
A survey of the concept of terrorism, from the French Revolution to present day. Students will critically interrogate the varied meanings of the term, the use of the term to delegitimize opponents, and the problematic nature of the concept of terrorism.
Data analysis and measures of central tendency, dispersion, and correlation. Introduction to probability. Estimation and hypothesis testing. Bivariate regression. ANOVA. Introduction to nonparametric techniques. ELO6 Math, GE2B Foundational Skills-Mathematics/Quantitative.
Survey of the history, scope, and nature of criminal law in the United States. Includes study of the legal process and rules of evidence.
An introductory survey of psychological methods and thoughts as they relate to human experience and behavior. Topics include the role of the central nervous system in mediating behavior, learning and memory, states of awareness, motivation and emotion, personality, psychological disorders, and therapy. ELO5 Social Science – Innovation, GE3E Liberal Learning-Social Sciences.
Explores the differing, yet varied facets of the field of forensic psychology including landmark legal cases relevant to psychology, potential careers in forensic psychology, police psychology, expert testimony, forensic psychological assessment, psychopathy, homeland security, ethics, correctional psychology, and issues in working in the juvenile justice system.
The study of human development over the entire lifespan. Focus is on the interaction of physical, intellectual, social, and emotional aspects of development. ELO5 Social Science - Equality, ELO5 Social Science - Equality and Peace, GE3E Liberal Learning-Social Sciences
The study of how people think, feel, and behave in social situations. Attention given to research and application to social perception, interaction, and influence. Prerequisite: PSYC1300 or SOCI1300.
Examination of the biological substrates of behavior. Topics include synaptic transmission and patterns of neural activity, sleep and arousal, learning and memory, motivation, emotion, neurological diseases, traumatic brain injuries. Prerequisites: PSYC1300 and 3 additional hours of psychology. This course is offered every other year.
A study of personality from dispositional, psychodynamic, humanistic, and behavioral perspectives and of the application of personality perspectives to current issues. Prerequisite: PSYC1300 and 3 additional hours of psychology.
Study of psychological theories and empirical findings relating to variations in cultures. Prerequisite: PSYC1300. ELO4 Global Learning - World Citizenship, ELO4 Global Learning - Equality and Peace.
A study of the disorders outlined in the current diagnostic statistical manual. Emphasis will be on etiology, symptoms, and methods of treatment. Prerequisite: PSYC1300.
Research and theory in areas of cognitive psychology, including attention; memory acquisition, storage, and retrieval; language comprehension; and problem solving. Prerequisite: PSYC1300 and 3 additional hours of psychology. This course is only offered every other year.
A survey of the principles and practices of social research, including research ethics, experimental design, surveys, in-depth interviews, content analysis, participant observation, and field studies. Students also learn to write in scientific journal style. Prerequisite: 6 additional hours of psychology, sociology, or criminal justice.
Development and implementation of an original research project. Prerequisite: PSYC3510 and 6 additional hours of psychology, sociology, or criminal justice.
Placement with external agency for application of knowledge, theory, and skills from the major in a professional setting. Pre-requisites: Psychology major, senior standing, 2.0 cumulative GPA, 3.0 GPA in the major, consent of supervising faculty. Students should enroll in 1 credit for every 50 hours that will be volunteered in the sponsor organization (with a maximum of 4 credits). Completion of the Senior Internship application with approval from agency sponsor and supervising faculty.
A course designed to explore characteristics of counselors, characteristics of clients, basic counseling techniques, and current theories of counseling. Prerequisite: PSYC1300 and 6 additional hours of psychology.
This course focuses on the challenges present in policing multicultural settings. Issues pertaining to understanding diverse cultures and effective communication across cultures from the standpoint of law enforcement are explored in detail. Recommended prerequisite: CRMJ1200.
The study of how people think, feel, and behave in social situations. Attention given to research and application to social perception, interaction, and influence. Prerequisite: PSYC1300 or SOCI1300.
Study of the history and design of community-based correctional programs, including probation and parole. The nature and variety of community corrections programs are examined and analyzed. +This course is only offered every other year.
This course provides students with an understanding of United States drug policy, its evolution and current status, and alternatives from throughout the world. Updated with the latest data and research, this course also presents expanded material on cannabis, hallucinogens, the illegal drug business, and global drug policy. This course will explore addiction from a psychological and physiological lens and introduce diversion strategies and restorative justice concepts.
A survey of the principles and practices of social research, including research ethics, experimental design, surveys, in-depth interviews, content analysis, participant observation, and field studies. Students also learn to write in scientific journal style. Prerequisite: 6 additional hours of psychology, sociology, or criminal justice.
Includes an examination of the nature, extent, and patterns of juvenile delinquency, evaluation of theories and causal explanations of delinquency and investigation of delinquent subcultures, as well as an examination of legal processing and treatment programs for young offenders. PREREQUISITE: SOCI1300 Introduction to Sociology. +This course is only offered every other year.
This course will expose students to the field of forensic science primarily using chemical forensics and testing. Topics include evidence collection and preservation, drugs and drug chemistry, heat and explosions, poisons and others. The course will cover basic chemical concepts needed to plan, execute, and interpret forensic results. All necessary scientific concepts will be developed in the context of forensic science. Additional fee required. ELO6 Science - World Citizenship, ELO6 Science - Innovation, GE3D Liberal Learning-Natural Sciences
A survey of the structure and process of the criminal justice system, including the study of law enforcement, criminal courts, and correctional agencies. ELO5 Social Science - Peace, ELO5 Social Science - Equality and Peace
Explores the differing, yet varied facets of the field of forensic psychology including landmark legal cases relevant to psychology, potential careers in forensic psychology, police psychology, expert testimony, forensic psychological assessment, psychopathy, homeland security, ethics, correctional psychology, and issues in working in the juvenile justice system.
A survey of the concept of terrorism, from the French Revolution to present day. Students will critically interrogate the varied meanings of the term, the use of the term to delegitimize opponents, and the problematic nature of the concept of terrorism.
This course focuses on the challenges present in policing multicultural settings. Issues pertaining to understanding diverse cultures and effective communication across cultures from the standpoint of law enforcement are explored in detail. Recommended prerequisite: CRMJ1200.
An overview of Constitutional law that impacts the American justice system from arrest through trial, punishment to release. Key legal cases and precedents for policing, prosecution, sentencing, and corrections will be covered in depth. Prerequisite: CRMJ2400.
This course is a comprehensive approach to the examination and treatment of physical evidence as it relates to the criminal justice system. Students will be involved in an interactive learning experience tied to the securing and preserving of crime scenes and maintaining the integrity of trace evidence for future court proceedings. Prerequisite: CRMJ1200.
A theoretical and conceptual framework of how domestic and international terrorism arises and functions. Topics discussed will include theories of the world's best terrorist analysts, the historical background on the phenomenon of terrorism, the roots of contemporary conflicts, current conflicts shaping the world stage, emerging groups, and US Homeland Security organizations—including controversies surrounding human rights and protecting civil liberties.
Study of the history and design of community-based correctional programs, including probation and parole. The nature and variety of community corrections programs are examined and analyzed. +This course is only offered every other year.
This course provides students with an understanding of United States drug policy, its evolution and current status, and alternatives from throughout the world. Updated with the latest data and research, this course also presents expanded material on cannabis, hallucinogens, the illegal drug business, and global drug policy. This course will explore addiction from a psychological and physiological lens and introduce diversion strategies and restorative justice concepts.
Survey of the history, scope, and nature of criminal law in the United States. Includes study of the legal process and rules of evidence.
Includes an examination of the nature, extent, and patterns of juvenile delinquency, evaluation of theories and causal explanations of delinquency and investigation of delinquent subcultures, as well as an examination of legal processing and treatment programs for young offenders. PREREQUISITE: SOCI1300 Introduction to Sociology. +This course is only offered every other year.
An intensive internship program in appropriate agencies or departments directly related to criminal justice, law enforcement, or corrections. Placements will be supervised by department faculty and developed in conjunction with the interests of the student. (Graded on a Pass/Fail basis.) Prerequisites: CRMJ2400, minimum 3 s.h. upper division Criminal Justice course, major in Criminal Justice, junior/senior status, a minimum GPA of 2.75 or better in the major, and instructor's consent.
A survey of the concept of terrorism, from the French Revolution to present day. Students will critically interrogate the varied meanings of the term, the use of the term to delegitimize opponents, and the problematic nature of the concept of terrorism.
Data analysis and measures of central tendency, dispersion, and correlation. Introduction to probability. Estimation and hypothesis testing. Bivariate regression. ANOVA. Introduction to nonparametric techniques. ELO6 Math, GE2B Foundational Skills-Mathematics/Quantitative.
Survey of the history, scope, and nature of criminal law in the United States. Includes study of the legal process and rules of evidence.
An introductory survey of psychological methods and thoughts as they relate to human experience and behavior. Topics include the role of the central nervous system in mediating behavior, learning and memory, states of awareness, motivation and emotion, personality, psychological disorders, and therapy. ELO5 Social Science – Innovation, GE3E Liberal Learning-Social Sciences.
Explores the differing, yet varied facets of the field of forensic psychology including landmark legal cases relevant to psychology, potential careers in forensic psychology, police psychology, expert testimony, forensic psychological assessment, psychopathy, homeland security, ethics, correctional psychology, and issues in working in the juvenile justice system.
The study of human development over the entire lifespan. Focus is on the interaction of physical, intellectual, social, and emotional aspects of development. ELO5 Social Science - Equality, ELO5 Social Science - Equality and Peace, GE3E Liberal Learning-Social Sciences
The study of how people think, feel, and behave in social situations. Attention given to research and application to social perception, interaction, and influence. Prerequisite: PSYC1300 or SOCI1300.
Examination of the biological substrates of behavior. Topics include synaptic transmission and patterns of neural activity, sleep and arousal, learning and memory, motivation, emotion, neurological diseases, traumatic brain injuries. Prerequisites: PSYC1300 and 3 additional hours of psychology. This course is offered every other year.
A study of personality from dispositional, psychodynamic, humanistic, and behavioral perspectives and of the application of personality perspectives to current issues. Prerequisite: PSYC1300 and 3 additional hours of psychology.
Study of psychological theories and empirical findings relating to variations in cultures. Prerequisite: PSYC1300. ELO4 Global Learning - World Citizenship, ELO4 Global Learning - Equality and Peace.
A study of the disorders outlined in the current diagnostic statistical manual. Emphasis will be on etiology, symptoms, and methods of treatment. Prerequisite: PSYC1300.
Research and theory in areas of cognitive psychology, including attention; memory acquisition, storage, and retrieval; language comprehension; and problem solving. Prerequisite: PSYC1300 and 3 additional hours of psychology. This course is only offered every other year.
A survey of the principles and practices of social research, including research ethics, experimental design, surveys, in-depth interviews, content analysis, participant observation, and field studies. Students also learn to write in scientific journal style. Prerequisite: 6 additional hours of psychology, sociology, or criminal justice.
Development and implementation of an original research project. Prerequisite: PSYC3510 and 6 additional hours of psychology, sociology, or criminal justice.
Placement with external agency for application of knowledge, theory, and skills from the major in a professional setting. Pre-requisites: Psychology major, senior standing, 2.0 cumulative GPA, 3.0 GPA in the major, consent of supervising faculty. Students should enroll in 1 credit for every 50 hours that will be volunteered in the sponsor organization (with a maximum of 4 credits). Completion of the Senior Internship application with approval from agency sponsor and supervising faculty.
A course designed to explore characteristics of counselors, characteristics of clients, basic counseling techniques, and current theories of counseling. Prerequisite: PSYC1300 and 6 additional hours of psychology.
This course focuses on the challenges present in policing multicultural settings. Issues pertaining to understanding diverse cultures and effective communication across cultures from the standpoint of law enforcement are explored in detail. Recommended prerequisite: CRMJ1200.
The study of how people think, feel, and behave in social situations. Attention given to research and application to social perception, interaction, and influence. Prerequisite: PSYC1300 or SOCI1300.
Study of the history and design of community-based correctional programs, including probation and parole. The nature and variety of community corrections programs are examined and analyzed. +This course is only offered every other year.
This course provides students with an understanding of United States drug policy, its evolution and current status, and alternatives from throughout the world. Updated with the latest data and research, this course also presents expanded material on cannabis, hallucinogens, the illegal drug business, and global drug policy. This course will explore addiction from a psychological and physiological lens and introduce diversion strategies and restorative justice concepts.
A survey of the principles and practices of social research, including research ethics, experimental design, surveys, in-depth interviews, content analysis, participant observation, and field studies. Students also learn to write in scientific journal style. Prerequisite: 6 additional hours of psychology, sociology, or criminal justice.
Includes an examination of the nature, extent, and patterns of juvenile delinquency, evaluation of theories and causal explanations of delinquency and investigation of delinquent subcultures, as well as an examination of legal processing and treatment programs for young offenders. PREREQUISITE: SOCI1300 Introduction to Sociology. +This course is only offered every other year.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts up to an 8% increase in job demand for this field over the next 10 years. Increased numbers of individuals served by the legal system requires increased numbers of forensic psychology-trained individuals to assist in providing professional assistance in insanity pleadings, guardianship cases, child custody disputes, criminal investigations, criminal conduct proceedings, expert witness testimonies, false confessions evaluations, jury selection, and prison psychology issues.
99% of students on the Lamoni campus receive financial aid.
As you consider college, you want a simple, easy-to-understand formula designed to ensure that the one-of-a-kind Graceland Experience is within reach for your family. Undergraduate tuition includes our unique Transformational Leadership major, and we offer generous financial aid and scholarships to all of our students, making Graceland as affordable, if not moreso, than most public universities.
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