Welcome and Overview

Welcome to the Master's Program in Forensic Psychology at the Texas A&M University-Victoria College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences!

This Handbook contains policies specific to the Master's Program in Forensic Psychology that supplement those found in the A&M-Victoria Catalog, the Psychology Graduate Handbook, the A&M-Victoria Student Handbook, and course syllabi.  Please become very familiar with this Handbook. Students are responsible for using the Handbook as a resource when questions arise and as a guide to academic and nonacademic policies and procedures.

The content regarding policies and procedures in this Handbook applies to all students. However, students who began their education in the Forensic Psychology Master's Program prior to Fall 2020 should refer to the Handbook of the year of their acceptance for information related to their Degree Plan requirements. For students entering during the Fall 2020 semester and later, this Handbook reflects your degree and curriculum requirements.

The information in this handbook is updated frequently. If a change occurs, an announcement will be posted on the psychology website located in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences webpage; students will also be notified via their A&M-Victoria e-mail.

While this handbook, the general handbook, and the practicum handbook aim to provide you with all the basic information you need to succeed in the program, you may still have questions. Please feel free to ask your Program Director, Faculty Advisor, or CLASS Advisor when you have questions. We are all here to help.

We may also have necessary information for you periodically and will provide that information to you through your A&M-Victoria email account. You must check that email account frequently, as you will be responsible for receiving information through your A&M-Victoria email account in a timely manner.

Congratulations on your decision to join us. The Faculty and Staff are here to help you reach your goal of becoming a Forensic Psychology Professional.

New Changes to Program

*Previously, the Forensic Psychology program was set up to meet the academic and practice requirements for the Counseling credential (LPC). However, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP) is now allowing unsupervised practice by Psychological Associates (LPAs). In order to be considered for that designation however, the TSBEP has additional educational requirements. Adjustments were made to the Forensic Psychology program to allow students to pursue either the LPC or the LPA credential. Some of the educational requirements for the LPA and LPC are the same, but there are some differences. The previous program could not expand to allow the addition of all new LPA requirements due to state policy on maximum degree plan units, so students will have to choose one of the concentrations (PC vs. PA) at the end of their second semester in the program.

The Forensic Psychology Program now has two concentrations that begin with a choice by students after their second semester in the program is complete (after Spring Year One semester). One will be in preparation for the Professional Counselor designation (PC), and the other will be in preparation for the Psychological Associate designation (PA). Both new concentrations require 66 credit hours.

The PA concentration includes courses not already included in the previous Forensic curriculum but required by the TSBEP licensing body. These include PSYC 6328 Biological Psychology, PSYC 6315 Advanced Learning, and PSYC 6341 Behavior Management. In order to accommodate for the addition of these courses in the PA concentration, several previously non-Core courses were removed which are not ones required for Comprehensive exams. In addition, a new course in Treatment Planning and Intervention has been added to the Degree Plan for both concentrations. In this course, students will learn about treatment and intervention provided within forensic settings, including skills in specific approaches to work with forensic populations.

Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology at A&M-Victoria

A&M-Victoria Forensic Psychology Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide comprehensive education and training relevant to the application of psychological theory, knowledge, skills, and competencies to the civil and criminal justice systems and administrative agencies, in turn providing students with foundational Forensic Psychological abilities. Our emphasis is on developing strong clinical skills, and the preparation of our students to enter the job market eligible for licenses as both Licensed Psychological Associates (LPA) and as Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC). The program conforms to basic Master’s level training and licensing requirements in counseling for most states. Our students will have the skills to engage in assessment and treatment in a variety of forensic settings such as prisons, juvenile detention facilities, child protective agencies, and private forensic practice groups.

We also aim to provide students with strong foundational educational and clinical experiences to facilitate furthering educational attainment (e.g., obtaining a Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology with a Forensic emphasis), should they so choose.

The American Board of Forensic Psychology defines Forensic Psychology as “the application of scientific, technical, or specialized knowledge of psychology to inform matters of law within the judicial system, legislative bodies, and administrative agencies. This includes, but is not limited to, conducting psychological evaluations, treatment, or research in anticipation of future legal, contractual, or administrative proceedings; offering expert psychological opinions in the form of testimony or amicus briefs; and, trial consultation" (ABFP webpage).

Forensic Psychology Program Goals and Objectives

The primary goals of the Forensic Psychology Program are:

  • To prepare students for entry into the mental health profession with forensic populations.
  • To provide students with a coordinated program of study that complies with the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors requirements for the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) credential and the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists’ requirements for the Licensed Psychological Associate’s (LPA) credential.
  • To provide students with didactic coursework, exploration of cultural diversity issues in mental health, ethical considerations, and practical field experiences through the practicum requirement.
  • To provide students with curricular opportunities for self- enhancement, critical thinking, and professional development throughout their graduate school experience, which may include participation in the Psychology Colloquium Series and faculty research projects to enrich their classroom experiences.
  • To provide students with core academic knowledge and clinical skills that may assist in pursing additional educational opportunities.

Forensic Psychology Foundational and Functional Competencies

Students’ overall professional development and training are based upon a foundation of knowledge and clinical application of functional skills. The Foundation of your knowledge will be gained through the program’s core courses that will cover career development, ethics, cultural diversity, life-span development, psychotherapy theories, and specific forensic issues. Your Functional Skills will be addressed through other core courses, which cover cognitive assessment, personality assessment, forensic assessment, psychotherapy techniques, and clinical applications of your skills through practica. Students enrolled in this program are expected to pursue a plan of study to assure increased professional competence and breadth of knowledge in the field of Forensic psychology.

 In keeping with the program’s goals, the program endorses the concept of preparing our students in a number of professional foundational and functional competencies.

The foundational competencies include: 

  1. reflective practice
  2. scientific mindedness
  3. interpersonal relations and conduct
  4. individual‐cultural diversity
  5. ethical‐legal standards  

The functional competencies include:

  1. assessment‐diagnosis
  2. case formulation/presentation
  3. intervention
  4. research/evaluation
  5. application of supervision/ learning/ advising

Curriculum Requirements

Please note that the curriculum of this program has changed*. Students admitted in or after Fall 2016 until Fall 2019 are in a 63 credit-hour program. Students admitted in 2015 or earlier are in a 60 credit-hour program. Due to new State of Texas regulations, students entering the program as of Fall 2020 will be in a 66 credit-hour program. Students are responsible for knowing the requirements of their Degree Plan, based upon year of entry into the program, and will not be eligible for graduation until their specific Degree Plan has been satisfied. Descriptions of curricular requirements in this Handbook are applicable to students entering the Program in Fall 2020 and later.

As of Fall 2020, A&M-Victoria offers two concentrations in the 66 credit-hour Forensic Psychology master’s degree. The Forensic Psychology degree is designed to meet the educational requirements for the Texas Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) credential or the Licensed Psychological Associate (LPA) credential. Students must select the Professional Counselor (PC) or Psychological Associate (PA) concentration after completing a specified set of courses, as described below.

The Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology is a planned program of study designed to train mental health professionals for work in public and private agencies. Each student must complete 57 hours of required coursework to meet the concentration in Forensic Psychology requirement. This foundation supports the knowledge, skill, and understanding developed through concentrated study in the area of Forensic Psychology. For the practical application of coursework, students are required to complete 9 hours of Forensic Psychology Practicum field experience prior to graduation. The clinical experiences provide an opportunity for ongoing development and assessment of the professional growth and skills of the Forensic Psychology student prior to graduation from the program.

Advisement and Orientation

Your Forensic Psychology Program Faculty Advisor recommends and approves your Degree Plan, monitors your progress, approves course selection, and recommends students for graduation. As soon as possible after admission to the Forensic Psychology program, but no later than during the first semester of work, you should contact your assigned CLASS academic advisor to develop a Degree Plan for the Forensic Psychology Master's Degree. Please sign and return your degree plan promptly when it is provided to you by the office of the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences.

After the student's Degree Plan is signed by the advisor and department head and approved by the Graduate School, the student must follow it as the basis for all subsequent enrollments. The Degree Plan is the primary advisement tool, as it provides the listing of courses needed for graduation. Each student is responsible for keeping the Degree Plan updated and for bringing the plan to advisement sessions.

At the beginning of each academic year, all newly admitted and currently admitted graduate students will be invited to attend a Mandatory Psychology Graduate Studies orientation conducted by the A&M-Victoria Graduate Psychology Faculty. During orientation, students will receive information regarding curriculum and program requirements, and will be introduced to the Graduate Psychology faculty members, as well as have the opportunity to engage with other members of the Psychology Graduate Programs. We will also discuss possible research opportunities. All students are strongly encouraged to attend. Students that suspect they will be unable to attend are required to notify their faculty advisor as soon as possible.

For questions regarding academic advisement, degree plans, registration, graduation, or other A&M-Victoria matters, please contact lass@tamuv.edu.

Recommended Schedule & Degree Plan

The Forensic Psychology Program Degree Plan can be found is available on the Forensic Psychology website.

Please be aware that most courses are only offered once a year and many have previous courses as prerequisites. If you plan to attend on a part-time basis, then you should carefully look at the A&M-Victoria catalog to determine which courses have prerequisites, and what those prerequisites are. For example, if you do not take PSYC 6336 Intellectual Assessment in the Fall of your first year, you will not be able to take PSYC 6337 Personality Assessment until the Spring semester of your second year, and this would, in turn, delay when you would be eligible to take PSYC 6304 Forensic Psychology Practicum.

Students who began their education in the Forensic Psychology Master's Program prior to Fall 2020 should refer to the Handbook of the year of their acceptance for information related to their Degree Plan requirements. For students entering during the Fall 2020 semester or later, this Handbook and the Forensic Psychology webpage reflect your degree requirements.

The following is the Recommended Schedule for the Forensic Psychology Master's Program (both PC and PA Concentrations), based on Fall 2020 (or later) admission to the Forensic Psychology Program (66 credit-hours total):

Year One-Fall (12 units)

PSYC 6321 Psychopathology I

PSYC 6333 Ethics and Practice of Psychology

PSYC 6334 Theories and Issues in Psychotherapy

PSYC 6336 Intellectual Assessment

Year One-Spring (12 units)

PSYC 6332 Advanced Social Psychology

PSYC 6335 Techniques of Psychotherapy

PSYC 6337 Personality Assessment

PSYC 6343 Professional Practices in Forensic Psychology

STUDENTS MUST SELECT PC (LPC) or PA (LPA) Concentration at end of Year One Spring Semester and can only take that track from that point on

PC Concentration                                                                              

Year One-Summer: (12 units)    

PSYC 6327 Forensic Assessment               

PSYC 6331 Multicultural Psychotherapy

PSYC 6338 Group Psychotherapy

PSYC 6319 Vocational & Career Counseling

Year Two-Fall: (12 units)                                                             

PSYC 6304 First Forensic Practicum                                         

PSYC 6326 Advanced Research Methods               

PSYC 6330 Life-span Development                                          

PSYC 6339 Theory/Techniques of Family Therapy

Year Two-Spring: (9 units)                                                          

PSYC 6304 Second Forensic Practicum                    

PSYC 6322 Psychopathology II                                   

PSYC 6350 Addictions Counseling

*Students should plan to take their Comprehensive Examination this semester.

Year Two-Summer: (9 units)                                      

PSYC 6304 Third Forensic Practicum                       

PSYC 63XX Forensic Treatment Planning & Intervention                                                                                 

PSYC 6351 Crisis Intervention    

PA Concentration

Year One-Summer: (12 units)

PSYC 6327 Forensic Assessment

PSYC 6331 Multicultural Psychotherapy

PSYC 6338 Group Psychotherapy

PSYC 6304 First Forensic Practicum

Year Two-Fall: (12 units)

PSYC 6315 Advanced Learning

PSYC 6326 Advanced Research Methods

PSYC 6330 Life-Span Development

PSYC 6339 Theory/Techniques of Family Rx

Year Two-Spring: (9 or 12 units)

PSYC 6304 Second Forensic Practicum

PSYC 6341 Behavior Management

PSYC 6328 Biological Psychology

PSYC 6350 Addictions Counseling (Option A)

*Students should plan to take their Comprehensive Examination this semester.

Year Two-Summer: (6 or 9 units)

PSYC 6304 Third Forensic Practicum

PSYC 63XX Forensic Treatment Planning & Intervention

PSYC 6351 Crisis Intervention (Option B)

Comprehensive Examination

The Forensic Psychology Comprehensive examination (“Comps”) is offered during the Fall and Spring Semesters each year. Full-time Forensic Psychology students should plan to take Comps during the Spring semester of their second year, and after they have completed all courses covered by the Comprehensive exam. Students with a minimum of 24 credit hours are eligible to take the exam. The exam has historically taken place at a proctored location at A&M-Victoria in Victoria.

The faculty member overseeing the Comprehensive Exam will contact students several weeks ahead via their A&M-Victoria email when they are eligible for the exam. A deadline for application to take Comps will be given in that email.  Students who fail to return their application by the deadline for any reason will not be able to take comps that semester.  It is the responsibility of the student to meet that deadline if they wish to take comps that semester.

The Forensic Psychology Comprehensive Examination has 220 items, 20 selected from each of the 11 core classes: PSYC 6321, PSYC 6326, PSYC 6330, PSYC 6331, PSYC 6332, PSYC 6333, PSYC 6334, PSYC 6335, PSYC 6336, PSYC 6337 and PSYC 6343 (Professional Practices in Forensic Psychology). Exam items are randomly selected from a pool of items and then randomly- ordered for each student. Students will have 3 ½ hours to complete the exam. 

Each exam item is worth one point. All students are required to obtain a minimum of 154 points (equivalent to 70%) or better out of 220 points in order to pass the exam. A score of 153 items correct (equivalent to 69.6%) does not meet the minimum score to pass the Comprehensive Exam and is considered a failing score.

A student who fails the exam (a score below 154 points) twice must contact their faculty advisor to develop a plan for remediation work specified by the Psychology Graduate Faculty before regaining eligibility to re-take the exam. The remediation work is designed to increase the student's proficiencies in areas of weakness, as identified by performance on the previous Comprehensive Examination. The remediation plan may include the requirement that the student re-take one or more courses.

Students in the Forensic Psychology M.A. program who began the program in Fall 2019 or later must pass the Comprehensive exam on or before their third attempt at taking the Exam. A third failure on the Comprehensive Examination will result in dismissal from the program.

Expect to take Comps only after you have completed the 11 courses covered by the Forensic Psychology Comprehensive Exam, which are:

PSYC 6321 Psychopathology I

PSYC 6326 Advanced Research Methods

PSYC 6330 Life-span Developmental Psychology

PSYC 6331 Multicultural Psychotherapy

PSYC 6332 Advanced Social Psychology

PSYC 6333 Ethics and Practice of Psychology

PSYC 6334 Theories and Issues in Psychotherapy

PSYC 6335 Techniques in Psychotherapy

PSYC 6336 Intellectual Assessment

PSYC 6337 Personality Assessment

PSYC 6343 Professional Practices in Forensic Psychology

 

Practicum in Forensic Psychology

Forensic Psychology graduate students are required to complete three semesters (9 credit hours) of Practicum (PSYC 6304). This entails one treatment rotation, one assessment rotation, and the third of their choice (either treatment or assessment). Students must complete with a final grade of B or better the six courses listed below before they will be allowed to enroll in PSYC 6304 Practicum for Forensic Psychology:

PSYC 6321 Psychopathology I

PSYC 6330 Life-span Developmental Psychology

PSYC 6333 Ethics and Practice of Psychology

PSYC 6335 Techniques of Psychotherapy

PSYC 6337 Personality Assessment

PSYC 6338 Group Psychotherapy

Students may be concurrently enrolled in PSYC 6338 Group Psychotherapy during the Summer semester while their application is pending, although completion of the course with a final grade of B or better is required for eligibility before formally beginning Practicum in the Fall semester.

You must also pass your final criterion or project for PSYC 6337 (Personality Assessment) and for PSYC 6335 (Techniques of Psychotherapy) to begin your first practicum. You must also have proof of Professional Liability Insurance.

Enrollment in PSYC 6304 requires approval by your Faculty Advisor and the Course Instructor. You must submit an application for practicum every semester you intend to enroll in the practicum course. An announcement regarding Practicum Applications will be sent via A&M-Victoria email to all Forensic Psychology students. You should apply for Practicum the semester prior to your desired practicum start date.  Detailed information on practicum may be found in the Practicum Handbook, which is on the Forensic Psychology webpage.

Please reference the course schedule above to determine the semester of the first practicum for your concentration.

Change of Program

Forensic Psychology Graduate Students wishing to transfer to the Counseling Psychology or School Psychology graduate programs must be in good academic standing, satisfy all grades of “Incomplete” in the Forensic Psychology program, and should complete the A&M-Victoria Graduate Action Form available online or from the CLASS advisor. Additionally, you should talk to the program director in both your current and intended programs before doing so. Repeated switching between programs is strongly discouraged, as it often delays your desired completion date and disrupts the continuity of your professional skills development.

Any student wishing to complete degree requirements for two Psychology Graduate programs must fully complete one program before applying for a second Psychology Graduate degree program. As a A&M-Victoria alumnus, you are only allowed to transfer up to 50% of your previous program’s courses to the new Program's Degree Plan, if you are accepted. Please consult with the Office of Financial Aid regarding maximum credit hours that are accepted.

Change of Concentration

Students wishing to change between the PC (LPC) and PA (LPA) concentrations of the Forensic Psychology program must be in good academic standing, satisfy all grades of “Incomplete” in the Forensic Psychology program, and should complete the Forensic Psychology Concentration Change Form (available from your faculty advisor). Additionally, you should talk with your Faculty Advisor before changing concentrations. As in Change of Program (described above), repeated switching between concentrations is strongly discouraged, as it often delays your desired completion date and disrupts the continuity of your professional skill development.

Review of Student Progress

Given the high degree of ethical and professional behavior and competency required of future Forensic Psychology practitioners, the Forensic Psychology Program requires satisfactory performance throughout the program. Our goal is to help you develop into a skilled and ethical Forensic Psychology professional. We regularly review student progress, and seek to identify students who are in need of and suitable for remediation for relevant issues, such as maintaining expected standards of academic performance, appropriate personal attributes and/or ethical behavior, as well as the acquisition of the appropriate clinical and professional skills.

Academic Standards for Forensic Psychology Graduate Students

All Forensic Psychology students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (B) over all graduate courses attempted at A&M-Victoria, regardless of whether the courses are counted toward degree requirements. In addition, graduate students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 on all courses that appear on their Degree Plan, including transferred courses. Also note that, no more than two courses with grades of C may be applied toward graduate Degree Plan requirements. No credit toward a graduate degree is allowed for courses in which grades of D or F are earned, although the grades are included in the Grade Point Average.

In the event a student's semester or cumulative GPA is lower than 3.0, the student will be notified in writing that he or she is placed on academic probation for the semester. The student will be required to meet with their faculty advisor to create and sign a remediation plan. If the student's GPA is not raised by the designated date on the remediation plan, the student will be in jeopardy of dismissal from the Forensic Psychology Program. Certain graduate courses may be graded as S (satisfactory), U (unsatisfactory), and I (incomplete). Such grades will not be considered in computing the Grade Point Average.

Ethical Behavior and Academic Honesty

Due to the necessarily high degree of morality and ethical conduct of the Psychology profession, unethical behavior and/or academic dishonesty of any form, such as plagiarism or cheating, will not be tolerated and is considered unacceptable behavior for graduate students in Psychology. Any student engaging in unethical behavior and/or in direct violation of A&M-Victoria’s Academic Dishonesty policy, as noted in the A&M-Victoria Student Handbook, will be subject to reasonable and appropriate sanctions as outlined in University policies.

Appropriate Personal Attributes for the Graduate Psychology Programs

Responsibility

  • Shows a pattern of reliable attendance in classes and at practicum/internship obligations.
  • Shows a pattern of completing class projects and other program requirements on time.
  • Shows a pattern of a good effort when working on university tasks.
  • Shows a pattern of accepting responsibility for mistakes. 

Respect

  • Shows a pattern of respect for others and sensitivity to others.
  • Interacts in all situations (in person, via telephone or via email) with peers, supervisors, and program faculty in a respectful and professional manner.
  • Does not engage in a pattern of offensive practices.
  • Does not act in a hostile manner – name calling, intimidation, abusive or threatening behavior, sexual harassment, attempts to humiliate or ridicule others, repeated expression of racist, sexist, or prejudicial attitudes. 

Personal Problems

  • Shows sufficient insight and judgment to know the limits of ability to avoid harming clients or potential clients.
  • Is not a danger to self or others.
  • Is not too distressed to be effective in the skills required for Counseling, School, and Forensic psychology, counseling, or testing.
  • Is able to conform to the demands of the tasks involved in the program’s education.
  • Exhibits no impairments that may lead to inability to conform including substance abuse, delusions, and poor reality testing, among other possible conditions. 

Integrity

  • Shows a pattern of integrity and honesty.
  • Does not show a pattern of deception and/or lying.
  • Does not cheat or engage in plagiarism. 

Self-Presentation and Professional Demeanor

  • Shows a pattern of good personal hygiene and grooming, as well as site-appropriate professional attire.
  • Shows ability and potential to develop appropriate professional etiquette.

Behavioral Probation

Students’ academic and professional development is of the utmost concern in the psychology graduate programs, as is the welfare of both students and the public. Usually, concerns about student conduct or behavior can be resolved constructively between the student, an instructor, or an advisor. However, in cases where behavioral issues are persistent, or interfere with student development or puts others’ welfare in jeopardy, a more formal probationary process may become necessary.   As such, the goal of behavioral probation is to create a more formal structure to assist the student’s academic and/or professional development while ensuring the safety of all concerned: the student, colleagues, and members of the public.

In this case, the following process should occur:

1.  The student would receive a written invitation to a meeting with the program director and members of the graduate faculty. The invitation would include the purpose of the meeting and specific incidents which triggered the reason for the meeting. For example, a student might be sent a request to meet with graduate faculty after a practicum site supervisor stated that they were engaging in the following unprofessional conduct: cursing in front of clients, wearing inappropriate/unprofessional attire, or failing to attend mandatory meetings with their supervisor.

2.  The student will be informed that information gathered in the meeting could possibly result in sanctions for the student, including being placed on behavioral probation. The probation would involve remediation work designed to assist the student in the area(s) of concern found to be valid by the committee. The student will be informed that, once the findings are assessed, the Committee may instead decide that no sanctions are warranted.

3.  After the meeting with the student, if a sanction is warranted, including behavioral probation, the student will be informed in writing of the sanction and the remediation. That student has the right to appeal the findings to the Chair of  the Psychology Department. If the student meets with the Chair and is dissatisfied with the outcome, the student may appeal to the Dean of CLASS. 

Post-Graduate Licensing

Students should be aware that licensing regulations are independent of the A&M-Victoria Forensic Psychology degree requirements. State law dictates what criteria must be successfully met before an individual is eligible to receive a particular license. Licensing law determines what title a professional may use when presenting himself/herself to potential consumers of psychological or counseling services, and in most cases determines what type of professional activity the individual may engage in. It is the student’s responsibility to be fully aware of existing state licensing regulations. Such regulations usually dictate: a) degree and curriculum requirements, b) performance criteria for demonstration of knowledge in one’s field (e.g., successful completion of a standardized examination), and c) requirements for supervision of post-degree professional activity. Students should be aware that specific license requirements may vary considerably from state to state and between agencies within the same state.

Texas offers licensure for master's degree-level professional counselors (known as the LPC, for Licensed Professional Counselor), which permits independent practice. Texas also offers a license for master’s-level psychology graduates, the Licensed Psychological Associate (LPA), which permits independent practice. Texas state law dictates certain criteria that must be satisfied before the professional is able to gain the LPC or LPA credentials. All of these criteria must be satisfied prior to receiving the license.

The curricula of the Forensic Psychology concentrations provide the necessary didactic and practical educational requirements for their respective credentials. It is important to note that there are additional requirements for either licensure that can only be obtained after graduation.

You are responsible for knowing and following the requirements of your desired professional credential (LPA or LPC).

 

Having a Master's degree in Forensic Psychology provides a range of opportunities for additional credentials in the state of Texas. Students may benefit from examining information about obtaining additional licensure as a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) and/or Licensed Sex Offender Treatment Provider (LSOTP).