How can I start introducing myself to the field of forensic psychology? What internships can I apply for to help me?

Hello Haley,

It's great that you want to find internships while still in high school. Unfortunately, you need to have adequate psychology coursework 'under your belt' before most organizations would consider you for such an internship.

For someone to call themselves a "forensic psychologist," they need a doctorate in psychology and credentialing (a license...). So, you are looking too far a field, presently, in that you do not have the requisite, knowledge foundation, as a high school student. A doctorate, typically requires 5 years of post-graduate study and typically a post-doctorate fellowship. It's a long and arduous process to get to that point.

I am not trying to discourage you. On the contrary, I'm pointing out what the educational prerequisites are for the discipline of psychology.

Here are some of the things that you can do as you prepare for your undergraduate studies:

Go to the websites of the psychology departments within the colleges/universities you are considering for application. Review the research activities of the full-time faculty members. Look for faculty members who are doing research in forensic psychology. Apply to those schools where the faculty are engaged as forensic psychologists.

Go to the website of the American Psychological Association (www.apa.org) and explore the Division For Forensic Psychology. Read the information that is there!

Get to know your academic advisor during your first semester in college. Have discussions with your advisor about your long-term career goals. Your academic advisor might be able to introduce you to the faculty member whose research has piqued your interest.;

Get to know that faculty member, during your first year in college, who is doing the forensic psychology research. Volunteer your time to be an assistant with one or more of their research studies. The type of work that you will be doing will probably be clerical in nature, when you first start out, e.g., data entry. But as you prove yourself to that faculty member, you may be provided with more challenging opportunities to assist that faculty member in their research.

Get to know the staff at the Career Counseling Office at your college/university. Have discussions with the staff about volunteer internships that are available either during the regular school year or during the summer months.