Colleges That Offer Five-Year Master's Degrees in Psychology

Villanova University

• Villanova University offers two distinct five-year programs. In one, students earn a Bachelor of Arts and a Master's of Science in psychology. Students who wish to pursue a PhD in a field of psychology should strongly consider this program, because it will deeply develop their knowledge of the subject. The program's emphasis is on the theory and research of psychology. Other students are particularly interested in the field of human resources, so the second program combines a B.A. in psychology with an M.S. in human resource development. In both programs, students start taking courses toward their master's in their senior year of the undergraduate program. Some courses also count toward the undergraduate and graduate degrees, enabling the completion of both in five years.

  Villanova University
  800 E. Lancaster Avenue
  Villanova, PA 19085
  610-519-4500
  villanova.edu/villanova.html

Union College

• Union College says its five-year program is exclusively for "exceptionally qualified students with a commitment to professional psychology." Quality students are necessary for the program because the coursework is rigorous, but also rewarding, as it prepares students who wish to pursue doctoral degrees in the subject area. Once students are accepted into this program, they are permitted to take up to 15 credits of graduate courses during their undergraduate careers. The benefits are twofold. In addition to completing both degrees at a quick pace, the students are saving money. Furthermore, the Union College program offers another convenient feature. Although undergraduate coursework must be completed on campus, some graduate courses are offered online.

  Union College
  807 Union Street
  Schenectady, NY 12308
  518-388-6000
  union.edu/

Rivier College

• Students have a few choices at Rivier College. They may opt to pursue the B.A./M.S. program with or without completing a thesis, and they also select a track in either general/experimental psychology or clinical psychology. The school advises students to discuss their plans to join the program as soon as possible; however, candidates usually apply during the second semester of their junior year. Students must provide two letters of recommendation and have maintained a GPA of at least 3.0 in all of their psychology courses to be considered for the program. Accepted seniors will take six courses of graduate work during that year. They are History and Systems of Psychology, Psychological Testing and Assessment or Intellectual Functioning, Counseling Theory and Practice or Clinical Psychology, Sensation and Perception or Neuroscience, Coordinating Seminar and Directed Study or an Internship.

  Rivier College
  420 South Main Street
  Nashua, NH 03060
  800-44-Rivier
  rivier.edu/