If you’re more interested in using your knowledge of psychology research to help individual students within a school, a school psychology master’s program may be for you. As a school psychologist, you may be responsible for identification and testing of students with extraordinary learning needs, as well as collaborating on IEPs and behavioral plans, and ensuring the cooperation of faculty, guardians, students, and other relevant parties to make sure that student’s learning needs are met. If you choose to pursue your master’s degree in school psychology, your preferred program might include the option to study any of a number of concentration areas, such as working with a specific population, age group, or disability type, or a particular professional role.
Earn A Masters Degree in School Counseling
If you want to work with students individually, but are more interested in the personal aspects of counseling than testing and evaluation, you might want to look into master’s programs in school counseling or guidance counseling. As a school counselor, you may help students with issues related to academic and career planning, applying for college, or personal and social issues, in order to help foster a positive and supportive learning environment. Similar to school psychology, if you choose to earn your master’s in school counseling, your preferred program may allow the option to study in certain focus areas within your field, such as serving the needs of specific populations and age groups.
Types of Educational & School Psychology Masters Programs
Once you have identified the particular concentration you wish to focus on (educational psychology, school psychology, or school counseling), you may still have to choose the type of master’s degree you wish to pursue. Each master’s degree type may have a variety of unique qualities that may recommend it to you.
- M.A. and M .S. programs in educational and school psychology may have varying degrees of differences depending on the programs and concentrations. For example, in an educational psychology program, an M.A. program may be more theoretical and research-oriented, and the respective M.S. program may be more focused on practical application. In other cases, the differences between these programs may have to do with the presence of program requirements like writing a thesis, which may be of interest to you if you are interested in continuing your studies at the doctoral level.
- M.Ed. programs in educational and school psychology might be offered by schools of education, or may be oriented toward professionals in the field of education or those with an academic background in education. This may influence the perspective by which the program approaches the psychology content in the program. However, this might very from program to program.
- Specialist degrees like Ed.S. and Psy.S. might be offered alongside more traditional master’s programs, either continuously or separately. These programs might allow you to explore a specific focus or concentration area within your field beyond the master’s level, without enrolling in a full doctoral program.
Whether you’re interested in educational psychology, school psychology, or school counseling, and no matter which type of master’s degree you feel might work for you, it’s important to follow up with your preferred programs regarding the specific details, as the individual details and differences may vary.
School & Educational Psychology Masters Programs Formats
Once you have identified your preferred concentration and degree program type, you still may have to choose which program format works best for you. Whether you value the stability and benefits of a traditional program on a local campus, the flexibility of an online program, or a little bit of both, you may be able to find the perfect program for your life and learning style.
On-Campus Masters Programs in School Psychology, Educational Psychology & School Counseling
Programs conducted on a brick-and-mortar campus may have a number of benefits for their students. If you learn best in a community atmosphere, attending lectures in a traditional classroom, collaborating in person with your peers, on a predictable schedule, this may be a great option for you. Whether you want to attend a program at a campus local to you, or if you want to attend a school in an exciting new location, a number of programs may be available for you to consider. Studying on a traditional campus may also allow you to take advantage of resources and facilities like libraries, gyms, technology labs, career and academic counseling, networking opportunities, and more.
Earn Your Masters in Educational Psychology Online
If you are looking for a masters in educational and school psychology program with flexibility, you might want to consider online options. Increasingly available, online educational psychology master’s programs, and online school psychology programs not only may allow you to consider schools that would otherwise be outside your commutable search radius, but also may include a number of options allowing you to fit your education into your life. Online programs may be available in two basic formats:
- Synchronous online programs are ones in which students may be required to log into an online course at established times each week to participate in activities such as live streamed lectures, discussions, etc. These courses may aim to bring as many of the benefits of the physical classroom as possible to the online space.
- Asynchronous classes emphasize flexibility. These programs may allow you to log on and complete course requirements at times that fit your schedule, potentially making them a great choice for anyone with a need for higher flexibility or those who learn best independently.
Additionally, some programs may blend the two together, offering synchronous and asynchronous courses alongside one another and allowing you to choose whichever option works for you at that time.
Hybrid Educational & School Psychology Masters Programs
If you are torn between the benefits of attending class on a physical campus and the flexibility of an online program, hybrid or low residency options may be a great choice for you. Hybrid programs blend both on-campus and online courses, uniting the benefits of both program formats. The specifics of scheduling may vary by program. In some cases, like low residency programs, students may attend online courses for the majority of the year, and spend a minimum amount of continuous time on campus once or several times per semester. In other cases, students may attend online and on campus courses simultaneously on a regular semester-long schedule. Hybrid Masters in Educational and School Psychology programs aim to incorporate as many benefits as possible of being associated with a local campus and the flexibility and convenience of online programs.
Find Your Perfect Masters in Educational and School Psychology Programs
If you’re ready to find the perfect educational psychology master’s program, school psychology master’s program, or school counseling master’s program, GradSchools.com is here to help. Whether you’re interested in campus based, hybrid, or online graduate programs, great programs may be out there for you to consider. If you need to narrow down your results further, you can add filters like program format and location. Once you’re happy with your results, you can begin reading up on programs, and even reach out to them for more information or to get started. Don’t wait any longer. Take the first step toward earning your Masters in Educational and School Psychology today!
