augment their effectiveness in conducting sound
research, promoting relevant policy, and delivering
competent clinical forensic services.
Although scholars have expressed a need for a
more comprehensive look at specialized graduate
training in forensic psychology since the 1970s, it was
not until the Villanova conference in 1995 that models
of training were evaluated. The invited conference
participants provided recommendations for psychol-
ogy and law training through proposed models but
offered no core curriculum. As such, graduate pro-
grams have been given enormous latitude to offer a
sequence of courses and practical/research experi-
ences that jointly meet their training goals and the
needs of their students.
Much has been written on graduate-level training in
forensic psychology, with scant emphasis on master’s
level training. Yet a substantial number of students are
graduating with master’s degrees in forensic psychol-
ogy. Currently, there are more than seven programs in
the United States and Canada that offer a terminal
master’s degree in psychology and law.Relevant Components for Training
Although, by definition, master’s level graduate train-
ing does not offer the same breadth or depth of experi-
ence as one would receive in a doctoral-level
psychology and law program or a joint degree (Ph.D./
J.D. or Psy.D./J.D.) program, aspects of such training
remain critical to the development of a competent mas-
ter’s level graduate. Broadly, master’s level training
should include education in law and the legal aspects
(e.g., statutes, case law, and legal theory) affecting pro-
fessional forensic psychology practice, knowledge of
the relevant literature and ways of assessing the legal
questions posed to clinicians/researchers, familiarity
with broad and specialty area ethics and guidelines,
and field placements in forensic settings. As the popu-
lation of the United States is changing and becoming
increasingly diverse, it is imperative that psycholegal
researchers, scholars, and clinicians become compe-
tent to address the multiple and varied needs of a
diverse forensic community.
The curriculum for master’s level training in foren-
sic psychology will vary depending on the program’s
orientation, with greater emphasis on research, clini-
cal skills, or public policy to fulfill the requirements
for completion of the degree. At minimum, forensic
psychology curricula should include one or two lawcourses, including one in mental health law. Students
should receive coursework that will provide them with
the technical knowledge and practical skills to facili-
tate their clinical work in the forensic psychology
field, such as clinical interviewing and psychotherapy
and psychopathology and diagnosis. In addition,
students should receive sufficient grounding in research
design and methodology and statistical analysis. For
more clinically focused programs, curriculum may
include coursework in the historical basis of assess-
ment and measurement of different variables in
forensic settings and a sequence of traditional and/or
specialized assessment courses. To prepare students
for a wide range of possible careers, coursework may
include specialty topics, such as understanding and
treatment of offenders (male/female, sexual, juvenile),
trauma and crisis intervention, substance abuse, and
group therapy. As mentioned above, each course
should reflect the diversity inherent in the United
States, such that sociocultural issues should be
infused within the curriculum as well as offered as a
distinct course.
Because many people considering entry into foren-
sic psychology through a master’s degree program
may have been influenced by media portrayal of the
field, it is critical that students gain some exposure to
the reality of the work through field placement/
practicum experiences. Such experiences could include
practical training within the criminal justice system
(jails, prisons, forensic hospitals), within the law
enforcement system (police departments, investiga-
tive departments, probation/parole, etc.), within the
legal system (e.g., court clinics, district attorney’s
office, litigation consulting firms), and within the
mental health system (offender and/or victim treat-
ment programs, community mental health, etc.).
Programs may wish to consider providing coursework
that serves as an adjunct to the field placement expe-
rience, such that students would be able to obtain
additional support and supervision as well as receive
an added didactic component.
In addition to coursework and practical training,
program designers may also want to consider a cap-
stone requirement, such as a competency exam and/or
completion of a thesis. The competency exam require-
ment is designed to provide a comprehensive learning
experience in helping students consolidate their acad-
emic, clinical, and research training in a meaningful,
coherent manner. Similarly, a thesis provides students
with an opportunity to pursue an area of research480 ———Master’s Programs in Psychology and LawM-Cutler (Encyc)-45463.qxd 11/18/2007 12:43 PM Page 480