To get a job in a psychology related field, you typically need at least a master’s degree. Students with a graduate degree have much more employment options than students with only a bachelor degree. There are a couple schools that offer master’s degrees online if you want to further your education without disrupting your work and family life. We evaluated the online schools and chose the best degree programs based on several factors including tuition cost, special features, reputation, and accreditation.
Accreditation is an especially important factor because it can affect your job search. There are two types of institutional accreditation, regional and national. Regional accreditation is recognized by more employers than national accreditation. Also, credits from regionally accredited institutions are accepted by more schools if you choose to enroll in a doctoral program in the future. Because of these reasons, we only picked degrees from regionally accredited schools.
Here are our top five online master’s programs in psychology:
- Master of Arts in I/O Psychology (The Chicago School of Professional Psychology)
- Master of Science in Applied Psychology (Sacred Heart University)
- Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology (Argosy University)
- Master of Science in General Psychology (Grand Canyon University)
- Master of Arts in General Psychology (Northcentral University)
Master of Arts in I/O Psychology (The Chicago School of Professional Psychology)
Regional Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, commonly known as “The Chicago School,” offers a Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. This program teaches you principles and strategies to maximize a company’s labor force.
It is flexible with four specializations to choose from: Consumer Psychology, Organizational Effectiveness, Leadership for Healthcare Professionals, and Workplace Diversity. You can earn the degree in as little as 20 months.
The Chicago School is the largest and oldest nonprofit institution of graduate psychology. With their singular focus on psychology, the school is able to provide a better education than schools with programs in other fields.
The Chicago School is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) so you will receive a quality education from qualified faculty.
Admission is selective. In fall 2006, the school accepted only 27 percent of applicants, compared to other APA colleges that had an average acceptance rate of 40 percent and non-APA colleges with an average rate of 60 percent.
[Request more information from The Chicago School about their master's degree program]
Master of Science in Applied Psychology (Sacred Heart University)
Regional Accreditation: New England Association of Schools and Colleges
Sacred Heart University is one of the best schools to get a master’s degree in psychology. Sacred Heart is a tier one school according to U.S. News and World Report. Also, the magazine ranked the school as one of the top 30 master’s level institutions in the North, according to the 2010 edition of “America’s Best Colleges.”
Sacred Heart offers a Master of Science in Applied Psychology that is designed to help you apply the latest psychology principles to real life work situations. The curriculum includes fieldwork projects so you will have opportunities to practice the lessons you learn from the virtual classroom.
You can choose from a general track and two concentrations, Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Community Psychology.
The faculty consists of experienced teachers, many of whom are practicing, licensed psychologists.
The degree gives you the skills and qualifications for many different sectors including human resources, social services, labor relations, and government. Also, it prepares you for doctoral studies in the future.
[Request more information from Sacred Heart University about their master's degree program]
Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology (Argosy University)
Regional Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
If you are interested in forensic psychology, consider enrolling in Argosy University’s Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology. Argosy has one of the largest graduate student communities in the nation. The school is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).
As a student, you will gain the skills needed to compete for positions such as government agent, juvenile counselor, educator, therapist, and law enforcement agent.
Course highlights include Maladaptive Behavior and Psychopathology, Individual Assessment, Evaluation and Treatment of Offenders, and Psychology of the Victim.
Argosy provides their online students the same top-notch instruction and level of service as their campus students. Also, upon graduation, you will receive the same degree as the campus students. Your transcript and diploma will not have an online distinction.
[Request more information from Argosy University about their master's degree program]
Master of Science in General Psychology (Grand Canyon University)
Regional Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
Grand Canyon University’s Master of Science in General Psychology is a top degree from a great online school. The Online Education Database ranked Grand Canyon 7th place in their overall rankings of online colleges and universities. Also, the school has small classes with an student-faculty ratio of 13 to 1.
The tuition cost is only $465.00 per credit hour.
The degree program emphasizes critical thinking and leadership skills. With these qualities, you can impact the workplace whether your role is practitioner, teacher, or researcher.
Course highlights in the curriculum include Contemporary and Ethical Issues in Psychology, Graduate Statistics, Human Development, and Learning, Cognition, and Motivation.
At the end of the degree, you will enroll in a capstone course that gives you the opportunity to conduct research on an original topic.
[Request more information from Grand Canyon University about their master's degree program]
Master of Arts in General Psychology (Northcentral University)
Regional Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The Master of Arts in General Psychology from Northcentral University gives you a solid education base for doctoral programs in psychology. Also, you will be prepared to work in a variety of settings.
The degree offers maximum flexibility in the direction of your studies. You can choose from a broad range of elective courses in order to fit your personal and professional goals.
Northcentral has a unique faculty mentored approach. The faculty is trained to teach online and provides personal attention.
Classes in the curriculum include Theories of Human Development and Functioning, Research Design, Theories of Personality, and Multicultural Issues in Psychology.
The program does not require any campus residency requirements so you can complete the degree at your own time and schedule. Flexible monthly start dates allow you to start right away on your education.
The tuition rate is affordable at $560 per credit hour. The school also offers a choice of payment plans.
[Request more information from Northcentral University about their master's degree program]
