Psychology (MAP)

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Psychology (MAP) Overview

Our Master of Arts in Psychology (MAP) program is an accelerated professional program that provides a foundation for the study of human behavior. With a diverse base of courses, our students can focus on developing their understanding of psychological science to further their professional careers in many ways, including working in research settings; in human service, health, or educational organizations; and in doctoral programs in psychology.
Degrees Offered
  • MA
Program School
School of Health Sciences
Application Deadlines

Recommended Deadlines

Deadlines to submit application and all required materials:
Fall - July 1
Spring - November 1

Credits Required

36

In addition to the core graduate courses in psychology, the MAP degree offers focus areas in Health & Wellness and Science & Theories.

Cost Per Credit

$1,081

Cost consists of program tuition (cost per credit times number of credits) as well as any applicable University and degree-specific fees.

Educational Mission

Our Vision

The mission of the MAP program is to provide students a foundation in the study of human behavior and skills for working with people.

Explore the MAP Degree:

You’ll engage and interact with other students through collaborative and cooperative coursework, social activities, and graduate student associations. Relationships with students and faculty often continue long after the program ends and can become vital resources for your career.

Prerequisites:

  • Have a completed baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, with an overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale.
    If a student has below a 3.0 GPA, please feel free to apply if you show extreme promise through other achievements. Additional Admissions documents may be requested.
  • Successful completion of an undergraduate psychology course with at least a B grade 

Completed application for admission by the posted deadline, including:

    • Online application
    • Admissions Essay (current prompt found in application portal)
    • Curriculum vita or Resume
    • Two letters of recommendation
    • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended

As part of our admission’s review, Chatham reserves the right to request a background check prior to the offer of admission.

Students will be notified if they are chosen for the required admissions interview.

Admissions Materials can be uploaded in the application or submitted to:
Chatham University
Office of Graduate Admission-Berry Hall
Woodland Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Email Admissions

International Applicants

International Applicants must submit additional documentation to the Office of Admissions. A list of these documents can be found on the International Admission web page.

PSY555: Statistics and Research Methods

The course provides a basic review of descriptive and inferential statistics and how these techniques are used with research methods in counseling psychology. Students will become proficient in computer analysis of data sets; designing and evaluating research designs and techniques; and understanding primary research in counseling literature.

PSY657: Evidence-Based Practice

The course provides an overview of psychopathology. Students learn to recognize the complex biological, cultural, and environmental contributors to mental illness, and to diagnose mental disorders using standardized criteria. Students will also study the concept of resilience and its role in contributing to health and well-being.

PSY681: Professional Integration Seminar

The course explores ethical conceptualization, analysis, and practices of applied and counseling psychologists. Topics include the ethical standards of the American Psychological Association and the American Counseling Association, the history of applied psychology, and the developing mental health counseling movement. Certification, licensure, and regulatory practices are also discussed.

View Full Curriculum

Chatham’s flexibility and diversity were perfect as a launching pad for my professional development. I was exposed to nearly every perspective and theoretical orientation through my work with faculty and other students. I chose this program to help me get into my doctoral program and could not have felt more prepared when it came time to take the next step.

— NICK URAM, MA ’09

Our Faculty

Faculty members are accomplished teachers, scholars, practitioners, and active leaders in the field.

Full Faculty
Photo of Mary Jo Loughran
Mary Jo Loughran
Interim Dean-School of Health Sciences, Professor, Program Director
Photo of a Chatham University student sitting in a lecture hall listening to a professor with a laptop in front of her.

The Typical Student

Chatham’s MAP students have a strong interest in the study of human behavior, but are not focused on becoming master's-level professional counselors. They are a diverse group in terms of race, gender, ethnicity, and income level. Students come from a variety of backgrounds, including athletic coaching, student affairs work, business, and pre-medical study.

Photo of "Old Main," a grey stone academic hall with a bell tower, at Penn State framed by tree branches with green leaves.

Continued Study

Graduates have gone on to doctoral study at Penn State University, University of Iowa, Virginia Tech University, West Virginia University, and more.

Photo of Chatham University psychology students sitting behind a mirrored window observing a therapy session.

Interprofessional Education (IPE)

Interprofessional education involves students from two or more health professions learning together during their training. The goal of IPE is to enhance communication and decision-making, allowing various domains of knowledge to complement each other.

Learn About IPE : Checkerboard 5 - Interprofessional Education (IPE)
Photo of a Chatham University student looking over her shoulder in a lecture hall while taking notes on her laptop.

Chatham's Most Life-Changing Course?

It’s called Intergroup Dialogues (IGD), and the goal is to allow students to examine an aspect of their own identity, how they’ve been socialized around it, and how to have productive dialogues about it. Sound easy? It’s not. Sound worthwhile? Read on.

Learn About IGD : Slide 1 - Chatham's Most Life-Changing Course?
Photo of Chatham University's Marita Garrett, Mayor of the Borough of Wilkinsburg, posing in a brown blazer with a campaign button and arms crossed outside.

Marita Garrett, MAP '15 Wins Wilkinsburg Mayoral Primary

In 2010, Marita Garrett bought a house in Wilkinsburg, PA, a borough of about 16,000 people, right outside Pittsburgh. “The taxes were super high, but I kept coming back because I really liked Wilkinsburg,” she says.Three years later, the Department of Education put the Wilkinsburg school district on the financial watch list. Residents, including Garrett, took note.

Meet Marita Garrett, MAP '15 : Slide 2 - Marita Garrett, MAP '15 Wins Wilkinsburg Mayoral Primary
Photo of a woman sitting on a white couch, smiling when talking to a psychologist.

Career Opportunities

Graduates have held positions including: Principal Researcher at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; Creative Arts Facilitator/Therapeutic Specialist at Wesley Spectrum Services; Assistant Director of Knowledge Communities and Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement Initiatives at NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education), Washington, DC.