Most master degree programs in psychology require core courses in various fields. The curriculum of some of these programs tends to be fairly general and requires students to gain understanding of different psychology fields through a variety of coursework. The program at New York University, for instance, emphasizes courses in psychoanalytic theory, which introduces students to the historical development of Freudian psychoanalysis. Other more practical courses include studies in areas such as social psychology, which introduces students to the social influences of behavior. Students also take courses in statistics and research design to learn how to conduct research experiments in psychology and apply statistical data to them. Other courses indicate their emphasis through their titles: Neuropsychology, Psychology of Violence, Personality Disorders and Forensic Psychology.
Department of Psychology
New York University
6 Washington Place
New York, NY 10003
212-998-7900
nyu.edu
Clinical psychology courses are taken at the graduate level by those who plan to enter some field of clinical practice or plan to conduct clinical research. Clinical psychology courses tend to be more research-oriented and less theory-focused than general courses. For instance, Capella University offers courses in Psychological Testing, Strategies of Clinical Supervision and Consultation and Research in Psychotherapy and Empirically Supported Treatments as part of its clinical psychology Psy.D. degree program. The University of Buffalo similarly offers courses in Clinical Conceptions of Personality, Personality Assessment, Child Behavioral Medicine and Psychopathology. Other courses, such as those offered through the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology, emphasize ethics in clinical psychology, personality assessment and variance analysis.
Department of Psychology
Park Hall Room 206
Buffalo, NY 14260
716-645-3651
psychology.buffalo.edu
Capella University
Capella Tower
225 S. 6th St., 9th Floor
Minneapolis, MN 55402-3389
888-227-2736
capella.edu
Virginia Consortium
Administrative Office
VBHEC/Suite 239
1881 University Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23453
757-368-1820
sci.odu.edu
One area of specialization at the graduate degree level in psychology is that of behavioral neuroscience. While many programs seek to understand the social and relational aspects of behavior, cognitive neuroscience seeks to understand human behavior through biological processes. Stanford University offers these courses as part of its graduate program in psychology and as part of its doctor of medicine program. Courses include studies in the Genetic Analysis of Behavior, Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology and the Neural Basis of Behavior. Similarly, the University of Buffalo's neuropsychology program emphasizes areas of study such as Behavioral Genetics, Neurochemistry and Behavior, Hormones and Behavior, and The Limbic System of the Brain and Animal Behavior.
Stanford University
Department of Psychology
450 Serra Mall
Stanford, CA 94305
650-725-2400
stanford.edu