Psychology master’s programs in California span public universities, California State University campuses, and specialized private institutes, covering counseling, clinical, school, and organizational tracks. Licensure-track programs meet California Board of Behavioral Sciences requirements for MFT or LPCC licensure, usually completed in two to three years. Others function as a research step toward a doctorate rather than a stand-alone path to licensure.
The master’s degree in psychology covers more ground in California than almost anywhere else. Some programs exist to get you licensed as a marriage and family therapist or professional clinical counselor. Others exist to get you into a PhD program, with no licensure attached at all, and the bigger question isn’t always MA vs MS in psychology; it’s which of those two paths a program actually leads to. The payoff extends well past the therapy room, too. From tech companies to school districts, applied psychology opens up a wide range of careers with a master’s in psychology across the state, and some of the state’s highest-paying psychology careers start with exactly this degree. Not every strong option requires moving to campus, either. Several schools on this list also turn up among the best online psychology master’s programs in the country.
Licensure-Track vs. Pre-Doctoral Master’s Programs in California
Most master’s programs on this list fall into one of two categories, and the difference matters more than the degree letters on the diploma. Licensure-track programs are built around the California Board of Behavioral Sciences education requirements for the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) credential. These programs run 60 to 90 units, include a supervised traineeship, and end with you eligible to register as an Associate and start accruing the 3,000 supervised hours (over a minimum of 104 weeks) California requires before you can sit for the Clinical Exam and get licensed.
Pre-doctoral and research-track programs work differently. Schools like the University of California campuses award a master’s degree along the way to a PhD, not as a terminal credential. These programs emphasize statistics, research methods, and thesis work, and they don’t lead to licensure on their own. If your goal is private practice or counseling work, a licensure-track program gets you there faster. If you’re aiming for a doctorate and a research career, the pre-doctoral route is the more direct line.
California Psychology Master’s Programs at a Glance
The table below lists every active program covered in this guide. Select a school name to jump to its full write-up.
| School | Degree | Focus | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alliant University | MA, PhD, PsyD | Clinical, MFT, Clinical Counseling | San Diego (multiple CA campuses) |
| Azusa Pacific University | MA, MS | Clinical (MFT), Organizational | Azusa, CA |
| University of Massachusetts Global | MA | Clinical Counseling, MFT | Irvine, CA (multiple CA sites) |
| California Baptist University | MS, MA | Counseling (MFT/PCC), Forensic | Riverside, CA |
| California Institute of Integral Studies | MA | Counseling (MFT/LPCC), East-West Psychology | San Francisco, CA |
| California Lutheran University | MS | Clinical, Counseling (MFT) | Thousand Oaks, CA |
| Cal Poly Pomona | MS | Marriage and Family Therapy | Pomona, CA |
| Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | MS | Marriage and Family Therapy | San Luis Obispo, CA |
| Chapman University | Ed.S. | School Psychology | Orange, CA |
| Claremont Graduate University | MA | Applied and Research Psychology | Claremont, CA |
| Claremont McKenna College | MA | General Psychology (accelerated) | Claremont, CA |
| Fielding Graduate University | MA | Media Psychology | Santa Barbara, CA (online) |
| Fresno Pacific University | MA | School Psychology | Fresno, CA |
| Golden Gate University | MA | Counseling, Industrial-Organizational | San Francisco, CA |
| Cal Poly Humboldt | MA | Academic Research, Counseling (MFT), School | Arcata, CA |
| Loyola Marymount University | MA, Ed.S. | School Psychology | Los Angeles, CA |
| Mount Saint Mary’s University | MS | Counseling Psychology (MFT/PCC) | Los Angeles, CA |
| National University | MA | Counseling, Sport, and Performance Psychology | San Diego, CA (multiple CA sites) |
| Notre Dame de Namur University | MS | Clinical Psychology (MFT) | Belmont, CA |
| Pacifica Graduate Institute | MA | Counseling Psychology (Depth) | Carpinteria, CA |
| Palo Alto University | MS | Research, Forensic, Tech and Mental Health | Palo Alto, CA |
| Pepperdine University | MA | General Psychology, Clinical (MFT) | Los Angeles, CA (multiple CA sites) |
| San Diego State University | MA, MS | Research, Applied (I-O) | San Diego, CA |
| San Francisco State University | MA, MS | Research, Clinical, School, I-O | San Francisco, CA |
| San Jose State University | MA, MS | Research, Clinical, Industrial-Organizational | San Jose, CA |
| Santa Clara University | MA | Counseling Psychology (MFT/PCC) | Santa Clara, CA |
| Saybrook University | MA | Clinical, Humanistic Psychology | Pasadena, CA (online) |
| Simpson University | MA | Counseling Psychology (MFT/PCC) | Redding, CA |
| Sofia University | MA | Transpersonal, Counseling Psychology | Palo Alto and Costa Mesa, CA |
| Sonoma State University | MA | Depth Psychology | Rohnert Park, CA |
| The Chicago School | MA | Forensic, Industrial-Organizational | Los Angeles, CA (multiple CA sites) |
| The Wright Institute | MA | Counseling Psychology | Berkeley, CA |
| University of California, Irvine | MA (en route to PhD) | Psychological Science (Research) | Irvine, CA |
| UCLA | MA (en route to PhD) | Psychology (Research) | Los Angeles, CA |
| UC Santa Barbara | M.Ed. | School Psychology (PPS Credential) | Santa Barbara, CA |
| University of La Verne | MS | School Psychology | La Verne, CA (also Bakersfield) |
| USC Dornsife | MS | Applied (Organizational, Consumer) | Los Angeles, CA |
| University of the Pacific | MA | Behavioral Psychology | Stockton, CA |
| University of the West | MA | MFT, Multicultural Counseling | Rosemead, CA |
| Vanguard University | MS | Clinical, Organizational Psychology | Costa Mesa, CA |
Alliant University
California School of Professional Psychology: MA, PhD, and PsyD Programs
Alliant University, renamed from Alliant International University in January 2026, houses the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) across campuses in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Fresno, and Sacramento. CSPP’s doctoral programs in clinical psychology are individually APA-accredited by campus, and its Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling holds CACREP accreditation. Master’s-level options include the MA in Clinical Counseling (LPCC track), MA and PhD programs in marriage and family therapy accredited by COAMFTE, and MA/PhD/PsyD tracks in industrial-organizational psychology. Alliant also offers a postdoctoral MS in Clinical Psychopharmacology, delivered fully online, for licensed psychologists seeking prescriptive authority training.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (institutional), APA (clinical psychology doctoral programs by campus), COAMFTE (MFT), CACREP (clinical counseling)
Contact: San Diego, CA. Program website
Azusa Pacific University
Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy
Azusa Pacific’s clinical psychology master’s prepares students for LMFT and LPCC licensure through 66 to 69 units of coursework blended with theology and ethics courses reflecting the university’s faith-based mission. The program includes a course addressing California’s Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor requirement for students who want dual eligibility.
Master of Science in Organizational Psychology
This 39-unit program runs 16 to 22 months and trains students to improve employee experience and productivity through coursework split between an organizational psychology core, research and assessment methods, and a thesis-prep integration sequence. It’s offered at the Azusa campus only.
Accreditation: WSCUC (Senior College and University Commission)
Contact: Azusa, CA. Program website
University of Massachusetts Global
Master of Arts in Psychology: Professional Clinical Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy
University of Massachusetts Global, formerly Brandman University and, before that, Chapman University College, offers a Master of Arts in Psychology with concentrations that qualify graduates for California licensure as a Professional Clinical Counselor or Marriage and Family Therapist. According to the California Association for Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors, counseling is a professional relationship aimed at helping people reach mental health, wellness, and career goals, and UMass Global’s PCC concentration is built around that same standard. The MFT concentration follows the educational framework set by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and requires a minimum of 225 hours of supervised practicum work with clients. Additional concentrations lead to school counseling and school psychology credentials through the university’s education division.
Accreditation: WSCUC (Senior College and University Commission)
Contact: Irvine, CA (multiple California sites). Program website
California Baptist University
Master of Science in Counseling Psychology
California Baptist’s counseling psychology master’s uses a dual certification structure, letting students pursue MFT licensure alongside the Professional Clinical Counselor credential in the same program. The MFT portion requires 62 units, with an additional 18 units for PCC eligibility.
Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology
This 57-unit program combines criminal justice coursework with applied psychology, preparing graduates for assessment and consulting roles alongside law enforcement and government agencies rather than clinical licensure.
Accreditation: WSCUC (Senior College and University Commission)
Contact: Riverside, CA. Program website
California Institute of Integral Studies
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology
CIIS offers five distinct concentrations under its Counseling Psychology department, all approved by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences to meet LMFT educational requirements, and most also meeting LPCC requirements: Integral Counseling Psychology, Community Mental Health, Drama Therapy, Expressive Arts Therapy, and Somatic Psychology. Formats range from full weekday cohorts to hybrid weekend and online-with-intensives schedules, and programs run roughly three years.
Master of Arts in East-West Psychology
This 36-unit, nonclinical program is not a licensure path. It’s built for students drawn to the intersection of Western psychology and Eastern and Indigenous wisdom traditions, with electives in topics like yoga psychology and non-dual approaches to consciousness.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: San Francisco, CA. Program website
California Lutheran University
MS in Clinical Psychology
Cal Lutheran’s clinical psychology master’s is research-focused, requiring 34 to 37 units across two years with a thesis, research project, or comprehensive exam as the capstone. Class sizes run around 15 students. The university also offers an MS in Counseling Psychology with an MFT track for students seeking California licensure directly.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Thousand Oaks, CA. Program website
Cal Poly Pomona
Master of Science Degree in Psychology
Cal Poly Pomona’s psychology master’s leads directly to eligibility for MFT licensure. Students complete at least 74 credits on a quarter schedule, roughly two years, plus a full academic year of supervised practicum. The curriculum includes required training in identifying and reporting child abuse and understanding how medication affects behavior.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Pomona, CA. Program website
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Master of Science in Psychology
Cal Poly SLO’s psychology master’s fulfills the Board of Behavioral Sciences’ education and training requirements for the MFT license. The program currently runs on a quarter system at 90 quarter units, including a 16-credit marital and family therapy traineeship, with graduation requiring either a comprehensive exam or a thesis. The university is converting to a semester calendar starting in fall 2026, so applicants should confirm the current unit structure with the program directly.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: San Luis Obispo, CA. Program website
Chapman University
Ed.S. in School Psychology
Chapman’s Educational Specialist program in School Psychology trains students for assessment, mental health counseling, and behavior consultation roles in K-12 settings. Graduates qualify for school psychologist certification after completing the required internship hours and passing the Praxis II exam. The program runs 69 credits over three years full-time, including 1,800 hours of fieldwork. Chapman has since added an LPCC emphasis option, embedding the additional coursework needed for Professional Clinical Counselor licensure directly into the Ed.S. and a related MA in Educational Psychology track.
Accreditation: WSCUC (Senior College and University Commission), National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), International School Psychology Association (ISPA), California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
Contact: Orange, CA. Program website
Claremont Graduate University
Master of Arts in Psychology
CGU’s psychology master’s requires 48 units with no thesis requirement, and students can focus their coursework in areas like applied cognitive psychology, organizational behavior and evaluation, or positive psychology. A dual Master of Public Health and Master of Applied Psychology option is also available for students interested in the overlap between behavioral science and public health.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Claremont, CA. Program website
Claremont McKenna College
Accelerated MA Program in Psychology
This joint program with Claremont Graduate University lets Claremont McKenna undergraduates take up to 16 graduate-level psychology units during their bachelor’s degree, then complete the master’s with 32 additional units after finishing their undergraduate work. Students must still formally apply to CGU’s MA program even after completing the accelerated coursework.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Claremont, CA. Program website
Fielding Graduate University
MA in Media Psychology
Fielding’s media psychology master’s focuses on the intersection of human behavior and mass and digital media, with coursework in psychoanthropology, media symbols, and applied statistics. Students choose between a capstone project or a comprehensive thesis. Fielding pairs each student with a career and course mentor for the duration of the program, which is delivered primarily online with periodic in-person or virtual sessions.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Santa Barbara, CA (online). Program website
Fresno Pacific University
School Psychology PPS Credential and Master of Arts Degree
Fresno Pacific’s school psychology program combines a Master of Arts with the Pupil Personnel Services credential required to work as a school psychologist in California. Coursework covers school safety, bullying prevention, and applied statistics, alongside a required practicum that connects students with school counselors and administrators across the region.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Fresno, CA. Program website
Golden Gate University
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology
GGU’s counseling psychology master’s is a license-eligible, 60-unit program built around a psychology core in statistics, research, and advanced human behavior. Students complete 300 face-to-face clinical contact hours through a traineeship, satisfying part of the state’s total supervised-experience requirement for MFT and LPCC licensure.
Master of Arts in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
GGU’s I-O program is a non-licensure track for students headed toward workplace consulting, human resources, or organizational development roles rather than clinical practice.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: San Francisco, CA. Program website
Cal Poly Humboldt
MA in Psychology: Academic Research, Counseling Psychology, and School Psychology
Cal Poly Humboldt, renamed from Humboldt State University in 2022, offers three master’s tracks through its psychology department. The Academic Research concentration prepares students for PhD study or research careers, with options in behavior analysis, neuroscience, developmental, and social/cognitive psychology, and undergraduates can enter the program in their senior year through a blended pathway. The Counseling Psychology track is accredited by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and provides the educational requirements for MFT licensure. The School Psychology track is a three-year program combining coursework, fieldwork, and research training that leads to a state credential.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), California Board of Behavioral Sciences (Counseling Psychology track)
Contact: Arcata, CA. Program website
Loyola Marymount University
MA in Educational Psychology, EdS in School Psychology, with PPS Credential
LMU’s school psychology sequence starts with four gateway courses in developmental psychology, learning theory, statistics, and advanced psychological concepts, then branches into electives across school psychology, personality theory, and abnormal psychology. A required internship, usually placed near the LMU campus, rounds out the program before students receive the Pupil Personnel Services credential.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Los Angeles, CA. Program website
Mount Saint Mary’s University
Master of Science in Counseling Psychology
MSMU offers three specializations under its counseling psychology master’s: a 36-unit General Counseling Psychology track, a 60-unit Marriage and Family Therapy track, and an MFT track paired with the ¡Enlaces! Certificate for students planning to counsel Spanish-speaking clients bilingually. All three prepare graduates for California licensure, and small class sizes keep faculty mentorship close throughout.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Los Angeles, CA. Program website
National University
JFK School of Psychology and Social Sciences: MA in Counseling Psychology and MA in Sport and Performance Psychology
National University’s psychology programs now include the former John F. Kennedy University (JFKU) graduate psychology curriculum, integrated into National University in 2021 after JFKU closed as an independent institution. Operating today as the JFK School of Psychology and Social Sciences, the division offers a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology built around a licensure-track core preparing graduates to sit for the MFT license through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, along with a separate MA in Marriage and Family Therapy. Its Master of Arts in Sport and Performance Psychology, one of the few programs of its kind nationally, prepares students for mental performance consulting through coursework in assessment, counseling skills, and performance enhancement aligned with Association for Applied Sport Psychology certification standards.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: San Diego, CA (multiple California sites). Program website
Notre Dame de Namur University
Master of Science in Clinical Psychology (MSCP)
NDNU closed its undergraduate programs in 2024 and now operates as a graduate-only institution, with its School of Psychology still active. The School of Psychology now runs three MSCP tracks: a 60-unit MFT concentration, a 67-unit dual MFT/LPCC concentration that adds seven units of LPCC-specific coursework, and a 37-unit non-licensure track for students headed into business, consulting, or organizational settings rather than clinical practice. The licensure tracks run two to three years and meet California Board of Behavioral Sciences requirements directly.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Belmont, CA. Program website
Pacifica Graduate Institute
MA in Counseling Psychology, with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology
Pacifica’s counseling psychology master’s follows a cohort model with foundation courses in depth psychology and counseling theory before shifting to a quarter-based format across roughly three years, including multiple clinical practicums. Pacifica has since added a Psy.D. in Counseling Psychology, a newer doctoral option for students who complete the master’s and want a licensure-track doctorate grounded in the same depth-psychology orientation, following what Pacifica calls the practitioner-scholar or “Vail model.”
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Carpinteria, CA. Program website
Palo Alto University
MS in Psychology
PAU’s psychology master’s now offers four tracks: Generalist, Forensic Psychology, Tech and Mental Health, and a newly added User Experience Research (UXR) track, preparing behavioral scientists for careers in tech. A separate PhD Prep concentration mirrors the first year of PAU’s APA-accredited PhD in Clinical Psychology and allows students to apply to transition into the doctoral program. The MS is delivered entirely online and does not require the GRE.
Accreditation: WSCUC (institutional), APA (PhD in Clinical Psychology, referenced for the PhD Prep track)
Contact: Palo Alto, CA. Program website
Pepperdine University
MA in Psychology and MA in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy
Pepperdine’s generalist MA in Psychology runs 1.5 years full-time and covers foundational coursework before requiring two supervised practicum placements. The Clinical Psychology MA, open only to students with an undergraduate psychology-related degree, builds on that same core with additional MFT-focused clinical training and three professional placements, offered in day, evening, and Latino/a-community-focused formats depending on campus.
Accreditation: WSCUC (Senior College and University Commission)
Contact: Los Angeles, CA (multiple California sites). Program website
San Diego State University
Psychology MA and MS in Applied Psychology
SDSU’s MA in Psychology is a research-oriented, thesis-required program designed to prepare students for PhD study rather than licensure. The MS in Applied Psychology offers Industrial-Organizational and Quantitative Methods tracks, with students conducting supervised research alongside a faculty mentor throughout.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: San Diego, CA. Program website
San Francisco State University
MA and MS in Psychology
SFSU’s MA offers concentrations in social, developmental, and a combined mind-brain-behavior track, requiring statistics, developmental and behavioral coursework, and at least two practicum experiences. The MS covers clinical, school, and industrial psychology concentrations, all of which require completing state-mandated supervised hours since these fields involve licensure.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: San Francisco, CA. Program website
San Jose State University
MA in Research and Experimental Psychology, MS in Clinical Psychology, MS in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
SJSU’s MA track is research-focused, pairing students with a faculty mentor for at least nine thesis-credit units in preparation for doctoral study or academic careers. The MS in Clinical Psychology requires statistics, cognitive and behavioral coursework, and three practicum placements ahead of licensure eligibility. The MS in Industrial-Organizational Psychology blends the same core with workplace behavior and organizational development coursework and three practical placements.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: San José, CA. Program website
Santa Clara University
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology
Santa Clara’s single counseling psychology master’s offers three tracks: marriage and family therapy, clinical counseling, or a joint track covering both licensure paths. All students complete a shared psychology core covering ethics, foundations of behavior, and relevant state and federal privacy regulations, plus at least three practicum placements.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Santa Clara, CA. Program website
Saybrook University
MA in Psychology
Saybrook, part of the Chicago School of Professional Psychology network, offers online MA and PhD programs across clinical psychology, organizational systems, and mind-body medicine. The MA track lets students choose concentrations including consciousness and integrative health, creativity studies, and existential-humanistic-transpersonal psychology, all delivered through Saybrook’s distance-learning model with periodic residencies.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Pasadena, CA (online). Program website
Simpson University
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology
Simpson’s counseling psychology master’s is a two-year, cohort-based program preparing students for California LMFT or LPCC licensure, with classes meeting two evenings a week for the first two years before a full year of supervised clinical field placement. The program integrates a Christian university foundation into standard clinical training, including a Master’s Capstone Project as the culminating requirement.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), California Board of Behavioral Sciences (LMFT/LPCC educational requirements)
Contact: Redding, CA. Program website
Sofia University
MA in Transpersonal Psychology and MA in Counseling Psychology
Sofia University, founded as the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in 1975, still offers the field’s original graduate program: a 48- to 51-unit MA in Transpersonal Psychology, delivered mostly online with two in-person or virtual residencies, with concentrations including Transformative Life Coaching, Spiritual Psychology, and a Veteran Leadership path. Sofia’s separate MA in Counseling Psychology is a licensure-track program meeting California Board of Behavioral Sciences requirements for MFT.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Palo Alto and Costa Mesa, CA. Program website
Sonoma State University
Master of Arts in Psychology, Emphasis in Depth Psychology
Sonoma State’s psychology master’s program runs three years, moving from a first year focused on psychological methods and cross-cultural psychology into a second year of research and an internship, then a third year built around a practicum placement and a final research project or thesis. Sonoma State also offers a separate MA in Counseling through its counseling department, with clinical mental health and school counseling tracks.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Rohnert Park, CA. Program website
The Chicago School
MA in Forensic Psychology and MA in Industrial-Organizational Psychology
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology now goes by The Chicago School, with California campuses including Los Angeles, Irvine, and San Diego. Its Forensic Psychology master’s covers behavioral analysis and criminal psychology, leading to a practicum placement with a local law enforcement agency. Its I-O Psychology master’s focuses on organizational behavior, development, and workplace psychology, with electives in supervision and organizational change.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology
Contact: Los Angeles, CA (multiple California sites). Program website
The Wright Institute
Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology
The Wright Institute offers only two degree programs, a PsyD in Clinical Psychology and an MA in Counseling Psychology, which keeps its focus narrow and its faculty’s attention concentrated. The MA integrates counseling psychology and marriage and family therapy training aimed at producing culturally responsive mental health providers, with daytime and weekend cohort formats. Demand runs high enough that the program maintains a waitlist in most admission cycles.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Berkeley, CA. Program website
University of California, Irvine
PhD in Psychological Science (MA awarded en route)
UC Irvine doesn’t offer a standalone psychology master’s. Students earn an MA as a step toward the PhD in Psychological Science, with specializations available in affective science, developmental psychology, health psychology, and social and personality psychology, plus a separate clinical psychology concentration for students pursuing clinically focused research. The clinical concentration holds accredited-on-contingency status from the APA Commission on Accreditation, effective through October 2029.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), APA accredited on contingency (Clinical Psychology concentration, through October 2029)
Contact: Irvine, CA. Program website
UCLA
PhD in Psychology (MA awarded en route)
Like UC Irvine, UCLA doesn’t run a terminal MA program. Students admitted to the PhD track receive an MA along the way, with specialization areas including behavioral neuroscience, clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, health psychology, and social psychology. Research is required of every student and typically culminates in a doctoral dissertation. UCLA’s clinical psychology program has held APA accreditation since 1949, but the department has announced it will not seek reaccreditation once its current APA term ends in 2028, shifting instead to Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) accreditation, which the program has also held since 2012. Cohorts admitted starting in 2023 are considered PCSAS-track.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), APA (Clinical Psychology, through 2028), PCSAS (Clinical Psychology, since 2012)
Contact: Los Angeles, CA. Program website
UC Santa Barbara
Master of Education, Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology, with PPS Credential
UCSB’s M.Ed. prepares students to work as school or clinical psychologists in California’s public schools, resulting in the Pupil Personnel Services credential alongside the degree. Coursework spans childhood, developmental, family, and school psychology, and the required practicum placement in a public school often extends total program length to three years. The department’s combined doctoral program in Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology holds full APA accreditation, most recently reaffirmed for a ten-year term, and the M.Ed. runs alongside it within the same department.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), APA (Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology doctoral program, combined), National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC, PPS Credential)
Contact: Santa Barbara, CA. Program website
University of La Verne
MS in School Psychology
La Verne’s school psychology master’s requires 64 units, 450 practicum hours, and 1,200 fieldwork hours across three years, leading to the Pupil Personnel Services credential needed to practice in California schools. The program runs at both the La Verne and Bakersfield locations, with fall and spring cohort start dates.
Accreditation: California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
Contact: La Verne, CA (also offered in Bakersfield). Program website
USC Dornsife
MS in Applied Psychology
USC’s applied psychology master’s blends organizational and consumer psychology for students headed into business roles rather than clinical practice, drawing applicants with undergraduate backgrounds in sociology, anthropology, political science, or psychology. A separate MS in Applied Behavior Analysis is also available through the same department.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Los Angeles, CA. Program website
University of the Pacific
MA in Psychology
Pacific’s psychology master’s leans behavioral, with required coursework in behavioral assessment, treatment applications, and the psychology of learning, plus a research design course and a second-year internship. A separate MA in Behavioral Psychology is also offered for students who want a narrower focus from the start.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Stockton, CA. Program website
University of the West
MA in Psychology: Marriage and Family Therapy and Multicultural Counseling
UWest’s 63-unit MFT track prepares students for California licensure while integrating Buddhist psychology with Western multicultural and evidence-based counseling practice, aligned to California Business and Professions Code Section 4980.37 and the state Board of Behavioral Sciences. A separate Multicultural Counseling track serves students who want graduate-level mental health training without pursuing licensure.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Rosemead, CA. Program website
Vanguard University
Master of Science in Clinical Psychology and Master of Science in Organizational Psychology
Vanguard’s clinical psychology master’s requires six units of research design and coursework across community, elderly, childhood, and disease-related counseling, plus a clinical practicum aligned to California certification standards. Its Organizational Psychology master’s, run through the same small-cohort model, covers workplace leadership, consultation fundamentals, and organizational design, with an internship strongly encouraged before graduation.
Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Contact: Costa Mesa, CA. Program website
The landscape for psychology master’s programs in California changes fast. Programs merge, campuses rename, and schools shift from independent institutions into larger university systems, so it’s worth confirming a program’s current status directly with the school before you apply. The roster above reflects verified, currently operating programs as of this update.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a master’s in psychology lead to licensure in California?
Yes, if it’s a licensure-track program. Most master’s programs on this list meet California Board of Behavioral Sciences education requirements for the LMFT or LPCC credential, which lets you register as an associate and start accruing supervised hours toward full licensure. Research-focused programs, like the master’s awarded en route to a PhD at UC campuses, don’t lead to licensure on their own, and requirements vary enough by state that it’s worth checking how licensure requirements vary by state if you might practice outside California.
How long does a psychology master’s take in California?
Most licensure-track programs run two to three years full-time, including a supervised traineeship or practicum. Research-oriented master’s programs, including those awarded as a step toward a doctorate, typically run closer to two years.
What’s the difference between a licensure-track program and a research-track master’s?
A licensure-track program builds toward the California Board of Behavioral Sciences requirements for MFT or LPCC licensure and includes supervised clinical hours. A research-track master’s, common at UC campuses and in academic-research concentrations at CSU schools, emphasizes statistics and thesis work and doesn’t include the clinical training required for licensure.
Does a California psychology master’s require the GRE?
It depends on the school. A growing number of California programs, including several master’s programs at Palo Alto University and Cal Poly Pomona, no longer require GRE scores for admission. Others still request them, so check each program’s current admissions page before applying.
Can a master’s in psychology in California prepare you for a PhD?
It depends on which kind of master’s you choose. Research-track programs, like those at UC Irvine, UCLA, and the MA in Academic Research at Cal Poly Humboldt, are built specifically as a pipeline into doctoral study. Licensure-track programs prepare you for clinical practice at the master’s level instead, though some graduates go on to pursue a PsyD or PhD afterward.
Select your state below to find accredited psychology programs, application links, and licensing requirements for your jurisdiction.