Psychology (BA) Community Concentration + Community Psychology (MS)

The combined Bachelor's + Master's degree program allows students to complete 12 graduate credit hours while still undergraduates.  These 12 graduate credit hours will count toward both the undergraduate and graduate programs.   

The department of psychology offers BA+MS in Community  Psychology. Students interested in this program should meet with the MS in Community Psychology BA-MS program director, preferably during their second year. Applications for admission into the combined program are accepted during the junior year.

This program has been developed in response to needs expressed by community groups and organizations for assistance in addressing the needs of their most vulnerable members. The program prepares students to work at the master's level in the field of Community Psychology in a variety of community, government, and consulting work settings. Students will learn how a community-based social justice perspective recognizes inequalities and promotes the exercise of greater power (i.e., access to resources and decision-making) for communities that have been marginalized, and creates ties to advocacy work with oppressed populations. The program leads to an applied, terminal MS degree and is not designed as an intermediate step toward a doctoral degree. Students interested in pursuing a PhD should speak with their academic advisor about the best way to prepare for a doctoral program.

The combined program requires the completion of 48 courses (192 quarter hours).  Included is a community fieldwork experience.

The undergraduate component of the program includes:  

Students should apply to the program during their junior year, by May 1st.  Students should have a grade point average of 3.20 or higher.  Admissions decisions will be made by the faculty administering the program. 

The application process will require prospective students to submit the following information:

• Summary of Psychology Courses taken
• A list of community psychology-related volunteer or employment activities
• One letter of recommendation from a faculty member in the Psychology Department
• A brief description of future career plans

Admitted students will take the three graduate courses during their senior year.  A maximum of three courses as 12 credit hours will count toward both the BA degree and the MS degree.  No other others may count more than once.  

Students will need to apply for degree conferral of the BA degree before fully matriculating into the MS degree.  After completing the BA degree, an additional nine courses (36 credit hours) are required to complete the MS degree.   The MS includes 48 credit hours (12 courses plus Field Work).  A maximum of three courses from the BA will count toward the MS (PSY 410, PSY 411, PSY 420).  The remaining courses for the graduate program are as follows:

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