Pepperdine MA online

[pkg1234]

I am looking into Pepperdine's online Psychology masters program. Does anyone have any thoughts about this program? Does this online masters have a good reputation? Bad? Will this be helpful to be more competitive for doctoral level studies in Psychology upon completion?

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[PsyDr]

Going to an online program would likely negatively impact your chances of getting into a reputable program.

 

[Temperance]

I am looking into Pepperdine's online Psychology masters program. Does anyone have any thoughts about this program? Does this online masters have a good reputation? Bad? Will this be helpful to be more competitive for doctoral level studies in Psychology upon completion?

An online program would not give you the research experiences that you would need to be a competitive applicant.

 

[StellaB]

PSYDR is correct. It would possibly be even worse than having no master's degree. Psychology is a pretty hands-on field, so to speak. Learning how to do counseling online is almost akin to learning how to be a chef online. How could anyone possibly give you the thousands of pieces of feedback necessary to master this complex skill set if they can't taste your cooking or meet the clients you're working with? They can't. Sadly though, it doesn't mean they don't want your money in their pocket.

 

[erg923]

Masters degree will only help if you for doctoral programs if work your ass off, get a 4.0, and work closely with a professor to do some original research and write a thesis. This is exactly what I did/had to do. It has since morphed into a full Ph.D program.
Graduate Programs

I actually discourage a masters degree in "clinical psychology" proper, as the clinical experience during a 2 years masters program is so minimal, it wont serve much benefit.

 

[Justanothergrad]

Agreed with what others said above.

Masters degree will only help if you for doctoral programs if work your ass off, get a 4.0, and work closely with a professor to do some original research and write a thesis. This is exactly what I did/had to do. It has since morphed into a full Ph.D program.
Graduate Programs

I actually discourage a masters degree in "clinical psychology" proper, as the clinical experience during a 2 years masters program is so minimal, it wont serve much benefit.

Depends on the program. The 'clinical MA' programs that are well regarded feeder programs do very well for it (my Ma was fully funded and consistently places graduates in top tier phd - everyone that applied who I know of over the last 10 years got into one). It was also more typical than not for graduates of the MA to have 2-3+ pubs by the time by shortly after they graduate. Although, I agree with your underlying point that this is definitely the minority of MA programs.

 

[erg923]

Agreed with what others said above.


Depends on the program. The 'clinical MA' programs that are well regarded feeder programs do very well for it (my Ma was fully funded and consistently places graduates in top tier phd - everyone that applied who I know of over the last 10 years got into one). It was also more typical than not for graduates of the MA to have 2-3+ pubs by the time by shortly after they graduate. Although, I agree with your underlying point that this is definitely the minority of MA programs.

In 2003, there were about 5-10 clinical psychology MA/MS programs at universities than were known as reliable feeders/stepping stones to doctoral programs. I recall, Eastern Kentucky (now a Psy.D. program), East Carolina (now a Ph.D program), Mississippi State (now a Ph.D program), Barry University, University of Texas at El Paso. I am not sure what the current list may look like?

 

[Justanothergrad]

In 2003, there were about 5-10 clinical psychology MA/MS programs at universities than were known as reliable feeders/stepping stones to doctoral programs. I recall, Eastern Kentucky (now a Psy.D. program), East Carolina (now a Ph.D program), Mississippi State (now a Ph.D program), Barry University, University of Texas at El Paso. I am not sure what the current list may look like?

Yeh, I'm sure there area few others as well but that sounds about right. My knowledge is mostly east coast for those programs so there may be some viable midwest/west options I don't know of. It certainly isn't many. I'd add Western Carolina (Psy.D. opening next year iirc) and Ball state on that list as well.

 

[psych.meout]

Yeh, I'm sure there area few others as well but that sounds about right. My knowledge is mostly east coast for those programs so there may be some viable midwest/west options I don't know of. It certainly isn't many. I'd add Western Carolina (Psy.D. opening next year iirc) on that list as well.

Does the field really need all these new doctoral programs?

 

[Justanothergrad]

Does the field really need all these new doctoral programs?

Are you asking if we need modest growth rates for providers with good training? Yeh. Small cohorts of 5ish a year isnt a problem- especially programs designed to meet emerging market needs. That may account for another 30ish folks a year in the country, which has practically zero job impact with a growing population base

 

[ToneTone]

From the few people I know that attended one of their masters programs in hopes of getting into their psyd program...it honestly seemed like a money making situation for the school. I have heard good enough things about their psyd program, but if you don’t get into a doctorate program after paying Pepperdine for a masters, it’s more debt and waste of time. Keep in mind, a doctorate program you may go to afterwards may not accept the courses as a substitution for their own, mine didn’t except I think in one case.

Were you the person who wanted to stay in the Bay Area and wanted to go to a free standing school? As someone about to graduate with massive debt, I have a TON of regrets. I don’t think my education was worth this much money (no matter who is paying) and wished I did things differently.

 

[calimich]

Thanks for your honesty ToneTone. I've had several students over the years ask about Pepperdine and I try to steer them away from the online programs. The PsyD is decent, albeit very expensive, however the online offerings are not worth it.

I am looking into Pepperdine's online Psychology masters program. Does anyone have any thoughts about this program? Does this online masters have a good reputation? Bad? Will this be helpful to be more competitive for doctoral level studies in Psychology upon completion?

Check out the CSUs in the area -- SF State, Sonoma St, San José St, Cal St East Bay, Cal St Monterey Bay, even Cal St Sacramento and Cal St Stanislus are within 90 mins of the Bay. There are many very reasonably priced, reputable, local options, which, at the MA/MS level are all mostly equal.

Let your profs know that you're interested in pursuing a doctoral degree and ask, in the first week, about research opportunities. I'm confident you'd be able to join a project, likely get a least a poster presentation or two out of it, and more importantly be able to authentically speak about your research interests/experience and what your strengths/growth areas are. You will not get this kind of mentorship with an online program.

edited to add: And if you're set on going private, check out USF, Notre Dame, Santa Clara, Saint Mary's. They are all much more expensive than the CSUs, but still better compared to online programs as you'll be able to get the personal mentorship.

 

[pkg1234]

Thanks for your honesty ToneTone. I've had several students over the years ask about Pepperdine and I try to steer them away from the online programs. The PsyD is decent, albeit very expensive, however the online offerings are not worth it.



Check out the CSUs in the area -- SF State, Sonoma St, San José St, Cal St East Bay, Cal St Monterey Bay, even Cal St Sacramento and Cal St Stanislus are within 90 mins of the Bay. There are many very reasonably priced, reputable, local options, which, at the MA/MS level are all mostly equal.

Let your profs know that you're interested in pursuing a doctoral degree and ask, in the first week, about research opportunities. I'm confident you'd be able to join a project, likely get a least a poster presentation or two out of it, and more importantly be able to authentically speak about your research interests/experience and what your strengths/growth areas are. You will not get this kind of mentorship with an online program.

edited to add: And if you're set on going private, check out USF, Notre Dame, Santa Clara, Saint Mary's. They are all much more expensive than the CSUs, but still better compared to online programs as you'll be able to get the personal mentorship.

Thanks so much for your input!!!

 

[NeuroPsychosis]

If I were you, I would opt for their campus Master's instead of the online version. Also, as a pre-doc I prefer their traditional track rather than the clinical track (MFT). Their MFT is longer and more oriented towards licensure-seeking people. Their master's in psychology (shorter) is more research/theoretical oriented and still taught from a clinical standpoint (which I investigated as a better option for pre-docs). The school is great academically, but expensive!

 

[ashleemuffins]

I am looking into Pepperdine's online Psychology masters program. Does anyone have any thoughts about this program? Does this online masters have a good reputation? Bad? Will this be helpful to be more competitive for doctoral level studies in Psychology upon completion?

First off I wouldn't listen to some of this uppity senior citizen; The world is changing and online learning the new frontier. Furthermore, I attend Pepperdine Master in Behavioral Psychology Program I was accepted on the ground and switched over to the online format for Behavioral Psychology. First I want to inform you its way more work then on campus, also no one is going to know you went to school online your degree doesn't say that and a lot of top universities are offering online degrees now. Also, Pepperdine also has an online writing center and other perks. Furthermore, I think the programs great their group assignments, discussion, and role play as well as a lot of reading and independent course work. If I were you I check it out and I wouldn't listen to the naysayers doubting online learning. I got my Bachelors degree from Sacramento state online and when I applied for my master I got into Pepperdine, San Marcos, San Diego State, and USC so attending an online format doesn't matter. Just do the work and maintain a high GPA because online does not equal easy contrary to popular belief.

P.s you can PM me at any time I'm on my 3 rd session of the program so I'm willing to go more into detail and share info about my program. I'm also planning on applying to PsyD programs next so reach out to me.

 

[erg923]

First off I wouldn't listen to some of this uppity senior citizen; The world is changing and online learning the new frontier. Furthermore, I attend Pepperdine Master in Behavioral Psychology Program I was accepted on the ground and switched over to the online format for Behavioral Psychology. First I want to inform you its way more work then on campus, also no one is going to know you went to school online your degree doesn't say that and a lot of top universities are offering online degrees now. Also, Pepperdine also has an online writing center and other perks. Furthermore, I think the programs great their group assignments, discussion, and role play as well as a lot of reading and independent course work. If I were you I check it out and I wouldn't listen to the naysayers doubting online learning. I got my Bachelors degree from Sacramento state online and when I applied for my master I got into Pepperdine, San Marcos, San Diego State, and USC so attending an online format doesn't matter. Just do the work and maintain a high GPA because online does not equal easy contrary to popular belief.

P.s you can PM me at any time I'm on my 3 rd session of the program so I'm willing to go more into detail and share info about my program. I'm also planning on applying to PsyD programs next so reach out to me.

"Easy" is not the issue. Generally subpar clinical and research training is the issue.

Why do people continue to think that the job of all jobs for emotional intelligence and "people skills" can be done by avoiding the nuanced nature of in-person work and mentorship for multiple training years? It's just weird and defies basic common sense.

Old fuddy-duddys like me (late 30s, to be conservative) are still in the work force and are often the people making hiring decisions, right?

If you want, you can PM me. I am no longer in training (unlike the above poster), and I am a licensed as psychologist. I have worked in academia, the VA health care system, and corporate managed care/health insurance. I would hope this carries a bit more weight in the world of "anecdotal evidence?"

 

[ashleemuffins]

"Easy" is not the issue. Generally subpar clinical and research training is the issue.

Why do people continue to think that the job of all jobs for emotional intelligence and "people skills" can be done by avoiding the nuanced nature of in-person work and mentorship for multiple training years? It's just weird and defies basic common sense.

Old fuddy-duddys like me (late 30s, to be conservative) are still in the work force and are often the people making hiring decisions, right?

If you want, you can PM me. I am no longer in training (unlike the above poster), and I am a licensed as psychologist. I have worked in academia, the VA health care system, and corporate managed care/health insurance. I would hope this carries a bit more weight in the world of "anecdotal evidence?"

I said what I said and I mean it, these schools have practicum, mentorships, and onsite training so that show a big gaping hole in your advice and your lack of education and ability to stay current and relevant with the times. Just like everyone else I will be going through the same program, gaining connections and etc. I feel that some of you guys are full of crap and love to attack people asking for advice. How can a fossil like yourself speak on things when you lack the critical thinking skills of a 2-year-old child. For someone who in academia you should be familiar with the rigorous course work of online programs as well as their emergence at top universities like NYU, SDSU, Pepperdine, and USC. Furthermore, its beneficial opportunities in regards to advancing minorities and women in the career field.
In regards to jobs my current employer at the therapeutic center I'm working at offered me a job and mentorship based on my skills and the fact that I was in an online program. She felt it showed my dedication, independence and willingness to learn on my own, as well as my organization skills.

FYI this job pays 22 an hour, so to me that a big deal and says a lot about your crackpot advice.

 

[AbnormalPsych]

crackpot advice

Hardly. That advice was sound. I concur. I am also a licensed psychologist in a hiring position.

If I have a bunch of people to choose from in a hiring decision, you better believe anyone with online training is going to have substantially higher odds of getting the axe from the get go. I have yet to come across evidence that online programs can come close to producing competent clinicians, or clinicians even approaching the competence of those from traditional programs. If there is outcome data to dispute that, I welcome it, as I don't even have one anecdotal example at this point.

 

[ashleemuffins]

Hardly. That advice was sound. I concur. I am also a licensed psychologist in a hiring position.

If I have a bunch of people to choose from in a hiring decision, you better believe anyone with online training is going to have substantially higher odds of getting the axe from the get go. I have yet to come across evidence that online programs can come close to producing competent clinicians, or clinicians even approaching the competence of those from traditional programs. If there is outcome data to dispute that, I welcome it, as I don't even have one anecdotal example at this point.

I said what I said and I mean it, look at the program before you run your mouth with crack head advice.

 

[Mindfulpsych22]

I said what I said and I mean it, look at the program before you run your mouth with crack head advice.

Just wow . As someone who is no huge fan of Erg, in this case he is absolutely correct. On a separate note, your language and style of communication in your post comes across as extremely immature, and well, juvenile. It certainly does not make you seem very credible in the matters on which you are trying to give advice. In fact, if I were looking for advice, it would turn me OFF of listening to you. You could have come across as someone with a dissenting but nuanced and thoughtful position. However, you just seem to prove Erg’s point that these programs produce poorly trained clinicians, lacking in knowledge about the field who are overconfident both about their skills and their knowledge.

I don’t always agree with Erg’s snarky style but his advice is usually sound and he manages to come across as credible. This is feedback you may want to consider if your goal is to try to be pursuasive to people in the field and be seen as a credible source of information for prospective students. Operating with such little humility as a trainee will likely also hinder your training and growth as a clinician.

 

[mypointlesspov]

I said what I said and I mean it, look at the program before you run your mouth with crack head advice.

Yikes.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Mod Note: Warnings have been issued. Let's please remain civil and helpful/professional in our replies. Thanks.

 

[ashleemuffins]

Just wow . As someone who is no huge fan of Erg, in this case he is absolutely correct. On a separate note, your language and style of communication in your post comes across as extremely immature, and well, juvenile. It certainly does not make you seem very credible in the matters on which you are trying to give advice. In fact, if I were looking for advice, it would turn me OFF of listening to you. You could have come across as someone with a dissenting but nuanced and thoughtful position. However, you just seem to prove Erg’s point that these programs produce poorly trained clinicians, lacking in knowledge about the field who are overconfident both about their skills and their knowledge.

I don’t always agree with Erg’s snarky style but his advice is usually sound and he manages to come across as credible. This is feedback you may want to consider if your goal is to try to be pursuasive to people in the field and be seen as a credible source of information for prospective students. Operating with such little humility as a trainee will likely also hinder your training and growth as a clinician.

All in all its a good program and its very similar to USC as long as it's accredited and provides practicum you should be fine in regards to online format.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Some of the most important aspects of a masters program as a stepping stone to a doctoral program include attaining research mentorship (to learn, publish, and most importantly secure a solid letter of recommendation), gaining valuable experience working on a research project, and establishing relationships with faculty.

One of the many problems with online education for psych is the importance of close mentorship. Having a non-synchronous setup (e.g. watch videos of lecture on your time) is a lack of interaction. I know there are usually message boards and required replies, but that setup misses out on having to think/organize/respond in the moment. Writing and speaking are very different skills. Additionally, so much learning comes outside of class hours and reading the assigned books/articles in graduate education. Online learning is fine for CEs and reviews, but foundational knowledge.....pass.
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As for the impact of an online degree on hiring....it’s at least a red flag and typically a dealbreaker when I review applications.

I’m just some guy on the Internet, but i’ve been on the review committee (or final day) at AMC/University, VA, and private practices. As a presumed senior citizen on here, we are likely the ones in hiring/decision-making positions. I have yet to see someone w. an online degree for psych be seriously considered for any position....research assistant up to professor.

 

[ashleemuffins]

Some of the most important aspects of a masters program as a stepping stone to a doctoral program include attaining research mentorship (to learn, publish, and most importantly secure a solid letter of recommendation), gaining valuable experience working on a research project, and establishing relationships with faculty.

One of the many problems with online education for psych is the importance of close mentorship. Having a non-synchronous setup (e.g. watch videos of lecture on your time) is a lack of interaction. I know there are usually message boards and required replies, but that setup misses out on having to think/organize/respond in the moment. Writing and speaking are very different skills. Additionally, so much learning comes outside of class hours and reading the assigned books/articles in graduate education. Online learning is fine for CEs and reviews, but foundational knowledge.....pass.
—
As for the impact of an online degree on hiring....it’s at least a red flag and typically a dealbreaker when I review applications.

I’m just some guy on the Internet, but i’ve been on the review committee (or final day) at AMC/University, VA, and private practices. As a presumed senior citizen on here, we are likely the ones in hiring/decision-making positions. I have yet to see someone w. an online degree for psych be seriously considered for any position....research assistant up to professor.

How do you know their degree online if it's a well-known school, and their practicum and sites all match up are you going to do an investigation because how are you going to find out when they meet all the requirements. Obviously, someone hiring students from online because an abundance of universities is offering these degrees, with practicum, training, and mentorships. It has been my humble experience your conclusion are inaccurate, a lot of you guys are out of date because many of you have sworn up and down about TCSP and guess who teaching classing at UC and Private institutions and opening private practices? Yep those guys who went to for-profit school, I attend a seminary that had a lot of PSYD and ABA professionals and a lot of those individuals had gone to those schools and I was shocked, that's why I do research look at the factuality background and make my own decisions because times have changed and those individuals are seen as capable and are being hired at prestigious universities so I'll agree to disagree.

 

[WisNeuro]

 

[psych.meout]

 

[foreverbull]

@ashleemuffins

The original question posted was whether online degrees affect one's chances of getting into a doctoral program. Online degrees do not look good to reputable doctoral programs; that is reality that those of us who have completed training (post-graduation, post-licensure) are saying. Less reputable programs may accept folks with online degrees and charge a lot of money for the doctoral training that may or may not be quality (folks who attend for-profit/large cohort programs tend to fare worse in terms of training-based outcomes such as EPPP pass rates, licensure, attrition, matching for internship, etc).

This isn't to be elitist, but I believe that not everyone who wants a graduate degree should be getting a graduate degree or doctorate in psychology; traditionally it has been for those who have strong writing/research potential/interpersonal skills (depending on the subfield), are driven, intelligent, and highly motivated. We do have a history of sexism, racism, etc. that has affected access to education, and that is a broader issue in our society that isn't unique to psychology. But funnelling more and more students into poor graduate programs is not the answer to the aforementioned systemic problems. It sounds like you think online programs make it easier for many to get a graduate education, but is this really a good thing? Why is that the goal when graduate education is seen as more advanced training and more difficult than an undergraduate education? I personally don't believe that everyone should be set on getting an advanced degree, because the more online or for-profit programs that spring up, generally speaking, the lower the standards of admission and training (this is well-established regarding doctoral for-profit/large cohort programs, although I can't speak specifically to online/blended master's degrees because I haven't seen the data), which at the extreme, can damage the entire field's reputation via ill-trained practitioners (and these practitioners may cause harm to clients, as well).

Does this mean that someone cannot be successful when attending online/blended programs? No, but professionally, it is not seen as equivalent by reputable doctoral programs or the vast majority of professionals in the field, and an online/blended education can be very limiting career and income-wise, both generally speaking and on a very practical level, if interested in working for a VA, hospital, college counseling center, academia, etc. etc. etc. Most of us in here would discourage folks from pursuing very limited paths that may also be expensive.

As you can see, the issue is complicated, and other professionals in here were trying to keep it simple with solid advice based on experience and data that we have. I would hope that by sharing advice as a trainee, you are willing to consider several professionals' years of experience in the field who are part of the hiring process and/or have seen job requirements in the field.

 

[Justanothergrad]

How do you know their degree online if it's a well-known school, and their practicum and sites all match up are you going to do an investigation because how are you going to find out when they meet all the requirements. Obviously, someone hiring students from online because an abundance of universities is offering these degrees, with practicum, training, and mentorships. It has been my humble experience your conclusion are inaccurate, a lot of you guys are out of date because many of you have sworn up and down about TCSP and guess who teaching classing at UC and Private institutions and opening private practices? Yep those guys who went to for-profit school, I attend a seminary that had a lot of PSYD and ABA professionals and a lot of those individuals had gone to those schools and I was shocked, that's why I do research look at the factuality background and make my own decisions because times have changed and those individuals are seen as capable and are being hired at prestigious universities so I'll agree to disagree.

Because, in large, we know the programs when we are reviewing applicants. If I don't, we/I research the program applicants attended to form an opinion, including discussing with other professors and professionals in practice. This is a small field. It may not seem like it, but it's remarkably small and gets smaller each year someone is in a professional position.

Online programs will not be competitive for application at reputable doctoral programs for many reasons, chief among them is that they do not enable strong research involvement and mentorship. The second issue is one of strength of letters of recommendation (how strong can a letter be with limited contact). The third issue is that clinical training has limited oversight (many programs/profs are skeptical of that training anyway because of concerns of sufficient training(coursework) and supervision experiences in the midst of high numbers of clinical contact hours.

 

[erg923]

How do you know their degree online if it's a well-known school, and their practicum and sites all match up are you going to do an investigation because how are you going to find out when they meet all the requirements.

I'm not sure if this was serious, but do you really not think employers and/or doctoral admission committees can find this out?!

Vetting of prior schooling and employment is a standard part of screening/reviewing applicants.

 

[erg923]

Yep those guys who went to for-profit school, I attend a seminary that had a lot of PSYD and ABA professionals and a lot of those individuals had gone to those schools and I was shocked, that's why I do research look at the factuality background and make my own decisions because times have changed and those individuals are seen as capable and are being hired at prestigious universities so I'll agree to disagree.

Not so fast. You are generalizing based on your experience and knowledge of a very small geographic area of the country. There are 49 other states in this country.

 

[Seven_Costanza]

It has been my humble experience your conclusion are inaccurate, a lot of you guys are out of date because many of you have sworn up and down about TCSP and guess who teaching classing at UC and Private institutions and opening private practices? Yep those guys who went to for-profit school, .

I go to a UC and there sure as heck aren’t any Professors from TCSP or any other degree mills teaching classes.

I hope you aren’t planning on attending an online PhD program. I would very strongly recommend against that.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

It's an interesting situation. I do see online learning becoming an increasingly commonplace aspect of education at large, for better or worse, and particularly for introductory coursework. But I agree that in certain areas, including the practice of psychology, experiential components are crucial. I also think there are differences between programs with strong brick-and-mortar resources that include online aspects vs. those that are nearly entirely online, and A) have limited in-person resources and training, and B) require that the student do a large part of the legwork in setting up their own in-person activities.

 

[ashleemuffins]

I go to a UC and there sure as heck aren’t any Professors from TCSP or any other degree mills teaching classes.

I hope you aren’t planning on attending an online PhD program. I would very strongly recommend against that.

You can look it up there TCSP professor at Pepperdine too and some of them or even being allowed to sit on boards.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

TCSP....Tennis Club Sainte-Pazanne? 😉 That’s a new acronym for me. I deduced it’s a mill/non-trad program, though i’m not sure which one.

 

[Seven_Costanza]

TCSP....Tennis Club Sainte-Pazanne? 😉 That’s a new acronym for me. I deduced it’s a mill/non-trad program, though i’m not sure which one.

I was assuming ashleemuffins was referring to the Chicago School of Professional Psychology which I’ve seen referred to as both TCSPP and CSPP.

 

[AbnormalPsych]

before you run your mouth with crack head advice.

Thanks for that. Regardless of your masters program choice, I think this interation style with others in the field, and god forbid your patients, will not be helpful for you to be more competitive for doctoral level studies in psychology. Sorry to hear my wisdom was not valuable to you. Good luck.

 

[NeuroPsychosis]

hahah this is getting intense. FYI you will get trained based on the state and board regulation (in our case APA) at any accredited program eg. CSPP. But you need to keep in mind that 1) These schools have poor research training 2) Expensive 3) Very difficult to standout if you don't produce beyond minimum quality work. Sure there may be some alumni faculty that hold teaching and administrative positions at well grounded universities like Pepperdine, these people were probably the most competitive in their classes and contributed something original to the field rather than just the minimum. Also, these programs are more practice/professional development focused (including pepperdine..PsyD.duh!) so these faculty have something to add to the curriculum, not regulate the whole curriculum (eg. at Pepperdine, you'll see a balanced backgrounds of faculty some come from UCLA/Top programs, and some from lone standing professional schools like Alliant). Anyways, back to track...if anyone is serious on getting into a strong doc program (especially research focused), avoid online degrees.

 

[ashleemuffins]

Thanks for that. Regardless of your masters program choice, I think this interation style with others in the field, and god forbid your patients, will not be helpful for you to be more competitive for doctoral level studies in psychology. Sorry to hear my wisdom was not valuable to you. Good luck.

Well, I guess your wrong I already got me a job and their paying for my Pepperdine degree so I guess you shouldn't assume. My connections in the school system, therapeutic center, and critical thinking skills have all contributed to my path and I will continue to move forward.

Thank You

 

[WisNeuro]

Well, this has been....enlightening.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Mod Note: Before we veer too far off-topic, lets please try to return to the general theme of the thread. And as always, let's remain civil and helpful in our responses. If desired, more individually-oriented conversations can certainly continue via PM.

 

[AbnormalPsych]

Congratulations. Good luck in your studies.

 

[Msindicic]

Most of the responses are geared toward those wanting to continue their education with a doctoral degree. Despite this pandemic and it’s influence on the education system, would a online masters from Pepperdine still not be a good option for those who want to solely pursue MFT licensure?

 

[foreverbull]

Most of the responses are geared toward those wanting to continue their education with a doctoral degree. Despite this pandemic and it’s influence on the education system, would a online masters from Pepperdine still not be a good option for those who want to solely pursue MFT licensure?

Yes, to be blunt, I would stay far away from online master’s programs, even from a school that you think is reputable. In the field, taking this route isn’t viewed favorably at all.

 

[psychtnt]

I was accepted into a Research Psychology Masters program at a Cal State. They have notified accepted students that the first semester will be online due to the pandemic. Is this worth it? My potential advisor is aware that I intend on earning a Doctorate and he is willing to help me get publications (if possible) but I'm wondering if the program being online due to the pandemic will hurt me in the long run.

 

[WisNeuro]

I was accepted into a Research Psychology Masters program at a Cal State. They have notified accepted students that the first semester will be online due to the pandemic. Is this worth it? My potential advisor is aware that I intend on earning a Doctorate and he is willing to help me get publications (if possible) but I'm wondering if the program being online due to the pandemic will hurt me in the long run.

The first semester being online probably won't be a big issue. One, that's usually when you're learning the lay of the land and are doing a lot of didactics. It's more important that you're getting hand on experience once you really get into the research component. This being a research degree helps as well. It's much worse when programs are trying to market clinical degrees online, where supervision and clinical work require in-person to an extent.

 

[NeuroPsychosis]

I was accepted into a Research Psychology Masters program at a Cal State. They have notified accepted students that the first semester will be online due to the pandemic. Is this worth it? My potential advisor is aware that I intend on earning a Doctorate and he is willing to help me get publications (if possible) but I'm wondering if the program being online due to the pandemic will hurt me in the long run.

It won't hurt you. Switching to online due to the pandemic has nothing to do with an "online program/ degree". An online program is preconditioned that way. Your program will not indicate (on transcript) that it was done online- as it is still considered on ground.

 

[rayrayray]

First off I wouldn't listen to some of this uppity senior citizen; The world is changing and online learning the new frontier. Furthermore, I attend Pepperdine Master in Behavioral Psychology Program I was accepted on the ground and switched over to the online format for Behavioral Psychology. First I want to inform you its way more work then on campus, also no one is going to know you went to school online your degree doesn't say that and a lot of top universities are offering online degrees now. Also, Pepperdine also has an online writing center and other perks. Furthermore, I think the programs great their group assignments, discussion, and role play as well as a lot of reading and independent course work. If I were you I check it out and I wouldn't listen to the naysayers doubting online learning. I got my Bachelors degree from Sacramento state online and when I applied for my master I got into Pepperdine, San Marcos, San Diego State, and USC so attending an online format doesn't matter. Just do the work and maintain a high GPA because online does not equal easy contrary to popular belief.

P.s you can PM me at any time I'm on my 3 rd session of the program so I'm willing to go more into detail and share info about my program. I'm also planning on applying to PsyD programs next so reach out to me.

Hi, i'm curious as to where you are now. Were you able to find employment after graduating? Just submitted my application for online...

 

[chicandtoughness]

would a online masters from Pepperdine still not be a good option for those who want to solely pursue MFT licensure?

Here's the thing. If your goal in life is to just get through a program - any program - and start a private practice, then yes, you will be fine with Pepperdine online. At that point, it all comes down to personal conscience and whether you feel comfortable knowing that you may not be as adequately prepared as some of your peers. But if you know all you want to do is open shop and do supportive therapy for the rest of your life, go for it.

If there is ever a chance you want to advance in administration, teach, do research, work for a hospital, etc. then I would caution against doing the online route because - as much as others seem to think otherwise - being online does NOT give you the same level of training as an in-person program. I did an online-only semester one summer because of medical issues, and it was horrible. Discussion boards are NOTHING like actual discourse in the classroom. Trying to emulate therapy via Skype (this was before Zoom was A Thing) was tough, especially for a trainee.

 

[foreverbull]

Here's the thing. If your goal in life is to just get through a program - any program - and start a private practice, then yes, you will be fine with Pepperdine online. At that point, it all comes down to personal conscience and whether you feel comfortable knowing that you may not be as adequately prepared as some of your peers. But if you know all you want to do is open shop and do supportive therapy for the rest of your life, go for it.

If there is ever a chance you want to advance in administration, teach, do research, work for a hospital, etc. then I would caution against doing the online route because - as much as others seem to think otherwise - being online does NOT give you the same level of training as an in-person program. I did an online-only semester one summer because of medical issues, and it was horrible. Discussion boards are NOTHING like actual discourse in the classroom. Trying to emulate therapy via Skype (this was before Zoom was A Thing) was tough, especially for a trainee.

What makes this situation tough (this applies to most online master’s degree and online doctorates) is that state boards/federal govmt entities don’t crack down on predatory online programs, leaving ill-informed students with the choice. I think that’s a huge mistake because if given the choice, wouldn’t many people take the easy route instead of the more rigorous and hard-to-get-into route (but that ultimately creates better professionals and gatekeeps the folks who don’t actually qualify for advanced training)?

It also leaves psychologists/practitioners in here to strongly advise against it. But online programs are FAR easier to get into generally speaking and can be done while working full time, thus being particularly attractive.

I can’t speak to Pepperdine online specifically, however.

Edit: as a reminder to folks reading these threads, when I was in undergrad, a peer in my research methods course told me they got “pre-approved” for an online master’s in counseling in their last year of college. This student proceeded to conduct an unethical research project (the class knew because the student emailed a survey request to the entire class without IRB approval, then our prof quickly responded and said “this isn’t ethical, don’t respond”) and the student did not understand the research methods at a basic level at all; their end of semester presentation of their research was frankly embarrassing to watch (and showed a very clear lack of understanding of what we’d learned during the semester). Not even sure if the person passed. But this person was going to counsel people and had been pre-accepted to a graduate program!!!!!! That is horrifying. This is why online programs hurt our profession and the public.