Master’s in Psychology degrees in Florida allow students to pursue full licensure to practice in both private and clinical settings.
The state’s large number of public and private institutions offer no shortage of graduate-level programs, ranging from clinical and community psychology to general programs based more firmly in research.
Students throughout Florida will find that the available options fit into full-time, part-time, and online study schedules, with tuition rates and rankings that make career advancement a bit more attainable after graduation.
Barry University
Department of Psychology
Located in the northern suburbs of Miami, Florida’s largest city, Barry University is a private institution with a Catholic background that was founded in 1940. In less than 100 years, the school has grown to include several prestigious programs including those offered by its School of Law, School of Business, and Department of Psychology. The clinical psychology program at the university routinely earns excellent reviews and rankings for its firm basis in research, clinical practicums and experience, and the credentials of its tenured faculty. With a prime location just outside one of North America’s most diverse metropolitan area, the school is also a hub for networking activity in the profession.
Master of Science in Clinical Psychology
This clinical psychology program is among the most rigorous in the state of Florida, and it shows in terms of the courses required of all students. Advanced psychopathology must be taken during one of the first two semesters, while advanced psychological research, statistical analysis, and professional concepts classes must be taken next. The program then moves into advanced discussions of psychological therapy, aging, disease counseling, abuse counseling, and clinical approaches to counseling and psychological treatment. Students will select several practicum experiences as they work toward the program’s eventual completion, with a capstone seminar in the final semester of study.
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Contact
Barry University
Department of Psychology
11300 NE 2nd Ave.
Miami Shores, FL 33161
Phone: (305) 899-4576
Email: lbacheller@barry.edu
Website
Bethune-Cookman University
Department of Psychology
BCU is the second-oldest historically black university in Florida, serving the Daytona Beach area and all of Florida’s Atlantic coast. The university has grown in recent years to encompass a wide array of liberal arts and science programs, including of the state’s best programs in counseling psychology. Thanks to a committed, tenured, doctoral faculty, and a strong practicum program, BCU’s graduate program in this field has earned top rankings regionally. Students enjoy a strong professional network and one of the most rigorous classrooms in the state as they complete this extensive program.
M.S. Counseling Psychology
The 36-hour counseling psychology program at Bethune-Cookman University includes a final, 3-hour practicum course that requires students to seek professional employment in a psychological setting off-campus. Aside from this course, the 33 academic credit hours require students to master advanced theories of counseling, methods for counseling diverse populations, and niche counseling courses in areas like substance abuse and families. The program also requires students to master the human lifespan, human development, psychological research, and evaluation methods, prior to the practicum experience that concludes the course sequence.
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Contact
Bethune-Cookman University
Department of Psychology
640 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd.
Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Phone:(386) 481-2000
Website
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Department of Psychology
Florida A&M, founded in 1887, is a historically black university that has been serving the state with career-oriented programs for more than a century. The university traces its roots back to agricultural and manufacturing programs, but has expanded to become one of the largest and most highly regarded public research universities in the state. Today’s students enjoy a large campus, many networking opportunities, and top rankings for academic rigor, selectivity, value, and individualized instruction. Florida A&M’s Department of Psychology offers undergraduate and graduate programs that teach both general psychology concepts as well as community psychology, giving students the ability to master the concentration of their choice.
Master of Science Degree in Community Psychology
The core of the community psychology program is a 31-credit-hour sequence of classes that focus broadly on psychopathology, advanced community counseling, evaluation and assessment, research methods, personality testing, and much more. In addition to 31 credit hours of core coursework, students will enroll in between 6 and 12 hours of thesis preparation coursework that will help them conduct the research and writing necessary to present a graduate thesis near the close of the program. Several elective courses are also required of the program, totaling at least 9 hours in a community counseling concentration of the student’s choosing. Because of the strong thesis component of this program, it is an ideal match for a student who hopes to pursue a doctorate and work within academia.
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Contact
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Department of Psychology
501 Orr Dr.
302 C Gore Education Complex (GEC)
Tallahassee, FL 32307
Phone: (850)599-3014
Website
Florida Institute of Technology
Department of Psychology
Founded in 1958, the Florida Institute of Technology was created to serve the needs of an increasingly technical economy in Florida and around the world. Today, that commitment includes a unique program in industrial organizational psychology. This program, unlike its competitors at other schools, integrates emerging technologies into classroom lessons and prepares graduates to be comfortable with the next generation of technology in organizations of all sizes. Because of this unique, technological commitment, Florida Institute of Technology consistently places near the top in regional programs for the southeastern United States. Its network and influence continues to grow as a result of this top regional reputation.
M.S. in Industrial Organizational Psychology
The I/O program at Florida Institute of Technology integrates traditional organizational psychology courses, like organizational theory, evaluation and assessment, and organizational analysis, with unique courses in technology-related area. Students will master information systems and security, and they’ll learn about the professional ethics of using electronic tools in organizational psychology. Confidentiality and ethics are a key focus of the tech-related coursework at Florida Institute of Technology as well. Students have the option of completing a practicum experience off-campus, or conducting academic research, as they work toward a final seminar and capstone course in the program.
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Contact
Florida Institute of Technology
Department of Psychology
150 W. University Blvd.
Melbourne, FL 32901
Phone: (321) 674-8000
Website
Florida International University
Department of Psychology
Florida International University is one of the fastest growing universities in the state, largely due to its prime location in southern Florida and its embrace of a diverse student body. The school, which has several programs ranked in the top tier nationally, has a thriving Department of Psychology that has created one of Florida’s best counseling programs. At the graduate level, FIU’s program in counseling psychology integrates practicum placements in southern Florida with on-campus labs, unique technological applications, and rigorous coursework. As a result, FIU graduates are known as some of the most prepared, most competent psychologists in the counseling profession.
Professional Counseling Psychology (M.S.)
Florida International University’s program in professional counseling psychology is one of the most extensive psychology graduate programs in the state. All students enrolling in this program must complete a minimum of 1,000 hours of supervised clinical experience prior to graduation. This means students often pursue a clinical placement during their first semester of enrollment. In addition to the strong clinical experience requirement, FIU requires a capstone project instead of a traditional graduate thesis. The project includes extensive research and on-the-job applications of counseling concepts, and must be presented to a faculty panel. The psychology core in the program includes courses in statistical analysis, research methods, diagnosis, psychopathology, assessment and evaluation, diverse groups, and human aging.
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Contact
Florida International University
Department of Psychology
AHC 1-234A MMC Campus
11200 S.W. 8th St.
Miami, FL 33199
Phone: (305) 348-7076
Email: pcp@fiu.edu
Website
Florida State University
Department of Psychology
As one of the flagship universities of Florida’s state-funded university system, Florida State University grants its students access to a massive network of alumni at all levels of the psychology industry. The school’s nationwide name recognition also bodes well for student resumes, where it is known for getting job candidates noticed ahead of their peers from less known institutions. Florida State’s psychology department offers three distinct programs to graduate students, allowing them to choose the academic and professional niche that best fits their undergraduate concentration as well as their professional prerogative.
Master’s Degree Program – Applied Behavior Analysis
Florida State’s M.S. in applied behavior analysis is designed as a highly specialized program that applies to a niche area within the profession. This program is a great fit for professionals who already work in behavioral psychology and have some professional exposure to this field in advance of enrollment. The program is broken down into an initial core program consisting of courses in basic principles, research methods, and ethical issues. Additional components include advanced coursework in behavioral analysis and a practicum series that includes both professional work experience and extensive research on-campus. At the conclusion of the program, students will complete a capstone project or graduate thesis, presented to a faculty panel, which could help them gain admission to doctoral programs in this specialized field.
Sports Psychology MS
The sports psychology program at Florida State offers students the chance to blend the prestigious Department of Psychology with the university’s nationally ranked athletics program. Thanks to these two resources, students will use on-campus sports facilities and athletes as part of their practicum exposure. The program’s coursework includes traditional classes like psychopathology and assessment, as well as sports-focused courses in sports medicine, sports counseling, and organizational psychology. Well-rounded students will graduate with the ability to practice within an athletic team, as part of a sports company or in more generalized settings.
School Psychology – Combined MS/EdS
School psychology is an increasingly important field, but it’s also one that is increasingly regulated by state and federal laws. For this reason, the M.S. / Ed.S. program at Florida State is extremely competitive and highly extensive in terms of its required coursework and other components. Students must complete a dissertation that involves extensive on-campus research and testing. They must also complete thousands of hours of supervised work alongside a certified school counselor. All the while, the program requires upwards of 45 hours of coursework in fields related to school psychology, clinical psychology, and child psychology. At the conclusion of the program, students will be eligible for certification as a school psychologist. They will also possess the experience and academic credentials to teach school psychology in a collegiate setting.
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Contact
Florida State University
Department of Psychology
1107 W. Call St.
Tallahassee, FL 32306
Phone: (850) 644-2040
Email: grad-info@psy.fsu.edu
Website
Keiser University
Department of Psychology
Keiser University, once known as Keiser College, offers a wide range of programs that lead to two-year, four-year, and graduate degrees. Founded with the goal of enabling adult learners in a collegiate setting, Keiser offers daytime, evening, hybrid, and limited online classes, allowing students to fit their education into any existing schedule. The school’s two Master of Science degrees focus on fast-growing areas within the psychology industry, including organizational psychology. Students who enroll at Keiser can choose from several campuses throughout the southern portion of the state, with class meeting times spaced throughout the week and into the weekend.
Master of Science in Organizational Psychology, MS
Organizational psychology continues to be one of the fastest growing niche areas of practice within the broader psychology industry. This program at Keiser University prepares students to work within large corporations, usually alongside an organizational development expert, to analyze and change the culture of the company into one that results in better productivity, stronger employee relations, and a greater feeling of job satisfaction. To that end, organizational psychology students will enroll in coursework that focuses on the psychology of work, corporate organization and structure, and mental health in the workplace. They will focus on issues of workplace stress, productivity, organizational change, and employee counseling. A practicum experience must be completed, while a graduate thesis is optional. Students will be prepared for both professional practice and academic placement upon graduation.
Master of Science in Psychology, MS
This generalist program is the stronger fit for Keiser University students who feel that they might want to pursue a doctorate degree, and a career in academia, as their professional lives develop. While this is not a clinical program, students do have the option of arranging internships and research placements that can help them better understand psychology from the practitioner’s point of view. Because this program is generalist in scope, it includes courses in all kinds of psychology and related subject areas. This includes psychopathology, health psychology, history of psychology, evolutionary psychology, and several other areas. As a non-clinical program, students will be required to complete a graduate thesis prior to commencement. This thesis, presented to a faculty panel at the school, is part of a dedicated, 3-credit course that will help students master research methods and conduct the necessary research to complete the document.
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Contact
Keiser University
Department of Psychology
16120 U.S. Highway 19 N.
Clearwater, FL 33764
Phone: (727) 373 – 1380
Website
Lynn University
Department of Psychology
Lynn University, based in Boca Raton, is a private institution serving Miami and the surrounding areas. The school is among the fastest growing institutions in the state of Florida, with the unique ability to grant a full range of degrees that range from associate’s degrees all the way to a limited number of doctoral degrees. Considered a top regional institution in the southeastern part of the United States, Lynn’s program in applied psychology is an excellent choice for generalist students who wish to grow their career earnings and advancement potential and gain practical experience in the industry prior to pursuing entry-level or mid-level job opportunities.
M.S. – Applied Psychology
The M.S. program in applied psychology at Lynn University is unique in at least one way. This program, unlike the others mentioned so far, is non-clinical in nature. This means students do not have to participate in practicum experiences or worry about certification after graduation. Instead, this M.S. program is focused almost entirely on classroom theory as it related to the modern psychological profession. Students will theorize about human behavior and motivation, modern counseling, and the effects of therapy, all while mastering advanced psychological concepts. In its purest form, this type of theoretical degree is a perfect fit for students who aspire to teach in a college classroom in the future. At their discretion, students may opt to complete a graduate thesis and prepare for admission to a doctoral program in this field after graduation.
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Contact
Lynn University
Department of Psychology
3601 N. Military Trail
Boca Raton, FL 33431
Phone: (561) 237-7000
Website
Top Programs in Psychology for Florida Students
Florida’s colleges and universities offer today’s students some compelling options when studying psychology at the graduate level. Thanks to a prestigious set of public universities, and some of the country’s oldest private institutions, Floridians have a wealth of options that cover every major niche within the psychology profession. If the time has come to pursue one of the Master’s in Psychology degrees in Florida, make sure to choose the one that offers the right price, value, flexibility, and concentration, to achieve the best results at the program’s conclusions.