Online Master's in Psychology MS Degree

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, executive director 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's 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

The 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 is your goal, SNHU’s psychology master’s program is designed to set you up for success at the doctoral level, which can open doors in most types of psychology.

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.

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

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 can help when applying and qualifying for 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 Dr. Thomas MacCarty, associate dean of social sciences at SNHU.

The BLS reported that social scientists and related workers earned a median annual salary of $89,440 in 2023.¹

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.

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 $637 per credit, SNHU offers some of the lowest online graduate tuition rates in the nation. 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).