Master’s in Psychology

As our understanding of the complexities of the human mind and behavior has grown exponentially over the last century, so has the field of psychology. After all, the central concern of psychology is the study of human behavior and its origins in the neurological, biological, cultural, and chemical processes that impact thought, instinct, and our interactions with the world. In the words of the eminently quipable, oft-quoted, early-20th-century French poet and philosopher Paul Valery, “The purpose of psychology is to give us a completely different idea of the things we know best.”

The degree to which those completely different ideas about the things we know best have proliferated since Valery’s time, penetrating the almost every fiber of the fabric of human existence, would be hard to measure. But just as scientific advances in our knowledge of human biology and physiology have pushed the field of medicine into new areas of specialization, our quantitative and qualitative insights into the processes of the human mind have opened up whole new areas of study in the realm of psychology, and created exciting new ideas about how to apply the tools of psychology. As a result, demand for well-trained psychologists has been growing, and so have the various areas of specialization in the field. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that an ongoing need for psychological services in schools, hospitals, mental-health centers, and social-service agencies will amount to a 12 percent growth rate in employment across the board for psychologists through 2022. Jobs in the relatively new specialization of industrial-organizational psychologists will likely increase by a projected 52 percent.

Because the job market is a competitive one, and the skills required to become a licensed psychologist require intensive training and in-depth study, a master’s degree in psychology is a necessary step in the process of entering the field. There are numerous areas of specialization in master’s programs, from clinical and social psychology, to forensic, experimental, and the aforementioned industrial-organizational psychology. And, within each area of specialization, there are further areas of concentration, including sports psychology and neuropsychology. We’ll look at the range of different master’s programs in psychology and some of the common career paths that are associated with each of them.

MA vs. MS: Choosing the Right Program

A two-year master’s degree in psychology can be an end in and of itself — in academic and professional terms, a terminal master’s degree. Or, as is often the case for anyone aiming to practice as a licensed psychologist, the master’s degree is the middle step between a bachelor’s degree and an eventual doctorate (PhD) or Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree. In either case, completion of a BA or BS is an almost universal requirement, although the American Psychological Association and the Bureau of Labor Statistics both emphasize that an undergraduate degree in psychology is not necessary. “In general,” the APA explains, “graduate programs require only introductory psychology, statistics, and experimental psychology/research methods. Graduate schools want a solid background in psychology; they will teach you the rest.”

Once you have those bases covered, you’ll want to find out what other materials, including GRE scores and faculty recommendations, specific master’s programs require as part of the application process. And, you’ll also have to decide what kind of master’s degree program best suits your needs, depending on what career path you’re aiming to pursue. Weighing the relative benefits of a master’s of science versus a master’s of arts in psychology might be one of the first important considerations, although more often than not the area of focus will determine whether it’s an MA or an MS program. For example, a master’s program in clinical neuropsychology and behavioral neuroscience is more likely to be an MS, while programs in social and/or community psychology tend to be MAs. Most master’s degree programs include a defined program of study, as well as a requirement to complete a master’s thesis, which usually includes research within a particular area of specialization.

Master’s Degree Specializations

Because there is quite a bit of variation from program to program, depending on the area of specialization, we’ll look at five of the more common types of master’s degrees in psychology.

Course Topics

Depending on the specific concentration, most master’s degree programs in psychology will provide you with knowledge in some, if not all, of the following areas:

Career Options, Salaries, and Job Outlook

It’s important to remember that a doctoral degree, or PhD, is generally required in most states to obtain a certification as a licensed psychologist. However, there are a number of different careers and job opportunities open to those who have completed a master’s degree in psychology. The job outlook and typical salaries can vary greatly from area to area, so we’ll run through a few of the more typical ones below, using the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.