N.C. A&T Announces New M.S. in Health Psychology Degree Program

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (March 23, 2020) – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University will offer a new degree program, the M.S. in health psychology, through the College of Health and Human Sciences Department of Psychology.

Upon preparation of the necessary Substantive Change Prospectus for approval by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the program will enroll students for the fall 2021 semester.

The degree, approved by the UNC Board of Governors in the March meeting, is a two-year program designed to provide the foundational knowledge and skills for students to work in the health psychology field, said George Robinson, Ph.D., psychology department chair.

It will complement North Carolina A&T’s undergraduate psychology degree program, which is designed to introduce the ideas and concepts relevant to this discipline, encourage interdisciplinary learning, prepare students for study in graduate programs and entry-level psychology careers as well as train students to conduct both basic and applied research.

Many students will enter the workforce directly upon completion of the degree to hold positions such as health program director, health research associate, behavioral health data analyst, neuropsychology technician, community health educator and community college professor.

Other graduates of the program will go on to pursue doctoral degrees in clinical health psychology, behavioral and cognitive neuroscience, community health psychology, and related fields.

“The STEM-oriented degree will also make us more competitive while seeking federal and other research funding,” said Robinson. “Additionally, the research and internship opportunities already offered to undergraduate students will now be at a higher level, with graduate students in the psychology department.”

The new degree program will have an initial cohort of about 15 students, Robinson said, with plans to grow enrollment to an average of 35 to 45 students over the next few years.

“We are excitedly looking forward to expanding our already popular psychology department,” he said.

This degree will join the Master of Social Work, offered through a joint program with UNC-Greensboro, as the second graduate-level program in the College of Health and Human Sciences.