Nissa Fuller

PSY 3353

Graduate School Exploration Exercise

Provide a general description of the kind of graduate program(s) you may be interested in.

I am interested in programs focusing on forensic psychology and where it would be

applied in law enforcement and civil/justice systems. I am more interested in forensic
psychology’s legal side than the counseling side. So, programs that are more geared towards the
law and how psychology fits would fit my career goals.

Identify two (2) specific graduate programs of interest to you.

1. The George Washington University: Applied Forensics

The program with the Applied Forensics track at GWU is designed to prepare students in
future fields in law enforcement and homeland security. Students in the program will also do a
250-hour externship that is connected to their career interests. The degree earned is an M.A.
There is nothing that sticks out to me as spectacular, but I enjoy that they offer tracks as some of
the programs I have seen are geared towards counseling. The program, in general, lines up with
my desire to work within the justice system.

GRE: Verbal GRE score in the 5oth percentile or higher

GPA: 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale

Additional requirements include one recommendation, a transcript, a statement of purpose, and

an interview. Alumni of this program have gone on to work at various sites, including Naval
Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Maryland Department of
Public Safety and Correctional Services, and DC Superior Court.

The tuition is 1,315 per credit → 3,945 for 3 credit courses → 23,670 for 18 credits per year.
Other fees include a Student Association Fee, CCAS Matriculation Fee, and Admission
Application Fee. The program has listed areas of housing that students use with different rents
ranging from $1250-$4000. Student aid includes Dean’s Award and various assistantships and
fellowships. I would take advantage of these opportunities (at least apply for them) and do my
own grant/scholarship searches.
 2. John Jay College of Criminal Justice: Forensic Psychology with Thesis track

This program is supposed to provide a forensic psychology foundation that focuses on

studying the victim and the offender. Again, nothing is standing out to me as super special or
anything, but I enjoy that they have three tracks available for application. The degree earned is
an M.A. The program in general lines up with my desire to work within the justice system.

GRE: Combined score of 297 and a 3.0 or higher on writing section

GPA: 3.0 or higher

Additional requirements include Three recommendations, a personal statement, and a transcript.

I could not find anything on the college website concerning the careers of students who
graduated from this program.

The tuition for full-time non-New York residents is $855 per credit. There are various student
fees, including CUNY Consolidated, Student Activity Infrastructure Senate, Technology, and
Graduate Fees. John Jay offers multiple scholarships and loans to help finance the degree. I
would use these resources and do my own scholarship/grant research.

Common Coursework found in both programs:

- Psychopathology
- Research Methods
- Statistics
- Psychological Assessment
- Terrorism
- Ethics