Master of Arts in Psychology (M.A.)
Students in the Master of Arts in Psychology program complete required core courses and research components. Core courses include advanced work in the areas of human development, personality, abnormal psychology, cognitive and/or social psychology, assessment, and research methods, design and analysis, thus giving graduates a breadth of knowledge of psychological principles.
Students may select additional courses from one of four clusters of advanced psychology electives that represent specific subfields of psychology or other interest areas in consultation with the program adviser. The subfields or interest areas include human development, cultural psychology, organizational psychology, and health psychology. The Master of Arts in Psychology requires a total of 36 semester hours of graduate credit.
The Master of Arts in Psychology program is appropriate for students who are interested in teaching at the community college or four-year college level, or for a variety of other career options in developmental, cultural, organizational, or health psychology. The knowledge, skills and competencies developed in the master's program will also provide a solid foundation for later doctoral study.
It should be noted that graduate Psychology courses are primarily taught in a cohort model for Psychology students and occasionally offered at one or more of the Chicagoland campuses for students in other programs who need psychology electives. Students wishing a degree in Psychology should seriously consider joining a Master of Arts in Psychology Cohort described below.
The human development specialization provides an opportunity for advanced study of fundamental psychological principles and their application across the lifespan. Students have the opportunity to study at an advanced level the physical, social, emotional, moral, and intellectual development of human beings across the lifespan. An emphasis on life contexts incorporates a multicultural perspective.
Graduate-level course work in cultural psychology and courses from the other social sciences will help students address issues of cultures and values clarification as these impact on the attitudes and behavior of individuals and groups in community settings, as well as in the international climate of today's world. Graduates with training in cultural psychology will be able to work closely with clinicians, social scientists, educators, community, organizational and health psychologists, to name just a few.
The study of organizational psychology and related areas can give graduates the opportunity to apply their knowledge of psychology in business and corporate settings in the interest of improving productivity and the quality of life. Graduates with a knowledge of contemporary psychological principles and influence techniques can aid in customer relations and marketing fields, as well as many other applications.
The field of health psychology is receiving increased emphasis within both the professional and academic community. Health psychologists are interested in the psychological and behavioral aspects of physical and mental health. They aid in the promotion and maintenance of health, and often serve as members of multidisciplinary teams in the health-care professions.
To have program information sent to you contact the NLU Response Center at NLUINFO@nl.edu. To have an enrollment representative speak with you about the graduate program contact Jessica L. Johnson at JJohnson@nl.edu.
Program Requirements 36 SH |
Required Core Courses 15 semester hoursAll students in the Master of Arts in Psychology program are required to complete the following advanced psychology courses. These courses plus one additional elective in psychology comprise the Graduate Certificate in Psychology, the core on which all four specialties are based. LAP501 Introduction to Psychological Assessment 3
LAP505 Advanced Abnormal Psychology 3
LAP506 Advanced Human Development 3
LAP509 Advanced Social Psychology1 3 OR
LAP507 Theories of Cognitive Psychology 3
LAP510 Advanced Theories of Personality 3 1Students who are interested in organizational psychology should take LAP509, Advanced Social Psychology. | Required Research Components 6All students are required to complete courses in statistics and/or research design, research methods, and a thesis. Courses to be used to meet the research requirement are as follows: LAP517 Psychological Statistics - Design and Analysis 2-3
INT512A Research Design and Methodology 3
LAP599 Thesis 3
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Interest Areas - ElectivesElectives for Human Development, Cultural Psychology, Organizational Psychology, and Health Psychology |
Human Development 15 SH15 SH may be selected from the following list. Additional courses may be substituted with permission from the adviser. Students wishing to participate in a cohort group must meet with an enrollment counselor for a listing of the prescribed courses and available options. LAP511 Infancy 3
LAP542 Later Adulthood and Aging 3
LAP508 Interpersonal Development 3
LAP450 Human Sexuality 3
LAP515 Advanced Culture and Self 3
LAP501 Introduction to Psychological Assessment 3
LAP502 Psychological Assessment II - Intelligence 3
LAP503 Psychological Assessment III - Personality 3
LAP518 Child and Adolescent Psychology 3
LAP547 Substance Abuse 2
LAP548 Ethics and Legal Issues in Psychology 2
LAP590A Internship 1
LAP591 Internship Supervision 1 Total minimum hours 36 Back to top. Cultural Psychology 15 SH15 SH may be selected from the following list. Additional courses may be substituted with permission from the adviser. LAP450 Human Sexuality 3
LAP515 Advanced Culture and Self 3
LAP512 Cross Cultural Perspectives in Mental Health 3
LAP443 Managing Interpersonal Communication 3
LAP504 Psychological Foundations and Systems 3
HSC503 Counseling and Human Development in a Multicultural Society 3
LAS441 Urban Anthropology 3
LAP525 Psychology of Artistic Expression 3
LAP547 Substance Abuse 2
LAP548 Ethics and Legal Issues in Psychology 2
LAP590A Internship 1
LAP591 Internship Supervision 1 Total minimum hours 36 Back to top. | Organizational Psychology 15 SH15 SH may be selected from the following list. Additional courses may be substituted with permission from the adviser. Students wishing to participate in a cohort group must meet with an enrollment counselor for a listing of the prescribed courses and available options. LAP550 Advanced Industrial Psychology 3
LAP543 Advanced Interpersonal Relations 3
LAP507 Theories of Cognitive Psychology 3
INT519 Principles and Methods of Group Communications 3
MGT500 Contemporary Marketing Issues 3
MGT542 Leadership Theory and Practice 3
LAP502 Psychological Assessment II - Intelligence 3
LAP503 Psychological Assessment III - Personality 3
LAP546 Assessment for Organizations 3
LAP547 Substance Abuse 2
LAP548 Ethics and Legal Issues in Psychology 2
LAP590A Internship 1
LAP591 Internship Supervision 1 Total minimum hours 36 Back to top Health Psychology 15 SH15 SH may be selected from the following list. Additional courses may be substituted with permission from the adviser. Students wishing to participate in a cohort group must meet with an enrollment counselor for a listing of the prescribed courses and available options. LAP520 Biological Bases of Behavior 3
LAP530 Health Psychology 3
LAP545 Pain Management 3
LAP535 Psychopharmacology 3
LAP547 Substance Abuse 2
LAP548 Ethics and Legal Issues in Psychology 2
LAP502 Psychological Assessment II 3
LAP503 Psychological Assessment III 3
LAP590A Internship I 1
LAP590B Internship II 1
LAP591 Internship Supervision 1
Total minimum hours 36 Back to top. |
Master of Arts in Psychology (M.A.) – Cohort Model
Program offered as a cohort model that lets the student attend school one night a week with the same group of students and complete the degree in 18 months.
Program Requirements 36 SH
Core Course Requirements 15 SH LAP501 Introduction to Psychological Assessment 3
LAP505 Advanced Abnormal Psychology 3
LAP506 Advanced Human Development 3
LAP509 Advanced Social Psychology 3
LAP510 Theories of Personality 3 Professional Development Requirement s 13SH LAP507 Theories of Cognitive Psychology 3
LAP520 Biological Bases of Behavior 3
LAP526 Psychology of Organizational Leadership
LAP547 Substance Abuse 2
LAP548 Ethics and Legal Issues in Psychology 2 Back to top | Required Research Components 5SH INT512A Research Design and Methodology 3
LAP517 Psychological Statistics, Design and Analysis 2
Thesis or Comprehensive Examination 3SH LAP599A Thesis 3
Or
LAP599B Comprehensive Exam 3 Back to top |
