Online Master's in Psychology MS Degree Program

Help support the wellbeing of children with your master's in psychology with a concentration in child and development psychology. In this program, you'll develop assessment, intervention and consultation strategies that address the unique individual, cultural and psychological needs of children.

Note: If you're looking to work in a clinical position in child psychology, you may have to seek state certification or licensure (and additional educational requirements may need to be met).

Learn more about earning your master's in child psychology.

Career outlook:

Adding a concentration in child development to your master's in psychology degree could be advantageous for getting positions in organizations that focus on children. You could find work developing, coordinating and administrating childhood programming for community centers, daycares, schools and nonprofits.

This concentration puts you in a great position to move onto doctorate studies in child psychology so that you can pursue a career as a child psychologist.

Courses may include:

• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Neuropsychology
• Intervention Strategies
• Child and Developmental Psychology Seminar

Ready for a psychology career working with lawyers, police officers, victims and offenders? In the master's in psychology with a concentration in forensic psychology, you'll learn the research, analysis, assessment and human behavior skills needed to apply psychology principles in the criminal justice system.

Learn more about earning your master's in forensic psychology.

Career outlook:

With your concentration in forensic psychology, you could pursue jobs like crime analyst, forensic case manager and jury consultant.

Roles like forensic psychologist will likely require that candidates have completed their doctorate degrees.

Courses may include:

• Forensic Psychology
• Assessment for Forensic Psychology
• Intersection of Law and Psychology
• Psychology in the Courtroom

Improve employee performance, motivation and general well-being with the master's in psychology with a concentration in industrial organizational psychology. Industrial organizational psychology – also known as I/O psychology – is the study of individual and group behavior in the workplace.

Learn more about earning your master's in industrial organizational psychology degree.

Career outlook:

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that industrial-organizational psychologists will be required to help select and retain employees, create training opportunities, increase productivity and efficiency, handle conflicts and improve morale.¹

Courses may include:

• Motivation in the Workplace
• Psychology of Leadership
• Organizational Consulting
• Seminar in Industrial & Organizational Psychology

Flexible

With no set class meeting times, you can learn on your schedule and access online course materials 24/7.

Affordable

As part of our mission to make higher education more accessible, we’re committed to keeping our tuition rates low. In fact, we offer some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation.

Prior coursework and work experience could also help you save time and money. SNHU’s transfer policy allows you to transfer up to 12 credits from your previous institution. You could also earn college credit for previous work experience.

Respected

Founded in 1932, Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit institution with over 160,000 graduates across the country. SNHU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), a regional accreditor, which advocates for institutional improvement and public assurance of quality. 

Recently, SNHU has been nationally recognized for leading the way toward more innovative, affordable and achievable education:

• “Most Innovative” regional university honors from U.S. News & World Report each year since 2015
• A $1 million grant from Google.org to explore soft skills assessments for high-need youth
• Recognition as a 2017 Digital Learning Innovator by the Online Learning Consortium

Network

At Southern New Hampshire University, you'll have access to a powerful network of more than 300,000 students, alumni and staff that can help support you long after graduation. Our instructors offer relevant, real-world expertise to help you understand and navigate the field. Plus, with our growing, nationwide alumni network, you'll have the potential to tap into a number of internship and career opportunities.

93.6% of online students would recommend SNHU (according to a 2022 survey with 17,000+ respondents). Discover why SNHU may be right for you.

Expanding access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree. That’s why you can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials:

• Completed free application
• Undergraduate transcripts, which we can retrieve for you by submitting a transcript request form

Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 5 graduate terms.

If you don't have a background in psychology or a related field, you may need to take up to 3 foundation courses. For those who do not meet the minimum requirements, the following courses may be required:

• Foundations of Psychology
• Foundations in Statistics
• Foundations in Research Methods

Note: This program does not prepare you for state licensure.

If you’re ready to apply, follow these simple steps to get the process going:

• Complete free graduate application
• Submit undergraduate transcripts
• Work with an admission counselor to explore financial options and walk through application process

Notes: 

• Laptop or desktop?  Whichever you choose depends on your personal preference and work style, though laptops tend to offer more flexibility. 

• Note:  Chromebooks (Chrome OS) and iPads (iOS) do not meet the minimum requirements for coursework at SNHU. These offer limited functionality and do not work with some course technologies. They are not acceptable as the only device you use for coursework. While these devices are convenient and may be used for some course functions, they cannot be your primary device. SNHU does, however, have an affordable laptop option that it recommends: Dell Latitude 3301 with Windows 10. 

• Office 365 Pro Plus is available free of charge to all SNHU students and faculty. The Office suite will remain free while you are a student at SNHU. Upon graduation you may convert to a paid subscription if you wish. Terms subject to change at Microsoft's discretion. Review system requirements for Microsoft 365 plans for business, education and government. 

• Antivirus software: Check with your ISP as they may offer antivirus software free of charge to subscribers. 

Psychology is a broad field, and earning your MS degree in psychology can open doors when it comes to the job market. Before enrolling, it’s important to understand what you can do with a master’s in psychology.

“Your master’s degree is a great tool and gateway to many opportunities,” said MS in Psychology alumnus Weston Corbitt '15G.

A graduate degree in psychology may open opportunities in corporate training and development, market research analytics, sales and a plethora of additional career paths.

“One of the best things about a graduate degree in psychology is that it’s so wide-ranging in its career applications,” said Dr. Barbara Lesniak, senior associate dean of social sciences at SNHU. “For example, there are many options in the corporate world, like training and development, management, sales and marketing. Virtually any job in which you deal with people and need to know how to relate to them and what influences their behavior will benefit from a graduate degree in psychology.”

Yes, it is possible to get your psychology degree completely online. Many highly regarded, accredited schools provide online psychology degrees.

You can earn your MS in Psychology online at Southern New Hampshire University, a nonprofit, award-winning school with learners across the globe. SNHU is committed to expanding access to education. With affordability at top-of-mind, we offer some of the lowest online tuition rates in the nation, helping you keep your dreams of earning your degree within reach.

Earning your degree online also allows you to do your coursework on your schedule, too.

"Studying online made me feel in control of my learning," said Karen Raquel Quezada '21. "It gave me the freedom to still be a mother and a full-time worker, and still have the time to complete my work for school."

According to the American Psychological Association, the term psychologist is reserved for professionals with doctoral education and training, and many states have licensing laws prohibiting the use of “psychologist” in a job or professional title of a person who does not meet those requirements.²

But you'll find that earning your master's in psychology is a great benefit when it comes to landing other jobs within the field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a master’s degree is highly desired when it comes to teaching psychology and for many industrial-organizational psychology positions.¹

BLS also suggests that while the majority of positions in clinical counseling and research psychology require a doctoral degree, you might be able to find work in those fields as an assistant under the supervision of a doctoral psychologist.¹

However, if a doctorate degree is your goal, SNHU’s psychology master’s program is designed to set you up for success at the doctoral level, which will open doors in most types of psychology.

The short answer is yes. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a therapist usually needs at least a master's degree and a license to practice.¹

It's important to note that several different education pathways can help lead you to a career practicing psychotherapy. For example:

• Psychiatrist, which requires either an MD or a DO (Doctor of Osteopathy).
• Psychologist, which requires a doctoral degree, usually a PhD or a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) in clinical or counseling psychology.
• Clinical mental health counselor, which requires an MA (Master of Arts) or MS (Master of Science) in mental health counseling. An MEd (Master of Education) is a common pathway for those working as school counselors.

In addition, becoming licensed to practice independently requires another 1-2 years of post-master’s supervised work experience.

SNHU offers a CACREP-accredited MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling for students interested in pursuing counseling licensure. The MS in Psychology is not a clinical psychology program.

Like most graduate-level programs, a master’s degree in psychology can generally be completed in 1-2 years.

Southern New Hampshire University’s Master of Science in Psychology program is 36 credits (12 3-credit courses). Offering 5 graduate terms a year, learners at SNHU can advance at a pace that is comfortable and provides for a healthy balance between education, work and other life priorities.

No. While you do need a bachelor's degree to pursue a master's in psychology, your undergraduate degree does not have to be in psychology – or even a related field.

At Southern New Hampshire University, we find that many of our MS in Psychology students do not have a psychology background but are looking to take on new responsibilities, add new insights to their current profession or even switch up their careers completely. For this reason, we've developed 3 foundation courses to help all of our master's in psychology students succeed:

• Foundations of Psychology
• Foundations in Statistics
• Foundations in Research Methods

If you've earned your bachelor's degree in psychology or a related field, you shouldn't have to take these foundation courses. Likewise, if you don't have a background in psychology, but you've completed coursework, including introductory classes in psychology, statistics and social science research as part of your undergraduate studies, you can apply to waive the prerequisite foundation courses.

Earning a graduate degree in psychology can create new opportunities for you, but your salary will ultimately depend on whatever field and role you choose.

“Getting a graduate degree in psychology will help in applying for and obtaining higher-paying jobs in the field such as administering social services programs, being an administrator in a nonprofit, conducting research or working toward becoming a licensed professional,” said Thomas MacCarty, associate dean of social sciences at SNHU.

Overall, the BLS reported that psychologists had a median annual salary of $81,040, with clinical and counseling psychologists earning $82,510 and school psychologists earning $79,780 in 2021.¹ Note: These positions, along with most jobs listed as "psychologist," typically require a doctorate and licensure.

Interested in teaching? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, postsecondary teachers made a median annual wage of $79,640 in 2021.¹

While psychology and counseling are closely related fields, the occupations of psychologist and counselor are not interchangeable.

Let's start with how psychologists and counselors are alike. First off, it's important to understand that neither are medical doctors. Medical doctors who diagnose and treat mental illness issues are known as psychiatrists. As physicians, psychiatrists are licensed to prescribe medication to patients. Read this article on the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist if you're interested in learning more.

Overall, both psychologists and counselors use their knowledge of the human mind to make lives better.

How are they different? Clinical psychologists, like counselors, work 1-on-1 with clients in therapeutic settings. In these instances, psychologists make use of testing to help clients while counselors rely on different therapeutic approaches to address patient issues.

But unlike counseling, many psychology roles are not clinical and do not involve therapy or case management. Since the science of psychology is so widely applicable, graduates of psychology degree programs could find themselves working in fields like advertising, business operations, traffic safety, education, criminal justice, recruitment, research and more.

Typically, professional licensed counselors will need to earn an MA (Master of Arts) or MS (Master of Science). This may vary slightly with school counselors, who usually earn an MEd (Master of Education).

Generally, these degrees require 2-3 years of coursework including an internship.

Our online Master of Arts (MA) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, for example, requires 60 total credits, including a combination of coursework, face-to-face residencies and supervised fieldwork.

This CACREP-accredited program also integrates hands-on learning experiences, including face-to-face and virtual residencies to help you apply your skills in professional environments.

There are many great accredited schools providing psychology degrees, but choosing which is best depends on what you prioritize in your own life.

When it comes to affordability and flexibility, Southern New Hampshire University is a great choice. At $627 per credit, SNHU offers some of the lowest online graduate tuition rates in the nation – rates that haven't been raised in a decade. With 5 graduate terms per year and no set class times or login requirements, studying online at SNHU gives you the flexibility to earn your degree without forcing you to make any drastic changes to your life.

In your research, you might find mentions of the American Psychological Association – a renowned scientific and professional psychology organization. Note that SNHU's master's in psychology is not APA-accredited because the American Psychological Association only accredits doctoral, internship and postdoctoral residency programs. SNHU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

¹Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, on the internet at:

• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/psychologist.htm (viewed Nov. 4, 2022).
• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/market-research-analysts.htm (viewed Nov. 4, 2022).
• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm (viewed Nov. 4, 2022).
• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/training-and-development-managers.htm (viewed Nov. 4, 2022).

Cited projections may not reflect local or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

²American Psychological Association, Careers in Psychology, on the internet, at: https://www.apa.org/careers/resources/guides/careers (viewed Sept. 23, 2021).