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Psychology, Master of Arts

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Psychology at St. John's provides you with a broad background of psychological knowledge and tools as preparation for more advanced work in the field.

Earn a master's degree in Psychology from St. John's University in New York City! 

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Psychology at St. John's provides you with a broad background of psychological knowledge and tools as preparation for more advanced work in the field. The program is heavily research-oriented providing you with a solid foundation to pursue many other fields of inquiry.

Courses for the M.A. are offered in the evening, allowing for part-time attendance toward completion of the degree with a minimum of six credits per semester. Graduate assistantships are available on a competitive basis.

Students in this program may also qualify for a Behavioral Research Methods Digital Badge.

Department Faculty

Please see a list of our Psychology faculty.

Department Contact

Dana Chesney, Ph.D.
Associate Professor & Director M.A. Psychology
[email protected]

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Degree Type
MA
Area of Interest
Social Sciences
Associated Colleges or Schools
Program Location
  • Queens Campus
Required Credit Hours
33

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Admission

In order to qualify for admission to this program, you must:

  • Possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university
  • Have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0
  • Submit official transcripts of all undergraduate and previous graduate coursework
  • Have completed an Introduction to Psychology course and a course in statistics
  • Submit three letters of recommendation, one of which must be from an individual who will address the applicant’s research potential
  • Submit a laboratory/research paper or a term paper
  • Provide a clearly written statement of educational and professional goals

For fall admission, preference is given to applications received by May 1. For spring admission, preference is given to applications received by November 1.

Office of Graduate Admission
718-990-1601
[email protected]

 

Tuition and Financial Aid

Graduate Assistantships

You may apply for administrative graduate assistantships throughout the University. These positions offer tuition remission and, typically, a stipend. You can find more information about graduate assistantships on the Graduate Assistantships and Fellowships page.

Courses

The M.A. program requires the satisfactory completion of 33 credits and offers the option to complete a thesis. Students in the thesis track register for PSY 900 for two semesters. Students in the non-thesis track take two additional electives in lieu of PSY 900 and register for the comprehensive exam, PSY 105, during their final semester. Students must also choose between two tracks of study: Social and Developmental Processes, and Cognitive and Behavioral Processes

Basic Psychology Methods (12 credits)

PSY 603Statistics3 credits
PSY 604Research Methods3 credits
PSY 650History of Psychology3 credits
PSY 659Psychological Measurements and Scaling3 credits

Non-Thesis Option

Social and Developmental Processes

PSY 622Social Psychology3 credits
PSY 623Developmental Psychology3 credits
PSY 630Personality Psychology3 credits
PSY 621Psychopathology   3 credits
Electives9 credits

Cognitive and Behavioral Processes

PSY 606Perception3 credits
PSY 616Principles of Learning3 credits
PSY 617Cognitive Psychology3 credits
PSY 648Physiological Psychology   3 credits
Electives9 credits

Thesis Option

Social and Developmental Processes

PSY 622Social Psychology3 credits
PSY 623Developmental Psychology3 credits
PSY 630Personality Psychology3 credits
PSY 621Psychopathology   3 credits
Electives9 credits
PSY 900Master's Thesis Research6 credits

Cognitive and Behavioral Processes

PSY 606Perception3 credits
PSY 616Principles of Learning3 credits
PSY 617Cognitive Psychology3 credits
PSY 648Physiological Psychology   3 credits
Electives9 credits
PSY 900Master's Thesis Research6 credits

Research Opportunities

The M.A. Psychology curriculum stresses the relationship between theory and research. The program will prepare you to plan and carry out empirical research, and to report your research findings. Because the flexible nature of the program encourages active collaboration among students and faculty, you’ll have access to relevant data to build your own research portfolio.

Some of our faculty members who invite master’s students to work in their labs are:

Elizabeth Brondolo, Ph.D.Symptom reporting and help seeking; psychological factors in cardiovascular disease; minority mental health.
Elissa Brown, Ph.D.Assessment and treatment of children exposed to trauma and physical and sexual abuse.
William Chaplin, Ph.D.Personality; psychometrics; data analysis.
Dana Chesney, Ph.D.Numerical literacy.
Wilson McDermut, Ph.D.The diagnosis and treatment of depression and anxiety disorders; behavior therapy.

Career Outcomes

The M.A. will prepare you for further study in psychology or for related fields like marketing research and program evaluation. Our graduates function as independent researchers in laboratory settings, hospitals, and industry. After gaining valuable research experience through the M.A. program, you become a competitive applicant for Ph.D. or Psy.D. programs if you wish to continue your graduate education at the doctoral level.

Interested in Social Sciences, but not sure if Psychology, Master of Arts is right for you?

Explore opportunities at St. John's with our pathway generator.