Legal Field
See also: Forensic Psychology
Psychology and law is a broad and intellectually rich field that explores how psychological science can inform, improve, and sometimes challenge legal processes and policy. Unlike forensic psychology, which tends to be more clinically focused, psychology and law often operate at a more systemic level — examining how people make decisions as jurors, how memory and eyewitness testimony can be unreliable, how interrogation techniques affect confessions, how bias shapes legal outcomes, and how mental health intersects with criminal and civil justice. Scholars and practitioners in this space may work as researchers, policy advocates, academics, attorneys with psychological training, or consultants to legal teams and governmental bodies. It’s a field driven by a genuine tension between two very different ways of understanding human behavior — the empirical, probabilistic language of science and the adversarial, precedent-driven logic of law.
The pathway into psychology and law tends to vary more than in traditional clinical fields, because the career itself can take several distinct shapes. Students interested in the research and academic side typically pursue a PhD in psychology with a concentration in law and psychology, often through programs specifically designed around that intersection — the American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS, Division 41 of the APA) maintains a helpful directory of such graduate programs. Others pursue a joint JD/PhD, which opens doors to both legal practice and scholarly research and is particularly well-suited to those interested in policy, expert witnessing, or law school teaching. For students drawn more to applied or advocacy work, a law degree alone — informed by a strong psychology undergraduate background — can be a viable route into areas like criminal justice reform, juvenile law, or civil rights litigation. In all cases, getting involved in research early, seeking internships that bridge both worlds, and connecting with faculty who work at this intersection are the most important steps a student can take.
Professional organizations:
Relevant courses in Psychology: The Georgetown Psychology Department offers some courses that align with this field.
- PSYC 2400 Social Psychology
- PSYC 2600 Lifespan Development
- PSYC 2700 Psychological Disorders
- PSYC 2710 Personality and Clinical Science
- PSYC 2800 Psychology and the Legal System
- PSYC 3650 Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood
- PSYC 3800 Community Psychology
- PSYC 3720 Brain, Behavior, and the Law
- PSYC 4800 Children, Families, and the Law
Want to find out more? Chat with Prof. Jennifer Woolard and consult the Pre-Law Guide at the Cawley Career Education Center, which includes pre-law advising services.
