Forensic Psychology, Threat Assessment and Management Specialization, MS

Master of Science in Forensic Psychology

Description of Program

The 30-credit Master of Science (MS) in Forensic Psychology provides students with knowledge and understanding of human behavior as it is presented by individuals who are involved in the legal system. The coursework for all students in this program examines policy and justice, victims and offenders, diversity and ethics, basics of risk and threat assessment and management, theories of criminal behavior, and evaluation and treatment in offender populations.

The MS in forensic psychology degree is not designed to lead towards licensure or certification but will provide students with a broad overview of the field which will allow students to better understand forensic psychology as a whole, gain scholarly knowledge in their personal areas of interest, and prepare for a career in a diverse range of forensic psychology-oriented professions.

Employment options available with this training include, but are not limited to, correctional facilities, child welfare and advocacy organizations, community based clinics and organizations, probation and other law enforcement or government agencies, court related services, and mental health institutions.

Students are able to choose a non-clinical internship course/project or a research driven capstone course/project. This provides students with the option to choose between a path in which they can explore practical applications in an internship setting or engage in a research driven capstone project.

Click here for potential career opportunities within the Masters of Science in Forensic Psychology.

Learning Outcomes

Analyze theories and principles in psychology within forensic settings
Explain usage of diagnostic and assessment tools within forensic settings
Examine diversity issues within forensic settings
Evaluate ethical behavior within forensic settings
Synthesize research within forensic settings

Basis for Admissions

Admission to the Master of Science program requires a conferred bachelor’s and/or a conferred master’s or doctoral degree from a regionally or nationally accredited academic institution.

Additional State requirements may need to be met for Basis of Admissions into a program:

Basis for Admission - Washington State Students

Degree Requirements

The Master of Science degree in Forensic Psychology requires a total of 30 credits for completion.

The University may accept a maximum of 12 semester credit hours in transfer toward the Master of Science in Forensic Psychology for graduate course work completed at an external accredited college or university with a grade of “B” or better. See the

Transfer Credit Policy

for additional information. Graduation requirements for the Master’s Degree in Psychology vary according to specialization selected.

All NCU master’s degree programs have the following graduation requirements:

A minimum of 18 credit hours of graduate instruction must be completed through the University
Completion of subject area competency requirements for the graduate program
Elective courses must be relevant to the department’s graduate program
Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (letter grade of “B”) or higher
Official documents on file for basis of admission: a conferred bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited academic institution
Official transcripts on file for all transfer credit hours accepted by the University
All financial obligations must be met before the student will be issued their complimentary diploma and/or degree posted transcript

Time to Completion

NCU allows 5 years to complete all Master’s programs of 36 credits or less.

The median time to completion for this program is 19 months.

Time to completion varies depending upon the pace in which a student completes courses and the number of transfer credits accepted. As most NCU students are working adults, balancing educational, professional, and personal commitments, our academic and finance advisors will work with you to develop a program schedule that works best for your needs.

Students following the preferred schedule designed by the Dean for this program, and applying no transfer credits, can expect to finish in as little as 16 months.

Course Sequence

The Master of Science in Forensic Psychology program can be completed in 30 credits.

All Master of Science programs require the foundation course to be completed prior to enrolling in specialization courses. If students choose the capstone stone, this course will be completed as the last course in the degree program.

PSY-5501 - Principles of Forensic Psychology
PSY-6516 - Fundamentals of Risk and Threat Assessment
PSY-5114 - Policy and Justice in Forensic Psychology
PSY-5112 - Theories of Criminal Behavior
PSY-5107 - Research Design
Specialization Course 1
Specialization Course 2
Specialization Course 3
Specialization Course 4
Capstone Course

Threat Assessment and Management Specialization

In the threat assessment and management specialization, students will dive deeper into this field and learn the essential elements of threat assessment and management, including the use of assessment tools, interviewing, and information gathering, risk factors and mitigation strategies, and team processes for different types of threats including workplace violence, intimate partner violence and stalking, school violence, or other areas of targeted violence. While this specialization does not lead to licensure, the specialization will require students to review key components critical for the exam to become a Certified Threat Manager (CTM) with the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP) which they may wish to take as part of their professional career. Employment options available with this training include, but are not limited to law enforcement or government agencies, court related services, educational institutions, private industries, and practices specifically working in the threat management field. Students in the threat assessment and management specialization will complete their program with an applied course that allows students to put into practice what they have learned by employing assessment and management practices to real world examples.