The Best Online Bachelor’s in Forensic Psychology Degree Programs

Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech), a private doctoral/research university, offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

The online Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology degree with a Forensic Psychology concentration covers the psychological aspects of human behavior and how it applies to legal environments. The online program emphasizes how forensic psychology interacts with law enforcement and the legal system.

The online program reviews a range of vital issues, such as legal processes, family counseling, criminal behavior, investigative techniques, probable cause, victimology, policing and courtroom procedures.

Credit requirements: 121 credits

Concentration Electives:

• Integrated Theories of Crime
• Victim Studies and Advocacy
• Forensic Clinical Psychology
• Law and Psychology
• Psychology of Leadership

Admissions and transfer credit information: Candidates need to provide official documentation of high school graduation or General Equivalency Diploma (GED) if they have fewer than 24 semester credit hours completed at an accredited institution.

Candidates need to provide official transcripts of all regionally accredited colleges and universities they previously attended or presently attend.

The School automatically evaluates credit hours earned from regionally accredited schools for transfer hours. Classes eligible for transfer must have a grade of C- or better.

Accreditation: Florida Tech has accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Arizona State University (ASU), a public research university, offers a wide variety of undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs. The new Online Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Concentration in Forensic Psychology program has already won several awards for its faculty, including the Early Career Achievement award from the American Psychology-Law Society and the Award For Distinguished Contributions to Psychology and Law, also from the American Psychology-Law Society. ASU offers a respected education and its faculty in psychology have written for top science journals, been cited by the United States Supreme Court, and

The online Bachelors program combines general training in psychology with specialized coursework in criminal law, criminal behavior, the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders and legal decision-making. The online degree covers the biological and neuroscientific aspects of Psychology, which aides students and professionals in their research and clinical forensic practice.

Students will have the chance to study various theories and application techniques in the field as they explore which of the various roles for psychologists they are most drawn to. While some forensic psychologists can work with just an undergraduate degree, many positions do require further graduate training.

Credit Requirements: 120 total hours

Selection of courses:

• Introduction to Psychology
• Forensic Psychology
• Abnormal Psychology
• Substantive Criminal Law
• Psychology and Law

Admissions and transfer credit information: All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.

Students in the online degree program need to complete at least 30 hours at ASU. The online admissions standards revolve around competency credits and either being in the top 25% of your class, receiving a 3.0 in those competency courses or ACT scores specific to in-state or out-of-state students.

Accreditation: Arizona State University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), including its online programs.

Maryville University provides a variety of career-focused programs for undergraduate and graduate students. The University provides online and distance learning options to non-traditional students.

The online Bachelor of Arts in Forensic Psychology degree includes coursework that meets the standards set forth by the American Psychological Association. Students gain a thorough understanding of forensic psychological principles and criminal justice theories.

Instructors balance theories with real-world experiences and examples from the judicial system, correction centers, and social services.

The curriculum includes 150 hours of internship experience which students can complete close to home. There are no on-campus visit requirements.

Credit requirements: 128 credit hours

Selection of required courses:

• Multicultural Policing
• Corrections in Society
• Criminal Law and Procedure
• Juvenile Delinquency
• Criminal Behavior
• Police Psychology

Program length: Average, four years

Start dates: Three times each year

Admissions and transfer credit information: Candidates complete an online application. Candidates should submit prior transcripts for evaluation, including their high school diploma or GED or any past transcripts. No standardized tests are required for admission.

Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission provides Maryville University Online with accreditation.

The online Bachelor’s in Psychology with Forensic Psychology at Saint Leo University gives students the tools to understand the human experience by studying qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Online students learn about cognitive psychology, personality theory, abnormal psychology, the biological bases of behavior, child and adolescent development, and race and ethnicity’s role in psychology and practices in tailored coursework that can be catered specifically to students’ interests and career goals.

Students can even participate in the university’s Psychology Club and Research Club as an online psychology student. Saint Leo’s aids students in finding internships to enrich their coursework and pad their resume for finding jobs or entering graduate school after graduation.

This customizability lets students’ coursework cover applied fields like forensics, but also military, counseling and industrial psychology. Graduates often pursue advanced study in psychology, or find employment in human service settings and mental health facilities. A psychology major is flexible enough in application that it can also prepare students for careers across the job force, even if they choose to return to higher education in forensic psychology.

Credit requirements: 39 credits for the major, 120 credits total

Selection of required courses:

• Introduction to Psychology
• Abnormal Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Human Behavior in Crisis

Learning enrollment options: Full-time and part-time

Program length: Four years

Start dates: Fall, spring, and summer

Admissions and transfer credit information: Applicants can fill out an online application form anytime for rolling admission. A high school diploma or GED, any transcripts from past education, test scores from specifically applicable tests (like Advanced Placement Examinations), and any records of past professional training (like a nursing program) are required for admission. It does not appear that ACT or SAT scores are required.

Accreditation: The online psychology degree at Saint Leo University is accredited by the Southeastern Psychological Association and American Psychological Association.

Purdue University Global, the online school of the Purdue University system, provides a variety of online undergraduate and graduate programs and certificates.

Purdue University Global offers an online Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice program with concentrations in: Crime Scene Investigation, Homeland Security, Juvenile Justice, Law Enforcement, and Forensic Psychology.

The online Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice program with a Forensic Science concentration covers psychology within the context of the criminal justice system. At the end of the degree, students may complete a capstone project.

There is an Advanced Start Track available for students who already have an Associate’s degree.

Credit requirements: 180 credits, with a minimum of 24 credits for the concentration

Selection of required courses:

• Psychology for Law Enforcement
• Crisis Intervention
• Abnormal Psychology
• Criminology
• Applied Criminal Justice Ethics
• Research Methods in Criminal Justice
• Criminal Procedure

Learning enrollment options: Full-time or part-time

Program length: Standard track – four years; advanced track – two years

Start dates: September, October, November

Admissions and transfer credit information: Students must have a high school diploma or GED equivalent. Applicants may submit unofficial transcripts prior to admission.

Upon acceptance, students must submit official transcripts from all prior institutions. The admissions team may also request an entrance exam or an interview.

The program does accept up to 70 transfer credits applicable to the curriculum. The admissions team also considers prior work and military experience for transfer credit.

Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission provides Purdue University Global with accreditation.

Southern New Hampshire University, a private non-profit university, provides online students with more than 200 career-focused college degree programs.

The online Bachelor of Psychology degree with a Forensic Psychology concentration prepares students for careers in psychology, criminal investigation, and law through maintaining a comprehensive liberal arts foundation and tailoring specialty classes to student’s career interests.

The Forensic Psychology concentration covers theories and concepts behind criminal profiling, eyewitness testimony, serving as an expert witness, and more.

Students have the opportunity to study abnormal psychology, trends in crime, treatment methods, and the impact of crime on society.

Credit requirements: 120 credits

Selection of required courses:

• Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology
• Forensic Psychology
• Criminal Psychology
• Research I: Statistics for Psychology
• Research II: Scientific Investigations

Online instruction style: Asynchronous

Learning enrollment options: Full-time and part-time

Program length: Four years

Start dates: Fall, spring, and summer

Admissions and transfer credit information: Applicants need to fill out an online application form, any transcript forms from previously attended schools, and an Electronic Attestation form that says you either graduated from high school or obtained your GED. Admissions are made on a rolling basis for the six undergraduate terms. There is no GPA requirement.

Admissions accepts up to 90 transfer credit hours.

Accreditation: Southern New Hampshire Online has accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

Liberty University is an evangelical liberal arts institution and provides a wide array of online undergraduate and graduate degree programs and certificates.

The Helms School of Government provides students with degrees relevant to industry demands. The School offers several undergraduate and graduate-level programs on campus, with the majority also being available online.

The online Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree with a Criminal Psychology concentration provides students the opportunity to act in a wide range of criminal justice situations through class projects and discussions.

Credit requirements: 120 credits

Selection of required courses:

• Introduction to Criminal Justice
• Criminal Justice Research and Writing
• Juvenile Justice
• Corrections
• Judicial Process
• Criminology
• Criminal Justice Ethics
• Criminal Law
• Constitutional Criminal Procedure

Online instruction style: Asynchronous

Program length: Four years, though many students are able to finish in three and a half years

Start dates: Fall and spring

Admissions and transfer credit information: Applicants must complete an admission application and submit unofficial transcripts with a completed official transcript request form, and a high school self-certification form.

Applicants must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher, however admissions reviews applicants with a GPA less than 2.0 for admission potential.

Students may turn some law enforcement or military experience into credit towards the degree.

Accreditation: Liberty University Online has accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The Online Bachelor Degree with a Criminal Forensics Specialization at Colorado State University- Global Campus lets students learn crime scene analysis and evidence collection hands-on. You’ll learn all steps of the process in a criminal case, from witness, victim and suspect handling to evidence collection to the legal process of trying a case.

The criminal forensics course work is designed for students already pursuing careers in the field as analysts or investigators. The specialization is meant to be paired with an undergraduate degree being earned from the Global Campus. It pairs well with the B.S. Criminal Justice, B.S. Information Technology, and B.S. Organizational Leadership programs.

Similar to a minor, or degree concentration, this undergraduate specialization will give you appropriate coursework to explore another area of interest. Your resume will prove you’re dedicated to your interest in criminal forensics, more than loving television shows about it, and will equip you well for further training or jobs out of school. With monthly class starts with no set times, you’ll still have the flexibility of an online degree.

Credit requirements: 15 credits

Selection of required courses:

• Introduction to Forensic Psychology
• Criminal Investigation
• Investigative and Forensic Interviewing
• Investigative Forensic Photography
• Crime Scene Investigation

Learning enrollment options: Part-time

Program length: One year, or four in addition to other course work

Start dates: Monthly

Admissions and transfer credit information: Applicants need to fill out an online application form. Admission is granted to a variety of students within different qualification brackets. Admission may be granted to students who meet first year requirements, have a diploma or GED, and have a resume with 2 years of experience. Visit their site to find more specific details outlining different demographics for admission.

Accreditation: Colorado State University Global Campus is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Faulkner University’s Online Degree in Forensic Psychology provides a fundamental education in an undergraduate psychology degree alongside a strong curriculum in criminal justice. Students have the chance to study criminal behavior, interrogation techniques, and other areas of forensics while combining them with the skills essential to psychological practices and theory. The online degree, like all offered at Faulkner University, include liberal arts education elements, like courses in English, math, and science, and classes that are in line with their Christian and cultural mission.

Credit requirements: 121 credits

Selection of required courses:

• Introduction to Counseling
• Behavioral Psychology
• Drugs and Society
• Conflict Management
• Parent Child Relationships

Learning enrollment options: Full-time and part-time

Program length: Four years

Start dates: Fall, spring, and summer

Admissions and transfer credit information: Applicants need to fill out an online application form and submit a transcript from all other schools attended.

Accreditation: Faulkner University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees.

Eastern Kentucky University, a public university, provides a variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees. The University provides over 40 online undergraduate, graduate, certificate and non-degree programs.

The online Bachelor in Psychology degree with a Forensic Psychology concentration provides students an introduction to the major areas of forensic psychology. The program provides opportunities for joint student-faculty research.

The program prepares students to enroll in an appropriate graduate program. Most students prepare for careers as research psychologists, laboratory managers, mental health counselors, social and human services workers, speech-language pathologists, or clinical psychologists after graduate training.

The online degree program covers experimental psychology, mental health law, forensic assessment and correctional psychology. Offering accelerated 8 week courses beginning every 6 weeks, online students have the full benefits of on-campus students, including access to career services and tutoring resources.

Credit requirements: 120 hours

Selection of online courses:

• Psychology of Personality
• Social Psychology
• Adolescent and Adult Development
• Forensic Psychology

Admissions and transfer credit information: The University accepts up to 90 hours of transfer credits. Admission for online programs includes the application, fees, any past transcripts from high school or any completed university course work, and test scores (ACT or SAT for students under 21 or the University Placement Exam for those over 21).

Accreditation: EKU has accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.