MS in Forensic Psychology

MS in Forensic Psychology | Learning Outcomes

• Advocate for and extend psychology’s role and responsibility in promoting agency and the psychological well-being of individuals, communities, and organizations.
• Adapt to shifting demands and ill-structured problems by critically evaluating the relevance, priority, and appropriateness of various information and potential courses of action.
• Design, conduct, and evaluate research through the lens of its potential to advance knowledge in psychology as well as the psychological well-being of individuals, communities, and organizations.
• Integrate psychological theories, methods, and research to generate new knowledge and promote agency and the psychological well-being of individuals, communities, and organizations.
• Incorporate Neumann University’s RISES values into the application of forensic psychology.
• Examples of Internship Placements include interning in the Forensic and Intelligence departments at Human Services Inc in Thorndale, PA and Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office in Mount Holly, NJ. 

MS in Forensic Psychology | Required Courses (36 Credits)

• FP 601 Basic Intelligence Analysis (3 Credits)
• FP 602 Psychopathology (3 Credits)
• FP 603 Criminal Behavior (3 Credits)
• FP 604 Forensic Assessment and Interview
  (3 Credits)
• FP 700 Practicum I (3 Credits) and FP 701 Practicum II (3 Credits) or FP 720 Thesis I
  (3 Credits) and FP 721 Thesis II (3 Credits)
• FP 620 Constitutional Law (3 Credits) or FP 621 International Law (3 Credits)
• FP 630 Individual Profiling and Case Analysis (3 Credits) or FP 631 Group and Country Profiling (3 Credits)

See catalog for more details.

MS in Forensic Psychology | Elective Courses (12 Credits)

Track 1

• FP 650 Strategic/National Security Intelligence Analysis (3 Credits)
• FP 651 Intelligence Analysis of Organized Crime (3 Credits)
• FP 652 Intelligence Analysis of Terrorism
  (3 Credits)
• FP 653 Electronic Intelligence Analysis
  (3 Credits)

Track 2 (pick 4 classes)

• FP 660 Correction (3 Credits)
• FP 661 Substance Abuse Assessment and Intervention (3 Credits)
• FP 662 Crisis Intervention (3 Credits)
• FP 663 Diversity (3 Credits)
• FP 664 Juvenile Justice (3 Credits)
• FP 665 Death Penalty (3 Credits)

MS in Forensic Psychology | Tuition

Tuition is based on the number of credits students are enrolled in. For more information, visit the Office of Financial Assistance.

While Neumann is known for its competitive, affordable sticker price, we know that most graduates need financial assistance of some kind while enrolled in graduate school. For everything you need to know about your financial aid options, download our guide: Offsetting the Cost of Graduate School — Financial Aid for Graduate Students.

MS in Forensic Psychology | Admissions Requirements

Applicants must submit official transcripts from all institutions attended, a graduate writing prompt, current resume and two (2) letters of recommendation.

For more information on the admissions requirements for this program, visit our admissions page. 

Graduate Assistantships at Neumann University

Dr. Colleen McDonough was a full time faculty member in Neumann’s undergraduate Psychology program for 15 years before leaving in 2021 to work for the Central Intelligence Agency as a psychological analyst. She returned to Neumann in 2023 to serve as the Director of the new MS program in Forensic Psychology, where she will be teaching courses in psychology and intelligence analysis. 

Dr. McDonough earned her PhD in Research Psychology from Lehigh University, where she completed her dissertation on infant speech perception and memory development. She currently has an active social psychology research program focused on stereotypes, implicit priming and the role of message framing in perception. She has a keen interest in political psychology and once co-hosted a radio show titled “Your Brain on Politics.”

She also has a Masters degree in Public Health and spent several years doing epidemiological and infectious disease research for the US Navy in San Diego. Highlights included intensive, multi-year research into Gulf War Syndrome and an outbreak investigation of flesh-eating bacteria at a military base in California. 

In her spare time she can be found riding her Harley Davidson, learning how to use a recurve bow, walking her Great Danes or spending time with her family.

Meet the Faculty 

• Faculty and Staff in the School of Education and Human Services

Dr. Kimberly Pavlik

Adjunct Professor
MS in Forensic Psychology

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Dr. Kimberly Pavlik earned her PhD in Criminal Justice, a Post Grad Certificate in Public Policy Strategic Planning, her MS degree is in Higher Education, a BS degree in Business Administration and paralegal certificate, and an AS degree in Criminal Justice Law Enforcement. She had an exciting career working as a Crime Scene Investigator (CSI) and Police Diver (evidence recovery). Then during 2012-2018, she did government contract work related to "battlefield forensics” and deployed to countries like Bahrain, Kuwait, and Afghanistan.

She has taught in all levels of education ranging from K-12 through higher education as well as being a General Instructor for police recruits for more than 15 years. Dr. Pavlik has even taught English as a TEFL Instructor in Florence, Italy.

Additionally, she worked in several academic administrative positions to include: Professor, Program Director, Director for the Center for Teaching and Learning, and Director for Curriculum and Faculty Development. Dr. Pavlik is currently an Online Adjunct Professor for several universities and teaches in the areas of criminology, criminal justice, cyber security, forensics, and political science. Furthermore, she continues to do Instructional Design contract work to improve the curricula for her students.

Dr. Pavlik has moderated at conferences and in 2018, she presented research in Beijing, China at a conference on human trafficking. #Wear Blue was an event she coordinated for one University in order to bring awareness to human trafficking for the community.

Lastly, she enjoys sharing her work experience with her students and giving them career suggestions. She values the support from her community being active in Human Trafficking awareness. In her free time, she volunteers as an Ambassador for Shared Hope International, serves actively on the KY Human Trafficking Task Force, and has held various positions with non-profits to include being an Executive Board member for New Beginnings (Sexual Assault Treatment Center) in Owensboro, KY. 

Dr. Natalie (Tallie) Armstrong

Adjunct Professor
Ms in Forensic Psychology

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Natalie (Tallie) Armstrong earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Sam Houston State University, completed her pre-doctoral internship with Eastern Virginia Medical School, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology from the Medical University of South Carolina. Since 2018, she has worked in maximum security, forensic state psychiatric hospitals completing court-ordered criminal forensic evaluations, supervising junior colleagues, and addressing systemic issues through policy and research. Currently, she works as a forensic evaluator within the Division of Forensic Services for the Dept. of Behavioral Health & Human Services (DBHDS) for the Commonwealth of Virginia; she also serves as Chair of the Institutional Review Board for DBHDS, and is the sitting President of the American Psychological Association Division 18.

Robert J. McMonagle

Professor
MS in Forensic Psychology

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Professor
Political Science
BA, Temple University
MA, University of Chicago
PhD, Temple University
610-361-5278
mcmonagr@neumann.edu

Kristen Acosta

Assistant Professor
MS in Forensic Psychology

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Assistant Professor
Criminal Justice 
BS, St. Joseph's University
MS, West Chester University
Email: acostak@neumann.edu 
Phone: 610-558-5624

MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling