Top Psychology Master’s Degree Programs Online

Why Earn an Online Master’s in Psychology?

A master’s degree in psychology offers a well-rounded education that can prepare students for a variety of positions in many different fields, even those unrelated to psychology. It can also begin the academic training needed to become a counselor, psychologist, or therapist. There are several advantages that come with earning an online master’s degree in psychology.

Convenient Learning

Many online psychology programs at the master’s level are 100% online. That means no on-campus visits or other in-person requirements are needed to graduate. Students not only have the flexibility to learn from home, but due to the asynchronous nature of most curriculums, they can complete their coursework at their chosen pace as well as at a time of day that’s most convenient for them.

Licensing

Each state has its own requirements to become a licensed therapist, counselor, or psychologist. In most states, a graduate degree is required. Sometimes it needs to be a doctorate. Sometimes it can be a master’s degree that’s required before a professional can start seeing clients or using certain professional titles.

Specialize

One of the biggest ways graduate degrees stand out is the opportunity to specialize. The curriculum of a bachelor’s degree focuses on introducing the basic concepts, while the master’s degree allows students to not just learn high-level concepts, but spend time concentrating on an area of specialization.

Psychology of Personality

This class will give students a better understanding of the basics of human motivation, thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Topics addressed include overviews of various psychological theories, like biological, behavioral, social-cognitive, and psychoanalytic. Students will also learn about assessment methodologies and how culture affects personality.

Diversity and Ethics

This class will use the APA Code of Ethics to create a solid understanding of ethical behavior in psychological research, testing, and treatment. It will also cover the importance of diversity in psychological studies and how personal biases can affect research results and the treatment of clients.

Experimental Methods

Psychology is research-heavy, which requires students to obtain extensive training in how to design, conduct, and analyze studies and experiments. This class covers these concepts, but also teaches students how to collect and interpret data, in addition to effectively conveying findings in scientific reports and articles.

Lifespan Development

The human mind changes over time, both through experiences and biological shifts. This course will examine the human brain over the lifespan and incorporate both classical theories and more recent research findings to explain how the brain changes over time.

Thesis

The thesis is a research project a student designs and carries out under the supervision of a faculty member. The process will take place over the course of the progression through the program. Students may start out learning the basics of thesis research through observation, then discuss potential topics with a faculty advisor. Finally, the student conducts the research, writes a paper, and defends the thesis before graduating.

Clinical Psychology

The clinical psychology specialization starts the preparation process to become a licensed clinical psychologist. Depending on the program and state where the student wants to practice, the master’s degree will prepare them to start working with clients or prepare them for a doctoral degree in clinical psychology.

Learn more about earning your clinical psychology master’s online.

Counseling Psychology

One of the more popular specializations, this prepares students to work with clients who have mental health, family, or emotional challenges. The curriculum will include training in crisis intervention, psychological assessment of specific disorders, and trauma management. Students can also focus on a sub-specialty, such as substance abuse, mental health, or family counseling.

Learn more about earning your master’s in counseling psychology online.

Industrial Organizational (I/O) Psychology

The I/O psychology concentration examines psychological principles and theories that apply to the workplace. Classes will cover talent identification, employee motivation, group dynamics, and human personality. This specialization is perfect for students who wish to work in human resources or another personnel development field.

Learn more about earning your online master’s in industrial organizational psychology.

Forensic Psychology

Forensic psychology combines psychology and the criminal justice system. By completing this specialization, students will learn the science behind the mind of key figures in the legal setting, such as witnesses and defendants. Classes will address topics like social psychology, human motivation, courtroom psychology, and courtroom procedures.

Social Psychology

This concentration examines the behaviors of individuals and groups by focusing on the feelings, thoughts, attitudes, and cultures of the individuals and group. The goal of this specialization is to not just gain an increased understanding of how people think and interact, but also what changes can be made to improve society as a whole.