Online degrees are a great way to pursue education without letting go of your day job. There are several courses you can take which will only add to your skill set and make you better at your job. Besides, if you cannot stop working but would also like to study further, an online degree allows you to do both. The distance-learning model is ideal for those who cannot devote as much time to a college. But while a graduate degree delivered online may not have as many demands as a full-time degree on-site, it can still be a bit challenging to straddle both a job and an education. Nevertheless, the degrees are designed so that there is minimal clash between your education and other adult responsibilities. The following is a brief guide to online graduate psychology programs.
What Is an Online Graduate Degree in Psychology?
An online graduate degree in psychology can be in a variety of different fields or it can be a general psychology degree. This is a degree that is delivered online and does not require you to come to campus or relocate so you can attend classes. Classes are typically held through web seminars and are also capable of being interactive. This degree would also mean it is at the graduate level and you are required to have an undergraduate or a bachelor’s degree in order to be eligible to apply for a graduate program. Graduate degrees in psychology should open you up to a variety of different career opportunities based on your specialization.
Online Graduate Psychology Programs
The following are some of the best online graduate psychology programs you can enroll yourself in.
The course structure, specializations and tuition fee for all the courses are different. But you are sure to find something of value from the list below:
Capella University
Capella University offers an online Master of Science in Psychology course which will allow you to specialize in general psychology. The course should enable you to go through principles and theories of psychology. You will also become equipped with various research methodologies and understand how general psychology is linked to other aspects of life, like public policy, businesses, professional ethics, etc. You will be studying four core courses, five specialization courses and the two-year degree will end with one integrative project. You can also pick between the GuidedPathTM format, which follows the schedule and deadlines set by the school, or the FlexPathTM format, which allows you to set your own schedule and move on to the next course when you manage to complete the previous one. The GuidedPathTM format costs $485 per credit, for 50 total quarter credits. The FlexPathTM format has a flat fee of $10,800–$21,600.
University of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin — Madison offers a Master of Science for Professional Educators. This is an online Masters degree for educational professionals. The course is an integration of courses from three different departments in the University — Educational Psychology, Curriculum & Instruction and Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis. This is a two-year degree designed especially for teaching professionals who require the flexibility of distance-learning and online education. You are required to complete 30 credits and the course tuition fees are set at $800 per credit.
Walden University
Walden University offers a few different online psychology and counseling degrees. Among graduate degrees, the university offers Master of Science (MS) in Psychology, in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, in Developmental Psychology, in Forensic Psychology, in School Counseling and a lot more. In each of the subjects, you can choose your specializations. You will also be encouraged to apply the scientific methods you learn in class into your research methodology. The good thing about considering Walden University is that you get to pick between a variety of different specializations and core specialties within the wide field of psychology. You are required to complete 48 quarter credit hours and the course tuition fee is priced at $535 per quarter hour.
Grand Canyon University
Grand Canyon University offers a Master of Science in General Psychology as an online degree. As part of the program’s core courses, you will be covering discourses like contemporary and ethical issues in psychology; social and cultural psychology; learning, cognition and motivation; human development; psychopathology and others. You are required to complete 36 credit hours in total. The program is 20 months long, though there have been instances of students not completing the program within the stipulated time and the university has accommodated their requests for extra time as well. The cost, of course, is $20,035 for tuition and fees, and $525 for the course material, books and supplies.
Colorado State University
Colorado State University offers an online Masters in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. This is a course that will enable you to make workplaces more employee friendly, productive and sensitive. You will be able to analyze the effectiveness of programs in the workplace and also be equipped to design programs for making the workplace more efficient and inclusive. The online degree can be completed within two to four years. You will be studying core subjects like applied industrial psychology, workforce training and development, applied organizational development, etc. You are required to complete 38 credit hours and the course is priced at $757 per credit hour.
Final Thoughts
The programs listed above are some of the best online graduate degrees in psychology. You can get a variety of different focusses and choose the area of psychology you want to focus on. These degrees also open you up to better job opportunities and allow you to ask for higher compensation for the skills you bring to the table. Besides, an online graduate degree is also far less expensive than relocating and paying for accommodation. You can study from the comfort of your home and most degrees also allow you the flexibility of choosing your own schedule. This is a great way to keep up with your education and also take care of other responsibilities that lie outside the ambit of university life.