Forensic Psychologist career path

if i’m looking at the right course - it says it’s accredited against the gbc for the bps on staffordshires website, and the bps website confirms that here https://portal.bps.org.uk/Accredited-Courses/Course-Details?entityid=e37d94f7-471d-ed11-b83e-002248428949 If you’re not applying this year though make sure you double check it’s still accredited when you apply as accredited status can sometimes change if the course changes (unlikely, but make sure you check).

Hi I wanna be a forensic psychologist and ive read the qualifications i need for it. The prospect website states i need a Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) which can be achieved by completing a British Psychological Society (BPS)- accredited psychology degree. A uni course (Staffordshire uni) I'm interested in is called "Forensic and Criminology Psychology" which is accredited by the BPS. In order to follow the right steps of getting qualified to be a forensic psychologist does it need to be specifically a only based Psychology course or is the course I'm interested in valid too. I feel like im over thinking it a bit lol but please let me know. Also if anyone goes Staffordshire uni let me know what the environment n vibes r like ty.

As long as it is accredited by the BPS and gives you GBC, you can pick any psychology undergrad you like! People might be more likely to pick a general psychology degree if they don't know exactly which field they want to go into. Saying that, having that more specific focus shouldn't stop you changing paths in the future if you did want to, as you'd still have that all important GBC. If you do want to become a Forensic Psychologist, you would also need to make sure your MSc is an accredited course that acts as stage 1 of professional training (after which you would complete doctorate level stage 2 training).

Hey! About the stage 2 training, there are two routes right? One is enrolling with the BPS stage 2 training (2 years of supervised practice) and the other doing a PhD/PsyD accredited. I was a little confused about the BPS route - on their website they call this is a doctoral qualification so does that mean that one would become a doctor or use Dr.?

Yes, so the BPS stage 2 is the independent route, so you complete in essentially on your own, rather than in the more structured way at university. I'm unsure about whether the independent route allows you to use the title 'Dr', but it leads to the equivalent qualification as the DForenPsy and allows you eligibility for chartered membership with the BPS and for registration with the HCPC as a Forensic Psychologist.

Thank you! Are you a chartered psychologist or in the process of becoming one?

Hey! About the stage 2 training, there are two routes right? One is enrolling with the BPS stage 2 training (2 years of supervised practice) and the other doing a PhD/PsyD accredited. I was a little confused about the BPS route - on their website they call this is a doctoral qualification so does that mean that one would become a doctor or use Dr.?

Also just as an FYI, the Stage 2 training is likely to take 3-4 years to complete depending on how quickly you can things done. You get the Dr title after completion of the professional doctorate but not the BPS route