Psychology M.A.

Program Details

Credit Hours: 42-60

Course Length: 16 weeks

Estimated Program Length: 5-8 semesters

Next Application Deadline: See Application Deadlines quicklink

Program duration may depend on course load and availability. Consult with your advisor.

Improve the lives of others with an M.A. in Psychology from UWF. Specialize in counseling or industrial-organizational psychology, depending on your interests and career goals.

Why Study Psychology at UWF?

At UWF, you will be mentored by accessible and supportive faculty with extensive clinical, consulting and research experience. Our affordable, intensive face-to-face instruction provides you with individualized attention.

You will learn the science of psychology and evidence-based practice, gaining expertise in research methodology, statistics and critical thinking. We will show you how to apply psychological science in service of individuals, families, groups and communities.

Are you interested in doctoral training? Our research opportunities can increase your competitive edge.

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What You Will Learn

Our program provides an in-depth study of human behavior. You will explore the core foundations of the bases of behavior: biological, social, acquired and individual.

You will choose from our two specializations: counseling-licensed mental health counselor and industrial-organizational psychology.

You will complete the psychology graduate core requirements and the requirements of your chosen area of specialization.

Students completing a master’s degree in Psychology will be prepared to pursue a wide range of careers at the master’s level or to pursue advanced training at the doctoral level.

UWF offers classes through various delivery methods, including face-to-face, hybrid, and online. Though UWF makes every effort to provide on-campus classes in face-to-face programs, there is a possibility that some classes will have limited availability and may be offered online only. For more information, please review the modes of delivery and instructional methods.

Courses

Courses & Requirements

Students must complete one course in each area as identified by their specialization (18 total semester hours).

Biological Bases of Behavior Core-choose one of the following:
- EXP 5256 - Human Factors Psychology (I/O only)
- PSB 5035 - Cognitive Neuroscience
Social Bases of Behavior Core-Choose one of the following:
- PCO 6278 - Multicultural Counseling (LMHC only)
- SOP 6069 - Advanced Social Psychology
- SOP 6669 - Advanced Organizational Psychology (I/O Only)
Acquired Bases of Behavior Core-Choose one of the following:
- EAB 5705 - Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
- EXP 6506 - Advanced Cognitive Psychology
- INP 6325 - Training and Development (I/O Only)
Individual Bases of Behavior Core-Choose one of the following:
- DEP 5055 - Developmental Psychology
- INP 6216 - Personnel Selection and Appraisal (I/O Only)
- PCO 6216 - Theories of Individual Counseling (LMHC Only)
All students must complete:
- PSY 6217 - Research Design in Psychology
And either:
- EXP 5735 - Experimental and Correlational Statistics for Psychology
- Advisor approved elective

Toward the end of graduate work, the student must have an integrative experience consisting of 6 semester hours of one of the following courses:

PSY 6917 - Supervised Research
PSY 6948 - Internship
PCO 6948 - Internship in Counseling
PSY 6971 - Thesis

A maximum of 6 semester hours of supervised research, thesis, or internship credit may be counted toward the total semester hour degree requirement.

The Licensed Mental Health Counselor option is a 60 sh program with requirements comparable to the requirements established by the Florida state board for licensure as a Mental Health Counselor. Attainment of the degree does not entail conferral of the license, which is governed by the state licensing board. This degree option focuses on meeting current licensure requirements, preparing the graduate for a career as a licensed mental health counselor, and requires completion of specialty coursework and a total of 1000 hours (9 sh) of practicum/internship field placement in a mental health setting. Upon graduation from the licensure option, the individual should be in a position to qualify to register with the state licensing board as an intern and to obtain the two year post-degree supervised experience required by the board for licensure.

In addition to the 18 hours of core requirements (four Bases of Behavior (12sh - Counseling students take PCO 6216 Theories of Individual Counseling to meet Individual Bases of Behavior portion of the core and PCO 6278 Multicultural Counseling to meet the Social Bases of Behavior portion of the core), Research Design (3sh), and Graduate Statistics (3sh)), Licensed Mental Health Counseling students must complete 42 hours from the following:

Concentration (15 semester hours)

PCO 6315 - Assessment in Counseling
CLP 5166 - Psychopathology
PCO 6246 - Theories of Group Counseling
PCO 6206C - Ethical and Professional Issues in Counseling
PCO 6204 - Pre-Practicum: Techniques of Counseling and Psychotherapy

Application (9 semester hours)

PCO 6946 - Practicum in Counseling
PCO 6948 - Internship in Counseling

Elective (3 semester hours)

Licensure Courses (15 semester hours)

DEP 5055 - Developmental Psychology
SOP 6776 - Human Sexuality and Sex Therapy
SDS 6345 - Educational and Vocational Guidance
PCO 6312 - Substance Abuse Counseling
CYP 6005 - Community Psychology

The M.A. in Psychology provides students with the study of human behavior within the framework of the core foundations of the bases of behavior, as in the biological, social, acquired, and individual bases of behavior. To accomplish these proficiencies, the 42 semester hour Industrial-Organizational (I/O) Concentration provides active learning of these bases of behavior through personnel psychology and organizational psychology courses. Additionally, research methodology and design, data analysis and interpretation, and applied utilization of skills complete students’ training for those who seek employment at the master’s level in organizational settings as well as those who wish to pursue a doctoral program.

Completion of Masters Program Requirements for the I/O Concentration include the following required Core and Concentration courses:

Core Requirements (18 semester hours)

EXP 5256 - Human Factors Psychology (Biological Bases of Behavior)
SOP 6669 - Advanced Organizational Psychology (Social Bases of Behavior)
INP 6325 - Training and Development (Acquired Bases of Behavior)
INP 6216 - Personnel Selection and Appraisal (Individual Bases of Behavior)
PSY 6217 - Research Design in Psychology
EXP 5735 - Experimental and Correlational Statistics for Psychology

Concentration Requirements (9 semester hours)

INP 5131 - Legal Issues in Industrial/Organizational Psychology
SOP 6668 - Organizational Change and Development
INP 6385 - Group Dynamics in Organizations

Experiential Practice (6 semester hours)

PSY 6971 - Thesis
or
PSY 6948 - Internship

Electives (9 semester hours)

Students must choose elective courses relevant to the field of I/O Psychology to complete the 42 semester hours of the program. Electives are chosen in consultation with the I/O program coordinator.

Students are encouraged to take a strategic approach to their career development by choosing electives congruent with their career goals. For example, students interested in Occupational Health may take Organizational and Occupational Stress and approved courses from Health Sciences Administration or Public Health. Students interested in careers in Human Resources may choose Advanced Social Psychology (SOP 6069) and/or approved courses in Management; while students interested in Applied Analytics may take additional classes in statistics and data management. Individualized classes such as Supervised Research (PSY 6917) are available for those interested in pursuing a PhD, while the Directed Study (INP 5905/6905) is a good choice for students headed directly to the workplace.

Application deadlines for each concentration will be posted on the Department of Psychology's website. Applications completed after the published deadline may not be reviewed in time to enroll in the desired semester.

In addition to the University graduate admission requirements described in the Admissions section of the catalog, the department bases decisions for regular admission on a holistic review of credentials in which the following criteria are used to assess the potential success of each applicant:

Undergraduate institutional GPA.
Psychology undergraduate GPA.
Grades received in undergraduate major coursework.
Submission of letter of intent or personal statement.
- Applicants should refer to the department website for information regarding what each concentration requires to be included in this submission.
Submission of two letters of reference, at least one preferably from a former instructor.
Program prerequisites.
Field experience or skill sets.
Oral Interview and current resume if applying to the Counseling specialization.

The following are the minimum admission requirements:

A bachelor’s degree in psychology (preferably) or a bachelor’s degree with the completion of at least general/introductory psychology, research methods in psychology, three semester hours of statistics, and a psychology course in the area of intended master’s emphasis (e.g., Abnormal Psychology if applying for the counseling concentration). Any of these requirements may be waived if the student demonstrates competence in the area. Although a student may be admitted with deficiencies, the requirements must be fulfilled before the student is admitted to any 6000-level course. In addition, certain graduate courses have specific undergraduate prerequisites.
If admitted, students who do not have an undergraduate degree in Psychology may be required to take prerequisites for particular graduate courses. For example, these students should complete EXP 4404 Psychology of Learning, or its equivalent, before taking EAB 5705 Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.
If admitted, students who have an undergraduate degree in Psychology are considered to have met the prerequisites for courses in the graduate core.

Non-Degree Students

The department may be petitioned to apply up to 12 semester hours (sh) earned at UWF as a non-degree student toward the M.A. degree if the student is later admitted into the graduate program. See the Non-Degree Seeking Status policy.

Have questions about this program or the admissions process? Contact our graduate admissions team at gradadmissions@uwf.edu.

The I-O Master’s Program only admits students for the fall semester.

Timely submission of your application gains priority consideration for admission and in-department funding opportunities.
For updates on application deadlines, please visit the Graduate School Admissions Deadlines for more information.

In addition to graduate admission requirements, please submit the following:

Two letters of recommendation
- Letters of recommendation ideally come from faculty members or instructors and speak to the applicant's aptitude and fit with the degree program. However, professional references such as supervisors are also acceptable.
Your Personal Statement
- What led you to I-O Psychology as a potential future career and are there any areas in I-O that interest you in particular?
- What have been your prior experiences with group projects or research teams and how would you describe a good team member?
- What professional skills would you like to develop and how will the UWF I-O Program assist you with these goals?
- Discuss how your research methods and/or statistics courses prepared you for this program.
- Success in prior psychology and research methods courses as shown on your official transcript

If you have any questions, contact psych@uwf.edu.

The LMHC Master’s Program only admits students for the fall semester.

Late applications will not be accepted.
For updates on application deadlines, please visit the Graduate School Admissions Deadlines for more information.

In addition to graduate admission requirements, please submit the following:

Minimum 3.0 GPA; applicants with significantly higher GPAs are more competitive
At least 2 letters of recommendation, minimum of one from a faculty member
Resume/CV
Letter of Intent
In-person or phone interview with at least 1 faculty member (by invitation from the Counseling Graduate Admissions Committee)

If you have any questions, contact psych@uwf.edu.

Full Course Descriptions Registration Requirements

Careers & Outcomes

A master's degree in psychology provides graduates with a deep understanding of human behavior, equipping them with the skills in research, therapeutic techniques, and psychological assessment to make a meaningful impact in clinical, counseling, and research settings.

Job Titles

Counselor
Researcher
Family Therapist
Human Resources Manager
Market Researcher
Case Manager
Substance Abuse Counselor
Guidance Counselor
Child Protection Specialist
Court Consultant

Employers

Southwest Airlines
Navy Federal Credit Union
Ascension Health System
University of West Florida Counseling Center
Lakeview Center Inc., the community mental health center for Escambia County
Lutheran Services Florida, Youth and Family Services
Escambia County Jail
Pensacola State College
Habitat for Humanity Veterans Homeownership Project

Tuition Rate Per Credit Hour

Psychology M.A. Tuition - Licensed Mental Health Counselor Concentration (60 credit hours)
Component	Cost*	Total*
In-state Tuition	$377.60 per credit hour	$22,656
Out-of-state Tuition	$1,044.24 per credit hour	$62,654.40

Psychology M.A. Tuition - Industrial-Organizational Psychology Concentration (42 credit hours)
Component	Cost*	Total*
In-state Tuition	$377.60 per credit hour	$15,859.20
Out-of-state Tuition	$1,044.24 per credit hour	$43,858.08

Time to completion varies by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. Fees are charged per semester unless otherwise noted.

Refer to UWF Cost of Attendance Estimates and Financial Literacy for more information on UWF costs and financial aid.

* Tuition and fees are subject to change.

Alabama, Military & Financial Aid

Alabama Differential Out-of-State Tuition

Residents of Alabama are eligible for Alabama Differential Tuition, a reduced out-of-state tuition rate. To verify residency status for tuition purposes, new undergraduate students should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and new graduate students should contact the Graduate School. Current enrolled students should contact the Office of the Registrar. See Graduate School Tuition & Fees for more information.

Military & Veterans

The UWF Military & Veterans Resource Center (MVRC) serves as the campus advocate for military, dependents and veteran students. Contact the MVRC to learn more about the various military and veteran education assistance or tuition waiver opportunities and eligibility requirements.

UWF Financial Assistance

The University of West Florida offers various financial aid options for our students, including loans, scholarships and grants for degree-seeking students. We provide eligible students with an alternative to paying the full amount of tuition at the beginning of each term in the form of an installment payment plan or a short-term loan. See Graduate School Funding Opportunities for more information.

Explore Department of Psychology Laboratories

At UWF, you will have the opportunity to work with faculty in 10 research labs, focusing on areas including visual cognition, child development, leadership, work-life balance and the impact of discrimination on health.