In today’s connected world, there are ample opportunities to advance your education without ever stepping foot on a college campus. Instead, you can get your degree from the comfort of your home, on your own schedule, and still get a high-quality education.
At one point, online education was really just for associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, diplomas, and certificates. But now, you can get an advanced degree online, including graduate degrees in educational and clinical psychology.
Better still, many colleges and universities no longer have the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) requirement. This means you can apply to master’s in educational and clinical psychology programs knowing that the admission decision is based more on your academic merits and not your performance on a standardized test.
NO GRE Online Master’s Programs in Educational and Clinical Psychology
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is a private research institution with its main campus in Los Angeles County, California. The primary campus covers 830 acres and overlooks the Pacific Ocean and the Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu, California.
George Pepperdine, an entrepreneur, established the university in South Los Angeles in 1937. In 1972, the institution expanded to Malibu. Today, the university operates its main campus in Malibu, three graduate campuses in Southern California, and a center in Washington, DC.
The university offers 45 majors and 47 minors, giving students the chance to study many subject areas. Its academic approach is designed to prepare future global leaders through a full curriculum, faculty guidance, internships, and personalized research opportunities.
Pepperdine offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs in many fields. The university also provides a range of hybrid and online programs for mid-career professionals.
Pepperdine is often recognized as one of the most beautiful places to study. Its setting encourages students to learn in a place that supports inspiration.
Pepperdine University offers following online master’s psychology programs that don’t require GRE:
- Online Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology (LMFT)
- Online Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology (LPC)
Capella University
Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The university was founded in 1993 and centers its work on flexible, career-focused online degree programs for working adults. Capella is known for its strong commitment to student success, academic quality, and major progress in online learning. The university also provides direct-assessment, competency-based programs, which allow students to move forward at their own pace.
Capella offers a large selection of academic options, including 52 programs and more than 1,900 online courses. Its student body includes about 38,000 learners from all 50 states and 61 other countries. Among these students, 23 percent are enrolled in doctoral programs, 47 percent are studying in master’s programs, and 27 percent are pursuing bachelor’s degrees.
As a student at Capella, you receive strong support while becoming part of an active community of professionals. You also work with skilled faculty members through the online campus and virtual classrooms.
Capella’s courses and programs follow standards established by professional organizations and accrediting bodies. This helps ensure that you gain useful skills and knowledge that connect directly to your professional goals.
Capella offers following online master’s psychology programs that don’t require GRE:
- Online MS – Clinical Psychology
- Online MS – Educational Psychology
Southern New Hampshire University
Southern New Hampshire University, also known as SNHU, is a private institution located between Manchester and Hooksett, New Hampshire. The university holds accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education. In addition, certain programs in hospitality, health, education, and business have national accreditation.
SNHU is recognized as one of the fastest-growing universities in the United States. The university serves 135,000 online students and 3,000 students on campus.
The university offers many options for students who want to complete their degrees. Students can choose from more than 100 undergraduate programs. Along with traditional daytime classes, SNHU also provides evening and weekend class schedules, online courses, and hybrid programs that combine online study with in-person instruction.
Student life at SNHU includes more than 60 clubs and organizations. Students may also take part in many yearly, university-sponsored events. These events include musical performances, comedy shows, and trips away from campus.
SNHU offers following online master’s psychology programs that don’t require GRE:
- Online MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Online MS in Psychology – Child & Adolescent Development
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California, also known as USC, is a private institution that was established in 1880. The university has more than 42,000 students enrolled. Its campus is in an urban area and covers 226 acres. USC uses a semester-based academic calendar.
USC’s main campus, called the University Park campus, is located in the Downtown Arts and Education Corridor of Los Angeles. In addition to this main location, the university operates other campuses in Los Angeles, as well as sites across Southern California, Sacramento, California, and Washington, D.C.
Student life at USC includes more than 1,000 campus organizations. These include faith-based groups and club sports. Although students are not required to live on campus, the university offers housing in about 40 residence halls and apartment buildings.
USC holds an important place in Los Angeles, a city known around the world for arts, technology, and international business. The university offers many academic choices across different fields. These options give students many chances for interdisciplinary study and work with leading researchers in advanced learning settings.
The University of Southern California offers following online master’s psychology programs that don’t require GRE:
- Online Master of Education in School Counseling
The Chicago School
The Chicago School was founded in 1979 by a group of committed psychologists and educators. The school offers many full-time and part-time online study options. Its academic offerings include programs from bachelor’s degrees through Ph.D. levels, serving students with many interests in psychology and other professional fields.
If your interests are in counseling or organizational leadership and management, you can choose from a variety of online degree programs designed to help you begin your career.
The school’s online programs give students with busy work schedules or family duties the opportunity to continue graduate education without changing their current way of life.
Online students can use many support services to help them succeed in their studies. A personal student advisor provides continued support and coaching from the time of enrollment until graduation.
The Chicago School also provides strong career and alumni support so graduates can make good use of their newly earned degrees. For technical problems or questions, online technology staff are available at all hours to assist students.
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology offers following online master’s psychology programs that don’t require GRE:
- Online MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
- Online MA in Psychology – Child and Adolescent Psychology
University of Massachusetts Global
University of Massachusetts Global, also known as UMass Global, focuses on serving adult learners by offering an education model that fits into busy schedules. Founded in 1958, the university has more than 20 years of experience in creating and delivering online coursework. Because of this, it has gained national recognition as an early leader in higher education innovation.
UMass Global offers more than 90 degree, certificate, credential, and professional programs. These programs are created especially for working adults.
The university serves more than 23,000 students across online and in-person degree programs. UMass Global is accredited by the Senior College and University Commission of WSCUC. It is also a member of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, also known as CAEL.
The University of Massachusetts Global offers following online master’s psychology programs that don’t require GRE:
- Online MA in Counseling – School Counseling (PPSC)
What Do You Learn in a Master’s Educational Psychology Program?
Educational psychologists study the processes of education. Many educational psychologists work in K-12 settings, but they can find employment in any setting in which learning occurs, like trade schools, colleges, and even in business settings.
Since educational psychologists focus on the components of learning, master’s degree programs also focus on these elements. For example, a typical educational psychology master’s program might include courses like:
- Learning theory – This course focuses on the major theories of human learning, such as social constructivism, behaviorism, and cognitive constructivism, and how each theory explains information acquisition.
- Cognitive psychology – Cognitive psychology is the study of human thought and related processes. This course explores topics such as memory, motivation, and decision-making. It also examines attention, problem-solving, and language acquisition, to name a few.
- Educational technology and instructional design – Educational psychology students learn to use different technologies and instructional tools to help students learn and retain information.
The above is not a complete list of the courses you might take in an educational psychology graduate program, but it gives you an idea of the broad topics you’ll study.
What Do You Learn in a Master’s Clinical Psychology Program?
A clinical psychologist works with clients to address psychological, emotional, and behavioral problems. This is often done in a one-on-one or group setting in which the psychologist uses therapeutic techniques to bring about positive change. Clinical psychology is practiced in many settings, too, from schools to hospitals to mental health clinics.
Given what clinical psychologists do in practice, preparatory degree programs focus on learning psychological theories and techniques. A few common courses you might take in a clinical psychology master’s program include:
- Counseling theory – This course focuses on classic and modern theories of clinical psychology practice. This might include psychoanalysis, solution-focused therapy, and behaviorism, to name a few. Likewise, this course includes discussions of how major counseling theories are applied and the types of psychological issues they’re best suited to treat.
- Psychopathology – Helping people with psychological issues requires an understanding of how mental health disorders develop in the first place. This class takes a look at the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of common disorders, usually within the context of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (which is currently in its fifth edition).
- Research methods and statistics – Many clinical psychology graduate programs focus on psychological research in preparation for doctoral studies. Courses in research methods and statistics help you develop the skills needed to conduct effective research in an ethical manner.
Are Online Degrees in Psychology Respectable?
In short, yes! Online programs are typically mirror images of on-campus programs. You will study the same concepts, read the same texts, and have the same professors as on-campus students. In fact, the majority of schools don’t distinguish whether a degree was earned in person or online on the diploma.
The school you attend should be accredited to ensure you get a high-quality education (whether online or in person). Accreditation is a voluntary process in which colleges meet strict standards of academic excellence. Schools can be nationally accredited or regionally accredited, the latter of which is more difficult to get, and is therefore more respected.
When you search for online graduate degrees in psychology, look for each school’s accreditation. If the school is regionally accredited, the online program will be of very high quality.
Are Psychology Degrees Without GRE Any Different Than Degrees With GRE?
Apart from differing requirements for the GRE, these programs really don’t have any differences. You will study the same topics, learn the same techniques, and develop the skills needed to apply those techniques whether the program you choose requires the GRE or not.
Not only is the course of study the same between these two types of programs, but the admissions process is often highly similar as well. Programs that require the GRE may also look at factors such as:
- Undergraduate GPA (usually 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or higher)
- Letters of recommendation from undergraduate professors
- Relevant academic or research experience
- Personal statement or essay
In some cases, graduate psychology programs also require a personal interview with an admissions committee, which is usually comprised of faculty members from the psychology department.
However, the same requirements are often not found in non-GRE graduate programs.
Can You Skip Master’s in Psychology?
There are two ways to look at this question:
- Is a bachelor’s in psychology enough?
- Can you get a doctorate in psychology without first getting a master’s degree?
Regarding a bachelor’s degree, depending on your career goals, an undergraduate degree in psychology might be enough. For example, you might work as a probation officer, a substance abuse technician, or a psychiatric technician with a bachelor’s degree in this field. However, bachelor’s-level jobs tend to pay less than those requiring an advanced degree.
If you want to get a doctorate, but don’t already have a master’s degree, you might be able to skip your master’s degree. Some programs – not many, though – allow you to get your master’s degree as part of the doctoral program. In some cases, these programs are accelerated, meaning, you can complete both degrees faster than if you get them separately.
Ultimately, skipping a master’s degree requires that you do your due diligence. Determine what level of education you need for your career goals, then pursue a relevant degree to attain your goals.
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