Psychology masters online programs

Some online courses require a short on-campus residency or in-person component. Traditional: Students use the same virtual tools as online students to access materials and resources and communicate with instructors, but not as extensively. While learners may contact instructors and use facilities in person, their work schedule and availability may conflict with regular office and operating hours.

Motivation Online: Online learning requires self-motivation and discipline. Students should take advantage of the many resources available to them while studying online. Degree-seekers who work full time with a family must prioritize activities to meet both personal and academic obligations. Traditional: Completing coursework according to a set schedule makes it easier for some students to practice effective time-management.

Students lacking self-motivation may benefit from engaging with classmates and instructors in person. Face-to-face interaction may also help deepen some learners' understanding of the curriculum. Many factors affect the cost of an online graduate program, often discounted compared to a traditional program.

Tuition and textbooks typically cost the same for on-campus and online students, though some schools offer reduced tuition for online learners. Others offer compound savings for in-state students completing their degree online. Auxiliary fees account for the biggest cost difference between online and traditional programs.

On-campus learners sometimes incur room-and-board fees. They may also need to budget for transportation, fees for student activities or campus facilities, technology charges, liability insurance fees, and childcare, if applicable. While online students qualify for exemption from fees for campus-based services, they may incur additional charges in technology fees, academic service fees, and exam-proctoring fees.

Online and traditional classes offer the same course content, but differ in their delivery method. Online learners must supply their own computer and internet access. Online classes typically last weeks, condensing course content and, thus, shortening completion time of the degree.

Classes may run asynchronously, which allows students to move at their own pace, or synchronously, which requires learners to meet with instructors and classmates online at set times.

Some classes follow a hybrid format, providing both asynchronous and synchronous learning. Traditional campus-based courses convene in a classroom on pre-scheduled days and times.

Mandatory attendance often factors into a student's overall grade. Classes usually follow a week semester system, with classes meeting times a week, or a week quarter system with classes meeting daily. Both allow a longer period than online courses for students to absorb course content and complete assignments. Learners still use technology, but can access it on campus if unavailable at home. Online master's in psychology programs rarely require campus visits, if at all.

Many programs meet exclusively online, while others require students to visit the campus for weeks at a time. In-state students may take course exams on campus while out-of-state students take exams at approved proctoring locations. Some online programs offer on-campus courses, though usually optional for distance learners. Research-based master's programs in psychology do not require clinical hours because the degree does not prepare graduates to pursue state licensure.

Certain specialties require that students complete a practicum, internship, or hours of field work. Students may complete these hours at professional mental health locations pre-approved by the supervising faculty member or program director.

Some programs allow learners to substitute field experience for a capstone project, thesis, or comprehensive exam. Online and traditional students qualify for the same financial aid. Both types of students also qualify for applicable state scholarships. Some programs offer tuition discounts to in-state students.

Many schools award graduate students additional financial aid in the form of special scholarships or assistantships. Degree-seekers with qualifying undergraduate GPA and GRE scores can apply for a faculty-led research or teaching assistantship. Graduate timelines depend on enrollment pace and prior coursework. ASU's psychology program features various elective areas such as social psychology, health psychology, cognitive psychology, and developmental psychology. Other niche fields include legal psychology, abnormal psychology, behavior analysis, and affective science.

The program also requires writing and statistics courses and a capstone project. Applicants need a minimum 3. Enrollees must submit official transcripts, purpose statements, and recommendation letters. A private nonprofit university in Florida, Saint Leo features an online master's in psychology program for students interested in personal development and psychological science.

The curriculum explores human behavior through various psychological theories and practices. Saint Leo's program emphasizes problem-solving, ethical decision-making, and sensitivity to diversity. Enrollees also gain practical skills in research, teaching, and data analysis. This fully online, credit program admits up to 15 students per cohort and features eight-week courses.

Online students often take one course per term. The program includes a specialized capstone project that develops skills in ethical decision-making, writing, and research design and analysis. Graduates can pursue careers in program evaluation, research or data analysis, market and survey research, or management. To qualify for mental health careers such as working as a counselor, students need clinical experience and additional schooling.

ULM in Monroe, Louisiana, offers a credit online master's in psychology program with concentrations available in psychometrics and forensics.

Enrollees who do not opt for a concentration must take 24 elective credits. ULM's online graduate programs follow a traditional semester schedule, plus short, intensive sessions in December, late spring, and summer.

Psychometrics students take six elective credits plus seven core courses. Core courses include psychopathology, psychological assessment, individual testing, and learning theory. Forensics students also complete six elective credits and core courses in psychopathology and individual testing.

Additional core forensics courses include advanced forensic psychology, sociology of law, and counseling in criminal justice. Applicants need a 3. Candidates must also complete undergraduate coursework in neuropsychology, quantitative methods, and research methods. A private, nonprofit university based in Boca Raton, Florida, Lynn runs a fully online, accelerated master of science MS in psychology program. The MS degree focuses on information literacy, scientific writing, and human behavior.

Both programs cultivate skills in research, program evaluation, leadership, and management. Full-time students can complete the program online in one year by taking two courses per eight-week term. Coursework runs mostly asynchronously. However, a few synchronous meetings occur with small groups or the instructor.

To support an online learning experience, students receive an iPad with various pre-loaded applications. Updated annually based on field trends, Lynn's psychology curriculum follows the American Psychological Association's education guidelines.

The program includes a psychology practicum, which corresponds to students' specializations, master's theses, and career goals.

Enrollees explore these psychology fields through Liberty's biblical worldview. The developmental psychology concentration features coursework in adolescent psychology, intervention and behavioral support, and development psychology and neuropsychology. This credit master's in psychology program features eight-week terms. Completion timelines for this accelerated program average 18 months. Applicants need a 2. Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne, Indiana, features a master of science MS in psychology degree online for individuals seeking promotion, career change, or preparation for doctoral programs.

Indiana Tech's MS program offers solid grounding in psychological research and theory and cultivates practical skills.

Graduates with an MS degree in psychology may work in education, the criminal justice system, health and human services, or business. Aligned with the American Psychological Association's curriculum guidelines, Indiana Tech's program prepares aspiring doctoral students by offering transferable psychology coursework. Indiana Tech's credit MS program requires coursework in multicultural psychology, lifespan development, counseling theory, and psychopathology.

Enrollees also study biopsychology, social psychology, and psychology-related legal and ethical issues. Skills-focused courses include research methods in psychology, writing in psychology, statistics for behavioral sciences, and a capstone thesis course.

Prerequisites for non-provisional admission include an accredited bachelor's degree, a 2. The program offers curriculum concentrations in child and adolescent developmental psychology, forensic psychology, and industrial organizational psychology.

Enrollees study cognitive psychology, personality, and social psychology. SNHU emphasizes core skills in research methods, ethical practice, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

The MS program does not lead directly to clinical licensure, but the curriculum prepares students well for doctoral study. Prospective students interested in master's-level careers as licensed counselors should pursue SNHU's master's in clinical mental health counseling. Graduates of the program can go on to positions as researchers, industrial-organizational psychologists, leadership coaches, and cyberpsychologists, to name a few.

Applicants require a bachelor's degree with a minimum 2. Although Regent suggests candidates come from an academic background in counseling, psychology, or a related field, the school considers applicants from other fields, as well. EWU offers a school psychology master's degree with an education specialist concentration. The program includes weekly synchronous meetings and annual in-person training requirements. The three-day on-campus requirement occurs in the summer, wherein students meet their instructors and fellow learners and participate in certificate trainings.

Students may choose the accelerated two-year program or three-year program. The curriculum requires credits in all. Most courses comprise four credits and cover topics like multi-tiered systems of support, academic assessment for school psychology, and counseling theories and school-based mental health interventions. Degree-seekers take part in a school psychology practicum or supervised work experience in an education setting.

They finish the degree with a credit internship. Applicants should have a bachelor's degree in psychology, education, or a related field and a minimum 3. Prospective students must also possess at least three years of full-time experience teaching in schools or at least five years of experience in a closely related field. Students enrolled in SNHU's online master's in psychology can choose from one of these concentrations:.

The program comprises 36 credits, and degree-seekers without an academic background in psychology also take three foundational courses in psychology, statistics, and research methods. More advanced elective courses include sport and society, critical issues in the criminal justice system, and managing difficult conversations at work.

A capstone course involves a culminating experience to assess students' overall knowledge of the curriculum. SNHU runs five terms each year, allowing distance learners to graduate in years. The degree prepares graduates to pursue doctoral study, although many graduates go into market research or corporate training and development careers, as well.

Applicants require a bachelor's degree and submit their undergraduate transcripts along with their applications. The University of Idaho offers an MS in psychology concentrating on the unique study of human factors. This online degree examines why people do the things they do and features a research-heavy curriculum, blending traditional psychology study with engineering. Degree-seekers may choose a thesis or non-thesis pathway. The thesis option allows students to carry out their own research and defend it before a faculty committee, whereas the non-thesis students take a comprehensive exam.

Graduates of the program find jobs as human factor engineers and ergonomists, survey researchers, and social science research assistants.

Many go on to doctoral study. To apply, prospective students need an undergraduate degree with a minimum 3. Those who do not meet this requirement can still apply by submitting GRE scores. Students at McNeese State University can choose from three online graduate psychology programs :. The applied behavior science degree prepares students for national certification as a board-certified behavior analyst.

The degree comprises 58 credits, including five internship courses. Distance learners can complete this entire degree online with the exception of their fieldwork. Individuals pursuing the counseling psychology degree must complete 60 credits, and the program lasts three years. This program follows a hybrid format, which means students may need to complete on-campus requirements.

Additionally, they must participate in off-campus practicum and internship experiences. Upon graduation, counseling psychology graduates may apply for the licensed professional counselor credential. Degree-seekers on this track must carry out a research-based thesis. Applicants need an undergraduate degree with a minimum 2. Applicants also need three credits of undergraduate statistics courses and 18 credits of undergraduate psychology courses. The degree follows a general psychology curriculum, so graduates are not eligible for clinical licensure as counselors or psychologists.

However, this degree can help students find jobs in advertising, business, research, education, and social and community services. The degree comprises 36 credits and covers topics like biological, behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and social development.

Degree-seekers also enroll in classes dedicated to carrying out and consuming research, which can help them with jobs in corporate research settings. Distance learners take courses through the learning management system Canva, and each course lasts eight weeks.

If students enroll year-round, they can complete their degree in 1. Applicants require undergraduate transcripts with a minimum 2. Based in Boca Raton, Florida, Lynn University offers an online master's in psychology with two different tracks: general psychology or industrial and organizational psychology. The school provides each student with an iPad to optimize their distance learning. The curriculum comprises 37 credits of coursework, including a one-credit graduate orientation seminar.

Foundation courses cover psychological theories and research methods. Concentration courses may include psychobiology or managing human resources, depending on a student's concentration. Degree-seekers must also complete a practicum. Distance learners may take two classes per term and graduate in one year. Interested individuals may apply if they possess a bachelor's degree; the university does not require students to come from a psychology background.

The admission guidelines also recommend that applicants possess a 3. With just over 1, undergraduate and graduate students, Union College offers on-campus and online degrees, including a master's in general psychology. This credit degree requires advanced psychology coursework, a capstone course, and an integrative research-based thesis.

Graduate students may pursue similar psychology programs, as well. A credit MA in clinical psychology prepares students for clinical licensure. The degree follows a hybrid format, with graduates working in psychiatric hospitals, prisons, and mental health centers. An MA in substance abuse comprises 60 credits, and students may complete this degree entirely online. Master's candidates meet Kentucky's licensure criteria to become substance abuse counselors.

Finally, learners can supplement their degrees by pursuing a chemical dependency counselor certificate. This entirely online program requires 21 credits of coursework and prepares students to use their counseling skills to work with patients dependent on chemical substances. Students can choose the program that best suits their career goals. The Ed. In contrast, the MS degree requires more courses related to the science of child and adolescent psychology.

MS candidates enroll in courses like developmental psychology and advanced child psychotherapy. For both programs, degree-seekers must pass comprehensive exams. MS students participate in an observation experience, while Ed. Full-time students can complete either program in one year, although the internship lasts an additional year. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree in psychology or education and show completion of one statistics course. They also require a minimum 3.