Curriculum
Credits required to graduate: 37
The online Master of Science in Psychology (MS PSY) program was developed upon the American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines for psychology education to provide you with specialized knowledge and appropriate training in the following areas:
- Testing and assessment
- Social psychology
- Human growth and development
- Psychobiology
- Industrial/organizational psychology
- Leadership and management
The curriculum was built to deliver professional knowledge, skills and practice to prepare you for a career in the field of applied psychology and to inform your thinking and professional behaviors in the areas of psychological theory, research, current practice, social justice and advocacy, and ethical professional development.
Whether you work in business development, marketing, human resources, criminal justice, or are interested in a career in clinical or industrial/organizational psychology, our state-of-the-art curriculum provides the course topics you need to gain expertise that suits your career goals.
Program structure
The online Master of Science in Psychology is a 37-credit program that can be completed on a part-time or full-time basis. Full time students typically take two courses per eight-week term, enabling them to complete the degree in one year.
Students choose from two different tracks based on their career goals: General Track and Industrial/Organizational Psychology Track.
The program culminates with a thesis in psychology, which incorporates both fieldwork and one-on-one instructor supervision. The thesis aligns with your specialization and career interests to help you develop appropriate skills training in applied psychological settings, and concludes with the presentation of your master’s thesis, which demonstrates your ability to develop an applied research project.
Tracks
General track
The general track is geared toward students who are interested in applying psychological principles to their profession. These students will take courses in psychobiology—the study of the biology of behavior—as well as human growth and development, enabling them to become acquainted with a range of issues and theories of individual and family development over the lifespan and prepare for careers including:
- Survey researcher
- Market Analyst
- Organizational Training
- Education
- Sales Professional
- Admissions Counselor
- Behavioral Technician
- Mental Health Technician
As a general track student, you’ll take a seminar in psychology, which is a special topics course that focuses on the history and philosophy of the seminar topic and informs students of the various career development and educational opportunities available in the specified field.
You’ll also have the option to take elective courses from both the industrial/organizational psychology track, as well as any Lynn graduate program that suits your career goals. These programs include Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC), Criminal Justice (MSCJ) and the Lynn online MBA, and offer courses in ethics, substance abuse, leadership, management and more.
Industrial/organizational psychology track
The industrial/organizational psychology track enables you to focus on the scientific study of human behavior in the workplace. By combining advanced industrial/organizational psychology coursework with courses in leadership, management, and human resources from the Lynn MBA curriculum, you’ll be able to derive insights at the individual, group, and organizational levels and apply this knowledge to solve problems in a variety of sectors.
Students who earn the online psychology degree with a track in industrial/organizational psychology will be prepared for careers in a range of industries with responsibilities including:
- Identifying training and developmental needs
- Designing and optimizing quality of work-life solutions
- Developing training programs and evaluating their effectiveness
- Evaluating performance on an individual and organizational level
- Coaching and motivating employees
Online learning environment
The MS PSY program was designed specifically for the online learning environment, and our faculty are experts at delivering innovative coursework to engage online students. Courses feature a variety of materials to help students enhance their learning, including video presentations, podcasts, written lectures and faculty videos. Students often participate in discussion boards, fostering collaboration between their fellow classmates and instructors.
MS PSY courses are largely asynchronous, meaning students can view lectures and complete related assignments on their own time. However, there may be live components in certain courses such as group Skype meetings and one-on-one discussions with the instructor.
All online MS PSY courses are delivered on the Canvas learning management system. It serves as a hub for faculty and students and is the portal through which students access all coursework.
Students typically devote 3 hours per class per week to coursework. Though the online format provides flexibility, most assignments must be completed on schedule.
iPad initiative
Lynn University is committed to evolving as an institution, providing the best possible educational experience for its students using cutting-edge technologies. In pursuit of that goal, we’re proud to offer our online MS PSY students an iPad upon admission. To learn more, review our iPad initiative FAQ.
Course schedule
PSY 500 – Personality Theories (3)
This course offers a study of the major theories of the composition and determinants of human personality. The theories examined include: psychoanalytic theories, self-theory, self-actualization theory, trait theories and social learning theory.
PSY 530 – Advanced Social Psychology (3)
In this course, students will explore advanced theories of social behaviors and human interactions. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the literature, drawing connections between social psychology and other disciplines and developing interventions and applications based on the theories discussed.
PSY 540 – Research and Program Evaluation (3)
This course will explore theoretical and practical interpretations of research results and program analyses in the field of counseling and psychology. Specifically, students will study both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis. Students will also be instructed on the use of statistical software by completing exercises in and out of class. This course will provide students with the background to conduct research and be a consumer of research in the counseling and psychology fields.
PSY 590 – Scientific Writing and Analysis (3)
In this course, students will master academic writing for psychology and other sciences. A special emphasis will be placed on style, APA standards, and including appropriate content written work. Specifically, students will learn to write a review of the scientific literature, develop appropriate and testable scientific hypotheses, and master APA reporting of basic statistics. To emphasize statistical reporting, students will conduct and report univariate statistics using JASP. This course will also provide students with opportunities to continue work on the empirical master’s thesis.
PSY 600 – Thesis and Advanced Statistics (3)
Each student will conduct an independent research study. Students will be involved in projects connected to research faculty members. The student’s course instructor will supervise this independent study. Students will work closely with faculty to gain the skill set to develop and produce an applied research project. This course will provide the students with knowledge on scientific writing, instrument selection, use and evaluation, and all aspects of data collection, analysis and reporting. Students will be actively working on their individual thesis project working towards final completion during their Thesis in Psychology course.
PSY 640 – Social and Cultural Foundations (3)
This course will explore the psychological impact of social and cultural factors in the field of counseling and applied psychology. The influence of gender, race, age, ethnicity, culture, SES, religious preference, sexual orientation and mental and physical disabilities in psychological research and counseling relationships will be investigated. Prototyping, stereotyping and prejudice will be examined and interventions appropriate to handling these will be studied. The class will focus on the cultural factors relevant to clinical mental health counseling.
PSY 699 – Thesis in Psychology (3)
In this course, students will work closely with the instructor to complete their empirical master’s thesis that was proposed in Advanced Research in Psychology and started in Advanced Statistics. To complete the course, students must submit and formally defend an empirical master’s thesis to the faculty, as well as submit their work for consideration at an academic conference. Various options for careers and continued education will be discussed in the course. Students need to have completed all master’s level course work with a grade of B- or better to be eligible for placement in this course.
This course is designed to provide students with the foundations and implications of the developmental approach to the understanding of human growth and development. Students will become acquainted with a range of core issues and theories of individual and family development over the lifespan, including basic theoretical and methodological concepts, such as lifespan theories of development including physical, intellectual, moral and social development. This course includes an examination of the field today and applications of lifespan developmental science for intervention into developmental processes and implications for applied developmental research.
PSY 580 – Psychobiology (3)
Psychobiology is the study of the biology of behavior. Because the production and regulation of behavior is largely the job of the nervous system, this course will involve a study of the central nervous system and how it works. This study of behavioral neuroscience will include the physiological bases of sensation, sex, learning and memory, motivation, cognition, and abnormal behavior. By its very nature, psychobiology is a multidisciplinary field which draws from the fields of biology, psychology, chemistry, mathematics and physics.
PSY 688 – Seminar in Psychology (3)
This is a special topics course for psychology graduate students. Students will learn the history and philosophy of the seminar topic and will be informed of the various career development and educational opportunities available in the specified field. Students will develop critical thinking skills and will apply these skills to critiquing and presenting current practices and research methods in the field. Students will fully understand the ethical and legal principles applicable to those holding professional roles in society.
Electives (two electives, 3 credits each)
From the industrial/organizational psychology track or the Clinical Mental Health Counseling curriculum.
This course will explore the intersection of psychology and business. Students will critically examine the psychological principals behind workplace conflict and conflict resolution, personnel selection and retention, and leadership and management. The course will also provide examples of how personality assessment is practiced in business, and how to use modern research to make the workplace function more efficiently and productively.
PSY 620 – Testing and Assessment (3)
This course will examine the theory, history and methodological foundations of psychological testing, individual assessment and measurement in the field of psychology. Both the benefits and pitfalls of using assessment in practice will be investigated in underlining the importance of culture-related issues. This course will explore the avenues of assessment and the reliability and validity of the assessment tools presented.
PSY 635 – Professional Consulting Theories and Practice (3)
This course is focused on professional consulting theories and practice and follows curricular guidelines written by the “Society of Consulting Psychology”. Students will learn the principles of consulting for psychology, including basic skills for consulting organizations, individuals, and groups. Students will complete a variety of practical exercises intended to help develop a professional consulting portfolio. Students will also be introduced to and explore development opportunities in the preparation for a career in consulting. Course instruction will also be focused on self-assessment and improvement on areas of expertise and competency.
PSY 675 – Psychological Interventions for Organizational Change (3)
This course is focused on applications of personality psychology, social psychology, and basic statistics to organizational consulting. A scientist-practitioner approach will be emphasized. Specifically, the course will provide an overview of organizational structure, assessment, and psychological interventions for organizational change. We will also cover the basics of on-site action research and how to properly present research findings for a general audience. Students should be prepared to generate and analyze hypothetical data, using Microsoft Excel, JASP or some equivalent.
Elective (3)
Choose an elective from any Lynn graduate program including Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC), Criminal Justice (MSCJ), and the Lynn online MBA.
Request information
To learn more about Lynn University's online Master of Science in Psychology (MS PSY) and download a free brochure, fill out the fields below. You can also call 877-388-7239 to speak to one of our admission counselors about the degree program.Lynn University respects your right to privacy. By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails and calls from a representative of Lynn University, which may include the use of automated technology. Consent is needed to contact you, but is not a requirement to register or enroll.