UND forensic psychology program best in country

College rankings continue to tout UND for its quality academics and affordability in online education

When it comes to  forensic psychology, UND not only is one of the most affordable option for aspiring human behavior sleuths, it’s the best out there, according to, at least, one college rankings source.

Last week, CollegeChoice.net came out with its most recent assessment of online master’s degree programs, listing UND’s Forensic Psychology Program as No. 1 in the country — ahead of similar programs at the University of California Irvine, Arizona State University and Oklahoma State University.

Furthermore, UND was ranked No. 3 by the same publication in area of affordability.

UND’s online master’ program in forensic psychology also recently was listed as the best in the country by Guide to Online Schools.

This is how CollegeChoice describes the field of forensic psychology in its lead-up to UND’s No. 1 ranking: “Are you a Sherlock Holmes when it comes to studying human behavior? Are you obsessed with shows like Criminal Mind and Psych – and do you usually solve the case before the show ends? Put your analytical mind to the test and become a forensic psychologist. You’ll work with the whole spectrum of a case: the victims, the criminals, the court system, and beyond.”

In the U.S., forensic graduates obtain master’s-level psychology jobs in agencies and institutions such as prisons, juvenile facilities, social service agencies, police departments, child care agencies, probation, parole, family court, addiction services, hospitals and community mental health centers.

Some students get jobs as forensic researchers doing studies and evaluations of at-risk populations. And a few graduates will be accepted in federal law enforcement agencies after earning the master’s degree. Students in the program will likely be in-service professionals, such as law enforcement personnel, who want to further their career as well as those with a behavioral or social science background, such as counselors or social workers, who are interested in applying psychology to their work involving forensic issues.

UND’s master’s of arts in forensic psychology program is the first in the nation to be offered online by a nationally recognized, fully accredited university.  The online component can be completed part-time in about two years.

Psychologists can expect to earn a median annual salary of about $75,000, and employment needs in the field of forensic psychology is expected to grow by 14 percent in the near future, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Application deadline to enroll for the Spring 2019 semester at UND is Oct. 1.