A masters in psychology Arizona students pursue usually doesn’t lead to licensure on its own. Six universities offer the degree: Arizona State, Grand Canyon, National University, Northern Arizona, and University of Phoenix grant MA or MS degrees in general or organizational psychology, all terminal or doctoral-prep. Only Prescott College’s CACREP-accredited counseling degree is built for direct licensure.
Six universities in Arizona offer a master’s degree in psychology, and the type of degree matters more than the letters after your name. Most lead to research, human resources, or academic roles rather than a counseling or psychology license. One program is built specifically for state licensure. Here’s how the six break down, and which one fits a licensure path.
Terminal Master’s or Licensure Track? Choosing an Arizona Psychology Master’s
Most psychology master’s programs in Arizona are terminal degrees. They end at the master’s level and don’t qualify graduates for state licensure as a psychologist or counselor. Arizona State, Grand Canyon, National University, Northern Arizona, and University of Phoenix fall into this category. Graduates typically move into research, human resources, or applied roles, or use the degree as preparation for a PhD or PsyD program, such as those covered in our guide to Arizona’s doctoral psychology programs.
Prescott College’s Master of Science in Counseling is different from the five psychology-titled programs above. It’s accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) and is designed to prepare graduates to meet the coursework requirements of the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselor status. The degree alone doesn’t grant licensure. Candidates also need supervised practicum and internship hours and a passing exam score, and applicants should confirm current licensing requirements with their state’s board directly. Several Arizona schools, including some listed above, also offer separate CACREP-accredited counseling degrees under different program titles, so a psychology-titled master’s isn’t the only licensure-track option in the state.
Arizona Psychology Master’s Programs at a Glance
| School | Degree | Focus | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona State University | MS | General / research psychology | Tempe or online |
| Grand Canyon University | MS | General & industrial-organizational psychology | Phoenix or online |
| National University | MA | General psychology | Online |
| Northern Arizona University | MA | Psychological sciences (research/clinical health track) | Flagstaff |
| Prescott College | MS | Clinical mental health counseling | Prescott (limited residency) |
| University of Phoenix | MS | General & industrial-organizational psychology | Phoenix or online |
Arizona State University
Master of Science in Psychology
ASU’s psychology master’s runs through the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, part of the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. Students choose a campus or online format and a culminating experience: a thesis or applied project for those aiming at doctoral study, or a capstone in behavioral data science for those headed toward applied research roles. The program covers cognition, emotion, and behavior through a research methods lens and does not lead to professional licensure.
Applicants need a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and a 3.00 cumulative GPA in their final 60 undergraduate credit hours, or six completed graduate-level credit hours with a 3.00 GPA.
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (institutional)
Location: Tempe, AZ
Program website
Grand Canyon University
MS in Psychology: General Psychology Emphasis
Offered through the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, this 36-credit, non-thesis program covers contemporary and ethical issues in psychology, learning and cognition, psychopathology, and human development, closing with a capstone research proposal. Coursework aligns with American Psychological Association standards, though the program itself isn’t APA-accredited and doesn’t lead to licensure.
MS in Psychology: Industrial/Organizational Psychology Emphasis
This track covers what industrial-organizational psychologists do in the workplace, including performance management, organizational culture, and personnel decisions, and culminates in a capstone research project. Graduates typically move into consulting or organizational-development roles.
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (institutional)
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Program website
National University
Master of Arts in Psychology
This online program was previously offered as Northcentral University’s MA in Psychology. Northcentral merged into National University in 2022, and the psychology program now operates under the National University name. Students choose from specializations including general psychology, and the program is built as preparation for doctoral study or applied roles in research, industry, or nonprofit settings rather than for licensure.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (institutional)
Location: Online
Program website
Northern Arizona University
Psychological Sciences, Master of Arts
NAU’s Department of Psychological Sciences runs this program with both thesis and non-thesis options. Coursework centers on statistics and research design, with faculty expertise spanning clinical, cognitive, developmental, health, and industrial-organizational psychology. Graduates typically move toward PhD or PsyD study, behavioral health work, or organizational development roles. Students must complete at least 30 units of graduate coursework, maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA, and finish within six consecutive years.
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (institutional)
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Program website
Prescott College
Master of Science in Counseling
Prescott’s 60-credit counseling program is a limited-residency program: coursework is completed mostly online, with a required three-day colloquium on the Prescott campus during a student’s first year. The Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization includes a practicum and a two-term internship, and students can add an emphasis area such as marriage, couples, and family counseling or social justice in counseling. This is the one program on this page designed to prepare graduates for counselor licensure rather than doctoral study.
Accreditation: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), plus Higher Learning Commission (institutional)
Location: Prescott, AZ
Program website
University of Phoenix
Master of Science in Psychology
This general psychology program emphasizes cognitive and affective processes, research methods, and psychological assessment across six-week courses. It’s an educational credential rather than a licensure pathway and doesn’t prepare graduates for professional certification as a psychologist.
Master of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
This track applies psychological science to workplace performance and organizational effectiveness, with coursework aligned to standards set by the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology.
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (institutional)
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Program website
A master’s in psychology from any of these six Arizona schools carries regional accreditation, but licensure outcomes and program depth vary widely between them. Confirm current admission requirements and accreditation status directly with each school before applying, since program details change more often than directories do. See more on career paths for master’s-level psychology graduates by specialization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a doctorate to become a licensed psychologist in Arizona?
Yes. Arizona requires a doctoral degree, supervised experience, and passing the EPPP for licensure as a psychologist. None of the master’s programs above lead to psychologist licensure on their own, though several serve as a step toward doctoral study.
Can I become a licensed counselor with a master’s in psychology in Arizona?
Not through the psychology degrees listed on this page. Prescott College’s CACREP-accredited Master of Science in Counseling is the only program above designed to meet Arizona’s Licensed Professional Counselor coursework requirements, and the degree alone doesn’t grant licensure. Several Arizona schools, including some listed here, offer separate CACREP-accredited counseling degrees under different program titles that also lead toward licensure, but those are different degrees from the psychology programs covered on this page.
What’s the difference between an MA and an MS in psychology?
The distinction mostly reflects each university’s own naming convention rather than a fixed national standard. MS programs often lean toward research methodology and data analysis, while MA programs at schools like Northern Arizona University and National University pair theory with methods training. Read more on how MA and MS psychology degrees differ, and check each program’s required coursework directly, since the split varies by school.
Are online psychology master’s programs in Arizona respected by employers?
Regional accreditation, not delivery format, is what employers and doctoral programs check first. Every school on this page holds regional institutional accreditation, so an online degree from Arizona State or National University carries the same institutional standing as a campus-based one.
How long does a psychology master’s degree take in Arizona?
Most full-time students finish in about two years. Thesis requirements, like the one at Northern Arizona University, and Prescott College’s practicum and internship requirements can extend that timeline, while non-thesis tracks such as Grand Canyon’s general psychology emphasis tend to run closer to the two-year minimum. Check whether a thesis is required for your program directly with the school, since thesis policies can change between catalog years.
Compare application requirements, program formats, and enrollment options for psychology master’s programs near you.