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Psychology Schools in New Mexico

The following guide to psychology schools in New Mexico contains important information on the many undergraduate and graduate psychology programs, several of which are profiled, in the state. New Mexico’s colleges and universities offer a diverse range of programs with such concentrations as cognitive psychology, biopsychology, and developmental psychology. In addition to the on-campus psychology programs in New Mexico, students in search of a flexible and affordable alternative may want to consider an online bachelor’s or master’s degree program in psychology.

Quick Facts

  • There are 14 not-for-profit colleges and universities with psychology degree programs in New Mexico.1
  • 7 schools offer an associate’s degree in psychology.1
  • 7 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in psychology.1
  • 6 schools offer a master’s or advanced degree in psychology.1
  • 1 school ranked in Kiplinger’s Best College Values for 2019.2
  • No schools ranked in the Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Psychology Majors for 2018.3
  • No schools ranked in PsychologyDegree411’s Top Schools with Online Psychology Programs.4
  • No schools ranked in Times Higher Education’s Best Universities for Psychology 2019.5

For not-for-profit colleges and universities with psychology degree programs.

Top-Ranked Schools with Psychology Programs in New Mexico

Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019*

  • New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (#21)

*Institution-wide ranking.

Continue reading to learn more about the popular undergraduate and graduate psychology programs offered at several of New Mexico’s leading universities.

Schools in New Mexico with Psychology Programs

Traditional Undergraduate Programs

Eastern New Mexico University

Eastern New Mexico University allows students to pursue either a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology or a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology. The undergraduate programs are designed to prepare graduates to continue on to graduate school. Both programs require students to choose a minor field of study. Psychology majors must complete 28 credits of core requirements in topics including intro to psychology, social psychology, abnormal psychology, and experimental psychology. Psychology majors will also complete required courses in developmental psychology, theoretical foundations, and learning and cognitive psychology in addition to three elective courses to fulfill major requirements.

University of the Southwest

The University of the Southwest is home to a Bachelor of Science in Psychology that offers students the option of declaring a focus area in either Psychology; Family Studies in Psychology; or Forensic Psychology. Each of the specializations offers focused coursework that prepares graduates for advanced study at the master’s or doctoral level as well as for careers in related areas. While gaining a fundamental understanding of psychology and human behavior students will hone their critical thinking and communication skills throughout the degree plan. Courses offered include Learning and Behavior Modification; Writing in Psychology; Cognitive Neuroscience; and History of Psychology.

Traditional Graduate Programs

New Mexico State University

New Mexico State University features a Master of Arts (MA) in Experimental Psychology that allows students to concentrate in one of several areas, including biopsychology, social psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, or engineering psychology. The 36-credit program requires students to complete 15 psychology credits and 15 additional graduate credits. All graduate students must complete a comprehensive project during the first year of study. A thesis is mandatory. Graduate students may also assist faculty members in research in cognitive psychology, engineering psychology, and social psychology. Students may be eligible for assistantships to help defray educational costs, which require 20 hours of work during the academic year and up to 40 hours a week during the summer.

New Mexico Highlands University

Graduate students at New Mexico Highlands University may pursue a Master of Science (MS) in General Psychology or a Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Psychology and Counseling. The general psychology degree, which generally takes one year to complete, requires 36 credits and is designed for students who want to move on to a doctoral program or who want to work in a research position upon graduation. The clinical psychology and counseling degree can be completed in as little as two years. Graduate students complete 67 credits, including intensive work in psychological training and assessment. Successful completion of the program provides students with the necessary qualifications to become a licensed counselor in New Mexico.

Online Psychology Programs

University of New Mexico

The University of New Mexico offers an online Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology that is designed as a degree completion program for those who already have at least 60 transferable hours of prior college credit. The degree program requires students to also choose a suitable minor or to declare a double major. Online courses are offered in an eight-week format with five start dates during the calendar year, which allows for flexible admissions as well as accelerated degree completion times. The University of New Mexico offers competitive online tuition rates as well as financial aid for students who qualify. Courses in the psychology major include Developmental Psychology, Psychological Research Techniques, Human Neuropsychology, and Positive Psychology.

Western New Mexico University

Western New Mexico University offers both an online Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and an online Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Graduates are positioned to apply to graduate school or to pursue entry-level careers in diverse fields such as human resources and communications. Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts will take additional foreign language classes, while students pursuing the Bachelor of Science will take additional advanced math or science courses. In addition to core psychology courses such as General Psychology and Social Statistics, students will take at least one course from each of four major content domains in psychology: Cognition and Learning; Developmental; Biological; and Socio-cultural. Students must also declare a minor and complete 18 to 24 credit areas in that content area to meet degree requirements.

EPPP Pass Rate and Accreditation Information for Psychology Programs in New Mexico

The table below is designed to help you compare not-for-profit psychology schools in New Mexico on a variety of factors. Clicking on the arrows in the top row allows you to sort the table. In addition to factors such as focus areas offered and tuition costs, accreditation is an important consideration when researching psychology programs. Depending on the type of program and the ultimate career path you are considering, accreditation from the American Psychological Association (APA), the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Education Programs (CACREP), or the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) can make it easier to become licensed in your desired area of practice. For more information on these accreditations, see our overview of accreditation for psychology programs. You should also ensure that the program you are considering will meet the licensure requirements in the state where you wish to practice. The Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP), a licensing exam administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), is required in most US states in order to qualify for psychologist licensure. The EPPP results shown below are provided are for the exam period from February 1, 2015 to March 21, 2017.6 Only results from APA-accredited or ASPPB-designated doctoral programs with at least four test-takers during the exam period are included.6

SchoolBA/BSGrad Prog.Online Prog.Nat’l Accred.*Grad Rate**EPPP Pass Rate6# Taking6College Factual Under-
grad Rank7
US News Grad Rank8Net Price
Eastern New Mexico UniversityYesNoNo35%$10,918
New Mexico Highlands UniversityYesYesNoCACREP21%$10,821
New Mexico Institute of Mining and TechnologyYesNoNo56%$14,641
New Mexico State UniversityYesYesNoAPA, CACREP, NASP47%63%16181^$9,462
Southwestern CollegeNoYesNoN/AN/A
University of New MexicoYesYesBachelor’sAPA, CACREP50%10010131^$11,620
University of the SouthwestYesNoNo18%$15,944
Western New Mexico UniversityYesYesBachelor’s26%$12,773

Schools marked with a caret (^) in US News Best Graduate Psychology Programs ranked in a tie with other programs in their respective positions.
*See our guide to psychology program accreditation for more information on these accrediting bodies.
**The graduation rate is for first-time, full-time undergraduate degree- or certificate-seeking students who began studies in Fall 2012 and is calculated based on the percentage of students earning their degree or certificate within 150% of the normal time for program completion.1

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-best-college-values-college-finder/index.php#Table
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 382 Colleges, 2018 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2017.
4. PsychologyDegree411 Top Schools with Online Psychology Programs: https://www.psychologydegree411.com/degrees/online/
5. Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019 – Psychology: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2019/subject-ranking/psychology
6. The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, Psychology Licensing Exam Scores by Doctoral Program: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.asppb.net/resource/resmgr/eppp_/2017_Doctoral_Report.pdf
7. College Factual, Best Colleges Offering Degrees in Psychology (Nationwide): https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/psychology/rankings/top-ranked/#
8. US News & World Report Best Graduate Psychology Programs: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/psychology-rankings