Psychology, MA
Deepen your understanding of the human mind while further pursuing your passion for psychology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Our Psychology MA program is designed for those who want to build on their foundational knowledge and master advanced concepts in human behavior, mental processes, and motivation. Whether you’re driven by a desire to make a meaningful impact in your community or to refine your expertise for professional growth, this program offers the tools and opportunities you need to succeed.
Program Overview
The Psychology MA teaches students foundational knowledge of psychology, preparing them for PhD programs or careers as clinical or counseling psychologists.
Through strong faculty mentorships and research-focused courses, including a master’s thesis project, you’ll learn to develop analyze based on data, think through issues from multiple angles, and generate solutions to problems, all skills that will strengthen your understanding of human behavior.
This program is a great fit for students who want to better understand people, learn cultural sensitivity, and contribute to mental health and well-being.
Concentrations
Our two current selections of concentrations include:
- Experimental Psychology concentration
- General Psychology concentration
If you’re interested in gaining more foundational knowledge of psychology before pursuing a PhD, our experimental psychology concentration would be a great fit. You’ll learn about research topics such as neuroscience and behavior, cognitive and developmental science, and social psychology.
Our general psychology concentration is a great fit for students already enrolled in the clinical or counseling doctorate programs. In this concentration, you’ll earn your MA as progress towards completing your PhD, rather than earning the MA as a stand-alone degree.
Why Study Psychology?
In UT’s unique Psychology MA program, you’ll have the opportunity to choose from two specialized concentrations—experimental or general psychology— while also being closely mentored by the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience’s renowned faculty.
You’ll work on collaborative projects, get expert feedback, and have the opportunity to join student organizations such as the Psychology Graduate Student Association.
In this remarkably collaborative environment, you’ll find like-minded students and engage in professional development activities such as traveling to conferences, listening to guest speakers, and engaging in networking opportunities.
What Can You Do with a MA in Psychology After Graduation?
Getting a degree in psychology opens up a world of possibilities for your career. You can bring what you’ve learned into various different fields, such as human services, research, education, human resources, and business!
Many of our alumni go on to work as mental health technicians, child care workers, college admissions counselors, or social service directors. You could also bring psychology to the business world as an employment counselor, marketing researcher, or occupational analyst, using your skills to help support people and organizations around you.
With an advanced degree in this field, you could even go into clinical counseling, research analysis, school psychology, or industrial-organizational psychology.
Featured Courses
PSYC 527 Advances in Behavioral Neuroscience
This course teaches students advanced analysis of the structure and function of the nervous system with an emphasis on neurobiological mechanisms controlling behavior.
PSYC 547 Conceptual Foundations of Evolution and Behavior
This course covers critical evaluation of seminal writings on theory and methods in comparative analysis of behavior.
PSYC 550 Social Psychology
Students will survey theory and research concerning interpersonal interaction and individual behavior in social context.
PSYC 530 Psychology of Attitudes
This course will cover a survey of core topics on attitude formation, change, and measurement; roles of automatic and controlled processes, affect, cognition, and behavior in a variety of attitude domains.
Looking For More Options?
The College of Arts and Sciences offers students the broadest range of academic programs and opportunities for research and creative activities at the University of Tennessee, powered by faculty expertise across every discipline.
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