1.1 What is forensic psychology?  Your definitions haven't been enough info.
        1.2  I'm confused.  Is this Masters/PhD in Forensic Psychology a clinical or experimental program or is it neither?
        1.3 What the heck is a counseling psychology degree with a forensics focus?
        1.4 Well what's a Forensic Psychiatrist then?
        1.5 What education do I need to be a Forensic Psychologist?
        1.6 Will my masters degree give me work?
        1.7 I am in High School, which university/college should I go to for my undergraduate degree if I want to go into forensics?
        1.8 What courses should I take in undergrad to prepare for forensics?

2.0 Criminal Profiling

    2.1 What is Profiling?
    2.2 Is a Forensic Psychologist by definition a Criminal Profiler?
    2.3 Can I be just a profiler?
    2.4 The FBI has full time profilers can I take that route?
    2.5  I want to be a psychologist who profiles but most schools don't teach it.  Where can I go?
    2.6  I am still an undergrad or a layman, is there any profiling books I can read that will help?
    2.7  All the profiling true-crime books I read are by non-psychologists!
    2.8 John E. Douglas seems to the big-wig profiler in the U.S. and he isn't a psychologist!
    2.9  Many people in the field say that the psych graduate degree isn't enough!
 
3.0 Investigative Psychology

    3.1 What is Investigative Psychology?

1.1 What is forensic psychology?  Your definitions haven't been enough info.

    I wrote a 1000 word editorial on this exact question.  CLICK HERE to read it.  This paper looked at forensics from the different areas of criminal justice it can be applied to.  For a breakdown on how it fits into the psychological disciplines keep reading the answer is on the next line ....

    Basically Forensic Psychology is any and all applications of psychological knowledge to the understanding of crime and criminal justice.  That is a somewhat vague description of the science.  However, it is the only all encompassing one that exists.  The definition however can be broken down into its sub-components of which are borrowed from other psychological disciplines.  For example:

• Abnormal Psychology - this discipline lends a number of key applications to forensics.  Abnormal psychopathology (i.e., antisocial personality disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse disorders) can be of interest  in both a pre-arrest and correctional capacity.  Behavioral analysis and the identification of key psychopathological characteristics are key to criminal profiling (an area of forensics that has recently been popular in the media).  By examining crime scene and correlating certain patterns with a criminals behavioral characteristics one can determine what to expect the criminals future actions to be.  Abnormal Psychology also lends knowledge of a clinical significance to forensics.  For example, a forensic psychologist may be asked to evaluate a defendants mental state on behalf of the court (or the defense).  These evaluations are common with sanity cases (which are rare) and fitness for trial (more common).  These same psychologists may see convicted criminals in either a psychiatric or prison environment.  They would be responsible for treatment, assessment, and parole hearing testimony.
• Personality Psychology & Developmental Psychology - personality psychology deals with the criminal personality & is not unlike abnormal psychology in this case.  Developmental Psychology would be concerned with how the criminal mind develops from youth into adulthood.  Both of these are of use to criminal profiling and correctional psychology (assessment and treatment of incarcerated offenders with mental defects).
• Social Psychology - social psychology offers a number of insights into forensics.  One area is the analysis of the court system.  Social Psychology theory examines the effects of defendant, juror, and case characteristics on verdicts.  It also provides key insights into the theoretical aspects of aggression, deviance, etc..

1.2  I'm confused.  Is this Masters/PhD in Forensic Psychology a clinical or experimental program or is it neither?

This really depends.  I have seen both.  You just have to read the brochure carefully.  I have never seen a program that qualifies as 'neither'.  Most programs are primarily a clinical or experimental program that includes a main focus on forensics.  With these programs you will often be able to do anything that a clinical psychologist or experimental psychologist does.  Its just that you have additional experience in the realm of forensics.  If a program doesn't say its clinical it may say it follows the "scientist-practioner" model which is by definition a clinical program.  A "scientist" model is an experimental program.

1.3 What the heck is a counseling psychology degree with a forensics focus?

This degree would lead one to a job of which they provide professional counseling for clients at forensic institutions.

1.4 Well what's a Forensic Psychiatrist then?

A Forensic Psychiatrist is a medical doctor whom uses psychiatric (and often psychological knowledge) in a forensics context.  They are primarily concerned with the treatment of incarcerated offenders with psychopathological disorders.

1.5 What education do I need to be a Forensic Psychologist?

First you must have a four year undergraduate degree.  This degree is usually in psychology, but some institutions will accept degrees in behavioral science, sociology, etc.  You should do a thesis, as most schools do require it for academic advancement.  You must next get a masters degree.  This is typically a two year program.  Finally you must complete a 3 year Doctoral PhD (or PsyD).  Some schools will have the 2 year Masters and 3 year PhD incorporated into a 5 year PhD program.

1.6 Will my masters degree give me work?

Many people work with just a masters degree.  One major area of specialization is psychometric testing.  However, a PhD will always find it easier to get employment.  They will also be paid more.

1.7 I am in High School, which university/college should I go to for my undergraduate degree if I want to go into forensics?

It doesn't really matter at the undergraduate level.  As long as your school is an accredited university (i.e., meaning its recognized as a post-secondary institution) by your country and the appropriate associations (i.e., APA or CPA) which school you go to shouldn't be an issue when you apply for graduate school.  The key thing to look for is how the program is compared to other schools.  Does it offer an equal number of courses as the top schools?  Does it have a good sized faculty?  The best way to figure this all out is to check and compare school calendars.  One good rule is, if the school has a psychology graduate program (particularly a Ph.D. program) it probably has a good undergraduate program.  Of course if the school has a forensics graduate program you will be provided with further forensics related opportunities as an undergraduate (i.e., the topic of your dissertation could be forensics related) but this is possible at most institutions regardless of forensics faculty.  For example, I am doing a forensics related thesis but I attached my interests onto one of the social psych faculty's area of interest.

1.8 What courses should I take in undergrad to prepare for forensics?

I wrote a thorough article on this.  CLICK HERE to see it!  You should note that taking these courses won't necessarily improve your chances of forensics grad school admission.  It will just give you the background that could aid in your future academic pursuits.

2.1 What is profiling?

Criminal Profiling is the process by which a practitioner analyses information from a crime scene in order to create a physical and psychological profile of the perpetrator.  All information from the crime scene is a reflection of the criminals behavior.  And this behavior can create a surprisingly accurate picture of the offender.

2.2 Is a Forensic Psychologist by definition a Criminal Profiler?

No!  Very very few forensic psychologists profile.  And not all profilers are psychologists (at least in North America; most European profilers are psychologists).

2.3 Can I be just a profiler?

Probably not.  There is simply not just enough work to support full time profilers.  Most psychologists who profile work as either police psychologists or correctional psychologists.  They just do the profiling on the side.

2.4 The FBI has full time profilers can I take that route?

If you want.  It is a risky way to go though.  First you have to become an FBI special agent, work in a normal agent capacity, then get transferred to the Behavioral Science Unit.  It is not easy, but there is help.  The founder of the FBI's BSU has written a book on it, CLICK HERE.

2.5  I want to be a psychologist who profiles but most schools don't teach it.  Where can I go?

I know of two schools that definitely prepare students to profile.  One is the University of Liverpool's Investigative Psychology program.  The second is Castleton College's Forensic Psychology program.  I would recommend Liverpool if you only want to focus on criminal investigation, interrogation, etc.

2.6  I am still an undergrad or a layman, is there any profiling books I can read that will help?

First I would read Holmes "Profiling Violent Crime", then I would move on to two books Douglas's "Crime Classification Manual" & Geberth's "Practical Homicide Investigation."  I have reviews online, click here.

2.7  All the profiling true-crime books I read are by non-psychologists!

Try Britton's "The Jigsaw Man".  Interestingly all of the psychological processes that Britton uses are used by Douglas, Ressler, etc.  Perhaps unknowingly to them their profiling techniques are primarily psychological (i.e. motivation).

2.8 John E. Douglas seems to the big-wig profiler in the U.S. and he isn't a psychologist!

Douglas has an undergraduate degree in psychology.  To say that his formal psychological education has no effect on his development of profiling is ridiculous.

2.9  Many people in the field say that the psych graduate degree isn't enough!

This is true.  You can't expect to be a very good profiler the second you graduate.  You need some sort of investigative experience to be truly effective.  However, there is no reason you couldn't do this by either working under a mentor or via your practical.

3.1 What is Investigative Psychology?

Investigative Psychology is in theory a sub-discipline of Forensic Psychology.  In that, it is the application of psychological knowledge to investigations and police work.  In reality, however, the two disciplines are considered somewhat different.  Forensic Psychologists are either clinical or experimental psychologists that have taken these programs with a primary forensics focus.  They have other courses that a typical clinical/experimental psychologist takes and outside of the sub-speciality they are not much different then a regular psychologist.  Investigative Psychologists are the product of an applied psychology graduate degree (typically a MSc).  They do not take typical psychology grad programs.  Rather they deal with a number of applied projects and independent learning assignments.  There are very few investigative psychologists out there (since they're are only two programs that teach it).

Here is some direct quotes from an Investigative Psychologist.  Perhaps they can allow you to better understand the discipline:

"Investigative psychology introduces a more scientific and systematic basis to previously subjective approaches to police investigations. This behavioral science contribution is best thought of as working at various levels, from that of the crime itself, through the gathering of information and on to the actions of police officers working to identify the criminal."

"Furthermore, investigative psychology involves the application of all kinds of sociology, psychology, social psychology, and geography to study/model criminal behavior..."

"the MSc degree in investigative psychology *DOES* not prepare the student for any job other than a low level/pay crime analyst, which is what most of the MSc graduates are getting.  One reason this is, is because the course is not really taught, but by research only as is the PhD in investigative psychology..."

"the investigative psychology (IP) degree does not teach any type of psychology during course.  Rather, the student chooses the topic of study that they want to do, for example, serial murder, rape, arson etc., and then they gather up the
literature from books and journals on that topic and write their monthly essays and final thesis."

"The MSc in investigative psychology does not qualify the student to be licensed as a psychologist neither in the UK or USA."

"upon graduation with a MSc in IP the student can't" testify as an expert in court.

"lumping the term investigative psychology in with forensic psychology is very, very misleading.".