Best Psychology Programs in Maryland for 2027

Psychology at Maryland is a limited enrollment program, and the rules are specific: stay in the major by finishing PSYC100 with a B- or better, a calculus course (MATH120 or MATH140) with a C-, BSCI170 with a C- and a 2.00 GPA, all by the time you reach 45 credits. Transfer students need a 2.70 GPA on top of that. Courses fall into three themes: Mind, Brain and Behavior; Mental Health and Interventions; and Social, Developmental and Organizational Studies. The BS tends to attract students interested in biological aspects of behavior, while the BA draws those focused on social factors, and you decide with an advisor.

Staying in the Major

PSYC100 at B-, MATH120 or MATH140 and BSCI170 at C-, plus a 2.00 GPA by 45 credits.

Course Themes

Mind, Brain and Behavior; Mental Health and Interventions; Social, Developmental and Organizational Studies.

BA or BS

BS for biological aspects of behavior; BA for the impact of social factors.

Transfer Standard

Transfer students also need a 2.70 GPA on prior college work.

Program Sources: Psychology Major | University of Maryland CatalogPsychology Major | University of Maryland Catalog

Towson asks for 44 units in psychology and gives you a pair of competitive add-ons if you want more. The Clinical/Counseling Area of Focus is a three-term, 15-unit sequence built around a supervised psychotherapy internship, open to juniors with B grades in PSYC 205 and 261, a 3.40 GPA and a 3.60 psychology GPA. The honors thesis option is an 11-unit sequence of methods, data analysis and an independent project with a faculty mentor. Applications for both are due the third week of October of junior year. Everyone takes four foundation courses, a sociocultural awareness course, and a choice between a statistics and methods pairing.

Foundation Courses

Human Development, Social Psychology, Psychopathology and Biological Psychology.

Methods Choice

Behavioral Statistics with Research Methods, or the two-part Research Design and Statistical Analysis sequence.

Clinical Focus

Group Dynamics, Initial Interview, Mental Health Intervention and a two-term psychotherapy internship.

Honors Thesis

Three-term, 11-unit option with advanced methods courses and a faculty-mentored thesis.

Program Sources: Major in Psychology < Towson University

UMBC makes you choose between a flexible BA and a specialized BS. The BA has fewer credits, which leaves room for a second major, minors or certificates. The BS adds a research methods course and requires a track in biopsychology, clinical psychology or developmental psychology, which suits students aiming for graduate school, allied health or work in human services, education or child care. Either way you can add a specialization in biopsychology, developmental, diversity and multicultural, or human services psychology, plus an industrial-organizational psychology certificate open to every student. A new BS curriculum applies to students who declare from Fall 2025 onward, and an honors thesis is available.

BA Option

Fewer credits, with room for a second major, minors or certificates.

BS Tracks

Biopsychology, Clinical Psychology or Developmental Psychology, with an additional research methods course.

Specializations

Biopsychology; Developmental; Diversity, Inclusion and Multicultural; Human Services Psychology.

Certificate

University Certificate in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, open to all students.

Program Sources: Undergraduate Programs – Department of Psychology – UMBCThe Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree – Department of Psychology – UMBC

Salisbury's major is ten courses, most of them four credits, each graded C or above. You begin with General Psychology, Psychological Statistics, then Research Methods, and take one breadth course in each of four groups: mind and body, human development, social processes, and clinical and counseling. Depth courses and a couple of breadth-or-depth picks finish the list, and one course has to carry the department's diversity designation. As a BA it also asks for 102-level proficiency in a foreign language. Transfer students must complete at least five psychology courses at Salisbury, each graded C or above, and either PSYC 200 or PSYC 250 counts toward the major, but not both.

Methods Sequence

General Psychology, Psychological Statistics and Research Methods, four credits each.

Breadth Groups

Mind and Body, Human Development, Social Processes, and Clinical and Counseling.

Language Requirement

102-level proficiency in a foreign language.

Transfer Rule

At least five psychology courses at SU with grades of C or better.

Program Sources: Program: Psychology, B.A. - Salisbury University

Four foundation courses of four credits each frame this BS: Introduction to Psychology, two Psychological Research, Analysis, and Writing courses, and a Scientific Writing and Professional Development course. From five breadth areas, biological and sensory processes, culture and community, development and learning, health and counseling, and social and cognitive processes, you take one course apiece. At least two must be 300-level, in either a lecture-plus-lab or laboratory seminar format, so you get hands-on work before senior year. Every psychology student then completes the year-long St. Mary's Project, and directed research and internships are options along the way.

Foundation Courses

Introduction to Psychology, Research, Analysis, and Writing I and II, and Scientific Writing and Professional Development.

Breadth Areas

Biological and sensory; culture and community; development and learning; health and counseling; social and cognitive.

Lab Requirement

At least two 300-level breadth courses as lecture plus lab or a laboratory seminar.

Capstone

Year-long St. Mary's Project, plus optional internships and directed research.

Program Sources: Psychology | SMCMPsychology, BS - St Marys College of Maryland - Modern Campus Catalog™

Loyola builds the psychology BA around a ladder of foundation, breadth, depth and mastery courses, so you move from 100-level introductions in first year to 400-level capstone seminars as a senior. You choose one course from each of four breadth groups: learning, cognition and behavioral neuroscience; developmental; social and personality; and clinical, counseling and health. You also pick two research-skills courses, which can be Research Methods I and II with labs, plus a diversity, ethics and justice course and a professional readiness course such as a field experience. Statistics and a biology course round it out. The advisor can point you to the right electives for clinical or counseling graduate school.

Breadth Groups

One course each from learning and neuroscience, developmental, social and personality, and clinical, counseling and health.

Research Skills

Two information and quantitative literacy courses, such as Research Methods I and II with labs.

Professional Readiness

PY 200 Professional Development, or Field Experience in Psychology I or II.

Capstones

Two 400-level mastery courses with integrative or experiential work.

Program Sources: Program: Psychology, BA - Loyola University MarylandUndergraduate Studies in Psychology | Psychology | Loyola University Maryland

Built for working adults, this fully online bachelor's moves from the introductory course and Social Psychology through Research Methods, Biological Basis of Behavior, Theories of Personality and Psychopathology and Mental Health. Three required slots, in lifespan development, sensation and perception and memory and cognition, can be swapped for any upper-level psychology course. A Psychology Capstone closes out a major of 33 credits, with Introduction to Statistics as support. Up to 90 transfer credits can count toward the 120, so previous coursework goes a long way. Majors can join the Behavioral and Social Science Student Association and the Pi Gamma Mu honor society.

Major Credits

33 required major credits, 41 general education and 46 elective credits.

Core Courses

Research Methods, Biological Basis of Behavior, Theories of Personality, Psychopathology and Clinical Psychology.

Flexible Slots

Lifespan Development, Sensation and Perception, and Memory and Cognition, or upper-level PSYC courses.

Transfer Credit

Up to 90 credits accepted toward the 120-credit degree.

Program Sources: Online Psychology Bachelor's Degree | UMGC

You apply to one of five specialty areas at Maryland: clinical, cognitive and neural systems, counseling, developmental, or social, decision and organizational science. Each has its own degree requirements, and the clinical and counseling doctorates are APA-accredited. The department admits only doctoral students, though you can earn an MS on the way, and the program is full-time and day-based, so off-campus jobs need your area's approval. Financial support usually comes through fellowships or teaching and research assistantships, which carry tuition remission for up to 10 credits, a 20-hour weekly commitment and subsidized health insurance. Clinical, counseling and industrial/organizational areas train within a scientist-practitioner model.

Specialty Areas

Clinical; Cognitive and Neural Systems; Counseling; Developmental; Social, Decision and Organizational Science.

Accreditation

Clinical and Counseling doctoral programs are accredited by the American Psychological Association.

Assistantships

Tuition remission up to 10 credits for 20-hour weekly teaching or research assistantships.

Format

Full-time day program; off-campus employment needs approval from the specialty area.

Program Sources: Doctoral Program OverviewFunding Overview

Prince George's lays out this transfer degree course by course, in the order you'd take them. The required core is General Psychology, Human Development, Abnormal Psychology, Social Psychology and Psychology and African-Americans, alongside Introduction to Statistics. Program electives let you choose among topics like personality and adjustment, educational psychology, psychology of women, child or adolescent psychology, forensic psychology, sport and exercise psychology and health psychology. Sociology and a lab science come from the general education list. The degree is built for transfer into psychology and social science bachelor's programs, so pick electives that match the four-year school you have in mind.

Required Psychology

General Psychology, Human Growth and Development, Abnormal Psychology, Social Psychology, Psychology and African-Americans.

Program Electives

Personality and Adjustment, Educational Psychology, Child or Adolescent, Forensic, Sport and Exercise, and Health Psychology.

Quantitative Course

MAT-1140 Introduction to Statistics, a math general education requirement.

Program Type

Associate of Arts transfer program, CIP 42.0101.

Program Sources: Program: Psychology, A.A. - Prince George’s Community College

Cecil's 60-credit psychology AA includes a course you won't find everywhere: The Helping Relationship, an introduction to counseling theory and technique, next to Introduction to Psychology, a human development course, and Abnormal Psychology. Statistics at four credits and two semesters of biology or chemistry with labs cover the science side. You pick two social science courses from anthropology, human diversity and cultural geography, and two psychology electives such as child growth and development. Public Speaking is recommended for the communication requirement. The degree covers the opening two years of a path toward a psychology or counseling career, and transfer information points to the ARTSYS articulation system for Maryland.

Psychology Courses

Introduction to Psychology, Human Growth and Development, Abnormal Psychology, The Helping Relationship.

Science and Math

MAT 127 Introduction to Statistics (4 credits) plus biology or chemistry with labs.

Electives

Two chosen psychology electives and two social science options such as human diversity or cultural geography.

Transfer Guidance

Cecil's transfer agreements and Maryland's ARTSYS articulation system.

Program Sources: Program: Psychology, AA - Cecil College