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Earning a PsyD will help you accomplish your goals in advancing your psychology career. With a PsyD, you’ll have the skills and information to assess, recognize, and address various issues influencing people’s daily lives. Additionally, this degree will help you move up the career ladder.
But pursuing a doctoral degree program in psychology will take more time, work, and money. To make your journey quicker and more affordable, you can enroll in flexible combined master’s and PsyD degree programs!
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The Lowdown
Various colleges and universities offer educational programs combining master’s and doctoral degrees. These degree programs combine the necessary coursework into a single program rather than separate master’s and Ph.D. programs, intending to help students progress faster toward licensing and professional practice.
Combined degree programs in psychology allow students to finish their education more quickly and at a more affordable cost. While there are various combined degree programs in psychology, the most common include the following:
- MS in Psychology with a PsyD in Clinical Psychology
- MA in Psychology with a PsyD in Clinical Psychology
- MBA with a PsyD
- Master of Public Health with a PsyD in Clinical Psychology or Ph.D. in Psychology
For this list, we have included some dual and joint Ph.D. in Psychology programs to broaden your options.
Methodology
Many schools offer combined master’s and doctor’s degree programs in psychology, but only a few are available in an online/hybrid learning format. So, how do you choose the best programs of the bunch?
We used our 15 best-combined master’s and PsyD degree programs methodology, such that the programs and schools on our list emphasize these academic features:
- The first thing we ensured was the institution and the program’s accreditation — a factor determining a program’s quality. The programs listed are offered by regionally accredited institutions and have received approval from the American Psychological Association (APA).
- We also ensured that the combined degree programs offer online courses if not flexible on-campus requirements.
- The following schools offer various financial aid opportunities and student support services thanks to regional accreditation.
- Hands-on learning is required at the doctorate level. All programs on the list provide opportunities to help students apply their knowledge before entering employment.
Please visit our Methodology page and review the details of our ranking process.
9 Best Online Combined Masters and PsyD Programs
Loyola University Maryland
Hybrid Combined Master of Science and PsyD in Clinical Psychology Program
Loyola University Maryland’s combined MS/PsyD in Clinical Psychology is a hybrid degree program suitable for students who can attend on-campus intensives. The APA accredits this program.
- Instead of taking eight years to complete a master’s and doctorate, this combined program allows students to graduate in five years.
- Students are required to enroll as full-time students.
- This program requires students to complete 124 credit hours, which includes core courses, dissertations, written and oral comprehensive exams, and clinical placements.
- The comprehensive exams will take place during their third year.
- Psychology Research Methods, Professional, Legal & Ethical Issues, and Professional Development & Case Conceptualization are some of the program’s coursework.
- Students will focus on completing their internships during their fifth final year.
- Students learn from world-renowned professors.
What Makes This Program Unique:
This program is among the most comprehensive combined MS/PsyD programs. Students are required to apply for a doctoral internship during their second year. Additionally, the doctoral program provides students with the best academic counseling services to help them navigate their way to graduation.
Did You Know?
Graduate and doctoral psychology students at Loyola University complete some of their studies at the Loyola Clinical Centers. The center offers one of the country’s best centers for people with problems with psychology, reading, hearing, speech, and language.
Widener University
Hybrid Clinical Psychology (PsyD) and Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Students who want to earn an MBA while earning a PsyD should consider enrolling at Widener University’s hybrid Clinical Psychology (PsyD) and Master of Business Administration (MBA). The AACSB and APA accredit this program.
- The program requires students to complete 120 PsyD and 33 MBA credits, with an average completion time of five years.
- The curriculum aims to help students obtain employment as industrial-organizational psychology professionals.
- While coursework can be done online, students must still have a full-time residency at the Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology for the clinical psychology doctorate degree.
- Classes for the MBA will occur in the summer — evenings or weekends — during the first year.
- Students will demonstrate their skills and knowledge through a dissertation combining organization, business, and clinical psychology.
What Makes This Program Unique:
On top of the rigorous coursework, students must complete a practical, supervised experience at Widener’s Organizational Development Services. During this experience, students can demonstrate leadership and personality assessments and leadership coaching services to students and staff. Students can also assess organizational leaders in the neighborhood.
Did You Know?
Widener University individually interviews and tours eligible students for the combined MBA/PsyD program. Additionally, admitted students will have plenty of financial aid opportunities from the university and its private donors.
University of St. Thomas
Hybrid Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology with Direct Admission to the Psyd
While not a combined degree program, UST offers a MA in Counseling Psychology with direct admission to the Doctor of Clinical Psychology program. This APA-accredited program allows students to complete the program through a hybrid learning format.
- To complete the degree programs, students must complete 48 MA and 80 PsyD credit hours.
- This continuation program only accepts students with an undergraduate degree in psychology or other closely related fields and can demonstrate readiness for doctoral coursework.
- Students can ask the school what courses are available online during their enrollment.
- Students must attend on-campus intensives to complete the program in five years.
- MA coursework includes Theories of Counseling and Personality, Psychological Statistics, Human Growth and Development, Counseling Practicum, and more.
- PsyD coursework includes Diversity Issues in Counseling Psychology, Qualitative Methods of Inquiry, Advanced Psychopathology, Psychological Testing and Lab, and more.
What Makes This Program Unique:
This program is best for students who want a curriculum focusing on diversity and self-awareness courses. Students will undergo rigorous coursework to help them gain more profound knowledge on recognizing and comprehending personal and cultural differences.
Did You Know?
Graduate students are encouraged to join the Graduate Student Organization or the Students of Color, Multiracial, and Indigenous Students (SOCMI) organization to help them gain more hands-on experience and access more networking opportunities.
John F. Kennedy University
Hybrid Master of Arts in Sport Psychology – Clinical PsyD Dual Degree Program
John F. Kennedy University offers an APA-accredited MA in Sport Psychology and a Clinical PsyD Dual Degree program through a hybrid learning format. This is best for students who want to work as professional psychologists in the sports sector.
- Students who enroll full-time can complete the program in six years, while those who register part-time have up to eight years to graduate.
- Students unable to attend the on-campus day courses can enroll in evening classes.
- Students must complete 222 credit hours to graduate with an MA and PsyD degree.
- Sport Psychology, Ethics and Professional Issues in Sport Psychology, Social & Historical Issues in Sport, Integrated Professional Seminar, Multicultural Proficiency in Professional Psychology, and Kinesiology are some of the program’s coursework.
- The program accepts students with a bachelor’s degree in any field as long as they meet the prerequisites: Introduction to Psychology, Theories of Personality, Diversity-related course, and Statistics.
What Makes This Program Unique:
This hybrid dual degree program offers a unique training opportunity. The field experience allows students to work with clinical clients, athletes, and athletes with clinical difficulties. Upon completion, students will have better sports and clinical psychology knowledge and abilities.
Did You Know?
Students are allowed to retake the field placement component for more credit.
Chatham University
Master of Arts in Psychology and Doctor of Clinical Psychology
Chatham University’s MA in Psychology and PsyD is an APA-accredited program designed to complete through a hybrid learning format. The program, however, only accepts students who can study full-time.
- This degree program allows students with only a bachelor’s degree to enroll and gain their MAP as they complete the PsyD coursework.
- Students must only complete 103 credit hours to earn two degrees, comparably low to other combined master and PsyD programs.
- While not in a Ph.D. program, students can participate in faculty-led research projects to develop better counseling techniques.
- Students will learn from distinguished faculty with years of professional experience helping mentally distressed people.
- Students have multiple opportunities to learn outside the classroom.
What Makes This Program Unique:
The program focuses on clients’ assets and strengths and diversity, inclusiveness, and social justice. Students should expect various learning opportunities outside the classroom; a few programs available include the Telehealth Training, IM4Q Program, and the HAPPY Project.
Did You Know?
Chatham University is one of the best institutions for affordable learning. The institution offers various financial aid opportunities for its full-time students, including fellowships, graduate assistantships, and corporate discounts.
Mercer University
Hybrid Doctor of Psychology/Master of Public Health
Mercer University’s combined PsyD/MPH is available in a hybrid learning format. This program is accredited, on contingency, by APA.
- This combined program was designed to produce capable psychologists to supply the country’s current demand for mental health care providers.
- The program can be completed in five years.
- The combined program requires students to complete 133 credit hours.
- Students will receive an evidence-based mental healthcare curriculum to gain thorough and all-encompassing training in the biopsychosocial paradigm of psychology.
- Upon completion, students will deeply understand research and quantitative techniques used in psychological evaluation.
- Some of the program’s coursework is evidence-based approaches to Public Health, Planning and Management to Promote Health, Public Health and Health Care Systems, and Policy in Public Health.
What Makes This Program Unique:
Students can complete the 2,000 hours internship requirement in any training facility in the nation that has received APA approval. The student intern supervisors evaluate the student’s performance, which is often a paid internship.
Did You Know?
Mercer University has several partnerships with facilities that require psychological needs, such as academic medical centers, community mental health centers, jails, and university counseling centers. This allows students to receive advanced, specialized training in neuropsychology, forensic psychology, health psychology, and pediatric psychology.
Capella University
Hybrid Combined PsyD in Clinical Psychology/Master of PsychologyMASTER OF PSYCHOLOGY
Capella University, an HLC-accredited institution, offers a hybrid Doctor of Psychology degree that allows students to earn their master’s degree in psychology during the doctoral program.
- Students must complete 145 credit hours to earn master’s and doctor’s degrees in psychology.
- The program integrates web-based and face-to-face interactions to help students create bonds with their peers and faculty while having convenient and flexible online learning.
- Students will learn from excellent faculty.
- This program’s clinical-based curriculum equips students with clinical abilities that characterize professional psychological practice.
- Students should expect to receive full support from the university in pinning down internship and research opportunities.
What Makes This Program Unique:
This online combined PsyD/MSP program is one of the most affordable degree programs, costing only $555 per credit hour. Students will receive financial aid to help reduce the program’s total cost.
Did You Know?
Capella offers two other doctorate degrees paired with the MS in psychology; the PsyD in School Psychology and the EdS in School Psychology. The doctor of educational psychology would be the best option for students pursuing state licensure and certification as a school psychologist.
University of Florida
Clinical and Health Psychology Ph.D./Master of Public Health (Ph.D./MPH)
The Clinical and Health Psychology Ph.D./Master of Public Health combined degree program at the University of Florida is one of the best options for students seeking employment as professors in colleges and universities. This is an APA-approved degree program.
- This combined degree program allows students to integrate their 48-credit hour MPH toward the Ph.D. Clinical and Health Psychology.
- While students can take their MPH coursework concurrently with the Ph.D. coursework, students are still advised to devote a whole year, typically the third, to their MPH studies.
- The MPH studies allow students to enroll in online courses, whereas the Ph.D. coursework must be done on campus.
- During their MPH study, students can choose to concentrate on Biostatistics, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Population Health Management, Public Health Practice, or Social and Behavioral Sciences. Some of these concentrations, however, should be taken on campus.
What Makes This Program Unique:
The combined degree aims to mold students into becoming specially educated psychologists who can efficiently produce and integrate professional and scientific knowledge, attitudes, and abilities to advance psychological science, the professional practice of psychology, and human welfare.
Did You Know?
Students have two enrollment options; they can either apply to the two programs simultaneously or apply to the Ph.D. shortly after applying to the MPH.
DePaul University
Hybrid Master of Arts and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
DePaul University has a dual degree program in Master of Arts and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology that allow students to complete through a mix of face-to-face and web-based lectures. This program is APA-accredited.
- Students are encouraged to apply for the two programs simultaneously.
- To complete the MA, students should complete 20 courses, a practicum, and a thesis.
- To complete the Ph.D., students should complete three core courses, two practicums, an internship, and three concentration courses.
- Students will undergo intensive training emphasizing diversity and scientific research and practice.
- The curriculum helps students thoroughly understand the socioeconomic and systemic factors that affect mental health and how to improve mental health care.
- The program offers two tracks: the community track and the child track.
What Makes This Program Unique:
Through the school’s on-campus clinic, students can practice their skills in helping people with mental health problems. In addition, students can acquire expertise from several Chicago-area settings partnered with the school, including Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center and Howard Brown Health Center.
Did You Know?
The Act and Adapt program is professor Antonio Polo’s and his students’ research. This program aims to find answers on how to deal with adolescent needs and depression. They partner with school districts to train and support counselors, social workers, and psychologists to deliver this program at dozens of Chicago schools.
Defining Combinations of Degree Programs
Combined, double, concurrent, and joint degrees are often interchanged terms. While they may seem similar, they have their differences.
- Combined Degree: The minimum requirements of one but not both individual degrees are met by a composite degree, which combines elements from two degrees.
- Double/Dual Degree: The prerequisites for a double/dual degree can be satisfied faster, thanks to the academic program guidelines, than if you were to pursue each degree independently.
- Concurrent Degree: Concurrent degree programs are two degrees not packaged as a double or combined degree by a university.
- Joint Degree: Joint degree programs offer two degrees through a cooperative relationship between two or more departments or institutions.
Pros and Cons of Combined Degree Programs
As with all things, there are pros and cons of earning a master’s and doctorate degree through combined degree programs. Before enrolling in one, you should consider its pros and cons and ensure that this path is the best for your career and educational goals.
Pros
Long-Term Cost
The most apparent benefit of enrolling in a combined degree program in psychology is the cost since acquiring two degrees simultaneously is frequently quicker than doing it separately. This might prevent the need to pay for a year or two of additional schooling.
Professional Flexibility
Although having a master’s degree opens up more work choices than having a bachelor’s degree, your alternatives may still be limited if you want to go into professional psychology.
Master’s in psychology graduates are frequently eligible for entry-level positions in forensic psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, and mental health. On the other hand, PsyD graduates have options to pursue higher-level roles that allow them to treat and diagnose mental problems while doing psychological examinations, offering psychotherapy services, and conducting evaluations.
Cons
Course Load
It’s challenging enough to earn one degree. Obtaining two at once is particularly difficult. Potential combined master’s and PsyD degree students should ensure they can handle the rigorous academic requirements of such a program.
Restricts You From Working Full-Time
Most combined degree programs require students to enroll full-time, making it impossible for candidates to work (even part-time). Given that most combined degree programs take four to six years, students should be prepared to leave their jobs for the duration of their program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Need a Master to Get a PsyD?
PsyD programs frequently advise their students to finish master’s-level coursework before enrolling in any doctoral degree program, including the PsyD. However, several universities in the US offer combined degree programs where students can complete their master’s degree while completing the first few years of their PsyD program.
What’s the difference Between a PsyD and a Ph.D.?
When you complete PsyD, which focuses on clinical training, you are awarded the title of psychologist. A Ph.D. student, on the other hand, is required to write a doctoral dissertation primarily focused on research and a master’s thesis. Additionally, a Ph.D. is geared toward professionals who want to teach in colleges and universities.
Is a PsyD as good as a Ph.D.?
The answer depends on your goals. A PsyD is excellent for individuals who want to start working as certified clinical psychologists. A Ph.D. is best for those who want to land a career in academia and research.
What can I do with my PsyD?
A PsyD can be the starting point for several rewarding and challenging career paths, such as becoming a licensed clinical psychologist or even aiding in prosecuting criminals. As a terminal degree, it signifies the highest level of academic achievement in the field.
How much can I make with a PsyD?
How much money one makes with a PsyD depends on their chosen career path. However, PsyD graduates’ most common career path is becoming licensed psychologists. According to the BLS, the median annual pay for this profession is $81,040.
Other career paths include Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors, with a median annual pay of $48,520. On the other hand, School and Career Counselors and Advisors have a median yearly pay of $60,510.
Summary Points
- Combined programs let you complete a master’s degree while pursuing your professional doctorate in psychology.
- Depending on the university and your selected expertise, combined master’s and PsyD degrees can be finished in four to six years. The length of time can vary depending on your study schedule and the overall amount of credits needed.
- Due to the demand for clinical placements and intensive hands-on coursework, combined online master’s and PsyD programs would still have on-campus requirements.
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