Behavioral health is a broad term encompassing our social, emotional, and psychological well-being, which affects how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. The accelerated terminal master of science (MS) program in behavioral health provides qualified students earning a baccalaureate degree in psychology with graduate training in behavioral health psychology. Students who pursue the accelerated MS degree in behavioral health are interested in future careers in clinical practice, applied research, or public policy.
Beginning in Fall 2025, the master’s program in behavioral health will be open to both internal and external applicants, that is, the terminal MS degree program in behavioral health simultaneously will be a/an: (a) 4+1 master’s program for students who earn their baccalaureate degree in psychology from Tulane University and Xavier University of Louisiana, and (b) accelerated 1.5-year master’s program for students earning a baccalaureate degree in psychology from another accredited university (i.e., other than Tulane and Xavier).
The non-thesis track in behavioral health comprises 30 graduate credit hours (10 graduate courses; no thesis is required). The average completion time in the 4+1 non-thesis track for Tulane and Xavier alumni is 9 months (i.e., almost all students can finish the coursework in two semesters as long as they completed two psychology graduate courses during their senior year). External applicants to the accelerated (1.5-year) non-thesis track in behavioral health are expected to complete the 30 graduate credit hours (10 graduate courses) in 3 semesters.
The thesis track, which is available only to Tulane alumni, provides an in-depth examination of the theories and methods of a specific area of behavioral health, including the completion of an empirical thesis in that area. This track requires 30 graduate credit hours consisting of eight graduate courses (24 credits) plus the thesis (3 credits of graded PSYC 6610 Independent Study first semester of +1 year and 3 credits of graded PSYC 9980 Master’s Thesis Research second semester of +1 year). Tulane students electing to pursue the thesis track must have initiated empirical research as an undergraduate student and identified a specific area of research interest. Students are encouraged to develop a master’s thesis topic that is a continuation or extension of their undergraduate honors thesis or independent study research. An assistant, associate, or full professor in Tulane’s Department of Psychology must commit to thesis supervision prior to admission.
Required courses include two health psychology core courses (PSYC 6700 Health Psychology I (3 c.h.) and PSYC 6710 Health Psychology II (3 c.h.)), univariate statistics (PSYC 6090 Univariate I (3 c.h.)), and quantitative methods (either PSYC 6100 Rsch Methods Behav Hlth (3 c.h.) or PSYC 6110 Psyc Appl Univar Stat II (3 c.h.)). In addition, all students will complete PSYC 6230 Professional Issues for MS Students (3 c.h.), which is a 3-credit course designed for master’s students in Behavioral Health and Psychological Science to help them utilize and apply their skills and knowledge of psychology and to help prepare them for their future professions. Students in the course-based (non-thesis) track complete 30 course credits (10 graduate courses). Students in the thesis track complete 24 course credits (8 graduate courses) and also produce a Master’s thesis comprising an empirical study in psychology (3 credits of graded PSYC 6610 Adv Studies In Psych (1-3 c.h.) Independent Study first semester of +1 year and 3 credits of graded PSYC 9980 Masters Research (0 to 3 c.h.)second semester of +1 year).
4+1 MS in Behavioral Health (PSBH) – Thesis Track (for Tulane Alumni Only)
GENERAL CURRICULUM:
Undergraduate pre-requisite course: PSYC 3330 Clinical Science and Psychological Disorders (3 c.h.) or PSYC 3340 Developmental Psychopathology (3 c.h.)
30 graduate credits consisting of 8 graduate courses (24 credits) + Empirical Master’s thesis (3 credits of graded PSYC 6610 Adv Studies In Psych (1-3 c.h.) first semester of +1 year and 3 credits of graded PSYC 9980 Masters Research (0 to 3 c.h.) second semester of +1 year)
Prospectus meeting (Held before October 1 for students entering in August and February 15 for students entering in January)
Successful Master’s thesis defense (Held before April 15 for May degree, August 5 for August degree, and December 5 for December degree)
Although the PSYC 6090 Univariate I (3 c.h.) requirement for the 4+1 MS in PSBH is waived for students who successfully complete the 3090-4090 sequence, credits do not count toward the graduate degree.
2
Note: Although the PSYC 6700 Health Psychology I (3 c.h.) requirement for the 4+1 MS in PSBH is waived for students who successfully complete PSYC 3530 Introduction to Health Psychology (3 c.h.) while they are undergraduate students at Tulane, credits do not count toward the graduate degree.
Other Requirements:
All courses counting towards the 30 credits must have a B- or higher grade. Grades below a B- do not count towards the degree.
The minimum grade point average calculated over the 30 credits counted toward the degree must be greater than 3.0.
No more than 6 credits can count towards both the Bachelor’s and the Master’s degree.
No more than 6 credits taken as an overload during undergraduate studies (i.e., above the minimum 120 credit hours required to graduate) can count toward the Master’s degree.
Completion of the Department of Psychology MS Program Exit Survey is required.
Application for degree and submission of degree fees to the School of Science and Engineering is required.
Submission of thesis to the School of Science & Engineering.
4+1 MS in Behavioral Health (PSBH) – Non-Thesis Track for Internal Applicants (Tulane and Xavier Alumni)
GENERAL CURRICULUM:
Undergraduate pre-requisite course: PSYC 3330 Clinical Science and Psychological Disorders (3 c.h.) or PSYC 3340 Developmental Psychopathology (3 c.h.).
30 graduate credits in Psychology (10 graduate courses).
No more than 3 credits from graduate courses outside of Psychology (*must be approved by the Department of Psychology’s MS Education Committee).
No more than 3 credits in a Psychology independent study or special topics graduate course.
At least 9 credits of PSYC elective courses at or above 6000-level
9
Total Credit Hours
30
1
Although the PSYC 6090 Univariate I (3 c.h.) requirement for the 4+1 MS in PSBH is waived for students who successfully complete the 3090-4090 sequence, credits do not count toward the graduate degree.
2
Note: Although the PSYC 6700 Health Psychology I (3 c.h.) requirement for the 4+1 MS in PSBH is waived for students who successfully complete PSYC 3530 Introduction to Health Psychology (3 c.h.) while they are undergraduate students at Tulane, credits do not count toward the graduate degree.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
All courses counting towards the 30 credits must have a B- or higher grade. Grades below a B- do not count towards the degree.
The minimum grade point average calculated over the 30 credits counted toward the degree must be greater than 3.0.
No more than 6 credits can count towards both the Bachelor’s and the Master’s degree.
No more than 6 credits taken as an overload during undergraduate studies (i.e., above the minimum 120 credit hours required to graduate) can count toward the Master’s degree.
Completion of the Department of Psychology MS Program Exit Survey is required.
Application for degree and submission of degree fees to the School of Science and Engineering is required.
Accelerated (1.5-Year) MS in Behavioral Health (PSBH) – Non-Thesis Track for External Applicants
External Applicants Must Meet the Following Requirements to be Eligible to Apply:
Baccalaureate degree in psychology from an accredited university
Undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.4 or higher
A letter grade of B or higher earned in an undergraduate psychology statistics course
A letter grade of B or higher earned in an undergraduate psychopathology course
GENERAL CURRICULUM:
30 graduate credits in Psychology (10 graduate courses)
No more than 3 credits from graduate courses outside of Psychology (*must be approved by the Department of Psychology’s MS Education Committee).
No more than 3 credits in a Psychology independent study or special topics graduate course
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