Kansas offers various psychology graduate programs, designed to prepare students for research, clinical practice, and academic careers. Key universities with popular psychology graduate programs in Kansas include Kansas State University, Pittsburg State University, Fort Hays State University, Washburn University, University of Kansas, and Purdue Global.
In this guide, we will discuss popular psychology graduate programs offered by these universities in Kansas, covering various specializations, course formats, and admission requirements.
Best Psychology Graduate Programs in Kansas
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering psychology graduate programs in Kansas:
- Kansas State University
- Pittsburg State University
- Fort Hays State University
- Washburn University
- University of Kansas
- Purdue Global
- Walden University
- American Public University
To find out how we select colleges and universities, please click here.
Kansas State University
Online Master of Industrial and Organizational Psychology
You can enroll in the Master of Industrial and Organizational Psychology program at Kansas State University, which requires 38 credits and usually takes two to three years to finish. Through your coursework and related experiences, you will apply psychological principles to workplace situations to address issues like employee morale, productivity challenges, and hiring and retention of talent.
During the 38 credits, you will study the details of working as an industrial-organizational psychologist. Your program begins with a required two-week on-campus session in the summer term, where you learn the basics of industrial-organizational psychology. This in-person experience also allows you to interact directly with professors and classmates, helping you build connections and engage fully with your cohort.
After that, you will choose between Organizational Psychology or Personnel Selection while completing an online practicum in Research in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. In the following spring semester, you will select either Performance Appraisal or Industrial Psychology Personnel Training. The spring term also includes a research practicum that helps you understand IO psychology and use data for decision-making.
The second year starts with another two-week seminar on-campus in Manhattan, Kansas. This seminar focuses on professional challenges you may face as an industrial-organizational psychologist. During the same summer term, you will take an Applied Research Methods course to improve your skills in conducting psychological research.
In the fall semester of your second year, you will take the course you did not choose earlier: either Organizational Psychology or Industrial Psychology Personnel Selection. This semester also requires a research practicum that helps you apply classroom learning in real-world research settings.
Your final courses in the second year include a choice between Industrial Psychology Performance Appraisal or Personnel Training, along with a two-credit research practicum. These prepare you for the last stage before graduation, which involves a practicum where you compile a detailed report on your IO psychology research.
One unique aspect of this program is that you will take classes with your cohort and also with another cohort. For example, in your first year, you will study alongside both first-year and second-year students. In your second year, your classes will include new first-year students.
Except for the on-campus sessions in the first and second summers, your classes are asynchronous, giving you the freedom to complete your work when it suits you. However, you can also join live online class meetings for some courses during the program.
This program values small class sizes, with 5 to 15 students in each class, ensuring you receive personalized attention from professors. Even when two cohorts are combined, classes only have 10 to 30 students. All courses are taught by doctoral-level IO psychologists, many of whom have practical experience.
If this program fits your goals, you can apply here. Before applying, make sure you meet the following criteria:
- You should hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a closely related field. Alternatively, you may qualify if you have completed required psychology and statistics courses during a non-psychology undergraduate program.
- You need at least a 3.0 GPA for the last 60 credits of your undergraduate studies. If your GPA is below this, you can take the GRE and be admitted if you achieve a satisfactory score.
- You must submit unofficial transcripts from all colleges or universities you have attended.
- You are required to have at least two years of experience as a human resource manager or supervisor.
- You need to provide a resume or curriculum vitae.
- You must supply three references from academic or professional sources.
- If you are currently employed, you should include a letter of support from your employer.
- You need to submit a statement of objectives that explains why you chose this field, the research areas you are interested in, and your professional plans.
Pittsburg State University
Master of Science in Psychology – Behavior Analysis
You can enroll in the 36-credit Master of Science Degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Behavior Analysis at Pitt State, designed for you as someone seeking advanced training in behavior analysis. By finishing this program, you become eligible to earn certification as a BCBA.
The core courses in this program offer you a thorough understanding of many areas in psychology and behavior analysis:
- Psychology of Learning: In Psychology of Learning, you study the basic ideas behind learning, including conditioning, cognitive, and social methods. You apply these ideas to solve real-world problems in education and psychology.
- Basic Behavior Analysis: In Basic Behavior Analysis, you receive an introduction to behavior analysis, its goals, philosophical ideas, and main principles. You learn the basic rules of behavior and how to use them to create positive changes in behavior that matter socially.
- Introduction to Human Neuropsychology: Introduction to Human Neuropsychology covers topics such as evolution, anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology in neuroscience. You study how scientific results from neuroscience help explain psychological ideas like memory, language, emotion, and others. This course also includes symptoms of neurological disorders and methods for neuropsychological evaluation.
- Behavior Observation and Assessment: Behavior Observation and Assessment teaches you the need for clear and unbiased behavior analysis. You learn to identify specific behaviors, collect data using different techniques, and select the best measurement methods for different settings.
- Applications of Behavior Analysis: Applications of Behavior Analysis guides you to evaluate, plan, and carry out behavior change plans based on functional behavioral assessments.
- Advanced Developmental Psychology: Advanced Developmental Psychology helps you understand the factors that influence behavior during all life stages, from infancy to old age.
- Internship in Behavior Analysis: In the Internship in Behavior Analysis, you gain hands-on experience and consulting practice following BACB guidelines.
After completing your master’s degree at Pitt State, obtaining supervised experience, and passing the BCBA exam, you open the door to many job options. You may work in schools to improve classroom management, in mental health centers to create treatment plans, in hospitals to support behavioral health, in nursing homes to help residents live better, or use behavior analysis in business or private practice.
Fort Hays State University
Online School Psychology Master’s
You can enroll in the online school psychology program at Fort Hays State University, which includes both a Master of Science (MS) and an Educational Specialist (EdS) component. The MS part requires 30 credits and completion of a comprehensive exam. The EdS section involves 36 credits of coursework, a portfolio defense, and comprehensive exams.
You should not be concerned about the dual-degree format. Many students finish both degrees fully online within three years. However, if needed, you may choose a four-year plan to complete both degrees.
In either path, you will engage in coursework covering various areas of school psychology. For instance, you will study Curriculum-Based Measurement and Methods in School Psychology, preparing you to design activities that address mental health, academic, and career challenges for students. You will also study Behavior Therapy, which introduces you to key behaviorism ideas and teaches you how to help school-aged children manage mental health concerns.
If you select the three-year plan, your first-year spring semester will include courses such as:
- Advanced Learning and Motivation
- Professional Ethics in Psychology
- and Inferential Statistics.
Following these, during the summer session, you will take an Appraisal of Children course.
In your second year, you will study more topics in psychology. For example, you will take Developmental Psychology, which reviews the mental, emotional, social, and physical changes that happen throughout life. You will also study childhood mental health disorders in Advanced Child Psychopathology.
During the fall semester of year two, you will take Observations in School Psychology. This course requires you to complete fieldwork by shadowing a seasoned school psychologist at a school.
Once you finish these courses, you will earn your MS in School Psychology. You will then begin your EdS coursework, starting with classes such as:
- Transition in Special Education: Early Childhood to Adulthood
- Program Evaluation
- Theories of Exceptionalities.
The Transition in Special Education course includes fieldwork. Your placement will be arranged at a nearby approved site to minimize travel. During this placement, you will assist an experienced school psychologist in supporting special education students as they progress academically.
The EdS program continues with a Cultural Diversity course in the summer, followed by three fall courses: Counseling for SEB Outcomes, Legal Issues in School, and Psychological Consultation in Schools. Alongside these, you will complete a three-credit practicum to gain additional practical experience. For this practicum, you will spend two days per week at an approved school psychology site, and attend weekly online meetings with your professor and classmates.
The practicum continues into the following semester, increasing to six credits. You will also take a six-credit portfolio course, split into two classes during the fall and spring semesters of the third year.
The final requirement of the program is a 1,200-hour supervised internship. This internship advances your experience beyond the practicum by requiring you to complete many hours of direct contact with clients. This can involve providing psychological services to students, conducting assessments, or working individually with students to support their academic progress.
To apply, you must meet these requirements:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree in education or psychology, with at least 12 credits of psychology coursework and one or more courses in research methods or statistics.
- Maintain a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you have attended.
- Provide a GRE general score (must be less than five years old). This is waived if you already have a graduate degree in a related field, such as education or counseling.
Washburn University
Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology
You can pursue the Master of Arts in Psychology with an emphasis in clinical skills at Washburn University. This program provides practical professional training designed to prepare you for licensure and clinical work following Kansas requirements. Beginning in your second semester, you will work directly with clients in the training clinic. By the time you graduate, you will be prepared to:
- Understand current research and effectively integrate it into your knowledge and clinical work.
- Evaluate, administer, and interpret psychological assessments.
- Carry out therapy methods based on research while considering individual client needs and the context of their situations.
- Practice ethically, use supervision and consultation properly, and perform your professional duties responsibly.
Washburn’s clinical psychology master’s program is well-known for the clinical experience students receive. Here are some reasons this program may be right for you:
- You will begin working with clients in the training clinic during your second semester.
- Training in therapy methods supported by research is provided, which employers highly value.
- You can choose from many internship locations for your off-campus clinical training, and an internship is guaranteed.
- You will be immediately eligible for licensure in Kansas as a Temporary Licensed Master’s Level Psychologist (TLMLP) after graduation.
- Washburn graduates are employed at many mental health centers across Kansas, and these employers prefer Washburn graduates due to their strong training.
- Students who continue to doctoral programs report that Washburn’s master’s program prepared them well for further study.
- Financial support is available from both the department and the university for graduate student research.
- Most MA students work part-time in psychology-related jobs on or off-campus while completing their degree, gaining experience and supporting themselves financially.
To complete your degree, you must earn at least 60 credit hours, which include:
- Core courses
- Clinical courses
- Practicum experiences
- A supervised internship
- Either a thesis or an empirically-supported case study
In your final year, you will receive training and supervision at an external internship site. The psychology department has agreements with various mental health facilities, mainly in Topeka and eastern Kansas. Each internship lasts 9-10 months and requires 20 hours of supervised training per week.
After finishing the program, you will be able to:
- Clearly explain how peer-reviewed literature applies to specific psychology issues.
- Evaluate, administer, and interpret psychological assessments.
- Effectively use therapy techniques based on research while considering individual client needs and context.
- Practice ethically, use supervision and consultation properly, and fulfill professional responsibilities.
To apply, complete the online application. You will need to provide contact information for three individuals who will submit letters of recommendation on your behalf. After submitting your application, the system will send emails to these recommenders, guiding them to upload their letters by the application deadline (March 15 or November 15). You should submit your application at least 2-3 weeks before the deadline.
If you earned a psychology degree from Washburn and meet academic standards, you will be admitted to the master’s program. If your bachelor’s degree is from another field or institution, you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with:
- At least 21 hours of undergraduate psychology courses, including:
- An introductory psychology course
- A statistics course,
- A research methods or experimental laboratory course,
- An abnormal psychology course,
- And three upper-division psychology courses.
An official copy of Graduate Record Exam (GRE general test) scores must be sent directly to the Psychology Department.
Transfer credits will be evaluated individually. If you wish to transfer credits, contact the Department Chair and provide detailed information about your graduate-level courses from other institutions. Since at least two-thirds of the required 60 semester credits must be completed at Washburn University, a maximum of 20 transfer credits may be accepted.
Several psychology graduate courses are open to social workers, nurses, teachers, and other professionals who need continuing education credit. The department also accepts part-time non-degree students and those enrolled in other graduate programs who require psychology courses. If you want to enroll with special student status, request an application form from the Psychology Department. Special students may take up to six credit hours.
University of Kansas
Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology
The Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology program at the University of Kansas trains you as a generalist, equipping you to work in clinical treatment and academic research. Under the guidance of internationally recognized experts in counseling psychology, you will learn to critically assess key theories, conduct research, and gain clinical experience serving individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds and worldviews. Upon graduation, you will be able to apply current theory and research effectively in your professional work.
You should expect to participate in “co-curricular” activities beyond degree requirements to support your career goals. These activities include conducting and presenting research at conferences, participating in internships, and more. The program prepares clinicians to apply theory and research in practice, as well as academicians grounded in applied realities. After graduation, your potential job titles may include Clinician, Licensed Psychologist, Licensed Professional Counselor, or Professor.
Psychologist licensure is governed by the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board. To pursue licensure, you must first complete a doctoral degree in counseling psychology, which this Ph.D. program satisfies.
Your coursework will build a strong knowledge base for research and scholarship. You must fulfill a residency requirement by completing at least nine graduate credits over two consecutive semesters, focusing on full-time academic work before taking your comprehensive examinations.
During your practicum, you will train in various settings to ensure diverse experiences. Placement will be arranged to provide a structured progression of practical training.
Core requirements for the include:
- Biological Bases of Behavior
- Ethical and Legal Issues in Psychology and Counseling
- Counseling and Interviewing Skills
- Counseling Theory and Techniques
- Individual and Group Assessment
- Theory of Group Counseling
- Career Development
- Psychodiagnostic Assessment
- Advanced Counseling Theory and Researchocational Psychology
- Clinical Supervision and Consultation
- Seminar in Current Issues in Counseling Psychology
- Counseling Practicum (Elementary, Secondary, Counseling Psychology)
- Advanced Practicum I and II
- Internship in Counseling Psychology
- Theories and Research in Human Learning
- History and Systems of Psychology
- Human Development through the Lifespan
- Diagnosis and Psychopathology
- Elective 1-course selection with advisor
- Elective 2-couse selection with advisor
- Doctoral Dissertation
In addition to required major courses you will take the following 15 hrs. of Research Skill courses:
- Regression and ANOVA: General Linear Models
- Fundamentals of Multivariate Modeling
- Research Methods in Counseling Psychology
- Educational Scales, Questionnaires, and Sampling
- Advanced Measurement Theory and Practice
Minimum number of credit hours for the program is 96.
You will learn to evaluate key counseling approaches critically, design and conduct research, and gain clinical experience working with diverse clients. The program expects full-time commitment.
The curriculum follows a scientist-practitioner model, training you to apply research and theory in clinical practice while also preparing you for academic roles. You will work closely with an advisor to develop your study plan. The program sets minimum requirements, but your advisor may recommend extra coursework or activities such as presenting or publishing scholarly papers to prepare you fully for your career.
Once you complete all coursework, you will take the comprehensive examination, which has written and oral parts. This exam assesses your knowledge in coursework areas, your reasoning and evaluation abilities, and your understanding of current issues in counseling psychology.
To qualify for the comprehensive exam, you must finish all required courses and meet other university criteria. You may have no more than three courses (nine credits) left in regularly scheduled courses when taking the exam. These can be electives or certain required courses that are not central to the exam content. Remaining credits can count toward the post-exam enrollment requirements. You cannot have any Incomplete or WG grades pending.
You must also complete the required college teaching or practicum supervision experience before or during the year you take the comprehensive exam. Electives beyond the six required credits may be taken anytime before or after the exam.
Your dissertation will focus on an original research project addressing a specific counseling psychology problem or specialty. You are expected to contribute new knowledge and help solve important questions in the field.
As a graduates of this program, you will:
- Develop professional identities as health service counseling psychologists knowledgeable about emerging roles, professional issues, and research and practice scope.
- Follow ethical and legal standards in all aspects of their psychological work.
- Show professional integrity through behavior, decision-making, and ability to engage effectively in diverse professional relationships.
- Practice self-reflection to support life-long learning as counseling psychologists.
- Provide culturally competent counseling and professional work that reflects social justice values.
- Demonstrate skills in research design, data analysis, interpretation, and sharing of research results.
- Use counseling-based interventions informed by scientific literature to meet the needs of diverse clients.
Each year, the program admits about six to eight students. Applicants with bachelor’s or master’s degrees may apply. Recommended minimums for bachelor’s degree applicants include:
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field.
- Overall undergraduate GPA of 3.00 or 3.25 in major or last 60 credits.
Recommended minimums for master’s degree applicants include:
- Completion of a master’s degree in counseling or related field.
- Graduate GPA of 3.50 or higher.
International applicants should apply well before deadlines to allow time for visa processing. Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. You may contact faculty before applying, though this is not required.
Before applying, you must submit:
- An online application,
- Official transcripts,
- A resume or CV,
- Online letters of recommendation,
- Proof of English proficiency,
- And an application fee.
Can You Become a Psychologist With a Master’s in Kansas?
No, in Kansas, you cannot become a licensed psychologist with only a master’s degree. To practice as a licensed psychologist in Kansas, you must have a doctoral degree and meet specific professional requirements set by the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board.
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