Many students become psychology or mental health majors for the expected sense of professional satisfaction they’ll experience once they’re in the field, particularly for those who go into human or social services. Another major benefit: many psychology degree holders enjoy strong job and salary potential.
Anyone with a passion for helping others and a fascination with the human brain or behavior is likely to enjoy studying psychology, but there are a few personality types who really excel in the field. According to The College Board, it helps when students are math and science oriented, but also excellent critical readers and writers. They must also be able to evaluate themselves and others in a very technical way.
Psychology and mental health degree programs can be very text-oriented disciplines, making them suitable for online learning. An online degree in psychology or mental health is particularly suited to those who are already working, have family responsibilities or prefer the flexible online study format.
What do psychologists and mental health counselors do?
Psychology degree programs can pave the way for a number of careers in a variety of fields — from social work and criminal justice and psychiatric support occupations to advanced research, medical careers and business.
Here are some occupations and their associated duties.
Psychologists
Observing and interviewing individuals and diagnosing disorders by identifying psychological, emotional, behavioral, or organizational issues
Discussing the treatment of disorders with clients
Conducting scientific studies on behavior and brain functions and sharing findings through publications
Supervising support staff
Marriage and Family Therapists
Working with individuals, couples and families to help them process difficult situations or life changes
Helping clients develop strategies to cope with adverse situations
Maintaining confidential records
Rehabilitation Counselors
Helping individuals with physical, mental, developmental, or emotional disabilities by providing individual or group counseling
Consulting with other professionals like doctors and psychologists to develop treatment plans for clients
Helping clients adjust to their disabilities and help them obtain medical care, career training and advocate for their rights to work in a job of their choosing
Addiction Counselors
Evaluating clients on the basis of their mental and physical health in order to assess if they are ready for treatment
Helping clients develop the skills they need to recover from their addictions and modify their behavior
Helping clients’ families develop strategies to cope with their problems and providing support
Psychiatric Technicians and Aides
Working under the supervision of psychiatrists, therapists and doctors to help patients with psychiatric disorders
Leading patients in therapeutic and recreational activities
Monitoring patient behavior
Helping transport, admit and discharge patients
Choose a degree that can help you meet your career goals
Psychology and mental health education programs are flexible disciplines, meaning you can earn a degree online at virtually any level — from undergraduate certificates and diplomas to post-graduate degrees.
Depending on one’s chosen degree or career path, some online programs may require labs or face-to-face internships. Sometimes these requirements can be fulfilled through local campuses, regional hospitals or mental health centers.
Prospective students should research online degrees in psychology or mental health thoroughly to ensure they suit their goals, availability and learning styles.
Online Certificate Programs in Psychology and Mental Health
What can I expect to learn in an online certificate program?
While advances in technology are creating new opportunities for psychologists, advances in psychological science are also informing technology
Online certificate programs in psychology can act as a foundation that enables students to develop skills and knowledge that helps them identify patterns, think critically and understand how humans interact.
Typical duration: Up to one year of part-time study
General prerequisites: High school diploma or GED
Typical coursework: Certificate programs introduce students to fundamental concepts in psychology that may be applicable to various occupations or educational paths.Coursework may include:
Introduction to psychology
Personality theories
Coping with emotions and stress
Psychology in youth sports
Possible electives: Organizational theory; industrial psychology; history and systems of psychology
What can I do after earning a certificate?
A certificate can help entry-level workers get their first jobs in the field of mental healthcare and psychology. Depending on the concentration of your certificate, some potential occupations are:
Social and human service assistant
Psychiatric aide
Child care worker
Sports coach
Online Associate Degree Programs in Psychology and Mental Health
What can I expect to learn in an online associate degree program?
Online psychology associate degree programs help students learn introductory theoretical and practical concepts while preparing them for the upper-division coursework that takes place in bachelor’s programs or related fields of study.
You may be able to earn one of the following associate degrees:
Associate of Arts (A.A.), which tend to include history or language courses
Associate of Science (A.S.), which often include more math or science classes
Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.), which require less general education requirements overall, as it is a terminal degree
Note: A.A.S. degree programs are considered terminal because the credits earned may not be granted transfer equivalency, nor do they fulfill the general education requirements of a bachelor’s degree program.
Typical duration: Two years of full-time study
General prerequisites: High school diploma or GED
Typical coursework: Most program curricula balance general education requirements with fundamentals of various types of psychological study. Course examples may include:
Human growth and development
Social psychology
Abnormal psychology
Research methods
Writing in Psychology
What can I do after earning an online associate degree?
An associate degree in psychology may help you qualify for entry-level positions in the field of psychology. Potential occupations are:
Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Psychology and Mental Health
What can I expect to learn in an online bachelor’s degree?
Online psychology bachelor’s degree programs are a great way for aspiring psychologists to learn about the fundamentals of the human psyche and prepare for future studies at the master’s or doctoral level. Some online bachelor’s degree programs in psychology offer specialized concentration tracks in areas such as criminal justice or marketing.
Depending on the school, students may have the opportunity to choose between a:
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in psychology which tends to include modern languages as a general education requirement
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in psychology which usually has a business or economic component
Typical duration: Four years of full-time study
General prerequisites: High school diploma or GED
Typical coursework: In general, curriculum of an online bachelor’s degree program focuses on understanding the various facets of the human mind, and finding what causes individuals to act, think and feel in a particular manner. Here’s a short list of core courses you may find:
Research design and analysis
Social psychology
Psychological measurement and testing
Clinical and counseling psychology
Biological psychology
Culture, ethnicity, and diversity
Students may be required to complete a capstone project as a part of a bachelor’s online psychology degree.
Possible electives: Electives may vary depending on your chosen concentration and can sometimes be selected from upper division or graduate courses with special administrative permission. Some examples of electives are: group dynamics; drugs and society; behavior modification theories.
What can I do after earning a bachelor’s degree?
Psychologists are playing expanded roles in addressing how poverty, lack of decent housing and other environmental factors influence health outcomes
Earning a bachelor’s in psychology online can lead to a wide range of careers outside the field, or serve as a good foundation for other graduate degree programs, such as a master’s in business administration, social work or counseling. Potential occupations include:
Human services worker
Probation officer
Community relations officer
Public relations specialist
Media representative
Market researcher
Online Master’s Degrees in Psychology and Mental Health
What can I expect to learn in an online master’s degree?
Online master’s degree programs in psychology generally teach students advanced theories of human behavior, effective research methods, and how various treatment methods can promote positive changes in the lives of individuals.
The two most commonly earned degrees in the field of psychology and mental health are:
Master of Arts (M.A.) which typically indicates a liberal arts focus
Master of Science (M.S.) which usually emphasizes math and science
You may also find online master’s programs in health psychology that allow you to study the psychological, social and biological factors that affect health and illness.
Typical duration: One to three years of full-time study
General prerequisites: Bachelor’s degree
Typical coursework: Along with understanding the behavior, emotions and thoughts of human beings, there is usually a concerted effort on research methods and assessment. While curriculum can vary from program to program, here are some examples of potential courses:
Themes and theories of psychology
Lifespan development
Cognitive and affective bases of behavior
Applied psychology research methods
You may need to complete a capstone project, an internship and/or a master’s thesis depending on your online psychology degree requirements.
What can I do after earning a master’s degree?
An online mental health counseling degree at the master’s level is often the minimum requirement to become a mental health counselor.
Graduates of psychology master’s programs can go on to become psychologist assistants in mental health, counseling or research environments. Those who wish to become full-fledged, licensed counselors without earning their doctorate can pursue careers in school or industrial-organizational psychology. Potential occupations include:
School and career counselors
Marriage and family therapist
Mental health counselor
Rehabilitation counselor
Organizational consultant
Intervention advocate
Social service manager
Watch This Success Story: Online master’s turns mortgage broker into ‘Queen of Quitting’
“Meet a mortgage broker who took her passion for smoking cessation into a career, thanks to an online healthcare master’s degree. Tobacco treatment specialist V.J. Sleight is the author of the book, \”Tips to Win at Quitting Smoking \”. Find out how V.J. used an online master’s degree in health psychology/behavioral medicine to help shape her passion into a career.” — V.J. Sleight
Online Doctoral Degrees in Psychology and Mental Health
What can I expect to learn in an online doctoral degree program?
A doctoral degree is the minimum educational requirement to practice as a psychologist. Earning a doctorate in psychology can help students master advanced psychological concepts and the range of techniques used to understand and study the human mind.
While there is often a crossover in curriculum content, these two degrees are offered at the doctoral level:
Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) in psychology typically emphasizes theory and advanced research
Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology) typically focuses on clinical instruction
Doctoral students may want to choose a specialty depending on their desired career path.
Typical duration: Five to seven years of full-time study
General prerequisites: Master’s degree
Typical coursework: Much of the curriculum covers human behavior on a global level, with an emphasis on understanding feelings, beliefs and attitudes from a variety of cultural perspectives. Coursework can provide an in-depth overview of research methods, as well as a close look at the biological, social and cognitive areas of psychology and may include:
Interpersonal psychotherapy
Research in psychology
Lifespan development
Psychology and social change
Consultation and supervision in psychology
Doctoral students are typically required to complete a dissertation which involves independently researching an issue in psychology, writing a paper, and defending it to an academic committee. Psy.D. programs may also give students the opportunity to gain real-world clinical experience through practicum courses and internships.
Possible electives: Ethics and multicultural issues in psychology; cognitive and affective bases of behavior; psychology of group dynamics.
“A psychology doctorate is extremely marketable because you develop valuable and transferrable skills, such as writing, communicating, investigating and understanding behavior, which likely serve you well in many different employment settings,” says Peggy Christidis, PhD, senior research officer at APA’s Center for Workforce Studies (CWS).
What can I do after earning a doctoral degree?
The BLS states that overall job opportunities will likely be the best for individuals with doctoral, education specialist degree and postdoctoral work experience in clinical, counseling, or school psychology positions. Some of the potential occupations open to you after graduating may be:
Clinical psychologist
Neuropsychologist
Professor of psychology
Researcher
School psychologist
Counseling psychologist
Industrial-organizational psychologist
Specializations in Psychology and Mental Health
You may have a choice of concentration for your bachelor’s or master’s degree programs that may include:
Addictions
Applied psychology
Child and adolescent development
Forensic psychology
Marriage and family counseling
Mental health
School counseling
Sports psychology
Best Online Colleges for Psychology and Mental Health
We’ve used factors that students that are especially useful for students interested in online psychology and mental health. To present you with the best opportunities, our methodology has taken into consideration factors like number of online programs offered in psychology and mental health, tuition, ratio of students participating in distance education programs compared to the total enrollment, student-faculty ratio, services such as academic and placement, and more.
NOTE: The accuracy of data derived from IPEDS depends on colleges regularly reporting to IPEDS. Not all colleges are as regular as they should be in updating this information with IPEDS. OnlineDegrees.com, therefore, has gone a step further to ensure the rankings you see are accurate and verified. We manually check each college website to provide you the top rankings you can rely on. Because of this double-check, the number of colleges may vary for each degree level.
Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2018-19, National Center for Education Statistics, http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/
Accreditation
Accreditation is a voluntary process that universities and colleges undergo in order to demonstrate that their programs meet or exceed certain industrial standards in terms of quality. The accreditation status of a program or institution can be important especially if you want to change your career or advance your education. It may also be an important criterion for obtaining professional certifications, licenses or even financial aid. Some professional bodies that accredit psychology degrees are:
Certification can vary depending on your occupation and the state you are practicing in. The National Board for Certified Counselors can provide information about your state’s regulating board. While certifications may not be mandatory, certain employers or hospitals may require psychologists to be certified. Psychologists can obtain specialty certifications through:
Many counseling and psychologist professions may require continuing education courses in order to maintain licenses. All states require mental health counselors to be licensed.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most psychology-related occupations are projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations. Have a look at the table below to see the BLS projections for occupations related to this field along with job openings, average salary, total employment and job outlook for 2016 to 2026.
Employment Statistics
Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists
Industries with highest concentration of employment
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals
Educational Support Services
Outpatient Care Centers
Elementary and Secondary Schools
States with highest employment level
California
New York
Texas
Pennsylvania
Illinois
Top-paying metropolitan areas
Salinas, CA
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA Metropolitan Division
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists
Industries with highest concentration of employment
Scientific Research and Development Services
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
Management of Companies and Enterprises
States with highest employment level
Virginia
Massachusetts
New Jersey
Missouri
(Limited data available)
Top-paying metropolitan areas
Management of Companies and Enterprises
(Limited data available)
Psychologists
Industries with highest concentration of employment
To be included in our rankings for the top colleges for online degrees in psychology by degree level all colleges had to meet the following 4 requirements:
Offer a degree or certificate program in that subject, either in an online or hybrid format
Have at least 1% of students attending some form of distance education
Have awarded at least one degree or certificate in that subject in 2015-16
Have reported data for all 19 ranking variables for associate/bachelor’s and 11 ranking variables for master’s (listed below)
We then ranked colleges and universities in the United States that fit our criteria, using 2016-17 data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the weights specified. The final totals were:
32 colleges for online associate degree in psychology
158 colleges for online bachelor’s degree in psychology
37 colleges for online master’s degree in psychology
We then scored the final list of colleges by degree level on a 100-point scale using these specific data points:
Associate/Bachelor’s
Associate’s/Bachelor’s Program prominence, based on how many of the degrees and certificates awarded via distance education in 2016-2017 were in this particular subject
Ratio of undergraduate students participating fully or partially in DE to Total Enrollment
Average in-state tuition for undergraduates
Retention rate
Percent of undergraduate students awarded federal, state, local, institutional or other sources of grant aid
Average amount of federal, state, local, institutional, or other sources of grant aid awarded to undergraduate students
Student-to-faculty ratio
Variety of Programs, based on the number of similar topics for programs in relevant CIP codes that are offered via distance education at any level
Total electronic library collections, including digital books, databases, and media
The availability of any tuition plans (4 variables considered)
a. Payment b. Guaranteed c. Prepaid d. Other
Services (2 variables considered)
a. Academic/Career b. Placement for Completers
Credit offerings (4 variables considered)
a. Dual b. Life c. AP d. Military
Master’s
Master’s Program prominence, based on how many of the degrees and certificates awarded via distance education in 2016-2017 were in this particular subject
Ratio of graduate students participating fully or partially in DE to Total Enrollment
Average in-state tuition for graduates
Credit offerings (2 variables considered)a. Lifeb. Military
Services (2 variables considered)a. Academic/Careerb. Placement for Completers
The availability of any tuition plans (3 variables considered)a. Paymentb. Prepaidc. Other
Total electronic library collections, including digital books, databases, and media
NOTE: The accuracy of data derived from IPEDS depends on colleges regularly reporting to IPEDS. Not all colleges are as regular as they should be in updating this information with IPEDS.OnlineDegrees.com, therefore, has gone a step further to ensure the rankings you see are accurate and verified. We manually check each college website to provide you the top rankings you can rely on. Because of this double-check, the number of colleges may vary for each degree level.
Methodology Sources:
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2016-17, National Center for Education Statistics, http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/
Sources:
AA in Psychology, New England College,https://www.newenglandcollegeonline.com/programs/associate-degrees/psychology/curriculum/, accessed August 2018
Associate Degree: Psychology, Ashworth College, https://www.ashworthcollege.edu/associate-degrees/psychology/, accessed August 2018
Associate’s Degree in Psychology, Argosy University, https://www.argosy.edu/locations/online/degree-programs/psychology/associate-of-arts, accessed August 2018
BA? BS? Some Guidelines for Making a Decision, University of Washington, Department of Psychology,http://www.psych.uw.edu/psych.php?p=47, accessed August 2018
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology, Colorado State University, https://www.online.colostate.edu/degrees/psychology/, accessed August 2018
Bachelor of Science in Psychology Pre-Counseling, Capella University, https://www.capella.edu/online-degrees/bachelors-psychology-pre-counseling/, accessed August 2018
Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Capella University, https://www.capella.edu/online-degrees/bachelors-general-psychology/courses/, accessed August 2018
Bachelor of Science in Sports Psychology, Faulkner University, https://www.faulkner.edu/online/academics/bachelor-of-science-in-sports-psychology/, accessed August 2018
Career Diploma: Sport Psychology for Peak Performance, Ashworth College,https://www.ashworthcollege.edu/career-diplomas/sport-psychology-peak-performance/, accessed August 2018
Chen, A., 2017, Peer support specialist, Career Outlook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2017/youre-a-what/peer-support-specialist.htm
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology, Capella University, https://www.capella.edu/online-degrees/phd-general-psychology/, accessed September 2018
Marriage and Family Therapists, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/marriage-and-family-therapists.htm, accessed August 2018
Master of Science in Health Psychology, North Central University, https://www.ncu.edu/programs-degrees/masters/master-science-health-psychology#gref, accessed August 2018
Monitor on Psychology: Trends Report, American Psychological Association, 2017,http://www.apa.org/members/content/ten-trends.pdf, accessed August 2018
MS in Psychology, Walden University, https://www.waldenu.edu/masters/ms-in-psychology, accessed August 2018
Occupational Outlook Handbook, Psychologists, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/psychologists.htm,accessed August 2018
PhD in Clinical Psychology, Walden University, https://www.waldenu.edu/doctoral/phd-in-clinical-psychology, accessed September 2018
Psychiatric Technicians and Aides, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook,https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/psychiatric-technicians-and-aides.htm, accessed August 2018
Psychology (BA), Southern New Hampshire University, https://www.snhu.edu/admission/academic-catalogs/coce-catalog#/programs/E1NnQVItl/none, accessed August 2018
Rehabilitation Counselors, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/rehabilitation-counselors.htm, accessed August 2018
Riggio, R. E., The 5 Top Reasons to Study Psychology, Psychology Today,https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201208/the-5-top-reasons-study-psychology
School and Career Counselors, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/school-and-career-counselors.htm, accessed August 2018
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook,https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/substance-abuse-behavioral-disorder-and-mental-health-counselors.htm, accessed August 2018
Undergraduate Certificate in Psychology, Thomas Edison State University,https://www.tesu.edu/heavin/undergrad-certificates/psychology, accessed August 2018s
Undergraduate Certificate in the Fundamentals of Psychology, California Coast University, https://www.calcoast.edu/certificate-program-in-psychology-undergraduate.html, accessed August 2018
Undergraduate Certificate: Psychology, Ashworth College, https://www.ashworthcollege.edu/undergraduate-certificates/psychology/ accessed August 2018
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