Graduate Certificate in Play Therapy (Online)

Capella University is one of only a few online universities to offer a graduate Play Therapy certificate. This certificate addresses the core academic content areas required by the Association for Play Therapy to earn its Registered Play Therapist (RPT) and Supervisor (RPT-S) credentials. The courses in this certificate program were developed—and are taught by—registered play therapists and registered play therapist supervisors. Whether you’re in psychology, counseling, or a related discipline, Capella’s Play Therapy certificate can help you deepen your therapeutic connection with the children you serve.

Review of this certificate program is pending in AZ.

MS - Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy (Online)

Position yourself for increased career opportunities and job satisfaction in the fast-growing counseling field. This CACREP-accredited master's program in Marriage and Family Therapy is a rigorous combination of online course work, residencies, and field experiences designed to prepare you for state licensure eligibility. You will learn to apply family systems theories and therapeutic techniques to address a wide range of relationship issues and to assess and treat mental and emotional disorders and problems within the family system.

This program requires course work and clinical experience, including a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship.

Residency Requirements: Two six-day residential colloquia.

MS in Addiction Counseling (Online)

Position yourself for increased career opportunities and job satisfaction in the fast-growing field of addiction counseling. This master's program in Addiction Counseling is designed to develop professionals trained in the areas of addiction counseling, treatment, and prevention. There is a particular emphasis on treating addictions and co-occurring mental health illnesses, which can improve the possibility that your clients will complete treatment and have better post-treatment outcomes. The curriculum covers both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills you need to offer integrated services and treat co-occurring disorders in an addiction counseling or general clinical setting. This rigorous program includes online course work, residencies, and clinical experiences. People likely to be interested in this specialization include addiction prevention and treatment professionals who wish to pursue licensure or certification, or advance to supervisory or leadership positions in the field.

This specialization requires course work and clinical experience, including a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship.

Residency Requirements: As part of your program you will attend residential colloquia in addition to your online courses. At specific milestones in your program, you will attend two colloquia, each six days in length.

MS in Child & Adolescent Development (Online)

Take advantage of this unique online opportunity to advance your skills and position yourself for leadership in organizations and professions serving children and adolescents. Capella offers the only master’s specialization in Child and Adolescent Development available from an online, regionally accredited university. The curriculum is designed to provide you with the knowledge, theory, and best practices needed to promote and support the development of children and adolescents. Courses cover such topics as prenatal, child, and adolescent development; familial, societal, and cultural influences; psychological and educational measurement theory; and research methodology. People likely to be interested in this specialization include professionals working in social services, health care, government, and education who wish to pursue leadership positions in organizations that serve children and adolescents.

Residency requirements: None
Note: This specialization may be a good first step for those who wish to pursue a PsyD or PhD, which is generally required for licensure as a counseling psychologist.

MS in Counseling Psychology (Online)

This master’s in counseling psychology specialization offers a rigorous foundation of courses in Counseling Psychology, a generally interventional approach to psychology that focuses on assessing and building on clients’ strengths. You will delve into such topics as counseling theory, individual and group counseling interventions, testing and assessment, research methods, and counseling diagnosis. People who choose this specialization are often planning to pursue a doctoral degree in counseling psychology or in a counseling-related field, but may also pursue counseling, employee assistance, or research positions in social service, health care, business, or educational settings.

Residency Requirements: As part of this program you will attend residential colloquia in addition to your online courses. At specific milestones in your program, you will attend three colloquia, each six days in length. See residential colloquia details

Note: This specialization may be a good first step for those who wish to pursue a PsyD or PhD, which is generally required for licensure as a counseling psychologist.

MS in Educational Psychology (Online)

Gain an understanding of the psychological foundations of education, instructional strategies and designs, psychological research, and stages of development for different age groups. You will have opportunities to acquire a broad base of information on learning outcomes, testing, research methods, and data analysis. People who choose this Educational Psychology specialization often plan to pursue faculty positions at community colleges, or managerial or specialist positions in education, training, testing, or research.

Residency requirements: None

MS in Evaluation, Research, and Measurement (Online)

Gain a competitive edge in the field of psychology by developing your research, measurement, and evaluation skills. This specialization is designed to strengthen your ability to use quantitative and qualitative data to assist individuals and organizations with planning and decision making. The curriculum includes course work in inferential statistics, research methods, data analysis, survey construction, and program evaluation. People who choose this specialization are often pursuing research or upper-level positions in research, assessment, and analysis with higher education, credentialing, or accrediting agencies.

MS in General Career Counseling (Online)

Advance your knowledge of career counseling and career development, including both face-to-face counseling and the use of online tools to conduct career counseling at a distance. Designed around leading counseling standards, Capella’s MS in Career Counseling is one of very few online master’s programs in the field. The rigorous program includes online course work, residencies, and clinical experiences. The curriculum offers a theoretical and practical foundation in the field of career counseling, including administering and interpreting career assessments; developing life, career, and employment plans for clients; working with diverse populations; and planning and managing comprehensive career counseling and development programs. People who choose this specialization may be interested in providing or managing career counseling or development services in a corporate, government, or nonprofit setting; or becoming an independent career counselor.

Review of this specialization is pending in AL, AZ, FL, KS, KY, ND, SC, WA and WI.

MS in General Psychology (Online)

Enrich your understanding of general psychological principles, theories, and research methodologies, then use electives to delve more deeply into specific topics that position you to make a greater difference in your work. Choose established areas of psychological study such as addiction or health psychology, select a family psychology concentration, or design an interdisciplinary program that blends psychology with education, business, or human services courses. People who choose this specialization are often pursuing specialist or supervisory positions in social or behavioral service organizations, or wish to explore a broad psychological curriculum in preparation for doctoral studies.

Concentrations: As part of this specialization, you can use your electives to earn a concentration in Family Psychology.

Note: Master's degree requirements in this program do not prepare graduates for licensure as a professional counselor or psychologist.

MS in General Studies in Human Behavior (Online)

Design and deliver more effective social services by increasing your understanding of the many circumstances that affect individual and group behavior, and gaining deeper knowledge and skills to address them. This online degree program includes opportunities to apply contemporary human behavior theory and research to the development, evaluation, and leadership of social and behavioral programs; employ strategies for critical thinking and writing in the human behavior discipline; develop approaches to providing ethnically and culturally sensitive services to individuals, groups, and organizations; and use established standards and ethics for professional behavior and service. People likely to choose this specialization include behavioral science, education, psychology, or social service professionals pursuing leadership, management, or consulting positions in social and behavioral service or advocacy organizations. This degree program is not designed to meet licensure requirements for the counseling, psychology, or social work professions.

Review of this program is pending in ND, SC, and TN.

MS in Industrial/Organizational Psychology (Online)

Businesses pursuing increased employee engagement, worker productivity and team building often seek candidates with skills in industrial/organizational psychology, a field that applies behavioral principles and research findings to organizational settings. Through this online industrial and organizational psychology specialization you will learn leading-edge assessment techniques, leadership and group development theories, conflict management strategies, and other techniques for increasing motivation and improving workplace performance. People who choose this specialization are often pursuing community college instructor positions or managerial or consulting positions in training, human resources, or executive coaching.

Residency requirements: None

MS in Leadership Coaching Psychology (Online)

Sharpen your skills and establish your credentials in the fast-growing field of executive coaching. This specialization offers a rare opportunity to develop coaching expertise within an MS in Psychology degree program. The curriculum, based on competencies outlined by the International Coaching Federation and the Society for Industrial Psychology, prepares you to apply psychological theory and practices to help organizational leaders meet their professional and personal potential. People who choose this specialization are often organizational, clinical, or counseling psychologists who want to develop a coaching practice, or human resources professionals with internal responsibility for executive coaching and leadership development.

MS in Mental Health Counseling (Online)

Mental health counseling is a field that can bring immense personal satisfaction as well as excellent career opportunities. This CACREP-accredited master’s program in Mental Health Counseling offers a rigorous curriculum that includes online course work, residencies, and field experiences designed to prepare you for state licensure eligibility. You will develop the theoretical knowledge and practical skills you need to assess and treat mental and emotional disorders and promote optimum mental health. People who choose this specialization often pursue mental health counselor positions within institutional, community, and private practice settings.

This specialization requires course work and clinical experience, including a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship.

Residency Requirements: Two six-day residential colloquia.

MS in School Counseling (Online)

The demand for qualified school counselors is expected to grow as school enrollments increase, more states pass counseling mandates, and school counselors take on expanded roles. This state-approved, CACREP-accredited master’s program in School Counseling is built on the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model and includes course work, field training, and residencies. It is designed to prepare you to deliver and manage contemporary school counseling programs, and act as a school leader who can advocate for the personal, educational, and social needs of students. And as part of Capella’s Professional Education Unit, this specialization is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). People who choose this specialization are often interested in pursuing licensure as school counselors.

This specialization requires course work and clinical experience, including a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship.

Residency requirements: At specific milestones in your program, you will attend two residential colloquia in addition to your online courses.

MS in School Psychology (Online)

Prepare yourself to address the social, emotional, academic, behavioral, and cognitive well-being of children and adolescents within a school setting. This rigorous School Psychology specialization stresses respect for individual differences, collaborative problem solving, and empirically-based interventions. It includes online course work, part I of a year-in-residence, and field training experiences. And as part of Capella’s Professional Education Unit, this specialization is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Learners interested in applying for state licensure or national certification as a school psychologist will need to enroll in both this master’s degree specialization and the Specialist Certificate in School Psychology. People who choose this specialization are typically pursuing careers as school psychologists, diagnosticians, crisis specialists, or program evaluators in public school districts, but may also seek employment in other educational settings.

Residency Requirements: Year-in-residence Part I (two residential colloquia and four weekends-in-residence).

MS in Social and Community Services (Online)

Strengthen your ability to advocate for and facilitate positive change in your community with this Social and Community Services master's specialization. The curriculum is designed to increase your understanding of such critical issues as cultural awareness, utilization of community resources, social change, and public policy. People who choose this specialization are often interested in pursuing management or community outreach positions in public or private organizations focused on serving community needs.

Concentration: As part of this specialization, you can use your electives to earn a concentration in Fire Service Administration, Forensics, Health Policy and Management, Homeland Security, Public Administration, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, Public Health, and Public Policy and Management for no additional time or money.

MS in Sport Psychology (Online)

Learn to apply psychological principles with amateur and professional athletics to address such issues as performance enhancement, individual and team motivation, injury recovery, and stress management. People who choose this online Sport Psychology specialization are often seeking performance improvements or career advancements in school coaching or physical education positions, or in coaching or instructional positions in park and recreation departments, fitness clubs, sports camps, or wellness programs.

Residency requirements: None

PhD in Addiction Psychology (Online)

Expand your leadership options and advance the field of addiction psychology with Capella’s non-clinical doctoral specialization in Addiction Psychology. Designed around professional education standards in addiction psychology, this specialization helps prepare you for advanced research, faculty, or leadership positions in the field. You’ll build on your current expertise in the addiction field while exploring the latest theories, issues, and trends related to both behaviors with addictive features and substance use. The course work also covers program design, multicultural issues, system approaches, and advanced addiction research. Depending on your professional goals, you can choose additional topics of study, such as management of psychological services, program evaluation, and survey construction and administration. You’ll also gain insights from faculty who bring both extensive professional experience and strong academic credentials in the field of addiction psychology. This is one of very few non-clinical doctoral specializations in Addiction Psychology available online, which offers addiction professionals more flexibility to combine advanced education pursuits with other professional and personal commitments.

Review of this program is pending in KS, KY, ND, SC, and TN.

PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision (Online)

Counseling is one of the country’s fastest growing professions, creating an accompanying need for counseling educators and supervisors. This rigorous Counselor Education and Supervision doctoral degree program includes online course work, residencies, and field experiences designed to build your clinical, teaching, research, and supervisory skills. Capella’s degree program is one of few available online, and provides opportunities for you to potentially fulfill your internship experience working with counseling students enrolled in Capella’s CACREP-accredited master’s degree programs. People likely to be interested in this specialization include master’s level counselors interested in pursuing supervisory, faculty, research, or advanced practitioner positions in academic and clinical settings.

The residential colloquia experience:
As a doctoral learner, you will attend three five-day colloquia at specific stages in your program, in addition to your online courses. These energizing residencies provide you with insights and knowledge that will be valuable during your doctoral studies and beyond.

This specialization requires course work and clinical experience, including a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship.

Applicants to the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision must be graduates of a CACREP-accredited master's program or a master's program with equivalent curriculum (subject to Capella review).

PhD in Educational Psychology (Online)

Deepen your knowledge of educational development and psychological research with this PhD in Educational Psychology specialization that can be tailored to meet your professional needs and research interests. Through your choice of electives, you can focus your study in such areas as instructional design science, teaching science, or developmental science, or choose a broader field of study. People who choose this specialization often plan to pursue careers as professors, educational psychologists, researchers, program administrators, or consultants.

The residential colloquia experience:
As a doctoral learner, you will attend three five-day colloquia at specific stages in your program, in addition to your online courses. These energizing residencies provide you with insights and knowledge that will be valuable during your doctoral studies and beyond.

PhD in General Advanced Studies in Human Behavior (Online)

Make a difference in your community by strengthening your skills in leadership, advocacy, communication, and program development and evaluation. This online PhD in Advanced Studies in Human Behavior also covers such topics as research methodology, human development and behaviors, understanding diverse populations, child and adolescent services, addictive behaviors, eating disturbances, family issues, and aging, grief, and bereavement. You will also have the opportunity to advance the field of human behavior through your own doctoral research. People who choose this specialization are often interested in non-clinical/non-treatment leadership, advocacy, or consulting positions in social and behavioral service organizations, or faculty positions in higher educational institutions. This degree program is not designed to meet licensure requirements for the counseling, psychology, or social work professions.

Review of this program is pending in AL, KS, KY, ND, SC, TN, WA, and WI.

PhD in General Psychology (Online)

This online psychology PhD specialization offers you the opportunity to create an individualized, academic-track program designed to meet your professional goals and research interests. Choose an established area of psychological study such as health psychology, or design an interdisciplinary program that blends psychology with education, business, or human services courses. People who choose this specialization are often pursuing faculty or administrative training positions in higher education, business or the military, or careers in consulting, institutional research, or program evaluation or administration.

The residential colloquia experience:
As a doctoral learner, you will attend three five-day colloquia at specific stages in your program, in addition to your online courses. These energizing residencies provide you with insights and knowledge that will be valuable during your doctoral studies and beyond.

PhD in Industrial/Organizational Psychology (Online)

Improve your career opportunities in the growing field of industrial/organizational psychology through this doctoral specialization designed to deepen your knowledge of workplace and organizational behavior, and demonstrate your own research-based contributions to the field. You will gain a strong foundation in adult, social, and group psychology, as well as advanced testing, statistical and research methodology. People who choose this specialization often pursue higher education faculty positions, leadership positions in training or human resources, or consulting or executive coaching positions.

The residential colloquia experience:
As a doctoral learner, you will attend three five-day colloquia at specific stages in your program, in addition to your online courses. These energizing residencies provide you with insights and knowledge that will be valuable during your doctoral studies and beyond.