St Mary’s College of California Psychology Programs

Saint Mary’s College of California has earned its reputation as a respected private institution since 1863. Students enjoy an intimate educational experience on its beautiful 420-acre suburban campus in Moraga. The college serves 2,736 students (1,955 undergraduates and 781 graduate students) and boasts a student-faculty ratio of 10:1. Small class sizes enhance learning, with 60% of classes having fewer than 20 students. These smaller groups create the perfect environment for discussion-driven courses that define the Saint Mary’s experience.

The Psychology Department showcases the college’s dedication to academic excellence through its four-year Bachelor of Science program. Students receive tailored attention while they explore their interests in psychology. The program strikes a perfect balance between theory and practice, combining research methods with ground problem-solving.

Student success rates at Saint Mary’s College speak volumes. The college ranks in the top 25% nationwide with a four-year graduation rate of 61% and a six-year rate of 73%. Psychology graduates find themselves ready for various career paths and advanced studies.

The college’s student population shows rich diversity: 45.5% male, 54.2% female, and 0.3% identifying as another gender. The racial makeup includes 37% White, 33% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 8% Asian, 5% Black, 3% Unknown, 2% Pacific Islander, and 2% International students.

Saint Mary’s psychology alumni work at prominent organizations including:

• HP
• Amazon
• Deloitte
• Ernst & Young
• KPMG
• American Express
• DocuSign

Many graduates head over to prestigious graduate and professional programs at Stanford, NYU, UC Davis, and Johns Hopkins University. Their success comes from the department’s emphasis on critical thinking, research methods, and communication skills that prove valuable in any discipline.

Students work alongside prominent faculty members through hands-on laboratory work, field research both locally and abroad, and independent study projects. This practical experience, combined with a strong liberal arts foundation, helps graduates make lasting impacts in technology, business, healthcare, education, and the arts.

Programs offered

St Mary’s Moraga Psychology Department has a complete range of undergraduate programs that match students’ interests and career goals. The Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology comes with five distinct concentrations:

The General Psychology concentration builds a broad foundation that balances theory with hands-on experimental work. Students who want a complete grasp of psychological theories and cognitive science will find this option perfect.

Students fascinated by behavior’s biological roots will love the Behavioral Neuroscience concentration. The program blends theoretical concepts with practical lab experience to help students understand neural biology and cognitive science.

The Child/Adolescent Development concentration helps students master developmental psychology and prepares them to work with young people.

The Clinical/Counseling concentration is great for students drawn to therapeutic approaches. They’ll learn psychotherapy techniques, human development, and cognitive science. This path works especially well for future clinical psychologists or social workers.

Students in the Social Psychology concentration learn about community and organizational psychology. They study gender, sexuality, cross-cultural psychology, and human development. This path sets them up nicely for community-based roles.

On top of that, students majoring in other fields can choose a Psychology Minor.

Saint Mary’s Kalmanovitz School of Education takes psychology education further with graduate programs. Their Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology is about how psychology, law, and social justice work together. Students learn to work in criminal justice through a restorative justice approach.

The Double Master’s in Counseling and Forensic Psychology program stands out as a unique choice. Students can earn two master’s degrees at once and specialize in forensics while preparing for MFT or LPCC licensure.

St Mary’s psychology programs share some key features. Classes stay small and discussion-based, which fits perfectly with the college’s liberal arts tradition.

Students get plenty of hands-on experience through lab work, field research (both in the US and abroad), and independent studies. Faculty members are always ready to help students tackle complex problems, explore topics deeply, and share their findings clearly.

Online options

St Mary’s College of California has changed with modern educational needs by offering select psychology programs in flexible online formats. Students with various scheduling needs can now access quality education through these digital learning options.

The college’s flagship online psychology offering is the Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology program, which students can complete entirely online. This graduate-level program, scheduled for implementation in 2024, shows the college’s forward-thinking approach to specialized psychological education. Students can study the intersection of psychology and legal systems from anywhere without coming to campus.

St Mary’s regularly hosts live online information sessions for anyone interested in this state-of-the-art program. Faculty members connect directly with potential students and answer questions immediately during these virtual events. They give an explanation of what makes the program unique and what you need to apply.

St Mary’s online education uses three different teaching methods. The synchronous format makes real-time virtual class meetings possible through platforms like Zoom or Google Meet. Students can interact in scheduled sessions, though this approach might challenge those with limited wifi access, different time zones, or caregiving duties.

The asynchronous format lets you work on course materials at your own pace within weekly timeframes. Students interact through discussion boards, small group projects, and chat features in the learning management system. Faculty stay connected through assignment feedback, virtual office hours, email, and chat functions. But St Mary’s knows that purely asynchronous courses can make students feel isolated.

Many programs use a blended instruction approach that combines both synchronous and asynchronous elements to solve this issue. This balanced method offers flexibility while keeping regular real-time connections.

St Mary’s College extends its online education beyond psychology programs. The institution’s Business Administration MBA program runs completely online, showing the college’s broader commitment to making education accessible to more people.

St Mary’s Moraga’s online options reflect its dedication to educational excellence while staying true to its core values of personal instruction and academic quality. You can pursue specialized psychology education through carefully designed virtual learning experiences, whatever your location or schedule might be.

Accreditation

St Mary’s Moraga’s institutional credibility comes from its WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) accreditation, which it has managed to keep since 1948. This regional accreditation is a vital quality assurance mechanism that helps students access federal financial aid resources like loans, grants, and work-study opportunities.

WSCUC reaffirmed St Mary’s accreditation for six years after their 2023 evaluation visit in March 2024. The college submitted a progress report in November 2024, and WSCUC asked for a follow-up report by February 2025. The accreditation timeline now has a special visit planned for Spring 2026, an offsite review in Spring 2029, and a complete accreditation site visit in Fall 2029.

WSCUC assesses institutions based on four core standards:

1. Defining institutional purposes and ensuring educational objectives
2. Achieving educational objectives through core functions
3. Developing and applying resources and organizational structures to ensure quality
4. Creating an organization committed to quality assurance and improvement

The Kalmanovitz School of Education’s School Psychology program earned Candidacy Status with the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). This achievement shows the program’s strong foundation in faculty expertise, curriculum design, field experiences, and community collaborations.

The School Psychology program now meets rigorous professional standards, which improves its regional reputation and makes St Mary’s a leader in this specialized field. Students who start in Fall 2024 or later will automatically qualify for the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential without submitting separate portfolios once the program completes full NASP accreditation.

NASP’s accreditation candidacy gives St Mary’s valuable feedback to improve program quality. This quality improvement process shows the institution’s steadfast dedication to educational excellence in all psychology programs.

These recognized accreditations prove St Mary’s Moraga’s commitment to high academic standards and its focus on preparing psychology students for successful careers and advanced studies. Your Saint Mary’s degree will carry recognized value in both academic and professional settings, thanks to validation from respected accreditation bodies.

Admission Requirements

St Mary’s Moraga has different admission criteria for undergraduate and graduate psychology programs.

Transfer students at Saint Mary’s College of California need a record with at least 23 transferable semester units and a minimum GPA of 2.0. Students who want to transfer with junior status should complete 60 or more transferable units. A grade of ‘C-‘ or higher qualifies for transfer in all courses. Students ended up needing to complete a minimum of 36 course credits toward a Bachelor’s Degree.

The Master’s in Counseling specializations have stricter requirements, especially when you have graduate psychology programs. You need a Bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college. The program prefers a 2.8 minimum undergraduate GPA. Students with lower GPAs can still apply by explaining their circumstances in their personal statement and completing an extra individual interview.

The application process needs these essential components:

• A 2-3 page personal statement outlining your academic and professional goals
• Current resume
• Three letters of recommendation from professional or academic references (personal references from family or friends are not accepted)
• Official transcripts from all colleges or universities attended
• Results of a tuberculin test from within the last year
• Evidence of health insurance or a signed waiver
• $50.00 application fee

The review process starts after receiving all required documents. The college suggests starting your application three months before your intended start term. After submitting your online application, faculty members will invite you to a group interview. Spring applicants usually have these interviews via Zoom on Saturday mornings in mid-October and mid-November.

School Counseling and School Psychology applicants need a Certificate of Clearance before starting any practicum or field placement. These programs also require proof of CBEST test registration or passing another Basic Skills Requirement alternative approved by the CCTC.

St Mary’s takes a different approach from many graduate programs by not requiring GRE scores for psychology program admissions. This lets them evaluate your academic background, professional potential, and personal qualities rather than standardized test performance.

Tuition

Students at St Mary’s Moraga need to know about the detailed costs that include tuition, housing, and other expenses.

The full-time tuition for 2023-2024 academic year is $55,634 if you take 12-18 units. This amount will go up to $59,251 in 2025-2026. Students who take less than 12 units pay $1,987 per unit, and this will increase to $2,118 per unit in 2025-2026. Any courses beyond 18 units cost the same per-unit rate.

Students living on campus have other costs beyond tuition. The 2025-2026 breakdown shows $18,198 for food and housing, $208 for student body fees, $310 for student enhancement fees, $1,089 for books and supplies, $3,285 for personal expenses, and $1,251 for transportation. This brings the total estimated cost to $83,593 for on-campus students.

Living with family off-campus reduces the total cost to $78,652. Students who live independently off-campus pay the highest amount at $90,667.

Graduate psychology programs have different tuition rates. Both the Master of Arts in Counseling and Master of Arts in Forensic Psychology cost $1,165 per unit in 2025-2026. The Doctorate in Educational Leadership costs $1,260 per unit, while the Bachelor of Arts in Leadership program costs $925 per unit.

Students should also plan for extra fees. You’ll need to pay a non-refundable $250 deposit when admitted, which goes toward your first-semester tuition. Full-time undergraduates must have health insurance, and the school’s plan costs about $2,179 for 2025-2026.

St Mary’s accepts several payment methods including checks, cashier’s checks, money orders, and cash. Credit card payments come with a 2.95% service fee, which will increase to 3% on May 5, 2025. You can avoid fees by using eCheck payments or choosing a three-month payment plan for $50 per term.

The good news is that most students get financial help. The college’s financial aid page states, “Saint Mary’s invests substantially in our student with substantial merit and need-based financial aid programs to ensure students from any background can afford to attend”.

Additional Information

Psychology graduates from St Mary’s Moraga show impressive career flexibility after completing their studies. Recent data reveals that 59% of graduates join the workforce right away, while 38% continue their education. The remaining graduates choose internships, service work, or military careers.

The school’s alumni have landed roles at leading organizations across California and beyond. A notable example is Victoria Hendrickson, who now serves as partner and vice president at OrgVitality. She shares, “Saint Mary’s, and specifically the psych faculty did so much to prepare me for grad school and my career beyond”.

Students at St Mary’s enjoy rich learning experiences. The Psychology Department provides research funding up to $750 for students working on independent projects or in labs. Summer Research Program participants receive $400 stipends and campus housing. Students can also work at Quest Therapeutic Camps with neurodivergent youth.

St Mary’s alumni regularly secure spots in prestigious graduate programs nationwide. The department’s strong connections include Yale Mind and Development Lab, Rutgers University RISE program, and several NSF Research Experience sites.

Hendrickson’s advice resonates with current students: “Make the most of the optional experiences… Get to know your professors and their unique specialties, take less familiar electives, and do research”.