Online Forensic Psychology Master’s Degree Programs
Updated September 30, 2026
An online master’s in forensic psychology trains you to apply psychology inside the criminal justice system, often in roles like victim advocacy, research, or consulting, not to become a licensed psychologist. Independent psychologist practice is regulated state by state and generally requires an accredited doctorate, supervised experience, and passing exams like the EPPP. Program structure and cost vary a lot by school and have changed since this page was last researched, so confirm both directly before applying.
Let’s clear up a common misconception first: this degree doesn’t make you a licensed psychologist. Independent psychologist practice is regulated by each state’s psychology board, and most require a doctorate from an accredited program, supervised professional experience, and passing the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), plus whatever additional jurisprudence or state-specific exams your board requires. What a forensic psychology master’s actually prepares you for varies by state, employer, and which specific program you choose, since some schools have restructured “forensic psychology” from a standalone degree into a concentration inside a broader psychology master’s, and others route it toward professional counselor licensure instead of psychologist licensure. Read each program description carefully rather than assuming they’re interchangeable.
Our research team compiled the programs below. All of them list coursework that can be completed largely online, though several require a short in-person residency or campus component, so confirm the current format with the school before you enroll. Several schools on this page have merged, renamed, or restructured their programs since this page was last researched. Where a current tuition figure could be confirmed directly on the school’s own site, it’s noted below; where it couldn’t, that’s flagged so you know to check before relying on it.
What This Degree Actually Prepares You For
Treat this master’s as a step toward a doctorate if independent psychologist practice is your goal, not a substitute for one. Licensure is set by each state’s psychology board, and it commonly requires an accredited doctoral degree, supervised professional experience, and passing the EPPP along with any state-specific jurisprudence or oral exams the board adds. Nova Southeastern University says it plainly on its own program page: there’s no separate licensure or certification for “forensic psychology” in Florida or most states, since it’s treated as a subspecialty of other clinical or legal credentials rather than its own license. Short of the doctoral path, graduates typically move into research, policy, victim-services, or consulting roles that support law enforcement, the courts, or corrections. A few programs, like one of the tracks below, are built toward a different license entirely (professional counselor licensure, not psychologist licensure), so read the specific program’s outcome, not just its title.
Editor’s Spotlight: Four Online Forensic Psychology Master’s Programs
Arizona State University
Degree offered: M.S. in Forensic Psychology
ASU’s MS in Forensic Psychology is a 33-credit, 11-course program that ASU itself describes as “a foundation for doctoral programs, which are required to become a forensic psychologist.” Coursework runs through 7.5-week sessions and covers legal psychology, criminal investigation, correctional psychology, and psychopathology, ending in a capstone course. Applicants go through both the Graduate School and ASU’s New College admissions process.
Support includes a digital textbook library, online tutoring, career mentorship, and the Pitch App for connecting with classmates.
Cost: ASU’s program page routes prospective students to a tuition calculator rather than publishing a flat per-credit rate, so confirm the current cost there before budgeting. Financial aid and scholarships are available.
The Chicago School: M.A. Forensic Psychology, Professional Counselor Licensure Track
Degree offered: M.A. in Forensic Psychology, Professional Counselor Licensure Track
Important distinction up front: this track prepares graduates to pursue licensure as a professional counselor, not as a psychologist. It’s built around the eight content areas the National Board for Certified Counselors requires for counselor-licensure eligibility, training students to work with individuals across the lifespan on a range of emotional and psychological needs within the legal system. The program runs two years full-time or three to four years part-time, and it’s offered at the Chicago, Anaheim, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. campuses in addition to online, so it isn’t a fully remote program. Whether this specific track meets your state’s counselor-licensure requirements needs to be confirmed directly with the school before enrolling.
Career services and financial aid and scholarship information are available to students in this program.
Cost: Third-party program listings show around $1,458 per credit for this track. Confirm the current per-credit rate and total credit count directly with the school before publishing a number.
University of California, Irvine
Degree offered: Master of Legal and Forensic Psychology
UC Irvine’s Online Master of Legal and Forensic Psychology (MLFP) is run jointly by the Department of Psychology and the Department of Criminology, Law, and Society, and the program is confirmed active for 2026. It still requires a mandatory weeklong on-campus course before the fall quarter begins, so this program isn’t fully remote. The program runs for two years, covering courses like Psychology & Law, Research Methods, and Legal Reasoning, and ends in a capstone term paper.
Cost: UC Irvine’s program page doesn’t list a flat annual figure. It points prospective students to the UCI Registrar’s Tuition and Fees page for the current amount, so pull the number from there before publishing.
University of North Dakota
Degree offered: M.A. in Forensic Psychology (online) or M.S. in Forensic Psychology (on-campus)
UND’s forensic psychology master’s program runs 30 credits over about two years part-time, in either a fully online M.A. track or an on-campus M.S. track. UND is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. UND’s own accreditation page states directly that the American Psychological Association does not accredit master’s-level psychology programs, only doctoral ones, so this program, like every master’s in the field, carries institutional accreditation rather than APA program accreditation.
Application requirements for the online M.A. include a 3.0 undergraduate GPA (or 3.5 graduate), a personal statement, and three letters of recommendation.
Cost: Pull current tuition from UND’s cost page before publishing a figure.
Other Online Forensic Psychology Master’s Programs
| School | Program | Tuition | Notable Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capella University | MS in Clinical Psychology, Forensic Psychology | $525/credit plus $160/quarter resource kit, effective July 2026 (confirmed on capella.edu) | 53 quarter credits, no application fee, no GRE/GMAT; a $2,500 Progress Reward scholarship is available |
| Grand Canyon University | MS in Psychology with an Emphasis in Forensic Psychology | Around $600/credit per third-party listings; confirm on gcu.edu | Confirmed still active as of this research pass |
| Liberty University | MS in Criminal Justice – Forensic Psychology | Around $645/credit per third-party listings; confirm on liberty.edu | 100% online; confirmed still active for 2026 |
| National University (successor to Northcentral University, merged 2022) | MS in Forensic Psychology, General Forensic Psychology or Threat Assessment and Management specialization | Around $16,908/year per third-party listings; confirm directly with National University | 30 credits, about 16 months, weekly starts, no GRE/GMAT, no application fee |
| Nova Southeastern University | MS in Psychology, Forensic Psychology concentration | Around $955/credit, about $17,190/year per third-party listings; confirm on nova.edu | Forensic psychology is a 4-of-12-course concentration, not a standalone degree; NSU’s own site states there’s no separate forensic psychology license in Florida or most states |
| Purdue University Global | MS in Psychology, Forensic Psychology concentration | $420/credit (confirmed directly on purdueglobal.edu) | One of four concentrations; discounts available for international students, Indiana residents, and service members |
| Southern New Hampshire University | MS in Psychology, Forensic Psychology concentration | Around $659/credit, about $23,724/year per third-party listings; confirm on snhu.edu | Forensic psychology is a 4-of-12-course concentration; SNHU’s own site states this program “will not lead directly to licensure” |
| Touro University Worldwide | Master of Science in Forensic Psychology | $500/credit (confirmed directly on tuw.edu) | No residency, no GRE, finishable in 12 months; a Law Enforcement Scholarship can reduce tuition to $300/credit |
| University of Louisiana, Monroe | MS in Psychology, Forensic Concentration | Confirm current rate on ulm.edu | Confirmed still active; requires specific courses including Advanced Forensic Psychology and Sociology of Law |
| Walden University | MS in Forensic Psychology, multiple concentrations (General, Military, Self-Designed, Cybercrimes) | $610/quarter-hour plus $185/quarter program fee, effective 2026 (confirmed directly on waldenu.edu) | 48 quarter credits; up to half of coursework may apply toward a Walden PhD in the same field |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I become a licensed psychologist with this degree?
Not on its own. Independent psychologist licensure is regulated by each state’s psychology board, and most require a doctoral degree from an accredited program, supervised professional experience, and passing the EPPP along with any additional state-specific exams. A forensic psychology master’s can be a strong first step toward that doctorate, but it isn’t a substitute for one. A few programs, like a professional-counselor-licensure track, lead toward a different license entirely, so check what license a specific program is actually built around.
How long does an online forensic psychology master’s take?
It varies a lot by school and by program structure. Some schools now offer forensic psychology as a full concentration within a broader psychology master’s rather than as its own degree, which changes both the credit count and the timeline. Confirm the current structure, credits, and length for any specific program rather than assuming a standard format.
Do these “online” programs require any campus visits?
Some do. UC Irvine requires a mandatory weeklong course on campus before the fall quarter begins, and UND runs a fully online M.A. alongside a separate on-campus M.S. Others, like Touro’s current program, advertise no residency requirement at all. Confirm each school’s current in-person requirements before enrolling.
What can you do with this degree?
Common paths include victim advocacy, research and policy roles, and consulting work for courts, attorneys, or law enforcement. Whether a specific role requires additional licensing, such as counseling or psychological testing, depends on your state and the nature of the work, so confirm the requirements for the job you want rather than assuming the degree alone qualifies you.
Key Takeaways
- This degree alone doesn’t lead to independent psychologist licensure. That requires a state-accredited doctorate, supervised experience, and your state board’s exams, commonly the EPPP.
- Several schools have restructured “forensic psychology” from a standalone master’s into a concentration within a broader psychology degree since this page was last researched. Confirm the current program structure before you apply.
- “Online” doesn’t always mean fully remote. UC Irvine still requires an on-campus week, while other programs, like Touro’s, now advertise no residency at all.
- Northcentral University, which previously appeared on this page, merged into National University in 2022. Confirm every school’s current name and program status before applying.
If cost is the deciding factor, start with the scholarships built for criminal justice majors before you take out loans. The list covers eligibility, award amounts, and deadlines.
Read: Scholarships for Criminal Justice Majors and Grad Students