16 Criminal Psychology Summer Programs for High School Students

Summer programs can be a strategic option to explore as a high school student, as these opportunities can help you dive into a field of interest and prepare for future academics. If you are interested in criminal psychology, a topic rarely covered in high school curriculum, a program in the field can offer detailed insights into and exposure to the subject. 

As a participant, you will get a chance to engage in college-level psychology coursework, gain industry knowledge, and build practical skills as well as connections with researchers and professionals. Such programs are also great ways to build your resume and prepare for future academic and career opportunities. 

In this blog, we have listed 16 criminal psychology summer programs for high school students, ranging from internships to pre-college courses. We have focused on factors like academic rigor, prestige, selectivity, career preparation opportunities, and low-cost, scholarship-based, or paid opportunities. 

16 Criminal Psychology Summer Programs for High School Students

1. Lumiere Research Scholar Program

Location: Virtual

Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Selective; 1-on-1 program

Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer sessions (June–August)

Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines for each cohort; summer session applications due in May/June

Eligibility: High school students with strong academic backgrounds; accepted students typically have an unweighted GPA of at least 3.3/4.0

If you are looking for a criminal psychology summer program with a research-focused structure, Lumiere’s Research Scholar Program offers a personalized one-on-one experience to help you conduct your own research project. You will be matched with a Ph.D.-level mentor in psychology, with whom you will design an independent project on a specialized topic in criminal psychology to undertake within the 12-week program. This fully virtual program also offers the support of a writing coach. You will receive guidance throughout the research process to complete a formal research paper, which you can submit for publication in student journals. 

2. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes: The Nature of Evil Course  

Location: Online

Cost/Stipend: $3,080; scholarships available

Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified; ~15 students per class

Dates: June 16 – 27

Application Deadline: March 20

Eligibility: Students in grades 9–11

Stanford’s Pre-Collegiate Summer Institute offers various courses, including The Nature of Evil course. Here, you will spend two weeks studying the concept of evil from various angles, including crime and murder, systemic injustices, and corrupt government systems, drawing on the fields of psychology, history, and philosophy. Coursework includes reading legal articles, criminal psychology texts, and documentation of historical events, as well as writing analytical reflections on what you have learned. You will work on a group project, focusing on the idea of evil through comparative analysis of legal case studies, crime reports, and psychological cases. You will present your work at the end of the course. 

3. Immerse Education’s Online Research Programme

Location: Remote — participate from anywhere in the world

Cost: Varies according to program. Financial aid available 

Application Deadline: Rolling admissions with multiple start dates throughout the year

Program Dates: Flexible scheduling based on your availability

Eligibility: Students aged 13–18 (accredited options require age 14+)

The Online Research Program offers high school students the opportunity to conduct research with tutors from Oxford, Cambridge, and Ivy League universities. You will work with your tutor to explore a subject of your choice in depth and write an academic research paper. The program is offered in 1:1 and small group formats, and you can choose to receive college credit. The ORP is offered in over 20 subjects, including artificial intelligence, chemistry, psychology, economics, computer science, creative writing, philosophy, and more. At the end of the program, you’ll receive a written evaluation from your tutor, an opportunity to publish your research, and an invitation to present at the Immerse Online Symposium. You can find more details about the application here.

4. High School Internship Program at Manhattan District Attorney’s Office

Location: Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, New York, NY

Cost/Stipend: $16.50/hour

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective

Dates: June 30 – August 1

Application Deadline: March 12

Eligibility: Students in grades 10–12 residing in Manhattan

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office offers a summer internship program to help high school students gain insights into criminal prosecutions. Over the course of five weeks, you will work directly with DA staff members to observe the NYC criminal justice system in action and explore the applications of criminal psychology principles in legal proceedings. You will attend educational workshops and group discussions hosted by DA Office staff to study the criminal justice system and participate in a mock trial program, gaining hands-on experience in criminal prosecution. You will also complete administrative tasks to assist DA Office workflows, and you will be paid minimum wage for your participation. 

4. High School Internships @ The Brooklyn District Attorney's Office 

Location: Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, Brooklyn, NY

Stipend: $150/week

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified

Dates: July 7 – August 1

Application Deadline: March 21

Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors living in or attending high school in Brooklyn

The Brooklyn DA’s Office offers criminal psychology summer internships for high school students seeking specialized work experience in a municipal setting. You will be placed in one of the Office’s departments, which include the Special Victims Unit, Crime Strategies, or Investigations, and directly support the DA team on active cases. You will engage in tasks like assisting with investigative research, analyzing financial data, drafting legal documents, and conducting legal research. You will gain professional experience by serving as an assistant to attorneys, helping them prepare for trials and conferences by contributing to case preparation, maintaining files, and organizing court documents. You will also attend criminal trials, sentencing, and field trips.

5. Harvard Pre-College Summer School Program: Law & Philosophy Course

Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Cost: $5,800; financial aid available

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective

Dates: July 21 – August 1

Application Deadline: January 7 (early/priority); February 11 (regular); April 1 (late)

Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors

Harvard’s Pre-College Summer School program allows high schoolers to take non-credit courses in a field of choice. Its Law & Philosophy course combines analysis of ethics, political philosophy, and criminal psychology to help you critically analyze the criminal justice system. You will explore issues of morality within the law, including psychological motivations for criminal behavior, ethical and unethical laws and legal proceedings, and how societies can define what does (or doesn’t) qualify as a crime. The course structure includes lectures, group discussions, in-class debates, and homework assignments. You’ll also attend college application guidance sessions and college readiness workshops on developing academic skills for undergraduate-level work. Lectures and discussions focused on academic exploration and field trips to Red Sox games and museums are also part of the experience.

6. Mercer County Student Internship Program

Location: Mercer County Administration Offices, Trenton, NJ

Stipend: $17/hour (Maximum 25 hours/week)

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective

Dates: July 7 – August 29

Application Deadline: February 1 (Prosecutor’s Office); other internship opportunities typically close in May

Eligibility: Students age 15 and older living or attending school in Mercer County

Mercer County offers high school students summer internships in various public sector units each year. Placements in Correction Center Offices or Prosecutor’s Office can help you gain insights into criminal and forensic psychology. The Correction Center Program Services internship includes training in counseling and interviewing inmates, processing referrals to external agencies, and coordinating community service and educational opportunities. Prosecutor’s Office internships involve assisting county-wide criminal prosecution operations and administration. Outside department-based work, you will receive training in career planning, resume writing, public speaking and communication, networking skills, and community engagement.

7. Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr. Internship Program 

Location: Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, Worcester, MA

Cost/Stipend: None

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified

Dates: Mid-/late-June – early August

Application Deadline: Applications open in spring; check the site for updates

Eligibility: High school students who can commute to Worcester daily

High school students in the Worcester area can pursue criminal psychology summer programs through the County’s District Attorney's Office. Here, you will support active proceedings and learn about the criminal justice system. You will attend educational presentations with the District Attorney and other office staff on main case areas, including sexual assault, drug, murder, arson, domestic violence, and prepare for diverse work across criminal prosecution. You will gain direct exposure to legal cases while attending trials, arraignments, hearings, and pleas. Other tasks include completing administrative work to support operations across the office.

8. Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office Volunteer Internships

Location: Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, Los Angeles, CA

Cost/Stipend: None

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified

Dates: June – August

Application Deadline: April 15

Eligibility: High school students who are 16 or older and able to commute to the office

The LA County District Attorney’s Office hosts high schoolers interested in law and criminal psychology for summer volunteer–internship opportunities. You will be placed into a department based on your interests, with options including Juvenile Decision, Prosecution Support Operations, Fraud and Corruption Prosecutions, and Specialized Prosecutions. While tasks will vary based on departmental needs and active cases, you will typically be assigned to work on researching legal reports as well as drafting documents and educational manuals. You will also assist with administrative tasks, including filing documents and answering phone calls to the office. 

9. Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office High School Volunteer Internship

Location: Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, Miami, FL

Cost/Stipend: None

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified

Dates: Minimum three-month term; exact dates coordinated between students and the Office

Application Deadline: Rolling; applications reviewed throughout the year

Eligibility: Current high school students in the Miami region

The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s criminal psychology summer internships provide hands-on engagement with criminal proceedings. You will engage directly with individuals involved in local cases by providing information on criminal matters through phone calls and or in person at the office. You will also take witness and victim testimony, interview defendants, and assist with obtaining Injunctions for Protection for victims. Additionally, you will gain research experience while reviewing case law, analyzing evidence, managing and filing criminal complaints, and running criminal records. You may get to earn school credit for your participation, so you can discuss this option with your guidance counselor and internship manager if selected for the role.

10. High School Internships at Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office 

Location: Various locations across Cape and Islands, MA

Cost/Stipend: None

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified

Dates: Mid-June – mid-August

Application Deadline: Not specified

Eligibility: High school students, undergraduate students, and law students

The Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office provides hands-on experience through its summer internship program. As an intern, you will work in any of the CIDAO departments, which include Prosecution or Victim and Witness services. Assignments vary based on department priorities, but you may be involved with cases involving unsolved homicides, vulnerable victim abuse, child protection, or human trafficking. Tasks can include legal research and administrative support, with academic and career development opportunities including mentorship from Assistant District Attorneys and interaction with the current DA.

11. Columbia Pre-College True Crime: Introduction to Forensic Psychology

Location: Online or in-person at Columbia University, New York, NY

Cost: $12,764 (residential) | $6,310 (commuter) | $3,965 (online); financial aid available

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified

Dates:

• Summer A: June 30 – July 18

• Summer B: July 22 – August 8

• Online: July 7 – 18

Application Deadline:

• Early: February 1

• General residential: March 4

• Commuter/online: April 1

Eligibility: Students in grades 9–12 who are at least 15 years old

The Columbia Pre-College summer program’s True Crime: Introduction to Forensic Psychology course focuses on the discipline of criminal psychology and its connections with the legal system. Here, you will learn how forensic psychologists determine motivations for criminal behavior while learning about psychological research methods, criminal investigations, and legal behaviorism. You will connect forensic psychology principles to real-world case studies and practice applying the study of behavior and law to criminal cases and investigations. You will also learn about career paths in criminal psychology, social work, law, and forensic science.

12. Harvard Secondary School Program: Power and Privilege in the Criminal Justice System

Location: Online

Cost: $3,850; financial aid available

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 45 students

Dates: June 23 – August 8

Application Deadline:

• Early/Priority: January 7

• Regular: February 11

• Late: April 1 (courses may be full)

Eligibility: Students in grades 10–12, ages 16–18

Harvard’s Secondary School Program offers high school students the opportunity to enroll in summer credit-bearing undergraduate courses alongside current Harvard students. Here, you can study criminal psychology by enrolling in the Power and Privilege in the Criminal Justice System course. In this course, you will explore the connection between psychology, the American criminal justice system, and systemic inequities. You will review case studies and research articles on topics like coerced confessions, risk assessment practices, social factors contributing to juvenile delinquency, and hate crimes. The course draws on concepts from cognitive science, psychology, and sociology to help you explore crime and analyze the psychology behind criminal behavior, as well as flaws within the legal and criminal justice systems. Upon completion of the course, you will earn eight transferable credit hours.

13. Brown Pre-College: Introduction to Law, Mental Health & Adolescence Course

Location: Brown University, Providence, RI

Cost: $8,006 (residential) | $6,134 (commuter); scholarships available

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified

Dates: July 7 – 25

Application Deadline: Rolling admissions ending May 9

Eligibility: Students in grades 9–12, ages 14–18

A part of Brown’s Pre-College offerings, the Introduction to Law, Mental Health & Adolescence is a criminal psychology-focused learning experience for high schoolers interested in juvenile delinquency and ethics within the criminal justice system. You will study law and mental health simultaneously, exploring questions like whether adolescents should be charged as adults, deciding competency to stand trial due to psychological or cognitive disorders, and how to prevent juvenile offenders from being involved long-term with the criminal justice system. Other course topics include legal theory, inequities in prosecution, developmental psychology, and discussions of career paths in criminal psychology, law, and mental healthcare. Outside coursework, you will engage in extracurricular learning activities, academic workshops, affinity groups, and field trips in the New England area.

14. Federal Bureau of Prisons Student Opportunities

Location: Varies by position

Cost/Stipend: Unpaid (Volunteer program) and paid (Pathways program) opportunities available

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; details vary by position

Dates: Vary

Application Deadline: Varies by position

Eligibility: High school, college, and graduate students; the Pathways Student Internship Program requires a minimum 2.5 GPA

The Federal Bureau of Prisons offers two criminal psychology program opportunities for high school students through the Student Volunteer Program and Pathways Student Internship Program. In the Student Volunteer Program, you will work in a Federal BOP office that aligns with your interests, learning about career paths and contributing to the departmental placements. The Pathways Student Internship Program, designed to help you directly enter the BOP workforce in the future, offers paid work opportunities where you’ll explore BOP careers within a chosen agency. You will get the chance to transition into a full-time position after completing 480 Pathways internship hours.

15. Boston Leadership Institute Criminal Minds Summer Program

Location: Olin College, Wellesley, MA

Cost/Stipend: $699 (commuter) + $699 residential fee

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not selective; 15–20 students per class

Dates: Session 1: June 16 – 20 | Session 2: August 4 – 8

Application Deadline: Rolling admissions

Eligibility: Students in grades 8–12

The Criminal Minds summer program is designed to help you explore forensic psychology through a combination of psychological theory and investigative practices. You will learn about topics such as common psychological traits in criminals, variations between types of crime like serial murder and terrorism, and how psychological analysis is applied in criminal investigations. You will also get insights into common mental illnesses observed in criminals. Coursework includes reviewing criminal case studies, learning how a criminal’s psychology can be interpreted in a crime scene, and how forensic investigation can aid in identifying and prosecuting criminals. 

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program in which students work one-on-one with a mentor to develop an independent research paper.

Image Source - Stanford University logo