A master’s in psychology in Colorado is available at seven schools, spanning industrial-organizational, clinical, forensic, sport, and counseling specialties. A master’s alone won’t make you a licensed psychologist in Colorado since that requires a doctorate, but several programs prepare you for Licensed Professional Counselor status or non-licensed applied roles. Most run about two years full-time.
Here’s a question a lot of Colorado applicants get wrong: Does a master’s in psychology make you a psychologist? Nope. In Colorado, that title is reserved for people with a doctorate. What a master’s can do is a lot more interesting than that single word suggests, from consulting on workplace culture to counseling clients toward an LPC license, depending on which program you pick.
Will a Master’s in Psychology Make You a Licensed Psychologist in Colorado?
No, and this trips up more applicants than you’d think. Colorado requires a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) for the “licensed psychologist” title, full stop. A master’s degree opens different doors, and which door it opens depends on the program.
Terminal master’s programs are built to stand on their own. You apply, complete the degree, and go straight into the workforce or a specialized track, no doctorate required or expected. Colorado State University’s industrial-organizational psychology program is a clear example: graduates walk straight into HR and consulting roles, and I-O psychologists don’t need a license to practice.
Counseling-focused master’s programs can lead to licensure, just not as a psychologist. Programs designed around Colorado’s counseling requirements, like Naropa University’s clinical mental health counseling degree, prepare graduates to register as a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate (LPCC), then work toward full Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) status after completing 2,000 hours of supervised post-degree experience and passing the National Counselor Examination and Colorado’s Mental Health Jurisprudence Exam. It’s a real, independent license to practice therapy; it’s just a different credential than “psychologist,” and the exact steps and exams can change, so always confirm current requirements with DORA.
Non-terminal (or “en route”) master’s programs are a different animal entirely. Some doctoral programs award a master’s degree partway through, but you can’t enroll for the master’s alone; it only exists as a checkpoint on the way to the PhD. UCCS is upfront about this with its own clinical master’s track too: the program says directly that it isn’t designed to meet Colorado’s LPC licensure requirements, because its purpose is preparing you for doctoral study, not independent practice. If that’s the direction you’re headed, it’s worth understanding choosing between a PsyD and PhD track before you apply, and Colorado also has its own lineup of Psychology Doctoral Programs in Colorado worth comparing.
Before you apply anywhere, check what license (if any) the program is actually built around. The requirements for psychology licensure vary by state, and Colorado’s Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) is the final word on what counts.
Colorado Psychology Master’s Programs at a Glance
All seven programs below are housed at regionally accredited Colorado institutions. Click a school name to jump to its full write-up.
| School | Program | Focus | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado State University | M.A.I.O.P. / Addiction Counseling | Industrial-organizational, and addiction counseling | Fort Collins, CO |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | MA in Psychology | Clinical or Psychological Science track | Colorado Springs, CO |
| University of Denver | Four MA programs | Forensic, disaster/trauma, sport, sport coaching | Denver, CO |
| Colorado Christian University | MS in Psychology | General psychology, faith-integrated | Lakewood, CO (online) |
| University of Northern Colorado | MA in Educational Psychology | Learning, motivation, teacher practice | Greeley, CO |
| Naropa University | MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling | Mindfulness-based transpersonal counseling | Boulder, CO |
| Adams State University | MS in Kinesiology | Applied sport psychology | Alamosa, CO (online) |
Colorado State University
CSU’s psychology department runs five PhD tracks, but it also offers two terminal master’s options for students who want to stop at the master’s level.
Master of Applied Industrial/Organizational Psychology (M.A.I.O.P.)
This fully online program trains you to apply psychology to workplace problems: hiring, training, employee development, and organizational culture. It’s coursework-only (no thesis), runs 38 credit hours, and can be completed in two to four years depending on your pace, with tuition around $770 per credit. It’s regionally accredited through the Higher Learning Commission. If you’re not sure what the day-to-day looks like, how industrial-organizational psychologists apply the degree comes down to hiring, training, and workplace culture rather than clinical practice. Because I-O psychologists don’t need a state license to practice, you can put the degree to work immediately after graduation.
Master’s in Addiction Counseling
CSU’s second terminal master’s track prepares graduates for substance use treatment and addiction counseling roles. It’s a newer addition to the department’s lineup alongside the long-running M.A.I.O.P. program.
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
MA in Psychology (Clinical or Psychological Science track)
UCCS offers a terminal Master of Arts in Psychology with two tracks: Clinical and Psychological Science. Both follow the “Boulder scientist/practitioner” model and require a research thesis plus coursework in research methods and core psychology content, unlike CSU’s coursework-only M.A.I.O.P. program (see whether a thesis is required for a psychology master’s for how this varies by school). The clinical track runs about 47 credit hours (per the department’s most recent published handbook) and typically takes two years, with a practicum component. Both tracks offer optional sub-plans, including geropsychology, trauma psychology, and others depending on the track, for students who want a more focused research and clinical concentration.
Here’s the part worth reading twice: UCCS says plainly that this program is not designed to meet Colorado’s master’s-level licensure requirements for Licensed Professional Counselor. It’s built as a stepping stone to doctoral study, not a standalone path to independent practice. If your goal is to practice therapy right after your master’s, this isn’t the program, so budget for a PhD or PsyD afterward if you want to keep going.
University of Denver
DU’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP) is best known for launching one of the country’s first PsyD programs back in 1976, but it also runs four specialized master’s tracks that don’t require a doctorate.
MA in Forensic Psychology
A 90-credit program blending clinical psychology training with law-based coursework, built for students who want to work inside the criminal and civil justice system: victim assistance, correctional settings, police consultation, and similar roles. Two supervised practicum placements are built into the curriculum. For a broader look at the field, see what a forensic psychology master’s covers beyond this specific program.
MA in International Disaster Psychology: Trauma and Global Mental Health
A two-year program combining coursework in trauma intervention and crisis response with a community field placement and an eight-week international internship. Recent student placements have included Ghana, Nepal, Bosnia, and Panama. DU calls it the first program of its kind in the country.
MA in Sport and Performance Psychology
Designed for students who want to work with athletes, performers, or high-pressure professionals on mental performance and resilience, blending psychology coursework with applied practicum experience. See career paths in sport psychology for how this specialty differs from clinical work.
MA in Sport Coaching (online)
DU’s newest master’s track, delivered fully online and recognized by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, is aimed at coaches who want formal training in athlete development and performance psychology without relocating to Denver.
Colorado Christian University
MS in Psychology
CCU’s 30-credit-hour master’s program is delivered 100% online and designed for working adults, with an accelerated pace that lets full-time students finish in as little as 15 months. Coursework covers the major theories and content areas of psychology through a Christian, biblically grounded lens. Graduates go on to roles in human resources, case management, and school or community settings, or use the degree as a springboard into doctoral study.
University of Northern Colorado
MA in Educational Psychology
UNC’s 30-credit program digs into learning theory, motivation, assessment, and research methods, and it’s built with flexibility in mind: courses run on campus, at Denver-area extension sites, and fully online. A Teaching Applications concentration is aimed specifically at working teachers who want to bring learning science directly into their classrooms. Full-time students can finish in about a year, and the program can also stretch out for those balancing a job.
Naropa University
MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling: Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling
Naropa built its reputation on blending Western clinical training with contemplative practice, and this concentration is the clearest expression of that approach: meditation, body awareness, and family systems work alongside standard clinical counseling coursework. For what counseling psychology involves more broadly, this program folds those foundations into a mindfulness-centered training model. The program includes a supervised internship in a community agency during the final year. Naropa’s curriculum is recognized by Colorado’s Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) as CACREP-equivalent, which means Colorado graduates can register as a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate without an extra equivalency review. Graduates still need to complete post-degree supervised hours and pass the required exams before earning full LPC status, and eligibility for licensure outside Colorado varies by state, so confirm requirements directly with the board where you plan to practice.
Adams State University
MS in Kinesiology, Applied Sport Psychology Emphasis
This fully online, 36-credit program trains students to apply sport psychology in coaching, athletics, and performance settings, and it’s been ranked among the most affordable sport psychology master’s programs in the country. Coursework covers mental strength and conditioning, ethics, and case studies in applied sport psychology, with a research project required to graduate. Most students finish in about two years.
Seven schools, seven different reasons to pick a master’s in psychology in Colorado over a doctorate, from a two-year online I-O degree to a licensure-track counseling program built around mindfulness. The right fit comes down to one question: what do you want to be doing with the degree the day after you graduate?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I become a therapist with just a master’s in psychology in Colorado?
Yes, but the path runs through counselor licensure, not “psychologist” licensure. Programs built around Colorado’s counseling requirements, like Naropa’s clinical mental health counseling degree, prepare graduates to register as a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate (LPCC), then complete supervised post-degree hours and pass the required exams to reach full LPC status. Not every master’s in psychology is built this way, so check a program’s licensure framing and confirm current requirements with DORA before you apply.
What’s the difference between an MA and an MS in psychology?
In practice, the two labels don’t map to a strict content difference; an MA and an MS can cover very similar ground depending on the school. It usually comes down to how the program itself is structured and which college or department houses it. For a deeper breakdown of the difference between an MA and an MS in psychology, including which one shows up more often in clinical versus research-focused programs, see our full guide.
Do Colorado psychology master’s programs require the GRE?
It depends on the school. CSU’s official M.A.I.O.P. program page currently lists both the GRE General Test and the GRE Psychology Subject Test as admission requirements, which is more testing than most terminal master’s programs ask for, so it’s worth confirming directly with CSU’s admissions office before you apply in case that policy has shifted. UNC’s Educational Psychology program doesn’t require the GRE at all, and UCCS has dropped the GRE requirement for its psychology master’s applications in recent admissions cycles. Testing policies shift from year to year across every program on this list, so always confirm current requirements directly.
How long does a psychology master’s degree take in Colorado?
Most run for about two years full-time. Some move faster: Colorado Christian University’s online MS in Psychology can be finished in as little as 15 months on an accelerated schedule. Others can stretch longer if you’re studying part-time alongside a job, which several programs on this list, including UNC’s and CSU’s, are specifically built to accommodate.
Can a Colorado psychology master’s lead to a PhD later?
Often, yes, though how it counts varies by school. UCCS designs its clinical MA track specifically as doctoral preparation, and CSU notes that M.A.I.O.P. graduates are eligible to apply to its on-campus I-O psychology PhD program. Whether credits actually transfer toward a doctorate depends on the receiving program, so ask directly if that’s part of your plan.
Browse accredited psychology master’s programs in Colorado, application requirements, and tuition details to find the program that matches your career goals.