Best Child Psychology Masters Programs in California

Pursuing a masters in neuropsychology online in California positions you for a faster growing field, with employment projected to grow by 10 to 14% through 2026. This just needs stem from rising cases of traumatic brain injuries and neurological conditions. To name just one example, 2.87 million Americans visited emergency rooms for TBIs in 2014, while 5.8 million live with Alzheimer’s dementia at present. Neuropsychology professionals earn an average salary of $117,750. This makes it a rewarding career path in financial terms. This guide explores eight top-tier masters programs that combine academic excellence with online flexibility.

University of Southern California – Master of Science in Applied Psychology with Neuropsychology Emphasis

USC offers an online Master of Science in Applied Psychology that blends organizational and consumer psychology principles. This degree is not specifically titled as a neuropsychology program, but it will give you the psychology fundamentals you need to understand human behavior and organizational challenges.

Program Overview

The program delivers contemporary coursework at the intersection of psychology theory, research, and practice in organizational settings. You’ll work with faculty who are active practitioners and senior-level executives in their areas of expertise. They bring real-life experience directly into the curriculum.

The curriculum has 34 units divided into three components: 20 units of foundational coursework, 8 units of advanced application coursework, and 6 units of practicum coursework. This structure ensures you build core knowledge before you advance to specialized applications. The program takes a project-based approach and allows you to transfer classroom learning to workplace scenarios immediately.

Students complete both an applied internship and an original research project (capstone treatise). The internship provides chances to explore careers in fields such as learning and development, user experience research, workplace well-being, and consumer insights. Many students conduct consulting projects as part of their capstone requirements and work with companies to conduct stakeholder-driven research.

Duration and Format

You can complete the program in as few as 16 months through the online format. The curriculum is broken down into four semesters. Students can enter during fall, spring, or summer terms. This flexibility accommodates working professionals who want to advance their careers without interrupting employment.

The online program maintains small class sizes taught by the same world-class faculty as the residential option. You’ll work in groups and discuss ideas with peers from diverse industries across the United States. You’ll also conduct professional-level projects. USC also offers a residential option that runs 9 months full-time on campus for those who prefer an intensive, in-person experience.

Cost and Tuition

Transfer credits are not accepted for this program. Tuition rates are subject to change each academic year.

Financial aid options include Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans up to $20,500 per academic year. Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans allow you to borrow up to your remaining cost of attendance minus the unsubsidized loan amount, though these are credit-based. USC offers various scholarships through its online scholarship system, with amounts that vary by chance. The USC Norman Topping Student Aid Fund supports students with high financial need who demonstrate community awareness. Additional funding sources include the USC Asian Pacific Alumni Association Scholarship ($1,000-$3,000), USC Latino Alumni Association Scholarship ($1,000-$5,000), and Town and Gown of USC scholarships ($10,000).

Admissions Requirements

USC seeks students who have excelled academically and show exceptional promise for professional success. The program is highly selective but has diverse students from across the United States with varied professional experiences. Most admitted students have completed coursework in social sciences. Success requires understanding major concepts and research methodologies associated with human behavior.

Contact an enrollment advisor at 888-836-4681 or via email to initiate your application. Your application must include official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions you previously attended. Submit a personal statement that evaluates your personal and professional experiences and your knowing how to communicate ideas. Provide three letters of recommendation, with at least one from a supervisor in an employment setting or leadership activity who knows you well. Include a current professional resume that highlights your academic achievements, work history, and skills. You must pay a non-refundable commitment deposit of $500 to reserve your spot once admitted.

University of California, Berkeley Extension – Post-Baccalaureate Program in Psychology

UC Berkeley Extension provides two distinct pathways for psychology education, though neither offers a traditional master’s degree in neuropsychology. The Extension’s Post-Baccalaureate Program in Psychology delivers a certificate designed to change careers and prepare for graduate school applications. This customizable program allows you to select 18 semester units from courses that line up with your academic or professional objectives. The program is online.

Program Overview

The Extension program positions you to become a competitive applicant for graduate and professional schools in psychology (M.A., M.S., M.S.W., Psy.D., Ph.D., and Ed.D.) or to transition into new career paths. You’ll gain knowledge rooted in foundational skills while learning theories that shape all areas of psychology and how ethical, individual issues intersect with the field.

Neuropsychology appears among the available course options, with subjects like Biological Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, and Abnormal Psychology. The program offers flexibility to tailor coursework based on whether you’re targeting graduate school admission or career development in psychology and behavioral health sciences.

A separate program exists through UC Berkeley’s Department of Psychology. This program prepares students for doctoral research careers. It runs on campus and is not online. The program provides Berkeley undergraduate psychology training through detailed coursework and extended research experience with faculty ranked #2 in Graduate Psychology. Research opportunities span clinical, social, and cognitive areas.

Duration and Format

The Extension program operates online through three instructional formats. Live Online courses feature scheduled sessions via Zoom in Pacific Time. Online, Start Anytime courses allow continuous enrollment with 90 to 180 days to complete. Online, Fixed Date courses require enrollment by the start date with no live sessions but collaborative opportunities with classmates.

You complete the Extension certificate by finishing 18 semester units. The Department of Psychology program requires three semesters minimum with an optional fourth semester to get additional coursework and research experience.

Cost and Tuition

The Extension program has a $250 application fee in the total estimated cost. Course materials are not part of the estimate, and fees are subject to change. The Department program charges a $125 registration fee and $250 nonrefundable Cal 1 Card fee. Certificate programs that have the Psychology Post-Baccalaureate Program are not eligible for state or federal student loans.

Admissions Requirements

You must hold a bachelor’s degree or international equivalent to apply for the Extension program. Submit the program application and pay the $250 application fee. Provide your unofficial transcript from your undergraduate university to the Admissions Office. International students need a World Education Services (WES) evaluation that confirms bachelor’s degree completion.

Recommended test scores are TOEFL: 90, IELTS Academic Format: 7, DAAD: C1, or Duolingo: 125 if English is not your first language, though you don’t need to submit these scores for application.

The Department program requires a completed application with a $75 non-refundable fee, resume, and transcripts. You also need email addresses of two references. International applicants need TOEFL scores above 90 for internet-based tests or IELTS scores above 7. Applications for Fall close in April.

Pepperdine University – Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology Online

Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology delivers a fully online Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology designed to prepare you for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). This program stands out among masters in neuropsychology online in California options by eliminating campus visits while maintaining rigorous clinical training standards.

Program Overview

The curriculum includes 62 to 68 units covering psychopathology, diagnosis, and advanced counseling techniques. You’ll complete four supervised clinical rotations in your local community and meet state licensure requirements without traveling to campus. Pepperdine’s Clinical Training and Placement team works with you to identify, vet, and secure approved training sites within your area that meet both university standards and state licensure requirements. The program prepares you to serve couples, families, and groups as a therapist.

You will have met all educational requirements to sit for the LMFT or LPCC licensure exams in California after graduation. The program also prepares you for licensure in certain states outside of California. Fortune ranked Pepperdine’s online Master of Arts in Psychology program as number one in the country, and with good reason too.

Duration and Format

You can complete the degree in as few as 27 months. The Pepperdine calendar has four 11-week sessions per year, with enrollment options in winter, spring, summer, and fall. This structure allows you to progress through the program while maintaining employment. Classes are delivered online through a virtual format and provide flexibility for working professionals.

The program offers both part-time and full-time enrollment options. You must reside within the United States upon application and throughout the program’s duration.

Cost and Tuition

Tuition rates are subject to annual increases of 2-5%. Financial aid options include Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans up to $20,500 per academic year. Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans supplement unsubsidized loans, with maximum amounts equal to your cost of attendance minus other financial aid received. Private education loans are available for students who need additional assistance. Apply for financial aid at least eight weeks before your cohort start date.

Admissions Requirements

You must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. Your application requires official transcripts from all colleges or universities that awarded your post-secondary degrees. Submit two professional recommendations from people familiar with your academic and professional competencies. Write a two-to-five page statement of purpose that describes your training and experience, current interests, professional goals, and reasons for applying. The GRE is not required.

International applicants whose native language is not English must provide a TOEFL score of 85 for the 1-120 scale exam or 4.5 on the new 1-6 scale effective January 2026, or an IELTS score of at least 7.

California Institute of Integral Studies – MA in Clinical Psychology

California Institute of Integral Studies differs from other masters in neuropsychology online in California programs. The university offers a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology rather than clinical psychology at the graduate level. The doctoral program focuses on clinical psychology, while the master’s curriculum centers on counseling psychology with an Integral Counseling Psychology concentration.

Program Overview

The Integral Counseling Psychology program adopts an all-encompassing approach that integrates Western psychological methods with Eastern spiritual traditions. You’ll develop your personal vision of psychology within modern theoretical approaches through a spiritually-oriented, multicultural, liberatory framework for psychotherapy. The curriculum prepares you to work with individuals, groups, couples and families.

Depth psychology, spirituality and social justice form the program’s foundation. Theory-based subjects blend with learning focused on the therapist-client relationship. Coursework progresses from foundational studies (Human Development and the Family, Multicultural Counseling, Therapeutic Communication) to advanced topics (Gestalt Therapy, the Clinical Relationship, Couples Counseling). You’ll complete a year-long supervised practicum. The field placement office supports this work. The curriculum meets licensure requirements for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs) and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCCs) in California and multiple other states.

Duration and Format

The program spans 3 years across 7 semesters, whatever format you choose. CIIS offers three distinct formats to accommodate different lifestyles. The weekday option runs Monday through Friday on campus with spring or fall start dates. The weekend format meets on campus five weekends each semester from Friday through Sunday and starts only in fall. The hybrid format combines online asynchronous and synchronous classes with a January retreat and spring start date, as opposed to these on-campus options.

The weekday and weekend formats both qualify you for LMFT or LPCC licensure paths. You earn 60 units for LMFT or 70 units for LPCC. The hybrid program meets requirements for LPCC licensure with 66 units earned. You must complete 50 hours of personal psychotherapy with a licensed mental health professional throughout the program.

Cost and Tuition

CIIS provides chance scholarships on a first-come-first-served basis, along with competitive fellowships and assistantships. The university accepts payments by cash, check, wire transfer, money order, debit card or major credit cards. A deferred payment plan allows you to spread semester charges across equal installments for a $53 fee.

Admissions Requirements

You need an undergraduate degree (B.A., B.S., or equivalent) from an accredited institution. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. GPAs between 2.0 and 3.0 get consideration with a GPA Statement submission, though. Two undergraduate psychology courses are recommended but not required, especially in human development, psychopathology or theories of personality.

Submit official transcripts from all institutions where you earned 7 or more credits. Write a four-to-six page admissions essay. Address your personal values, meaningful life experiences, identity reflections throughout your life and professional goals in integral counseling. Include a current resume and two letters of recommendation from academic advisors, professors or professional supervisors. Foreign transcripts require evaluation through World Education Services (WES) or current NACES members. The admissions committee conducts individual and group interviews by invitation.

National University – Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology

National University delivers graduate psychology education through online programs designed for working professionals who seek masters in neuropsychology online in California and related fields. The university’s flexible approach allows you to start your degree any month of the year, with year-round application acceptance and rolling enrollment.

Program Overview

The online Master of Arts in Psychology provides contemporary theory, research and applied techniques needed for psychology careers. You’ll develop core psychological concepts and therapeutic skills while understanding professional standards of ethics, values and laws related to therapy practice. The curriculum emphasizes cultural competence when addressing mental health needs of people from a variety of backgrounds.

Graduates move into roles such as mental health counselor, human resources specialist, research assistant, case manager or community college instructor. Salary for MA-level psychology positions varies and spans from approximately $49,000 to $175,000 depending on role, experience and responsibilities. Roles in counseling and human services tend to earn $45,000 to $65,000 early in career. Specialized or leadership-track positions with additional credentials can pay more.

Duration and Format

National University structures courses in four-week sessions. You can progress through your degree faster than traditional semester-based programs. Class can begin any month depending on program availability and whether you’re studying online. Professionals who cannot commit to rigid academic calendars will find this format accommodating.

Cost and Tuition

You may transfer up to 13.5 quarter units of course work applicable to your program. Transferred courses must have earned grades of B- or above, been taken within the last 7 years and come from regionally accredited institutions. Courses used to earn a master’s degree at another institution are not transferable.

Admissions Requirements

You must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with an overall GPA of 2.5 or better, or a GPA of 2.75 or higher in the last 90 quarter units. Students with GPAs between 2.0 and 2.49 may gain admission by achieving satisfactory scores on the GMAT, GRE, Miller Analogies Test or an approved program-specific exam. You can also enter on probationary status and complete 4.5 to 13.5 quarter units of graduate study with a cumulative 3.0 GPA. Present preliminary documentation of prior education at your required interview with an admissions advisor, where unofficial transcripts are acceptable. Students for whom English is a second language must pass an English Language Proficiency exam before beginning coursework.

The Chicago School – Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology

The Chicago School’s Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling online is a CACREP-accredited program with measurable success metrics: 68% completion rate, 91% licensure examination pass rate, and 76.9% job placement within one year of graduation. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs accreditation will give the program standards that meet institutional settings, program content and practicum experiences.

Program Overview

The curriculum requires 60 semester hours and includes foundational counseling areas like advocacy, assessment, diagnosis, ethics, multiculturalism and research. You’ll complete fieldwork through a 100-hour practicum and 600-hour internship. Two mandatory in-person residencies during your first and second years supplement this work. Graduates demonstrate knowledge and skills to deliver services that are appropriate for different cultures while they diagnose, treat and prevent mental or emotional disorders.

Duration and Format

You can finish the program in less than four years. The online format accommodates working adults. Courses are delivered virtually except for two required on-campus residencies. You can balance studies with professional commitments with this structure.

Cost and Tuition

Admissions Requirements

You need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Submit a two-page essay that addresses how you contribute to the program’s mission and your future role as a clinical mental health counselor. Provide your resume, three letters of recommendation and complete an admissions interview.

Azusa Pacific University – MA in Clinical Psychology Online

Azusa Pacific University’s MA in Clinical Psychology: Marriage and Family Therapy integrates Christian faith with evidence-based clinical training and prepares you for dual licensure as both an LMFT and LPCC in California. The program emphasizes systemic family psychology while giving you the tools to serve a variety of communities with cultural sensitivity.

Program Overview

You’ll complete 63 units of coursework that meet California educational requirements for both MFT and LPCC licenses. The curriculum incorporates Gottman Level 1 training within core courses and provides research-based couple therapy skills. You must accumulate 300 hours of direct client experience for each license path, supported by one hour of individual or two hours of group supervision for every five clinical hours. You’ll also complete 40 hours of individual psychotherapy, with the option to substitute 20 hours with group therapy.

Duration and Format

The degree spans 2 to 4 years depending on your selected track. Full-time completion requires two years with evening classes two to three days weekly, while the reduced-load three-year plan involves fewer courses per semester. A four-year option allows just two courses per semester.

Cost and Tuition

Admissions Requirements

You need a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Students entering without a psychology degree must complete Abnormal Psychology within eight years prior and earn a B or better. Submit official transcripts, a professional interest essay and two recommendation letters.

Fielding Graduate University – Master of Arts in Media Psychology

Fielding Graduate University pioneered the nation’s first media psychology doctoral program. The university extends this expertise through a Master of Arts in Applied Media Psychology. This degree applies psychological theory to media design, technology use and social effect. Other masters in neuropsychology online in California programs focus on clinical pathology.

Program Overview

The curriculum centers on understanding how media influences human behavior in multiple domains. You’ll get into emerging media’s societal transformation, neuromarketing’s psychological effect on consumers, transmedia storytelling on various platforms, audience engagement psychology and global media effects on cultures. Classes are capped at 10 students to ensure faculty interaction and personalized feedback. The program integrates certificate, master’s and doctoral students in courses. This creates professional and academic discussions.

Duration and Format

You complete 40 credits within 2 years through asynchronous online courses. There are no predetermined login times. You interact with faculty and peers through weekly tasks while maintaining professional commitments. The flexible structure accommodates mid-career professionals seeking immediate application of learning.

Cost and Tuition

Admissions Requirements

You need a bachelor’s or master’s degree with a minimum 2.5 GPA from a regionally accredited institution. No prerequisite psychology coursework is required. Submit your application, transcripts, resume and statement of purpose by the priority deadline of July 16th for fall admission.

Start Today

Finding a traditional neuropsychology master’s program entirely online in California presents challenges. However, the programs listed above offer valuable pathways into clinical and counseling psychology fields. Each program addresses different needs. USC and Pepperdine provide prestige and complete training. National University and Fielding offer specialized flexibility. The cost ranges dramatically from UC Berkeley Extension at $6,250 to Pepperdine near $138,000, so careful financial planning becomes critical.

You should verify which licensure path arranges with your career goals. Some programs prepare you exclusively for LPCC. Others offer dual LMFT/LPCC qualification.

Assess each option according to your budget, timeline and professional objectives before committing.