Human behavior and the workings of the brain are multifaceted mysteries, puzzles solved in part through the study and application of psychology. Whether your preferred approach is through research, in a school counseling department or as an independent therapist, a range of options for graduate level psychology degrees in California schools (I-Z) are available.
La Sierra University
School of Education, Department of School Psychology and Counseling
La Sierra University repeatedly has been named by U.S. News & World Report as the most diverse university in the western United States. A Seventh-day Adventist Christian institution, the college focuses on the moral and ethical dimensions of teaching. The School of Education encourages cooperative learning through effective teaching and nurturing relationships between faculty and students. Classes are limited to 20 students or less, and all classes meet once a week in the evenings. The institution is accredited by the Adventist Accrediting Association and Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC ).
Master of Arts in Counseling
Participants in the Master of Arts in Counseling degree program are trained to work under appropriate supervision as counselors in a range of institutional and individual settings, performing a variety of functions, including intake and assessment, one-on-one counseling and crisis intervention. Faculty employ a variety of teaching methods, including case studies, cooperative learning, group processes and technology-based learning.
Housed within the Department of School Psychology and Counseling in the School of Education, the Master of Arts in Counseling program attracts students with professional experience in or aspirations for a career within a school environment. The school offers various teaching- and school-related credentials for the state of California and for Seventh-day Adventist schools. La Sierra University assists in the preparation for the California Pupil Personnel Services Credential with a School Counseling specialization.
Doctor of Education in Educational Psychology or School Psychology and Measurement
The School of Education has offered the Doctor of Education since 1968, making the program one of the oldest of its kind. The Department of School Psychology and Counseling grants doctorates in education in the areas of Educational Psychology and in School Psychology and Measurement.
The doctorate in Educational Psychology prepares students for roles as a researcher and/or teacher at higher educational and research institutions. Students who are working towards becoming a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) through the Board of Behavioral Sciences in California can choose the elective program that awards an Ed.D. in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Mental Health.
The School Psychology doctoral program is available both generally and with an emphasis in behavior analysis. The doctorate allows students the option of becoming a credentialed school psychologist through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC). Additionally, students who successfully complete coursework in this program are eligible to apply for a credential in California through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB).
Contact:
School of Education
La Sierra University
4500 Riverwalk Parkway
Riverside, CA 92515
(800) 874-5587 x2335
education@lasierra.edu
Link
Loyola Marymount University
Professional Services Division of the School of Education
This Jesuit university sprawls across a 147-acre campus in Westchester, overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the city of Los Angeles. Steeped in Roman Catholic tradition and values, Loyola Marymount University values the education of the whole person, service of faith and promotion of justice. The School of Education offers small classes and accessible faculty.
The university is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). All credential programs offered through the School of Education are California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) approved Professional Preparation Programs.
Master of Arts in Educational Psychology Combined with a PPS Credential (School Psychology)
This program is designed to prepare graduate students to work in the field of psychology in elementary and secondary schools. Completion of this three-year program, which includes 1,700 hours of supervised fieldwork in addition to the 63 units of coursework, confers a Master of Arts degree in Educational Psychology, Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in School Psychology and California Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) School Psychology Credential, which is required to become a school psychologist in K-12 California public schools. Completion of the School Psychology credential also meets the academic and internship requirements for the Educational Psychologist license for private practice in California. The program is accredited by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) and is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).
Contact:
School of Education
Loyola Marymount University
University Hall
Suite 2100
1 LMU Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90045
(310) 258-8768
Link
National University
College of Letters & Sciences, Department of Psychology
National University takes pride in the diversity of its student body. The institution provides more master’s degrees in education to minority students than any other college or university in California, and consistently ranks in the top 10 nationally in granting master’s degrees to women. The second largest private, nonprofit institution of higher education in California, National University has locations throughout San Diego County, regional campuses located across California in Costa Mesa, Sacramento, Redding, San Jose, Stockton, Fresno, Bakersfield, Ontario, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Oxnard, Woodland Hills and Twentynine Palms, and in Henderson, Nevada. The university is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology
This program is for students committed to the practice of professional counseling. Students must choose one of two specializations. The Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) Area of Specialization meets the academic requirements necessary to sit for the MFT License required by the Board of Behavioral Sciences in the state of California. This specialization is aimed for students interested in individual, couples, family, adolescent and child psychotherapy. The Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) area of specialization meets the academic requirements of the Board of Behavioral Sciences in the state of California. The LPCC specialization focuses on counseling techniques and theories and is designed for students committed to the practice of individual and group counseling. The degree, with either specialization, also prepares students for the pursuit of doctoral studies in practitioner-oriented programs such as counseling or clinical psychology.
Master of Arts in Performance Psychology
Coursework and hands-on learning experiences in this program cover performance psychology techniques, counseling, peak performance and sport science, training graduates to apply what is learned to athletes, performing artists, corporate settings and coaching. The Master of Arts in Performance Psychology fulfills the academic requirements for certification by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).
Contact:
National University Academic Headquarters
11255 North Torrey Pines Road
La Jolla, CA 92037
(800) 628-8648
advisor@nu.edu
Link
Phillips Graduate Institute
Founded in1971 by pioneers in family therapy, the Phillips Graduate Institute offers masters and professional doctorate degrees in psychology and the field of human relations, as well as post-graduate credential programs and continuing education workshops for mental health practitioners. The faculty, who are all licensed, practicing professionals with diverse specializations, follow an experientially-based academic approach. Class schedules allow the working adult and recent graduate to tailor a schedule that fits around other obligations. The school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC).
Master of Arts in Psychology
Systems theories are the core of the academic program, with students exposed to foundational concepts and clinical methodologies in the classroom that are then applied in hands-on training. Phillips Graduate Institute Counseling Center serves as the primary training center for students and provides a variety of sliding-scale mental health services for the community. Though the family systems theory is the theoretical basis for academic learning and clinical skills training, the program presents an array of models and encourages students to use the methodologies and theories most applicable to the situation and to their preferences.
Candidates for the Master of Arts in Psychology have four options for focus areas: Marriage & Family Therapy (MFT), which fulfills the educational requirements for licensure in California; Marriage & Family Therapy/Art Therapy, which integrates marriage and family therapy practices, art therapy approaches and the application of interpersonal neurobiology theory; School Counseling (PPS), which has the primary goal of training students to become school counselors; and, School Psychology (PPS), which provides future school psychologists with a solid academic foundation in both psychology and education.
Contact:
Phillips Graduate Institute
19900 Plummer Street
Chatsworth, CA 91311
(818) 861-6627
(818) 386-5660 (Admissions)
Link
Saint Mary’s College Of California
Kalmanovitz School of Education
A Catholic liberal arts school located on a 420-acre campus 20 miles from San Francisco, Saint Mary’s College of California follows a Lasallian approach to teaching and learning. The school values education as a vehicle for transformative leadership and social justice and is committed to community service. The college has been fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) since 1949.
Within the Kalmanovitz School of Education is the Graduate Counseling Program (GCP), which strives to prepare counselors to competently address the whole person, given the individual’s socio-political and cultural context.
Master of Arts in Counseling
Within the Graduate Counseling Program’s Master of Arts in Counseling program students select from the following specializations: Career Counseling, College Student Service, General, MFT/LPCC, School Counseling and School Psychology. Students may complete more than one specialization with additional courses and fieldwork. All specializations provide a broad background in counseling. Students not interested in the other areas of specialization should choose the General option. The School Counseling and School Psychology specializations both fulfill the requirements of the California Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) credential for working in California’s public schools. The Marriage and Family Therapy/Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor specialization provides the educational requirements to pursue an MFT and/or LPCC internship upon graduation. Students can pursue the master degree on a part-time or full-time basis.
Contact:
Saint Mary’s College Of California
Kalmanovitz School of Education
1928 Saint Mary’s Road
Moraga, CA 94556
(925) 631-4700
soereq@stmarys-ca.edu
Link
San Diego State University
College of Sciences, Department of Psychology
San Diego State University, a leading public research university, is the oldest and largest institution of higher learning in the San Diego region. The university ranks in the top 20 in the nation for ethnic and racial diversity. The Department of Psychology, which is part of the College of Sciences, offers top-ranked graduate degree programs.
Master of Arts in Psychology
The Master of Arts in Psychology is intended for students who need advanced work to strengthen their application to Ph.D. programs or for students who wish to explore graduate level work before making a commitment to Ph.D. training. The program is research oriented and provides no clinical training. Each student is assigned a faculty mentor who will provide research opportunities and experience in the mentor’s laboratory. The degree program culminates with a thesis project involving the design of an original empirical study that candidates are required to complete and present.
Master of Science Program in Applied Psychology (Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Program Evaluation)
The Master of Science in Applied Psychology is a full-time program that prepares students for jobs that require the application of psychological knowledge to the workplace or to community settings. This program involves training in theory, research, and practice. Students choose one of two emphases: Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Program Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. Both are based on a scientist-practitioner model.
Note: Graduate programs in school counseling, school psychology, marriage and family therapy and community counseling are offered by the Department of Education at San Diego State University.
Contact:
Department of Psychology
College of Sciences
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182
(619) 594-5359
mcrawford@sciences.sdsu.edu
Link
University of California, Berkeley
College of Letters and Science, Department of Psychology
Founded in 1868, the University of California, Berkeley is a world-renowned public research university located in the San Francisco Bay Area on a core campus of 178 acres. In the U.S. News & World Report rankings, the university consistently ranks at the top of the list for best graduate program in psychology, among many other academic offerings. The university also boasts the largest number of highly ranked graduate programs in the country.
The Department of Psychology strives to produce scholars and researchers with sufficient breadth of knowledge of the field of psychology coupled with sufficient depth of specialization to conduct independent, impactful research.
Master of Arts in Psychology
The Psychology Department does not offer a degree program that results in a Master of Arts designation, though doctoral students may choose to pursue a Master of Arts degree while they are working towards the doctoral degree. At least 20 units of coursework and a thesis based on a significant research project must be completed to apply for candidacy. If a student already has a Master’s degree from elsewhere, then he or she is ineligible for a University of California, Berkeley Master of Arts in Psychology.
Doctorate of Philosophy in Psychology
The Ph.D. program in Psychology is a full-time day program that requires five years to complete. The department contains five training units: Behavioral Neuroscience, which studies the neurobiological/physiological bases of behavior; Change, Plasticity and Development, which researches change over time in cognitive, social, emotional and physiological processes; Clinical Science, which seeks to understand and to ease human problems; Cognition, Brain and Behavior, which provides graduate training and research programs in Cognitive Neuroscience and Cognitive Psychology; and, Social-Personality Psychology, which prepares students for careers in research and university teaching in the areas of psychology that relate to individuals’ interactions with and reactions to other people. Each unit’s academic requirements vary, though all include a combination of coursework, seminars and supervised independent research.
The Clinical Science Program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS).
Contact:
Department of Psychology
3210 Tolman Hall #1652
Berkeley, CA 94720
(510) 642-1382
psychgradadmissions@berkeley.edu
Link
University of La Verne
College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology
The University of La Verne, founded in 1891, is situated on a 32-acre main campus on the edge of Los Angeles County. Additionally, the university has a nearby College of Law campus and seven regional campuses. The College of Arts and Sciences offers several academic programs flexibly scheduled to accommodate traditional-aged students as well as working professionals attending on a full or part-time basis. Service- and industry-oriented education emphasizes both theoretical knowledge and practical application of skills. The university is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy
The Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Master of Science program trains students to become therapists to meet the psychological needs of families, couples and children. Theoretical training is combined with practical experiences to prepare students for professional counseling careers. The program’s theoretical foundation emphasizes the best practices Recovery Model and general systems theory.
Completion of this program fulfills the academic requirements for licensure in California by the Board of Behavioral Science as a Marriage and Family Therapist. The MFT Master of Science also fulfills the academic requirements for California community college counseling and instructor positions. Additionally, the master’s program meets statutory requirements for the LPCC (Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor) license in California.
Contact:
University of La Verne
1950 Third Stree
La Verne, CA 91750
(909) 593-3511
Link
University of San Francisco
School of Education (Master’s) and School of Nursing and Health Professions (Doctorate)
Situated in the center of the city of San Francisco, the University of San Francisco was the city’s first university, established in 1855. The university’s mission and its programs of study are based on the Jesuit Catholic tradition of education and the values of justice and social responsibility. Its many academic programs focus on addressing and correcting disparities in the delivery of physical and mental health services to the underserved.
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology
The School of Education’s Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology program offers a Concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Program consistent with California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) educational requirements. Designed for working professionals, the program features small class sizes and instructors who all are practicing mental health professionals. Also available is a Concentration in School Counseling, with Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credential. This program meets the California State Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) requirements for working as a school counselor in public K-12 schools. Students in the program have the option after completing the first semester to enroll in a Dual Concentration Program in School Counseling and Professional Clinical Counseling.
Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology – Behavioral Health
The School of Nursing and Health Professions’ Doctor of Clinical Psychology program puts emphasis on behavioral health and the integration of mental, emotional and physical health. The program also focuses on training professionals to developing the cultural competence required to effectively meet the needs of underserved populations. The Psy.D. program prepares professional psychologists under a practitioner-scholar model.
The program is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and has Associate Member status in the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP). Graduates are eligible for licensure in California as psychologists.
Contact:
University of San Francisco
2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 422-5555
Link
With campuses located across the state offering a diverse range of programs, students from all walks of life have a variety of graduate psychology degrees in California schools (I-Z) to choose from.
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