Future perspectives: Master's students in legal psychology exchange experiences

Future perspectives: Master's students in legal psychology exchange experiences

On Monday, April 14th, an important meeting for master's students in legal psychology took place in the Rüdesheimer Straße premises. The event offered the participants, who came from different semesters, a valuable opportunity to network and reflect on their experiences in the mandatory internship in module M15. The exchange served to gain practical insights into the everyday work of legal psychologists and was particularly important for younger students who are about to begin their own internship.

During the meeting, students from higher semesters reported on their assignments in various areas, including criminal and correctional systems, child protection clinics and psychological assessment centers. The topics of the reports included typical areas of responsibility, concrete case studies and challenges in everyday internships. Particularly noteworthy was the students' direct participation in assessments and the use of diagnostic procedures.

The added value of the internship

The internship is seen as a central element in the course as it offers the opportunity to apply theoretically learned knowledge in real work contexts. However, the event not only discussed the challenges, but also the motivation and the tools that students can use during their internships. They had the opportunity to ask questions and motivate each other in an inspiring way.

The event was organized by professors Dr. Robert Lehmann and Dr. André Körner accompanied and took place in a relaxed atmosphere enriched by pizza and drinks. The result was a strengthening of the sense of community among the students. Such networking is particularly relevant as the demand for well-trained legal psychologists will increase in the coming years, particularly in prisons and police work psychology-studieren.de and indeed.com note.

Career prospects in legal psychology

The career prospects for legal psychologists are promising, which is due not only to the high demand for specialists in this field, but also to the variety of possible applications. Students can work in various areas, including criminological research institutions, clinics with forensic facilities, as well as in juvenile court assistance or at counseling centers.

Forensic psychologists also often work as psychological experts and prepare reports to clarify culpability, credibility or to make predictions about the relaxation of detention. Prevention also plays an increasingly important role, for example by creating programs against bullying, sexual harassment or stalking. Legal issues, such as custody matters in divorces, are also dealt with by legal psychology.

Studying legal psychology typically requires a bachelor's or master's degree in psychology. In order to be able to work as an expert later, special training courses are required. Overall, there are only a few German universities that offer master's programs in legal psychology like this Medical School Berlin and other.