Students who intend to use the masters degree to further their own career, to apply for a later doctoral program, or are interested in psychology but are not yet certain of their career path will often choose the MA program, which covers a broad selection of several psychology disciplines with some introduction to advanced research methodology. Some university programs require a thesis for the MA degree.
The ME in Psychology focuses on instructional methods and learning processes and how educational institutions best serve learners. ME programs will concentrate on developmental, social, instructional design, counseling and organizational behavior.
An MS degree in psychology concentrates more on the clinical and counseling aspects of psychology and typically includes more emphasis on statistical methods, experimental research and application.
An increasingly popular masters degree, the MSW requires not only the standard university course work but an additional two years (900 hours) of internship. This degree allows the graduate to practice in the community, human resources and political advocacy.
As psychology continues to expand and become a more popular field of study, you need to consider carefully your long-range career plans. Each of the masters degrees mentioned here offer numerous opportunities for a successful career, but the degree type and specialization limit your course work and future career choices.