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Master’s in Psychology

Psychologist meeting with two clients

Grow Your Opportunities with an M.A. in Psychology

100% Online Courses

High Doctoral Program Admission Rate

Graduate Assistantships Available

Career-Focused Curriculum

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Complete the form to learn more about this program.

  • Duration 4 Semesters
  • Cost per Credit $857
  • Credit Hours 36

Program Benefits

  • Learn advanced principles in general and applied psychology
  • Take courses part-time or full-time with the flexible online format
  • Gain the experience to be accepted into doctoral psychology programs

Make an Impact With an M.A. in Psychology

Carlow’s M.A. in Psychology program is designed for students who want to work in psychology settings that do not require licensure. The program caters to those who wish to make an immediate impact with their social science training in human service fields.

Courses are delivered 100% online, and with a career-focused curriculum taught by experienced faculty. You’ll learn advanced principles in general and applied psychology and with five guided elective focus areas to choose from, you’ll have the opportunity to specialize your courses in areas that best suit your interests and career goals.

This program also is well-suited for students who are looking to prepare for a doctoral degree in psychology. It has a strong track record (82%) of students being accepted into doctoral psychology programs.

Whether you take classes part-time or full-time, you’ll graduate ready to have an immediate impact in fields such as substance abuse, mental and behavioral health, psychometrics, juvenile corrections, probation, and research.

The MA in Psychology program is also available on campus.

Psychologist on grey couch

Rewarding Career Opportunities With an Online M.A. in Psychology

Earning an online Master’s in Psychology will prepare you to make an immediate impact in mental health, behavioral health, substance abuse, or other human service areas. Psychology career paths include training and development specialist, research assistant, probation officer, and more.

The need for psychology degree holders is great. An estimated 122 million Americans live in areas where there is a shortage of mental health professionals — and nearly 6,400 providers are needed to fill the gap.1

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Choose From 5 Guided Elective Focus Areas

Tailor your online Master’s in Psychology degree so that it fits your unique interests and career goals. Carlow University’s online M.A. in Psychology program offers five guided elective focus areas to choose from depending on your areas of interest. They are:

Rigorous, Career-Focused Curriculum

5 Focus Areas

36 Credits Required

Taught by an experienced and supportive faculty, the career-focused curriculum offered by the online M.A. in Psychology program focuses on advanced general and applied psychology principles. Students will also learn the valuable research and clinical skills they need to succeed in their chosen field. Specifically, this program caters to individuals who want to work in psychology settings that do not require licensure such as substance abuse, mental and behavioral health, psychometrics, juvenile corrections, probation, or research.

Choose From 5 Guided Elective Focus Areas

Tailor your online psychology courses to fit your interests with five unique elective options. Each guided elective focus area provides the opportunity to learn skills that make an immediate impact in your chosen field by focusing on the areas of interest that are important to you. Each guided elective focus area consists of three courses that students can choose to fulfill the elective credits required for the program.

Forensic Psychology

This guided elective focus area allows students to engage in theories and applications of psychology relevant to criminal and civil legal settings.

Assessment Psychology

This guided elective focus area is for students looking to use the techniques and validated tools of the field to develop hypotheses about personality, symptoms, behavior and cognitive ability.

Treatment Psychology

This guided elective focus area allows students to understand the theories and empirically validated treatment skills needed to work with a wide array of people struggling with mental health issues.

Therapeutic Arts Psychology

This guided elective cluster is for students who want to integrate their passion for the arts and humanities into their psychology coursework.

Exploration Psychology

This guided elective cluster provides an opportunity for students to take a wider breadth of courses across multiple cluster groups to develop a unique academic path.

View Complete Curriculum

Begin the Simple Online M.A. in Psychology Application Process

9 transfer credits accepted

No application fee

The flexible online Master of Arts in Psychology program makes it easy to apply, and with multiple start dates throughout the year, it’s always a good time to begin the process. Here’s a closer look at the application requirements.

Resume
Transcripts from all schools
400-word personal essay
1 letter of recommendation
View Our Application Process

Accessible, Affordable Online M.A. in Psychology Program

$857 per credit

The affordable online M.A. in Psychology program will lay the groundwork for many rewarding and lucrative psychology career paths. With scholarships available and a supportive enrollment team, we can help make your online education as affordable as possible. Graduate assistantships are also available, providing students with the opportunity to engage in additional research, curriculum design, as well as teaching and advising roles.

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What You’ll Learn

As an online M.A. in Psychology student, you’ll expand your skills and knowledge in the field of psychology and grow your understanding of research methods, data collection, statistical analysis, and the presenting of findings. Through the challenging and engaging coursework, you’ll be prepared to meet the unique demands of jobs in the mental and behavioral health fields.

Program Outcomes

Faculty Spotlight

Joseph M. Roberts, Ph.D., Professor, Director of Undergraduate Criminology, Master of Arts in Psychology, and Master of Science in Fraud and Forensics

Dr. Roberts is a professor and the current director of Undergraduate Criminology, Master of Arts in Psychology, and Master of Science in Fraud and Forensics at Carlow University. He is also a licensed psychologist in private practice who currently specializes in forensic-related assessment relevant to criminal proceedings. He earned his Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Counseling Psychology at West Virginia University and more recently, completed post-doctoral certificates in Forensic Psychology from St. John’s University in foundational, civil, and criminal law domains. Teaching interests include personality assessment, ethics, diagnosis, and criminal psychology. In Carlow’s MAP Program, he teaches PYM 722-Psychology of Deviance and PYM 704-Psychology Practicum I with Ethics. In his free time, Dr. Roberts enjoys engaging in poorly planned home improvement projects and reading horror novels.

Expert, Supportive Faculty

Carlow’s online M.A. in Psychology program faculty bring a wealth of experience in the different subfields of psychology, criminology, art therapy, and education. In addition to providing a broad-based and well-balanced education, our faculty are deeply invested in the success of their students and are accessible, collegial, and collaborative.

An Online Learning Experience Like No Other

When you join the Carlow family, you get an experienced and compassionate team dedicated to your personal and professional growth. Online learning at Carlow offers the flexibility you need while connecting you to a vibrant, close-knit and supportive community of instructors and learners.

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Financial Aid

We understand that pursuing higher education is an investment. Carlow’s staff is always available to answer questions and connect you to resources for loans, grants, scholarships and employer benefits.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Explore our frequently asked questions for in-depth answers. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, reach out to us.

You can complete the program in as little as 4 semesters. View our curriculum to learn more about the classes.

The first step is to start your application online. Apply now.

The online Master’s in Psychology program is only available 100% online. This allows you to study in the times and locations that are best for you throughout your entire program without the requirement of ever coming to campus.

The program offers five guided elective focus areas including:

  • Forensic Psychology
  • Assessment Psychology
  • Treatment Psychology
  • Expressive Arts Psychology
  • Exploration Psychology

Learn more about the courses needed to complete a psychology degree concentration.

The requirements for the online Master’s in Psychology program include:

  • Resume
  • Transcripts from all schools
  • 400 word personal essay
  • 1 letter of recommendation

View all requirements for admission to the online MA in Psychology program.

The online Master’s in Psychology program is designed for working professionals with busy lives, so if something interrupts your normal course of study, you don’t have to worry about losing the courses you’ve completed. Students can take a leave for 1 year. After that, they’ll need to reapply.

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