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The accelerated B.A./M.A. programs in general/theoretical, forensic psychology, and industrial organizational psychology combine the undergraduate B.A. in Psychology and graduate (M.A.) degrees in these areas. These programs allow students to complete a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in just five years. The savings in time and tuition are accomplished through a process of cross-crediting 15 undergraduate and graduate credits. Within the undergraduate portion of the program, it is possible to complete one of the specialized undergraduate tracks described above, without incurring additional undergraduate credits. The combined B.A. in Psychology (clinical social work track) and a Master’s in Social Work (in conjunction with New York University’s School of Social Work) also allows students to complete the typical B.A./M.A. course sequence in five years, rather than the usual six years of full-time study.

Degree Plan

The following BA Psychology degree requirements APPLIES to all tracks listed below.

Required Major Courses (14 credits)

Learning/Cognition/Psychological Domain(1 course [3 credits] needed)

Courses that satisfy domain

Social/Personality Domain (1 course [3 credits] needed)

Courses that satisfy domain

Clinical/Developmental Domain (1 course [3 credits] needed)

Courses that satisfy domain

Applications of Psychology Domain (1 course [3 credits] needed)

Courses that satisfy domain

Major Psychology Electives (4 courses [12 total credits])

Courses that satisfy domain: any psychology course

General Theoretical Track Graduate Courses (38 credits)

Admission Requirements

Students can enter the program as incoming freshmen or as students already enrolled in an undergraduate program at Fairleigh Dickinson University (or incoming transfer students). Current undergraduate students must first complete a minimum of 12 credits in psychology. Students’ academic and work experiences should reflect a strong potential for successfully completing the academic requirements of the accelerated B.A./M.A. program. Academic potential for either incoming freshmen or current undergraduate students will be determined by the School of Psychology on the basis of the following:

  • SAT scores
  • Academic transcripts
  • A minimum of two letters of recommendation
  • A personal statement regarding academic and career goals

Students will be allowed to continue in the graduate component of the five-year degree program upon evaluation of performance in the undergraduate component of the program; this evaluation will be performed by a committee of psychology faculty at the end of each student’s fourth year. With regard to credits earned in graduate courses, students are required to maintain a minimum overall grade point ratio of 2.75 and must not earn more than two C level grades throughout their graduate course work. Students receiving two or more grades below a B- in core courses will not be permitted to continue in the program. Students in this circumstance who are not permitted to continue in the graduate program will receive the B.A. in psychology upon successful completion of their undergraduate curriculum (a total of 120 credits).

A written comprehensive examination of the candidate’s knowledge of general psychology or a master’s thesis is required at the end of the graduate component of program. The comprehensive examination may be taken only twice. Failure to pass the comprehensive examination will result in dismissal from the program.

Core Courses  (6 credits)

  • PSYC6121     Statistics and Research Methods
  • PSYC6129     Research Methods & Psychometrics

Required Psychology Courses (5 courses [15 credits])

Courses that satisfy domain

  • PSYC6109     Social Psychological Applications
  • PSYC6111     Theories of Personality
  • PSYC6114     Psychopathology
  • PSYC6128     Computer Applications & Report Writing
  • PSYC7122     Developmental Psychology
  • PSYC7133     Learning, Cognition and Emotion
  • PSYC7130     Biological Bases of Behavior

PLUS Five Psychology Elective Courses (15 credits)

Forensic Psychology Graduate Courses (38 credits)

Admission Requirements

  • Interested applicants must apply during the Spring semester of their Sophomore year. They will be notified by the end of that semester whether they are accepted into the program.
  • Accepted students must NOT register for the following Fall semester of their Junior year until they have met with the program advisors. There will be an orientation for all incoming 4+1 students before registration.

Prerequisites to Apply

  • Students cannot be beyond their Sophomore year
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher
  • Completion of, or currently enrolled in Statistics (with a grade of at least B)
  • Have no more than 42 remaining undergraduate credits (not including the “overlap” courses)
  • Interested students should NOT take the following courses at the undergraduate level as they will be replaced with graduate level courses (“overlap” courses)

Application requirements

  • Official FDU transcript
  • Two letters of recommendation (preferably from instructors, although one may be submitted from a supervisor from a practicum or internship)
  • Personal statement explaining your fit for the program, your interests in forensic psychology, and career goals

Application materials should be emailed directly to fduforensicpsychma@gmail.com, Dr. Prentky (rprentky@fdu.edu), and Dr. Winters (gwinters@fdu.edu) by March 30th of your sophomore year. If recommenders prefer to send their letters separately, they may do so by emailing the above addresses and specifying who the letter is for. Any questions should be directed towards the graduate assistants at fduforensicpsychma@gmail.com

Students accepted into the 4+1 program will be required to follow this course schedule for their graduate level coursework (36 credits total). This includes completion of a 300-hour externship placement during the Fall semester of their graduate year and passing their two comprehensive exams during their final semester. Students must complete all their undergraduate requirements by the end of their Senior year. Their fifth year is exclusively graduate level work.

Fall Junior Year

  • PSYC6111     Theories of Personality
  • PSCY6230     Intro to Forensic Psychology

Spring Junior Year

Fall Senior Year

  • PSCY6109     Social Psychological Applications
  • PSYC6231     Psychological Bases of Criminal Behavior

Spring Senior Year

  • PSCY7235     Evaluating Criminal Resp and Competency

Summer Session I

  • PSCY6227     Criminal Practice in Forensic Contexts

Fall Graduate Year

  • PSCY7234     Ethical Issues in Forensic Practice
  • PSYC6121     Statistics & Research Methods
  • PSYC7240     Externship in Forensic Psych

Spring Graduate Year

  • PSYC7230     Forensic Assessment and Prediction
  • PSYC6130     Interviewing Techniques
  • Comprehensive exams

Industrial Organizational Psychology Graduate (38 credits)

The specialization in industrial/organizational psychology is designed to equip the graduate with a working knowledge of practices and procedures in applying psychology in a variety of organizational settings.

Admission Requirements

Students must have completed a minimum of 60 undergraduate credits in an accredited two-year or four-year college or university, with a minimum of 9 credits in psychology. A course in statistics must be completed before applying. If students are transferring into the University, they must have completed at least 9 credits at FDU before they can apply. Students’ academic and work experiences should reflect a strong potential for successfully completing the academic requirements of the accelerated B.A./M.A. program. Academic potential will be determined by the graduate Admissions Committee of the Department of Psychology and Counseling on the basis of the following:

  • Completed application 
  • Academic transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • A résumé indicating prior work and life experience
  • A personal statement regarding academic and career goals
  • A personal interview

The decision to accept applicants will be made on the basis of the foregoing data.

Required Major courses (26 credits)

Undergraduate Major Electives (1 course [3 credits] needed)

Required Graduate courses (15 credits) (3.0 GPA required)

(15 dual credits to be used to complete BA degree)

The BA degree (120 credits) must be completed before the additional graduate courses may be taken for the MA degree)

Required Graduate courses (21 credits) (3.0 GPA Required)

Graduate Thesis or Electives (6 credits)

Students may complete a research thesis OR complete Techniques of Interviewing and Leadership Studies.

Research Opportunities:

Students are encouraged to work with faculty on research. A variety of opportunities are available to help students understand the research process and learn how to conduct their own research studies. The following opportunities are available to our students:

  • Work on Fairleigh Dickinson’s own Journal of Psychology and the Behavioral Sciences which publishes student research. Students can submit their own research, review submissions, edit accepted articles, and/or help format articles for publication.
  • Complete a thesis research project as part of the MA program.
  • Work with faculty on their ongoing research projects. This could entail a variety of activities such as preparing materials for presentations, searching for related published research in databases, data entry, preparation of tables and charts, data collection and analysis, and assisting in the writing and editing of articles.

B.A. in Psychology (Clinical Social Work) M.S.W. in Social Work (NYU)

Free Electives (6 credits)

NYU Graduate Courses (65 credits)

  • MSWPF-GS.2001   Social Work Practice I  (4) _8__
  • MSWPF-GS.2003   Social Welfare Programs & Policies I  (3) _8__
  • MSWPF-GS.2006   Human Behvr in the Socl Envrnmnt I  (3) _8__
  • MSWPF-GS.2010   Diversity, Racism, Opprssn, & Privlg  (3) _8__
  • MSWEL-GS_____  Elective  (3) _8__
  • MSWPF-GS.2014   Clinical Practice w/Groups  (3) _S1_
  • MSWPF-GS.2009   Social Work Research I  (3) _S1_
  • MSWPF-GS.2002   Social Work Practice II  (3) _S1_
  • MSWDF-GS.2200  Field Instruction II  (4) _S1_
  • MSWPF-GS.2007   Human Behvr in the Socl Envrnmnt II  (3) _S1_
  • MSWAC-GS.2008   Social Work Research II  (3) _9__
  • MSWAC-GS.2002  Social Work Practice III  (3) _9__
  • MSWAC-GS.2300  Field Instruction III  (4) _9__
  • MSWAC-GS.2001  Human Behvr in the Socl Envrnmnt III (3) _9__
  • MSWEL-GS _____ Elective  (3) _9__
  • MSWAC-GS.2009  Social Work Practice IV  (3) _10_
  • MSWAC-GS.2010  Advanced Social Policy  (3) _10_
  • MSWPF-GS.2400   Field Instruction IV  (4) _10_
  • MSWEL-GS _____ Elective  (3) _10_
  • MSWEL-GS _____ Elective  (3) _10_
  • MSWEL-GS _____ Elective  (1) _10_

Note: First 13 credits of NYU graduate courses (Semester 8) fulfill 13 FDU undergraduate credits as well, for completion of degree requirements for the BA. The final 52 credits will be assigned by NYU