M.A. Forensic Psychology

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CHICAGO ● ONLINE-BLENDED • WASHINGTON, D.C.

Master of Arts, Forensic Psychology

The rapidly growing field of Forensic Psychology focuses on the application of the science and profession of psychology to questions and issues relating to law and the legal system. The Chicago School offers four distinct tracks: three campus based and one that offers all classes in an online format with a virtual residency component. Each track is designed so that students will gain a mastery of forensic psychology, enabling them to bring psychology into the legal and public policy arenas in an ethical, academically informed, and research-based manner. The four tracks are as follows:

• Licensure Track (campus based)
• Non-Licensure Practice Track (campus based)
• Thesis Track (campus based)
• ExCEL Track (online-blended and virtual residency format)

Licensure, Non-Licensure Practice, and Thesis tracks lead to a Master of Arts degree in Forensic Psychology. The tracks are campus-based and share a common core of 28 credit hours. Within the first semester, students officially declare their track (consisting of an additional 20 to 32 credit hours). These tracks are offered on a semester calendar system with a total of three semesters per academic year. The course work can be completed within a two-year (24 month) full-time sequence or in a part-time format over four years. The Licensure track is the only track in which students, upon program completion, are eligible to sit for the National Counselor Exam (NCE) and the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (NCMHCE) within the state of Illinois for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), respectively.

The M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services ExCEL Track (referred to as M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services) is part of The Chicago School’s Professional Education. The M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services program features a curriculum of online-blended courses and virtual residencies (one hour webinars and teleconferences). This 35-credit-hour applied track is designed for working adults who have at least three years of direct post-baccalaureate work experience with or in organizations involved with a forensic population. This track incorporates individual work experiences and workplace situations with theoretical principles to extend and deepen learning. Students must complete an applied research project that integrates and applies program learning to an authentic workplace situation. Additional field practica are not required. The M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services program courses are offered on 7.5 week terms with a total of 6 terms per academic year. In addition, a Certificate in Applied Forensic Psychology is available for professionals through Professional Education. The Certificate program involves 3 courses for a total of 9 credit hours of course work. Neither the The M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services track nor the Certificate in Applied Forensic Psychology program enables the student to sit for licensure. Students interested in the The M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services track or the Certificate in Applied Forensic Psychology must apply directly into the track or certificate program, respectively. Detailed information on these options can be found on The Chicago School website under “Prospective Students” (www.thechicagoschool.edu).

Admission Requirements

General Admission Requirements

There are separate admission requirements and application procedures for the campus-based M.A. in Forensic Psychology Program and the M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services. Those interested in the M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services track or the Certificate in Applied Forensic Psychology program should inquire about these specific admission requirements at www.thechicagoschool.edu under “Prospective Students” and must apply directly at www.thechicagoschool.edu.

Application to the campus-based M.A. in Forensic Psychology Program is open to any person who has earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and who meets other entrance requirements. Applicants will be judged on their overall ability to do graduate work. Factors that are considered in admission are: GPA from undergraduate and any graduate schools, successful work history after completion of the baccalaureate degree, the admission essay, and letters of recommendation. Generally, an undergraduate GPA of a 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale is required for admission. Please see the application for detailed instructions and information regarding application requirements, application deadlines, and letters of recommendation.

Standardized Testing

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required; however, students who have taken the exam may submit their scores to enhance their application. Scores should be sent directly to the school (GRE School Code: 1119) for consideration.

Application Fees

Degree applications must be submitted with a $50 (USD) application fee to be considered. Certificate applications must be submitted with a $25 (USD) application fee to be considered.

Track Specific Admission Requirements

Licensure, Non-Licensure Practice, and Thesis tracks

Aside from general admission requirements, these campus-based tracks require three specific undergraduate courses (one course in Psychology, Statistics, and Research Methods) that must be completed prior to enrollment with a grade earned of ‘C’ or better (please see the application for course requirements).

TOEFL or IELTS, International Credentials, and International Students

TOEFL or IELTS: If English is not your primary language, you must submit official TOEFL or IELTS scores with your application (TOEFL School Code: 7161). International students who received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited United States institution are exempt from this requirement. The minimum scores are: TOEFL - 550 paper based, 79 internet based; IELTS - 6.5.

ELS Educational Services, Inc.: The Chicago School is a cooperative member of ELS Educational Services, Inc. which provides intensive English language programs. Students who have successfully completed ELS course 112 may be considered for admission in lieu of the TOEFL or IELTS.

International credentials: Applicants with international credentials must obtain and submit an official “course-by-course” evaluation through an evaluation agency such as World Education Services (www.wes.org) or Educational Credential Evaluators Inc (www.ece.org). In addition to the agency evaluation, all official graduate and undergraduate transcripts must be submitted.

International students: International students must submit a completed application by the general consideration deadline. In addition, once accepted, international students must submit the International Student Information form, a copy of their passport, and financial documentation showing sufficient funding for at least one year of study and all living expenses. This documentation must be submitted at least two months prior to the start of the semester in order to allow sufficient time for the school to issue an I-20 for the student to obtain an F-1 visa, if needed. An I-20 visa will not be issued without this documentation.

*Note – Since the ExCEL track does not require any residency in Chicago requirement or travel to the United States, an I-20 will not be issued.

Applicant Notification

The Chicago School reviews applications on a rolling basis. Once review begins, complete applications will be considered by the Admission Committee and students will be notified regarding the admission decision. The Chicago School does not share information or provide any feedback regarding admission decisions.

If a student is offered admission, in order to secure a place in the incoming class, an intent to enroll form and a non-refundable tuition deposit* of $500 will be required by the deposit deadline indicated in the offer of admission. The non-refundable deposit will be applied in full toward the student’s tuition upon enrollment.

* Students accepted into the M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services track and Certificate in Applied Forensic Psychology program do not have a tuition deposit requirement.

Policies

Transfer of Credit

Prior graduate course work, if within the area of study, may be eligible for transfer or waiver of credit. Students accepted to the degree granting tracks may petition for transfer of credit by submitting a Petition for Transfer/Waiver of Credit Form** and all required documentation for each course in which transfer is being sought. The department will prioritize the processing of petitions received before the end of the second week of the summer semester so as to notify students of the outcome well before the start of the fall semester. The decision to accept transfer credit is solely that of the school. The school reserves the right to require satisfactory performance on an examination before awarding a transfer of credit. Satisfactory completion of a competency examination is required before transfer of credit is awarded when the course in question has been taken more than five years prior to admission. No credit will be transferred for course work that is more than 10 years old. Transfer of credits is subject to the following conditions:

• Transferred course credit is restricted to graduate-level courses from a regionally accredited graduate degree granting institution.
• Transfer of credit is not granted for clinical practica or internship.
• Transfer of credit is granted only for courses in which the grade obtained was a B or higher. Pass/Fail grades are not eligible.
• For each hour of credit accepted a transfer a fee will be assessed. Please see the tuition and fee page of the TCSPP website.
• A maximum of 12 semester hours of credit may be transferred into the Licensure, Non-Licensure Practice, and Thesis tracks.
• A maximum of nine (9) semester hours of credit may be transferred into the M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services program.
• No transfer credit will be accepted for those students entering the Certificate of Applied Forensic Psychology.
• No credit will be transferred for coursework that is more than 10 years old.
• All coursework being submitted for transfer credit evaluation must have been completed prior to matriculation into The Chicago School.
• Internal transfers do not pay the transfer course fee.

A course that does not meet the specific content requirements of an existing TCSPP elective course may be accepted as transfer credit as an elective if the course supports the required competencies and learning objectives of the program and meets the following conditions:

• The course must meet all other requirements for transfer credit.
• The course must be at the equivalent degree level.
• Approval by the Department Chair for the transfer credit and documentation of this approval is required.

**The Petition for Transfer of Credit form is available on The Chicago School website. Please submit all required documentation with each petition. Any credit approved for transfer will not be added to the student’s academic record until after the second week of their first semester.

Waiver of Courses

Any domestic or international student with previous graduate course work who has already received the maximum transfer credit may request a waiver of additional course work. However, waiver of courses does not reduce the total number of hours of course work to be completed at The Chicago School; it permits students to substitute course work as approved by the Department Chair/Program Lead. An international student may apply for undergraduate courses to be waived. A waiver is determined by the Department Chair/Program Lead on the basis that the courses are equivalent to the required courses at The Chicago School. Waiver will not apply to undergraduate courses offered by U.S. educational institutions. Students may seek a waiver for a total of 12 credit hours, which may be transferred or waived for students entering the Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology Program.  Students may seek a waiver for a total of 9 credit hours, which may be transferred or waived for students entering the M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services program. No credit will be given for student entering the Certificate in Applied Forensic Psychology. No credit may be given for coursework that is more than 10 years old.

Residency Requirement

It is expected that students will fulfill all degree requirements through courses offered at The Chicago School. Under unusual circumstances, and subject to the approval of the department chair, a student may be permitted to complete certain course requirements at another institution. For the M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services track, all courses are offered online-blended. However, a virtual residency component comprised of Webinar/teleconferences 60 minutes in length requires student participation once each term.

Satisfactory Progress

Matriculated students must be continuously enrolled (including summers) in the program until graduation unless granted an approved Leave of Absence. Waiver or transfer credit hours may not be used to meet continuous enrollment requirements. The M.A. in Forensic Psychology Program offers both a full-time and part-time lock-step course sequence. As such, students must be enrolled in the courses listed in their respective program schedule, which is provided in the Appendix section of this document, unless transfer or waiver credit hours modify said schedule and an approved alternative schedule has been provided or the student is on an approved Leave of Absence

Credit Hours per Year and Program Length:

The maximum duration of the Licensure, Non-Licensure Practice, and Thesis tracks of the M.A. in Forensic Psychology Program is five years.  

The maximum duration of the The M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services track is five years. The M.A. in Forensic Psychology in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services program is a 20 month half-time program. In order to be classified as half-time in terms of financial aid, students must be enrolled for a minimum of 3.5 credit hours in at least one of the two consecutive 7.5 weeks in fall, spring, or summer terms.

Additional requirements for “Satisfactory Academic Progress” are detailed in The Chicago School Student Handbook, published by the Office of Student Services, located on the website under “Academics.”

Graduation Requirements

Students must complete the online Petition for Degree Completion in order to have their degree conferred, diploma issued, and for eligibility to participate, if desired, in the commencement ceremony. By the end of the third week of the semester/term in which a student expects to meet the program requirements for the Master of Arts degree, he or she is required to submit a Petition for Degree Completion to the Office of Student Services. To participate in the annual commencement ceremony (held in the summer), students must submit their petition by week six of the 16-week spring semester. Students must be in good standing in their program for the master’s degree to be awarded.

Students must complete all of their degree requirements before the degree can be conferred. This includes course work and any clinical training (practicum/internship), thesis/dissertation, and/or applied research project required by his or her program of study. After all final grades are posted for the student’s final semester; a degree audit will be conducted to verify degree completion. The degree is then conferred, posted to the transcript, and a diploma is issued.

Detailed information on commencement, graduation and the Petition for Degree Completion online form can be found on The Chicago School website.

The Program

Philosophy 

The Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology and its related tracks operate under the framework of the practitioner-scholar model and the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP) Core Competency model of training in clinical psychology. These models are predicated on the belief that a competent practitioner must have both a broad knowledge of the scientific and theoretical principles in the clinical practice of psychology and the ability to apply that knowledge to specific clinical situations. Additionally, the program reflects the educational goals and competencies adopted by the National Invitational Conference on Education and Training in Law and Psychology: the Villanova Conference. The curriculum exposes students to the theoretical principles, scientific research, and practice skills of clinical psychology that enable students to apply the science and practice of psychology to issues of law and the legal system and to assume professional responsibilities in a variety of forensic settings. The master’s program emphasizes critical thinking, sensitivity to ethical principles, the role of personal values, and cultural diversity and endeavors to be flexible in order to adapt course content to reflect developments in the field.  In addition, the licensure track program incorporates the eight content areas outlined by the National Board of Certified Counselors to prepare those students seeking Professional Counselor licensure and desiring to begin professional practice at the master’s level. For on-ground students, The Chicago School Forensic Center offers service-learning opportunities to educate students to become competent and civically engaged forensic mental health practitioners.

Ethical and Professional Behavior

Students are expected to adhere to the ethical and professional behavior guidelines as set by the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, the American Counseling Association’s (ACA) Code of Ethics, and the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists (American Psychology - Law Society/Division 41 APA). Acceptable student conduct is derived in large part from these sources of information.

All students are expected to demonstrate the highest form of academic integrity. This applies to all graduate work, including but not limited to course work, field placement, and scholarship. It is equally important that all students approach professional working relationships, collegial relationships, and client-contact with the highest level of professional integrity and respect.

As mental health practitioners, our primary responsibility is to the public we serve. Therefore, students are expected to be professionally suited for the fields of psychology and counseling. Professional suitability is defined in part by the school, the fields of psychology and counseling, and society at large. At any time, should a student show signs that he or she is likely to cause harm to those we serve, swift action will be taken to mitigate said risk of harm. Such action could range from requiring additional education and remediation to disciplinary action. Students who fail to comply with ethical and professional behavior guidelines or despite remediation efforts fail to demonstrate the appropriate ethics or competencies required for practice in the field of professional psychology or counseling are subject to department remediation and/or referral to the Student Affairs Committee for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the school. Likewise, should a student’s ability to engage in professional practice change, for example through conviction of a crime that prevents licensure, the department may determine that completion of the program is not possible and refer the student to the Student Affairs Committee with a departmental recommendation for dismissal from the school.

No student shall obtain part-time or full-time employment that is beyond the scope of their cumulative training in the field of psychology. In accordance with state law, no student may serve under the title of “psychologist,” “forensic psychologist,” “clinical psychologist,” or any closely related title or job function until granted an appropriate license by the state. A student shall not perform any function that exceeds his/her level of training. Prior to commencing in any clinical practice, students shall ensure that the appropriate malpractice insurance is in effect.

Students may not establish or continue psychotherapy with any department or affiliate faculty member under any circumstances or with any adjunct faculty member while registered in his or her course or while under his or her supervision. Any preexisting therapeutic relationship with a faculty member should be resolved prior to program matriculation.

Program Outcomes

1. Students will develop and maintain effective professional relationships with clients, peers, supervisors, faculty, and other professionals.

2. Students will demonstrate fundamental knowledge of psychometric theory, assessment techniques, and forensic literature to evaluate various dimensions of human experience, outcomes of interventions, and psycholegal issues.

3. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the research methods in the social and behavioral sciences, the benefits and limitations of research, and the scientific and professional literature relevant to the field of forensic psychology.

4. Students will recognize and respect individual and group differences as well as practice with cultural competence.

5. Students will organize professional activities by ethical and professional codes, standards, and guidelines; statutes, rules, and regulations; and relevant case law.

6. Students will integrate a basic knowledge of theory, research, and professional literature to guide interventions and promote optimal mental health and well-being.

Writing Assessment and Requirements

Believing that academic preparedness is a key to success in graduate school, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology requires new students to complete its innovative program, Foundations for Scholarship and Practice. This program, offered by the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), reinforces the skills new students need to achieve their career goals. “Foundations” is an integral part of the first semester’s curriculum and all students are required to complete the program successfully and in a timely manner.

Foundations for Scholarship and Practice consist of three elements:

1. Writing Assessment Process – In this component of “Foundations,” each student writes an essay in response to an assigned question and submits it to CAE for scoring. CAE returns the scored essay with constructive feedback. Based on the student’s performance, the school may waive the Academic Writing Course requirement (#2, below). Essay submission by the given date is considered successful completion of this element of “Foundations.”
2. Academic Writing Course – This online course in professional writing is taken before or during the first semester at The Chicago School. A final grade of “pass” is considered successful completion of this element.
3. Academic Focus Program – Academic Focus is an online, tutorial-driven orientation to graduate academics. A final grade of “pass” is considered successful completion of this element.

Learning Assessment

TCS is committed to providing a superior educational experience for all students. Assessment of student learning is an important component of the quality assurance measures TCS employs to monitor and improve the effectiveness of the educational experience for our students. Effective assessment of student learning provides valid feedback on two levels. First, each course contains assessments of the student’s learning which provide formative feedback on the progress each student is making on course learning objectives. Second, the summative assessment of program competencies provides data for the administration to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the total program.

Currently, our formative assessments evaluate student performance on the course learning objectives in each course. The course learning objectives are the specific skills, knowledge, and attitudes that are needed to perform a competence. Aligning course level assessments with course learning objectives provides a structured learning process in which the assessments promote learning.

Our summative assessments are based on the acquisition of program competencies. These competencies are complex bundles of specific skills, knowledge, and attitudes taught in our courses. The summative assessments are conducted at the end of the program of study in the form of professional examinations, capstone courses, practica, internships, or comprehensive examinations. The summative assessments provide information that helps program staff to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program to deliver the learning it has identified.

Grading and Performance Feedback

Grades are assigned in all courses and students can review course grades online. Course grades assist the school, the student, and the student’s academic advisor to monitor the student’s progress and mastery of material deemed necessary by the department faculty to become proficient and competent psychologists.

Once each semester, the department faculty meets to review student progress at a student review meeting. During the student reviews, the student’s academic advisor summarizes a student’s (advisee) progress in the program to date. Student grades, Student Performance Evaluations (SPE), and practica feedback are a part of the summation and review of the student’s progress. Other department faculty can elaborate on their contact with the student, expressing concerns or articulating areas of strength. The student review also involves determining a student’s readiness to proceed in the program and any conditions that are necessary to support the student’s learning and progression. The student’s advisor forwards a copy of the Student Review Process Plan which provides a student with a current status of their performance in the program.

The Department of Forensic Psychology does not accept grades of “C” or “F” as indicating student mastery of the knowledge, skills, or attitudes associated with any course. A student who receives a grade of “C” or “F” in a core, track, or concentration specific course must repeat and pass that course with a “B-” or better. Grades of “C” and “F” are not counted toward graduation requirements. To replace the “C” or “F” grade, the retaken/replacement course must be offered by The Chicago School. Only in the most unusual of circumstances is a student allowed to replace a grade with a retaken/replacement course offered by another institution. Repeated/retaken courses are not eligible for Financial Aid coverage. When the retaken/replacement course is successfully completed, the second grade will be computed in the cumulative grade point average; the quality points for the first grade (“C” or “F”) will no longer be computed in the student’s GPA. However, the original grade (“C” or “F”) will remain on the student’s transcript.

Students may retake a course only once. Those who are unable to earn a grade of “B-” or better in the retaken course will be referred to the Student Affairs Committee with a departmental recommendation for dismissal from the school. No course in which a student receives a grade of B- or better may be retaken.

Student Academic Development

Professional Development Group and Academic Advisor Assignment

All students are required to enroll in Professional Development Group during their first semester in the program. A student’s Professional Development Group instructor serves as his/her academic advisor throughout their duration in the program. Students wishing to change academic advisors may petition to do so upon completion of their first semester in the program. 

All students enrolled in the M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services or the Certificate of Applied Forensic Psychology program will be provided with an advisor throughout the duration of the program. Students enrolled in the M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services program will be provided with an applied research project advisor(s) that will support the student throughout the length of the project. Students wishing to change advisors may petition to do so upon completion of their first semester in the program. 

Academic Development Plans

An Academic Development Plan (ADP) is initiated and created by the Department in which the student is enrolled or by the Student Affairs Committee, when a student demonstrates deficiencies in competencies that interfere with academic performance, training competence, and/or professional behavior.  Academic Development Plans (ADPs) do not constitute disciplinary action, but failure to complete the plan may lead to disciplinary action.

Tracks

All students in the campus-based tracks must officially declare a track (Licensure, Non-Licensure Practice, or Thesis) during the first semester of study. This declaration will then outline the course of study for each subsequent semester. Within each track, students have the option of selecting a concentration in Corrections or Sex Offenders. In these concentrations, students take a two- or three-course sequence, respectively, that includes a law course and course work relative to the subject matter (e.g., correctional psychology or evaluating and treating sex offenders). Each concentration affords students a broader perspective concerning public policy, legal issues, and the nuances of working with each population. Note that these concentrations increase the total track credit hours by three semester hours.

Licensure Track

The Licensure Track is a 60-credit hour option that includes a practicum/internship experience of at least 700 hours over a period of 9 to 12 months during which the student will be supervised by a master’s or doctoral-level licensed mental health professional.  This track is intended for students who wish to provide professional counseling and mental health services in areas that state law typically require licensure as a master’s-level mental health professional (e.g., individual/group counseling or evaluations). Through this track, students complete the academic course work and clinical training necessary to take the National Counselor Exam (NCE) and the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam (NCMHCE) within the state of Illinois for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), respectively. For those students seeking licensure in another state, it is imperative to review that state’s licensure requirements during the first semester of the program, as it may be necessary to fulfill additional academic and/or training requirements.

In addition, a student in this track may select a two-course sequence (i.e., Theoretical and Clinical Application of Empirically Based Treatment I and II) for a concentration in Child Protection. This concentration affords students the opportunity to learn about child maltreatment and trauma, as well as engage in the application of empirically-based treatments with children and families involved with a state agency. Note that this concentration increases the total track credit hours to 61.

Non-Licensure Practice Track

This 48-credit-hour track is designed for students who are interested in working in areas that do not require counseling licensure, but desire a practical experience in a forensic setting (e.g., probation services, child welfare, law enforcement, jury consulting).  In addition to 34 credit hours of required course work, students must select at least 14 credit hours from a variety of electives to meet individualized educational and professional goals. The Non-Licensure Practice Track will not qualify students to sit for Illinois licensure examinations (i.e., NCE or NCMHCE). Students who choose this track complete a practicum/internship experience of at least 700 hours over a period of 9 to 12 months, but supervision by a licensed mental health practitioner is not required.

Practicum/Internship for Licensure and Non-Licensure Practice Track

Students from both the Licensure Track and Non-Licensure Practice Track must express their intent to apply for practicum/internship (see the Office of Applied Professional Practice Forensic Training Manual). Faculty reviews each student’s progress in the program to inform decisions regarding student’s readiness to apply to practicum/internship.

The student’s overall training experience requires a minimum of 700 hours over 9 to 12 months of on-site supervised training, including at least one hour of individual supervision per week; students in the Licensure Track must be supervised by a qualified supervisor or qualified clinical supervisor (as defined by Illinois’ Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing Act). Students must be on-site for at least 16 hours and no more than 24 hours per week. The first 100 hours of the student’s training experience will be considered their “practicum” and the subsequent 600 hours will be considered their “internship.” In addition to on-site supervision, training, and experience, each student must register and attend a two-hour weekly seminar, which provides a small group consultation forum for students to examine relevant clinical and professional development issues that arise as the result of participation in a practicum/internship. Students whose internship begins before the fall semester or is not complete by the end of spring semester must register for FO 646 Field Placement Extension in the applicable summer semester.

The practicum/internship experience affords students the opportunity to work in settings such as prisons, forensic units in state psychiatric hospitals, specialized treatment programs, community-based programs providing services to offender and/or victim populations, as well as research and policy development programs. Training may include diagnostic interviewing, individual/group/family counseling, case management, advocacy, administrative support, consultation, applied research, court liaison, and/or case consultation/preparation. This experience is an opportunity for students to demonstrate understanding and skill in key aspects of forensic psychology in a work milieu.

All practicum/internship sites are approved by the department’s Office of Applied Professional Practice (APP). In some cases, students may request to complete their practicum/internship at a site not previously approved.  Such requests should be forwarded to the department’s Director of the Office of Applied Professional Practice for consideration and review.

All site documentation must be received by APP prior to the first day of the fall semester in which the practicum/internship is scheduled to begin.  Additionally, students must receive an official offer from their practicum/internship site and officially accept said offer (in writing) before the close of business on the final day of the first week of the fall semester in which their practicum/internship is scheduled to begin in order to start their practicum/internship during that academic year. Students may not transfer credits in lieu of the practicum/internship requirement nor may they petition to waive the requirement. In addition, students must successfully complete the following pre-requisite courses: FO 611 ,  FO 613 , FO 617  and FO 627    prior to beginning their practicum/internship.

Students are required to complete a Practicum Training Agreement with their site within two weeks of beginning their practicum. This agreement should reflect the 100 hour practicum training only. Students must then complete an Internship Training Agreement that covers the 600 hour (minimum) internship experience within two weeks of the start of the internship. Students must indicate a clear beginning- and end-date (day/month/year) for internship on their training agreement. A template for both training agreements is available from APP.

The department’s director of APP awards grades for practicum/internship based on the evaluation of the site supervisor, the student’s performance in practicum/internship seminar, the completion of the requisite practicum/internship hours, and the submission of all required forms to the department’s Office of Applied Professional Practice. As noted earlier, complete adherence to ethical standards of the field is required of all students, especially those on practicum/internship. Should a student demonstrate unprofessional or unethical behavior, or signs that he or she lacks suitability for the profession, he or she may be dismissed from a training practicum. Dismissal or student-initiated termination from a practicum/internship is considered extremely serious and will result in automatic referral to the Student Affairs Committee for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the school.  Please review the APP Training Manual for other guidelines pertaining to practicum/internship.

Forensic Competency Examination (FCE)

Students who complete a practicum/internship  are required to pass the FCE, which is completed during the spring term of the student’s practicum/internship seminar, in order to fulfill program requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in Forensic Psychology. The paper will be reviewed and evaluated by the student’s practicum/internship seminar group instructor on a “High Pass,” “Pass,” “Pass with Revisions,” or “Fail” basis.

The objective of the FCE is for the student to demonstrate the ability to apply psychological theory, empirical literature, assessment, and intervention to a case formulation, program proposal, or program project. In addition, the aim of the FCE is for the student to demonstrate an understanding of professional practice (e.g., ethical behavior), clinical dynamics (e.g., client/therapist relationship), broader systems (e.g., family, school, community, court, political, other treatment professionals/programs), and areas of diversity and difference (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status) as contextual variables.

If the student elects to do a case study, he/she should select a client from his/her practicum/internship to present. The client can be an individual, family, or group that has been the focus of interventions conducted by the student under supervision at the practicum/internship site. The case chosen to fulfill the FCE requirement must not have been presented to fulfill any other academic requirement (e.g., in-class/practicum/internship presentation).

For the program project, students implement an experiential/program development initiative informed by his/her practicum/internship training experience and supported by the forensic psychology literature. The project should be an original work product not previously used or presented to meet any other course specific requirement. Students are permitted to submit a proposed project if his/her practicum/internship training site does not approve its implementation.

Students are encouraged to discuss their case selection or program project idea with their practicum/internship seminar instructor. The format for the case presentation and the proposal/project paper is distributed at the practicum/internship seminar.

There are two parts to the FCE:

1. A comprehensive 10-15 page report of a case study or program project in accordance with APA-style guidelines.
2. An oral examination of the comprehensive report that is presented in the practicum/internship seminar.

The guidelines for the written and oral components of the FCE are provided below:

The Written Case Presentation FCE:  Upon completion of two case presentations, each student will prepare her/his written FCE and post paper on E-College one week prior to her/his scheduled FCE defense.  If the student elects to do a case study, she/he should select a practicum client to present.  The client can be an individual, family, or group that has been the focus of interventions conducted by the student under supervision at the practicum site.  The case chosen to fulfill the FCE requirement must not have been presented to fulfill any other academic requirement (e.g. in-class/practicum/internship presentation).  If the student elects to do a program development paper, she/he may propose an experiential/program development initiative informed by his/her practicum/internship training experience and supported by the forensic psychology literature.  The project should be an original work product not previously used or presented to meet any other course specific requirement.  Students are permitted to submit a proposed project even if his/her practicum/internship training site does not approve its implementation. Students are encouraged to discuss their case selection or program development idea with their Practicum Seminar instructor.

The submitted FCE will represent the student’s highest quality of written work.  Students are highly encouraged to review, edit, and critique their own work prior to submission.  Students also are encouraged to get feedback from the Academic Support Center to ensure writing quality.  The submitted FCE is considered to be the final work product and will be graded with no revisions allowed.

Oral Examination:  Students are required to present their case or project.  The presentation is approximately 50 minutes in length.  Students should be prepared to field questions from the instructor and their classmates.  If the student fails this component, he/she is asked to complete a second oral examination with his/her seminar instructor and another faculty member.  The oral defense examination will be graded based on overall ability to articulate the required component of the FCE, the oral delivery, and the ability to engage in an in-depth conceptual discussion regarding the case.

FCE Grading:  It is the responsibility of the Practicum Seminar instructor to evaluate the FCE.  Possible grades are High Pass, Pass, Pass with Revisions, or Fail.

If a student obtains a rating of “2” (pass with revisions) in any domain(s) or area of program competency(ies), she/he will be required to re-write the specified section of the same case.  The student must resubmit the revised section to the course instructor within 1 week of receiving the rating of “2”, but will not be required to present orally.

If a student receives a rating of “1” (fail) in any domain or area of program competency, then she/he will be required to redo the failed section within 1 week of receiving the rating of “1”.  The student will be required to schedule a meeting to orally present the revised section to the course instructor along with one additional faculty member.  Upon evaluation, if the student does not obtain a rating of “3” (good) on the revision, then she/he will fail FCE, and will be required to redo the entire FCE (written and oral defense) with a new case.  The student will be given 3 weeks to submit the new FCE.

If the student receives 2 or more ratings of “1” (fail) in any domain or area of program competency, then she/he will fail the FCE and be placed on an Academic Development Plan (ADP).  The student will be required to select an entirely new case, prepare a new written FCE, and orally present the new case to the course seminar instructor along with one additional faculty member.  The student will be given 3 weeks to submit the new FCE.  if the fails the FCE twice, then she/he will be required to retake the Practicum and Internship seminars and complete an additional year of practicum.

In the event that a second oral defense is necessary, the second oral defense will be scheduled as soon as possible and at the convenience of the seminar instructor (e.g., if revisions are submitted at the end of the spring semester and instructors are not available during the May intercession, the oral defense will take place at the start of the summer session).  A course grade of Incomplete may be necessary if the student has not successfully defended her/his FCE by the end of the spring semester.  The course instructor will communicate with APP staff regarding the student’s final Seminar grade. 

Program Development Paper:  For the program project, students implement an experiential/program development initiative informed by his/her practicum/internship training experience and supported by the forensic psychology literature.  The project should be an original work product not previously used or presented to meet any other course specific requirement.  Students are permitted to submit a proposed project if his/her practicum/internship training site does not approve its implementation.

Students are encouraged to discuss their case selection or program development idea with their Practicum Seminar Instructor.  It is the responsibility of the Practicum Seminar Instructor to evaluate the FCE based up on the quality of the written paper and the oral presentation.  Possible grades are High Pass, Pass, Pass with Revisions, or Fall.

Thesis Track

The Thesis Track is a 48-credit-hour option for students who are interested in conducting research and/or pursuing careers in non-clinical areas in forensic mental health (e.g., jury selection, program evaluation, public policy). The Thesis Track will not qualify students to sit for Illinois licensure examinations (i.e., NCE or NCMHCE). Students who choose this track will complete a research-based project that should make a contribution to the field of forensic psychology and be of a quality that would merit submission to a scholarly journal or to a professional conference. In addition to 37 credit hours of required course work, students select at least 11 credit hours from a variety of electives to meet individualized educational and professional goals. After a student has chosen to select the Thesis track, he/she must meet with the Forensic Thesis Track Director on two occasions before approval will be granted for entrance into this track.

Thesis:

Students must take FO 659  concurrently with or prior to enrollment in Thesis I. Students who enroll in the Thesis Track will complete a four-course sequence series: FO 654 - Thesis I , FO 655 - Thesis II , FO 656 - Thesis III , FO 657 - Thesis IV , Thesis V (FO699) (if necessary). All students enrolled in Thesis I-IV must attend a one-hour or two-hour weekly seminar. These seminars are designed to enable the student to work closely with a faculty member to steadily progress toward the completion of their thesis project. Each course is designed with a research related task that must be completed for course credit. Students who do not receive approval to defend their thesis during Thesis IV must enroll in Thesis V (FO699) in order to defend their thesis during the following semester.

The student works closely with his/her thesis committee chair on the completion of the research based project. Furthermore, the thesis topic must be approved by the student’s thesis committee chair. The project must be research based and must demonstrate the student’s ability to:

• Locate and review relevant literature, write cogently about key conceptual issues and critically evaluate previously published work
• Design and conduct original research
• Conduct statistical analysis of relevant data
• Communicate hypotheses, research methods, analysis, results and implications of the research in written as well as oral format

Most thesis projects will be experimental in nature and should reflect sound, methodological design. Some thesis projects may be non-experimental, such as meta-analysis (a statistical analysis of previously published experimental data from multiple sources) or qualitative research. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain approval from the thesis committee chair for the methodological design of the proposed project.

At a time to be scheduled by the student’s thesis committee chair, the student will make an oral presentation of his/her research project to students and faculty in the Department of Forensic Psychology.

A more detailed explanation of the procedures, process, and requirements for thesis completion is contained in the Department of Forensic Psychology’s Forensic Thesis Handbook. This document is available online or through the Director of the Forensic Thesis Track.

M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services

The M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services track allows students to learn about new forensic theories, concepts, and best practices relevant to their careers and apply that learning in the workplace. This track is accelerated and offered in two 7.5 week terms each semester. A typical student schedule would include one three semester-credit course per term as well as one .5-credit per term, totaling seven semester credit hours per semester. The program may, therefore, be completed in five semesters or approximately 20 months.

The M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services track features a format of online-blended courses and a virtual residency component comprised of Webinar/teleconferences for 60 minutes per term. Courses are based on:

• An instructional environment which accepts students as mature learners and allows them to bring their work related experience and expertise into the class
• Readings and materials that expose students to new theories, concepts, and best practices relevant to their careers
• Classmates to provide a broader range of workplace experiences and provide multiple perspectives on workplace problems, situations, and challenges
• An experienced faculty member who is a personal mentor-guide-facilitator-resource for students

Study in the M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services track culminates in an Applied Research Project. The Applied Research Project is completed over the length of the program through 10 courses at .5 credit each, in addition to required interactions with facilitators, the student’s advisor and cohort members.

Applied Forensic Psychology Certificate (Online-Blended)

The Chicago School offers a three-course certificate program in Applied Forensic Psychology that focuses on the application of knowledge about psychology and mental health to questions and issues relating to law and the legal system. The program consists of three graduate-level courses and can be completed in approximately six months. Participants will earn nine graduate-level credits and a certificate of completion.

Students will develop mastery to:

• Establish effective relationships with clients through skilled interviewing and consideration of cultural differences
• Identify manifestations, symptoms, and patterns of abnormal behavior
• Discuss appropriate management of and interventions with mentally ill individuals in a variety of forensic settings

Designed for professionals seeking to broaden and add depth to their ability to apply knowledge about forensic psychology to their careers, this certificate would be appropriate for law enforcement professionals, corrections professionals, victim assistance professionals, court professionals, treatment facilities professionals, and criminal justice or social service agency professionals.

Certificate courses are also applicable to the M.A. in Forensic Psychology: Applied Forensic Services track.