Psychological Sciences (MA) – STEM Designated Degree Program
The Master of Arts in Psychological Sciences is designed primarily as an intermediate degree. This program prepares the student for advanced studies in many psychological fields such as developmental, experimental, learning, personality and counseling, school, and social psychology.
Along with the Psychology (MA) degree, the psychology department also offers the following options for graduate study: Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Child/Adolescent Psychology, Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Forensic Psychology, and Industrial and Organizational Psychology (MA).
Please refer to our programs of study page for a comprehensive list of all of the graduate programs offered within the university.
The Office of Graduate Admissions requires the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree in order to be eligible to apply for a graduate program. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a minimum of 12 undergraduate credits in psychology, including a course in statistics and a laboratory experimental course. Please note: an introductory course in psychology does not count toward the minimum credit requirement, though it might be needed as a pre-requisite to other psychology courses. The undergraduate requirements can be taken here at Montclair State University or another university. Please be sure to check with the Graduate Programs Coordinator to be certain the courses taken elsewhere fulfill the undergraduate credit requirements. Applicants with non-U.S. degrees, please visit the International Applicants page to review the U.S. degree equivalency information.
In order to make applying for graduate school as seamless as possible for you, we have
created an application checklist. This checklist can be a reference point for you during the
application process to ensure that you have a comprehensive understanding of the steps
needed to apply, as well as all corresponding supplemental materials for your specific
program of interest.
- Application Deadline: Rolling Admission for Fall Admission only.
Priority Deadline: April 1st. Applications to the Master’s in Psychological Sciences program that are complete as of the April 1st deadline will receive priority review, and can expect an admissions decision no later than May 15th. Applications completed after the priority deadline will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the program is full.
- Submit Online Application: Please create your online account and submit your application by following the general application instructions and pay (or waive) the non-refundable $60 application fee. Once this step has been completed, the online portal will allow you to upload your supplemental materials.
The following is a list of the supplemental materials that will accompany your application for the Psychological Sciences (MA) program:
- Transcript: One from each college attended.
- Essays/Personal Statement: Please write an integrated essay providing a response to each of the following questions.
- What are your goals for graduate study and your future career?
- In what ways do your academic background and your professional experiences provide evidence of your potential for success in the program you selected and in your eventual career? Please give specific examples of relevant coursework and/or experience.
- Is there any further information we should consider in assessing your candidacy?
- Letters of Recommendation: Two.
- GRE General Test scores (optional if your overall GPA is 3.3 or greater or have completed a master’s degree).
- Applicants with non-U.S. degrees, please visit the International Applicants page to review the US degree equivalency information.
Accepted candidates are asked to contact their program director or the Graduate Programs Coordinator to schedule a time to create a work program. The work program is an outline of the courses required for the degree and explains which courses students will complete each semester they are in the program. By following their work program, students will be on-track to graduate in a timely manner. This program is 35 semester hours. For more information, please visit the Psychology (MA) program listing in the University Catalog.
If you have any general questions regarding the application process and requirements, please email or call us:
Office of Graduate Admissions
Email: graduate@montclair.edu
Telephone: 973-655-5147
Fax: 973-655-7869
If you have specific inquiries regarding your program of interest, please contact the Psychological Sciences (MA) Program Coordinator:
*During the summer months, there will be a rotating department chair available to answer your inquiry. Click to find the updated summer chair for this program.*
Program Coordinator: Dr. Jennifer Pardo
Office: Dickson Hall 252
Email: pardoj@montclair.edu