We rank the best online master’s degree programs in psychology.

Key Takeaways An online master’s in psychology allows you to specialize in concentrations such as forensic, clinical, counseling, or educational psychology, giving you the skills needed to work in different fields.

You can choose among the best online master’s in psychology degrees based on your career and academic goals, learning preferences, and additional responsibilities.

Psychology master’s students are among the most sought-after candidates for many jobs, regardless of whether they work in mental health or other institutions.

2025 Ranking Update Our Influence Ranking Engine™ leverages machine learning to track the real-world influence of colleges and universities over time. Below you’ll see which schools gained or lost ground for the 2025 school year. In 2025, the top ten schools in our ranking of the best online master’s in health informatics saw a fair amount of movement. Indiana Wesleyan University gained the most ranking positions as the university has enhanced its online Master of Arts in Psychology program to better serve students. The program now offers two specialized tracks: Life Coaching and Positive Psychology, and Industrial/Organizational Psychology, allowing students to tailor their studies to align with specific career goals. Additionally, the curriculum has been updated to include courses in lifespan development, leadership, and contemporary trends in psychopathology, providing a comprehensive foundation in psychology principles. The university has also expanded its online course offerings, enabling students to complete the degree entirely online, providing greater flexibility for those balancing work and personal commitments.

Featured Programs

Best Online Masters in Psychology Programs

Career Outlook for Students with Psychology Degree Go to Degree Finder tool Psychology –Select a similar degree– Animal Behavior and Ethology. Applied Behavior Analysis. Behavioral Aspects of Health. Behavioral Sciences. Behavioral Sciences. Clinical Child Psychology. Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics. Cognitive Science, General. Cognitive Science. Comparative Psychology. Environmental Psychology. Forensic Psychology. Geropsychology. Health/Medical Psychology. Hypnotherapy/Hypnotherapist. Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Organizational Behavior Studies. Personality Psychology. Psychology Teacher Education. Psychology, General. Psychology, General. Psychology, Other. Psychology, Other. Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology. Degree Level: Master’s Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)

Avg. Cost of Degree*: $11,544

Avg. Expenses*: $18,438

Avg. Starting Salary*: $51,611

Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $58,468

Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 6 years

Job Growth: 6.09%

Number of Jobs: 1,513,100

* denotes ‘annually’

** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’ Career Salaries Career Job Growth Avg. Salary Industrial-Organizational Psychologists 5.81% $147,420 Managers, All Other 5.75% $133,560 Psychologists, All Other 4.95% $117,750 Clinical and Counseling Psychologists 13.28% $96,100 Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary 4.89% $82,140 Social Science Research Assistants 6.40% $56,400 Show More Jobs Top Industries Industry Avg. Salary Industrial-Organizational Psychologists $147,420 Managers, All Other $133,560 Psychologists, All Other $117,750 Clinical and Counseling Psychologists $96,100 Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary $82,140 Social Science Research Assistants $56,400 Show More Industries Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics , The Department of Education College Scorecard , The Department of Education NCES , and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

Psychology can explain why people act in a particular way in large part because it explains their motivations. And the study of human behavior is crucial to industries that make up diverse societies. If you want to become a psychologist, you’ll be expected to be involved in the study and understanding of mental processes, brain functions, and behavioral patterns.

An online master in psychology opens doors to more opportunities for a career change, earning more money, or even continuing on to obtaining a PhD. If you enjoy helping others, this degree may be right for you.

A master’s of psychology program qualifies you for various clinical roles that are otherwise unavailable to those with a bachelor’s degree only. Now is the right time to delve into higher education online as it is forecasted that by 2031, the U.S. is expected to add 11,300 jobs in clinical and industrial psychology, school psychology, counseling, and general psychology due to increased demand for psychological services.

What Graduates Can Do with a Master’s in Psychology Degree

Graduates of psychology who hold a master’s in psychology degree report higher overall job and salary satisfaction than those who hold bachelor’s degrees. Their work is also intellectually stimulating, and they believe they contribute more to society than their counterparts with bachelor’s degrees.

By the time you complete a graduate-level psychology program, you can land a job in one of the following roles: Guidance Counselor Guidance counselors usually work in educational settings like kindergarten, high school facilities, colleges, and universities. Students receive career and academic advice from guidance counselors at educational institutions. By determining students’ potential or current skills, they can enhance their self-esteem and assist them in finding future careers. With an online master’s in psychology, you can become a competitive guidance counselor and earn a high position in the educational organization. Clinical Psychologist Clinical psychologists assist people with various life difficulties that can arise at any time. Their clients include children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. They assist people experiencing mental health issues, physical health difficulties, or disabilities. They help their patients become healthier individuals and improve their well-being. While many jobs in this field require doctoral degrees, it’s not impossible for you to become a clinical mental health counseling expert with an online master in psychology degree. Clinical psychologists are among the highest-paying psychology careers. Industrial Psychologist The field of industrial-organizational psychology is one where the psychologist helps employers and employees deal with issues related to culture, change, and issues at an individual or team level. Your goal as an occupational psychologist is to improve the organization’s effectiveness and employee satisfaction. Someone working in the field of industrial-organizational psychology will focus on developing healthy relationships and encouraging good health and well-being in the work environment. Mental Health Worker By finishing an online master’s in psychology, you can work as a mental health worker. You’ll be in charge of helping people manage anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. You will be working in government agencies and mental health institutions as you guide patients through therapy and cognitive interventions toward recovery. Life Coach Life coaches assist clients in identifying their strengths and development areas. You will develop a one-to-one, ongoing relationship with clients similar to counseling, but your concern is not to heal deep emotions but to help them plan positive changes in their lives. The ability to identify situations in which a client needs to be referred for alternative support is crucial for a life coach. School Psychologist Educators specializing in school psychology work with students from all grades to help them develop academically and personally. The counselor may be able to offer students assistance with bullying, gender or sexual identity, academic performance, social anxiety, or self-esteem issues. They also may work closely with parents to implement programs to help children learn. Marriage and Family Therapist Professionals in the field of marriage and family therapy provide care to people of all ages who are experiencing relationship problems. In addition to evaluating people’s mental health, they provide coping mechanisms or plans to help accept, manage, or improve their situations. Patients struggling with grief, depression, and other mental health issues will undergo therapy with these specialized psychologists. Therapist Therapists typically work in hospitals and clinics, or in their own private practice. Therapists provide mental health care and support to patients of any age. Their treatment may be personalized and tailored to the specific needs of patients depending on their mental health issues, age, and demographics.

Benefits of a Master’s in Psychology

Comes with a Rewarding Career Path Undertaking an online master’s degree in psychology will allow you to pursue a rewarding career path, not focusing on the earning potential alone, but also on being able to help others. With master’s in psychology programs, you will have the license and qualification to practice as a certified psychologist. With this medical qualification, you can help individuals, families, and even communities more effectively. Allows You to Pursue Your Passion If your passion in life is to help others, having an online master’s in psychology will help you pursue this life goal even more. At the end of the day, you become happy and satisfied for investing in higher education that will propel your life passion. Higher Earning Potential Earning a psychology degree does not guarantee career satisfaction, but it certainly has a high salary potential. In fact, psychologists earn an average yearly salary of $81,040, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Opens Doctoral Degree Opportunities If you’re thinking of pursuing a doctorate in psychology, an online master’s degree in psychology is a good stepping stone toward it. In the same way that master’s degrees increase your career opportunities beyond what a bachelor’s degree can offer, doctoral degrees do so even more. You can become a university researcher or a licensed clinical psychologist who holds a PhD in psychology. Comes with a Plethora of Career Pathways People with a master’s in psychology online can find opportunities in a wide range of fields. Whether you want to practice your profession in a hospital, a healthcare facility, a school, or a private clinic, there are many career pathways available for you to explore. Psychology offers many specialization opportunities due to its wide range of interests. You will be able to focus on the aspect of psychology you are most passionate about, whether that is research, criminal justice, child development, or helping people with mental illnesses. Bottom Line: Master’s in psychology programs not only offer a higher than average salary and numerous possible career pathways, but also allows the psychologist to make a positive impact on people’s lives.

Reasons to Choose Online Master’s in Psychology Programs

Study Anywhere and Anytime

Online master’s degrees in psychology allow students to pursue their education and expand their knowledge from anywhere in the world. You can work and be committed to your career while learning on the side.

The ultimate reason why many learners love online programs is because of their ultimate flexibility. An internet connection and a computer are all you need. An online psychology master’s degree can be earned from the comfort of your home, or even while traveling around the country to visit your friends.

Advance Your Career in Real-time

An online psychology master’s degree is popular because it enables people to advance their careers. While working, they want to learn new skills or the latest strategies and practices. Like those famous people with master’s degrees in psychology, you’ll also love these online programs’ flexibility.

Furthermore, having an online master’s degree in psychology can elevate your CV or resume. Employers will treat you with more respect. In turn, you become more competitive than other candidates when applying for a job. By managing multiple priorities and commitments both in studies and work, it shows employers that you are skilled, determined, and passionate.

Be More Versatile in Your Field

One major benefit of pursuing an online master’s in psychology degree is its relevance in many occupations. Occupational opportunities with this degree include therapy and counseling, human resources, and laboratories.

Depending on your career goals, you might be able to use your online psychology master’s programs in advertising, marketing, or even as a prison and parole officer. If you decide to change your mind about where your career should go after your master’s, you can still choose from a variety of options available to you if you choose a different specialization.

Fewer Admission Requirements Needed

Rolling admissions are common for online master’s degrees. This is definitely a convenient feature and advantage of online degrees over in-person programs.

Your application will be evaluated by the university’s staff at any time. The admission process is also fewer and shorter than getting enrolled physically in a college. There are many distance learning courses with fewer or less demanding admission requirements, although this is not the case for all universities.

Types of Psychology Concentrations

Clinical Psychology

In clinical psychology, mental illness is assessed and treated in addition to other complex or abnormal mental health problems. Those with a strong hands-on approach and who won’t mind having a lot of patient contact should consider this career path. Psychological disorders and statistical methods are extensively taught to students, along with assessment, diagnosis, and treatment.

Neuropsychology

As a result of its complexity and breadth, this concentration offers some of the highest salaries. Psychologists study how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors relate to brain biochemistry in the field of neuropsychology.

Counseling Psychology

Counseling is the process of guiding and assisting people through life problems, encouraging them to recognize their central strengths, and understanding their psychological well-being. An expert psychologist specializes in observing the differences in human traits in many aspects, including racial, religious, and sexual orientation differences that are central to psychotherapy, instruction, and research.

Assessing mental health challenges may be taught to you in an online master’s in counseling psychology. Eventually, you’ll be trained to develop a treatment approach that will improve the patient’s well-being.

Engineering Psychology

The study of human-technology interaction is based on many principles found in engineering. Often, they support more technical employees by helping them design products that are useful to less tech-savvy consumers. As psychologists, they should be able to analyze data and analyze statistics, as well as evaluate the effects of technology on individuals and society using proven research methods.

Cost of Master’s in Psychology Degree Online Programs

The amount you spend on a graduate degree in psychology education is up to you. It’s a matter of choosing the right program based on your preferences, goals, and needs. You can complete your graduate education at a pace and at a price that is convenient for you by opting for an online program in psychology compared to an in-person graduate degree.

There are several factors that influence the total cost of a psychology graduate program, including the type of school attended (public or private), the location (including the cost of living), the level of financial assistance you receive, and the goal of the graduate program.

Psychology master’s degrees vary widely in price depending on factors such as the institution’s quality, whether the course is in-person or online, and where the applicant lives. According to College Tuition Compare, the average tuition for graduates in psychology programs is $24,645.

Higher-ranking graduate schools also come with a higher “sticker price” for tuition since they have a better reputation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you apply for an online master’s of psychology?

Like any other degree, like an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, an online master’s program application process involves similar steps. Usually, the admission department would require you to prepare your official transcripts, test scores, resume, letters of recommendation, and personal statement.

However, these requirements would vary depending on the school you’re applying for. And in most cases, in order to become a master’s degree student, applicants must first earn an undergraduate degree. Also, as part of the graduate admissions process, many students take the GRE.

Graduate school applications require undergraduate transcripts. Academic performance patterns and prerequisite completions are assessed by institutions using this document. Personal essays and resumes are important parts of graduate applications. And in some cases, and in some cases, the school may request a personal interview.

How long does an online psychology master’s program take?

There is no standard length of time students need to complete an online psychology degree, whether a master’s or doctoral program. Each program has its own specifications, as well as the tracks students choose and the number of credits per semester.

But typically, like an in-person master’s degree, online master’s degree formats typically take two to three years to complete. However, this will depend on whether you’re a part-time or full-time online student.

Do employers trust online psychology master’s degree programs?

One thing that solidifies the reputation of online master’s degree programs among employers is that the online courses are taught by the same professors who teach the on-campus courses. A psychology online program typically lets you participate in practicum experiences near your home or participate in intensive programs with limited on-campus visits.

Online degrees are just as credible to prospective employers as those earned on college campuses. Also, as long as the institution is regionally accredited, most employers won’t have any prejudice toward online master’s degrees. After all, working while pursuing your education will be appreciated by your employer, especially if you don’t have to leave work.

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Student mental health is one of the most pressing challenges today, on college campuses everywhere. Whether AI-powered technology can be leveraged to fill the gaps in mental health care and help students thrive was the focus of a one-day event sponsored by the Center for Technology and Behavioral Health.

Held at the Class of 1982 Engineering and Computer Science Center, the AI and Student Mental Health Symposium on March 17 featured talks and panel discussions on student mental health and AI-driven innovations that can be leveraged to extend and enhance existing support systems.

In his welcome address, Andrew Campbell, the Albert Bradley 1915 Third Century Professor of Computer Science and director of the emerging technologies and data analytics core at CTBH, set up the key questions addressed at the symposium. “AI is already transforming many aspects of our lives, from how we learn to how we connect with others on campuses,” he said. “But can AI also help at-risk students thrive? Can it support mental well-being by assisting students in building resilience and agency, accessing resources, and navigating the complexities of college life?”

The talks that followed underlined the urgent need to explore innovative ways to promote well-being on campuses in the face of mounting evidence of declining mental health among young people. Panel discussions served as a platform for students to share their perspectives on mental health and experts to showcase the recent advances in AI and mobile and wearable sensing technology that can revolutionize resources that promote well-being.

Image Geisel professor Lisa Marsch, the director of the Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, discusses the advances Dartmouth is making in digital health, particularly regarding mental health. (Photo by Katie Lenhart)

Chief Health and Wellness Officer Estevan Garcia cited data from the National Healthy Minds Survey, which reported data from over 100,000 respondents from more than 170 U.S. colleges in 2023-24. While there was an overall modest decrease of 5% in both depression and anxiety scores since the previous year, challenges persist as evidenced by the numbers—38% reported symptoms of depression, 34% experienced anxiety, and 14% reported experiencing suicidal thoughts.

Despite having better scores than national comparisons in the survey, Dartmouth also has to be concerned about such challenges, Garcia said. He highlighted a number of measures aimed at countering the crisis and enhancing the well-being of the Dartmouth community.

His talk was followed by a detailed overview of the suite of counseling and wellness services available to students and staff by Matthew Duncan, assistant professor of psychiatry at Geisel School of Medicine, and Katie Lenhoff, JED campus project manager.

These efforts are part of the five-year strategic plan, Commitment to Care: Dartmouth’s Strategic Plan for Student Mental Health and Well-Being, a central piece of President Sian Leah Beilock’s vision for Dartmouth to support the mental health of graduate, professional, and undergraduate students.

Keynote speaker Ellie Pavlick, an assistant professor of computer science and linguistics at Brown University, and a research scientist at Google Deepmind, gave the audience an overview of the current state-of-the-art of large language models and their capabilities and how they could be applied to mental health.

David Blanchflower, Bruce V. Rauner 1978 Professor of Economics and an expert on happiness, presented findings from his ongoing research on the global decline in youth happiness and well-being, a shift from the previously established pattern for how most people experience happiness over the course of a lifetime.

Quote The bottom line, the most important question, that experts and policymakers are interested in is, what can we do? Attribution David Blanchflower, professor of economics

Blanchflower first uncovered this worrying trend in the U.S., Europe, and the U.K. and has since been collaborating on a series of UN-commissioned working papers that look at happiness and well-being trends among young people around the world.

The factors causing this shift are still being debated, Blanchflower said, but understanding them is key to turning things around. His data implicates the widespread adoption of smartphones and social media about a decade ago, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is borne out by evidence from recent studies in Africa that in places with low internet penetration, youth report better mental health.

Blanchflower is a key organizer of a two-day symposium to be hosted by Dartmouth in October with the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report Office that will bring together experts, international policymakers, and leaders in higher education to share research and best practices for addressing the decline in youth well-being.

“The bottom line, the most important question, that experts and policymakers are interested in is, what can we do?” said Blanchflower, inviting the 60 participants at the symposium to reach out with their perspectives and ideas for innovative ways to tackle the crisis.

Image Attendees at the AI and Student Mental Health Symposium, which was held at the Class of 1982 Engineering and Computer Science Center on March 17. (Photo by Katie Lenhart)

Setting the stage for the panel discussions that followed, CTBH Director Lisa Marsch called attention to Dartmouth’s leadership in digital health, particularly in mental health.

This includes the longest-ever behavioral census study of college students using smartphones led by Campbell that won a 10-year impact award at a top conference on mobile computing and the first psychotherapy platform powered by generative AI, known as Therabot, developed by Nicholas Jacobson, associate professor of biomedical data science and psychiatry and director of the treatment development and evaluation core of CTBH at Geisel.

Daniela Armella Tangarife ’24, who is now pursuing medicine at Geisel, and Caroline Conway ’24, a clinical research specialist at Emory University, were joined by Margaret Funnell, Guarini ’97, director of undergraduate advising and research and adjunct professor of psychological and brain sciences, on a panel about student perspectives on mental health in the age of AI. Campbell moderated the panel.

The students shared experiences from their time at Dartmouth, offering the researchers in the room a window into challenges faced by students, how they learn to cope, whether support systems work for them, and how they can be made better.

Both students and Funnell agreed that the isolation during the pandemic compounded the students’ stress from academic and social pressures while learning to live independently. Finding community among peers was crucial in helping them cope. “Allowing spaces for that to happen for students is so critical and difficult,” Armella Tangarife said.

Conway believes that students are increasingly growing up in a culture of school where academic achievement is prized above self-care, and mistakes have to be minimized to ensure better future prospects.

“Students are not going to engage with resources no matter how wonderful they are, if they feel any detriment at all to their academic achievement,” she said. They worry that therapy sessions could eat into study time or that counselors may recommend taking an off-term, she said.

Funnell, who teaches a class on the neuroscience of mental illness, shared her experiences with incorporating mental health activities as part of the class, as an assignment. In their feedback students said that “this was so great, but I never would have done it if it wasn’t an assignment,” Funnell said.

The most effective measures were ones where peers were involved, according to Armella Tangarife. While the two student panelists both agreed that AI should not replace human support systems, they see value in technological innovations that can offer ways to fill the gap between demand for mental health services and resources that are currently in short supply.

The panel discussions that followed focused on leveraging new technologies to improve mental health among students. These ranged from using machine learning to predict and treat anxiety and depression, developing video games that serve as engaging digital interventions, and AI-supported solutions for improved and targeted health communication.

Panelists recognized that there are significant challenges in designing safe and effective systems that are accessible, inclusive, and effective and stressed the need for human-centric approaches.

“As we think about building interventions, I can’t overemphasize the importance of incorporating the voices, the stories, and the priorities of young people,” said Lynn Fiellin, professor of biomedical data science and a faculty member of CTBH. “The likelihood that we’re actually going to impact them, and have a positive effect, is that much greater when we co-create with them.”

Penn Medicine – Alvernia Medical and Counseling Center provides convenient, affordable physical and mental health services to students, employees

By Claire Curry

College can be stressful for students, along with the faculty and staff at higher institutions.

The passage into adulthood marks the start of an exciting chapter in students’ lives, but it can bring new challenges. Many leave their loved ones for the first time, take on more responsibilities and navigate newfound independence. For many, it’s also a time when they begin to take responsibility for their own physical, mental and emotional well-being. It’s no surprise that nationwide studies show an uptick in mental health issues in adults between 18 and 21. And that can have a corresponding effect on those who teach and work with them.

“Every student is different, but we do know on the aggregate that we see mental health issues come up during this period,” said Elizabeth Matteo, dean of Alvernia’s College of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences.

And they’re on the rise.

“The surgeon general has spoken about the mental health issues of this generation,” Matteo said. “And many research psychologists have hypothesized that cellphone use and the pandemic [could be] contributing factors. All colleges and universities need to be aware of this.”

As for Alvernia, the university is deeply committed to fostering a culture of care, offering many resources to support students throughout their college years, including free confidential counseling from skilled mental health counselors at Penn Medicine – Alvernia Medical and Counseling Center, which opened in August 2023. The result of a partnership between Alvernia and Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health — a health system with a vast network of more than 300 providers, four hospitals, and proven experience in the collegiate healthcare space — the on-campus center aims to reimagine and expand the university’s healthcare services.

Between August 2023 and June 2024, the facility clocked over 1,600 visits for mental health counseling, according to its clinical manager, Lynn Middleton, BSN, RN.

“Our counseling availability is better than any college I know, to be honest,” said Claire Murphy, MD, FAAFP, director of collegiate health services at Penn Medicine. “If it’s a crisis, they’re seen immediately, no question. If they want to make an appointment, we can get them scheduled within the week in most cases.”

There is no limit on the number of visits, she added,

because first and foremost, care is centered around addressing individual needs.

In addition to mental health support services, the center also offers a full range of physical healthcare services. Murphy, who joined Alvernia nearly 15 years ago and ran the healthcare clinic formerly housed in the basement of Veronica Hall, said the new facility is a one-stop shop for students and employees.

The medical office resides in the renovated Nursing Resource Center at 421 Adams Street. Equipped with the latest technology, it includes an electronic information-sharing system that streamlines healthcare services, as well as tools to provide acute and wellness care, including lab testing and routine bloodwork.

The beauty of the partnership between Alvernia and Penn Medicine, Middleton said, is the quality of care patients receive and the breadth of resources it opened up for patients.

“The staff is amazing, compassionate and caring,” she said. “Their No. 1 priority is the patient. And we now have so many resources. Penn Medicine has specialties in every area, so if there’s a specific need for a patient, we have access to the best care available.”

In its first year, from August 2023 through June 2024, staff conducted nearly 1,700 medical visits for students and an additional 469 for Alvernia staff, according to Middleton.

“It’s a very convenient service for employees,” Murphy added. “If they’re sick or want to change their primary care to us, they can do that. We’re literally a stone’s throw from where they work, and they can even bring their children.”

The staff, which includes Murphy, a trained family physician who previously worked in private practice, a physician associate, a nurse, a psychologist and three additional licensed mental health counselors, is committed to delivering patient-centered care to students and employees at Alvernia.

“Sometimes that looks a lot like primary care,” Murphy said, “and sometimes it looks like urgent care.”

In addition, the healthcare providers emphasize wellness education and prevention. To that end, Penn Medicine hosts events to educate the campus community on various healthcare topics. Danielle Dominik, a graduate assistant and student pursuing a degree in clinical mental health and counseling at Alvernia, has organized several programs on topics such as anxiety and stress reduction, alcohol education and healthy relationships, among others. On a lighter note, just before finals in the spring, students were invited to enjoy quality downtime with some very special guests: baby kangaroos.

“It was so sweet to see some of these football players

coming by and just melting as they were holding these babies,” recalled Middleton.

Global Health Update 2020: A Focus on Pediatric Injuries and Malnutrition

with Dr. Lynn Jacoby & Dr. Dominic Allain

Tuesday, October 6, 2020, 12:00 pm – 12:50 pm via Zoom

This Global Health Rounds presentation will provide participants with a better understanding of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals, Sustainable Development Goals, and a “state of the world” in 2020. It will also address trauma and injury prevention in a global setting as well as assessment and management of pediatric malnutrition. (Note: the presentation below includes some images that may be disturbing to some.)

Dr. Lynn Jacoby, MD, FAAP, FRCPC is currently appointed as Clinical Lecturer in the Department of Pediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. She is a former general pediatrician and first year fellow in Pediatric Critical Care at the University of Alberta. She is originally from the US and completed her medical training at the University of Michigan. Her pediatrics training was at the University of Arizona in Tucson. She has worked in several global health settings, including Australia, Haiti, Tanzania, India, Sudan, South Sudan and Nigeria. She has an interest in social pediatrics, and acute care. She enjoys working with underserved populations both abroad and in Alberta.

Dr. Dominic Allain, MD FRCPC is a Pediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and an Associate Clinical Professor in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine and the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta. Dr. Allain is the Director of Global Health for the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta. He is the Past President of the Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS) Global Child and Youth Health Section, as well as a member of the executive of the CPS Injury Prevention Committee. Dr. Allain has also worked and taught in many developing countries, including disaster relief efforts in Haiti on several occasions, teaching and setting up partnerships in various countries in Africa, South East Asia and Latin America, and conducting MicroResearch workshops in Ethiopia and Uganda.

Meet the Team

Kevin McCarthy, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Psychology

Executive Director, Center for Concussion Education and Research

St. Joseph Hall, 4th flr., North Wing, SJ452

215-248-7115

Email me: kevin.mccarthy@chc.edu

Dr. McCarthy’s professional interests include depression and adjustment problems in adulthood and couples therapy. He also has interest and experience in working with gay and lesbian individuals. He specializes in both short-term and open-ended psychodynamic and supportive psychotherapies. His scholarly interests include perceptions of intervention use in psychotherapy; processes of change in therapy and naturalistic settings; relationship patterns and correlates to personality and interpersonal attraction; adjustment and achievement inhibitions in young adults; and gay and lesbian mental health issues. Dr. McCarthy is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Society for Psychotherapy Research, and the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia.

William J. Ernst, Psy.D.

Founding Executive Director, Center for Concussion Education and Research

Program Director, Psy.D. Program in Clinical Psychology, William Paterson University

215-262-0741

Email Me: ernstw@wpunj.edu

Dr. Ernst is the Founding Executive Director of the Center for Concussion Education and Research of Chestnut Hill College. Currently, he is also an associate professor of psychology and program director of the Psy.D. Program in Clinical Psychology at William Paterson University. Dr. Ernst is a clinical neuropsychologist who led a team that was awarded funding from the NCAA-DoD Mind Matters Educational Programs Challenge to develop a novel peer concussion education program (PCEP). In addition, he was the co-principal investigator of a multi-site randomized controlled trial of the PCEP. Dr. Ernst’s research focuses on the development and evaluation of educational interventions designed to increase concussion knowledge and symptom reporting in athletes. His research interests also include sports-related concussion, neuropsychological consultation with school personnel and performance validity testing during neuropsychological assessment. Dr. Ernst completed a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychology at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Cooper Hospital. He maintains an independent practice in clinical neuropsychology focusing on neuropsychological assessment of children and adults with various neurodevelopmental and neurological conditions including ADHD, learning disabilities and traumatic brain injury.

Meredith E. Kneavel, Ph.D.

Founding Director, Research and Assessment, Center for Concussion Education and Research

Associate Dean, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, LaSalle University

215-951-1530

Email Me: kneavel@lasalle.edu

Dr. Kneavel is a biopsychologist whose scholarly interests began with the investigation of the physiological effects of stress on the structure and function of the brain and behavioral correlates of learning and memory. Many of these were investigated through transgenic and knockout gene technology with an emphasis on sex differences. Her stress research expanded to include long-term effects of stress on behavior and health. More recently, her research has focused on understanding concussions and reporting behavior through the development of a peer concussion education program. Dr. Kneavel’s research has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at regional and national conferences. She currently serves as the Associate Dean in the School of Nursing and Health Sciences and is a Professor in the Department of Urban Public Health and Nutrition at La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA. She also serves as the Director of Assessment and Research for the Center for Concussion Education and Research at Chestnut Hill College in a consultatory role.

Lynn Ortale, Ph.D.

President, Maria College

Founding Director of Strategic Planning and Marketing, Center for Concussion Education and Research

Dr. Ortale is the President of Maria College in Albany, New York, and was formerly the Vice President for Student Life and the Founding Director of Strategic Planning and Marketing for the Center for Concussion Education and Research at Chestnut Hill College. Dr. Ortale’s commitment to student engagement combined with her experience at NCAA Division I, II and III institutions helped to support the development of the peer concussion education program. A strength of the peer education program is the interdisciplinary approach which combines research and theory with best practices and assessment. Dr. Ortale holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focused on entrepreneurial faculty. Dr. Ortale worked with a dynamic group of Student Life and Athletics professionals to nurture student success by providing resources and transformative experiences outside the classroom to promote students’ personal growth and academic success.