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This question is about forensic psychologist.
How hard is it to become a forensic psychologist?
It is very hard to become a forensic psychologist. You must have a doctorate degree and at least 100 hours of specialized training in forensic psychology, and 1,000 hours of direct experience in forensic psychology over a minimum of 5 years or complete a full-time post-doctoral training program.
The first step towards becoming a forensic psychologist is to earn a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in biology. To make yourself a credible graduate student candidate for a forensic psychology program you should have a high GPA and GRE scores.
Although licensing requirements vary by state, most states require that practicing psychologists have earned a doctor of psychology (PsyD) or Ph.D. in psychology to be licensed. Some therapists may be able to practice with a master of family therapy (MFT), master of social work (MSW), or other master's level degrees, but this is not true for forensic psychologists.
During a doctoral program, students should expect to complete a thesis in forensic psychology and begin working under the supervision of licensed psychologists to start their professional field training. This will help prepare candidates for their licensing exam.
The Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) is required in most states to become licensed. Students should take this exam as soon as they are eligible in their state, typically after they have completed the necessary educational work for their doctoral program (they do not necessarily have to have completed their thesis). The EPPP is offered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB).
In addition, aspiring forensic psychologists will need to complete supervised practice hours under the supervision of a licensed psychologist during their doctoral program. Each state requires several supervised hours, with some requiring postdoctoral practice hours.
To maintain licensure as a forensic psychologist, most states require some form of continuing education in the field. The state licensing board should provide specific requirements and details about what courses and tasks can apply to continuing education credits.
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