Clinical Psychology, Forensic Psychology

Clinical Psychology, Forensic Psychology Concentration (MA) – STEM Designated Degree Program

The Department of Psychology offers a forensic psychology concentration within the MA program in Clinical Psychology. The Forensic Psychology concentration is designed to prepare students to offer master's level clinical services to legal system-involved populations in settings that do not require licensure. Such settings include, but are not limited to, mental health and drug court settings, offender rehabilitation programs, child and family advocacy settings and bona fide public service agencies exempted by state boards of psychological examiners for non-doctoral providers. Students also receive opportunities for clinical and research experiences to prepare them for doctoral study should they choose that path.

In keeping with our Clinical Psychology MA program's overall child/adolescent focus, the forensic concentration places an emphasis on child, adolescent and family issues such as domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, and juvenile offender assessment, treatment and rehabilitation.

Courts often rely on psychologists and other mental health practitioners to provide information they need to make legal decisions that impact the safety, security and well-being of justice–system involved individuals and the community. There are relatively few specialized programs that train students in the ethical practice of forensic psychology, especially ones that offer an emphasis on child and family issues. The MA program delivers academic and applied experiential learning necessary to succeed in this challenging career through a faculty of experienced forensic psychologists and researchers and legal practitioners.

Students in the Forensic Psychology concentration can expect to leave the program with strong clinical skills in assessment and psychotherapeutic interventions, an understanding of professional ethics and a sound theoretical foundation in developmental psychology and psychopathology. Students will learn the unique ethical constraints on the practice of psychology within the legal system; gain practical experience in forensic assessment, report writing and the provision of treatment to offender and victim populations; and be exposed to current theories on family and interpersonal violence.

Along with the Clinical Psychology, Forensic Psychology Concentration degree, the department also offers the following options for graduate study: Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Child/Adolescent Psychology, a PhD in Clinical Psychology, and a certificate in School Psychology.

Montclair State University Application or Common App

Please note: The Common App option is for Freshman applicants only.

• Applications for undergraduate admissions are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Check your application status. (If you applied through The Common App, you must create a Montclair State account to check your status. An email will be sent to you with those log-in credentials once your application is received.)
• Montclair State University considers a number of factors in reviewing admissions applications. Well-qualified candidates for admission have a 3.2 or higher cumulative high school GPA on an unweighted, 4.0 scale, a challenging course load (particularly in junior and senior years), and a variety of extracurricular activities.
• Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required, but, if you chose to submit those scores, they will be considered in the admissions process.
• Other factors considered in our holistic review process include: strong letters of recommendation from teachers and/or counselors; a well-written, thoughtful admissions essay; and a commitment to extracurricular engagement, both in school and in the community.