Master of Science in Psychology

Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences

Drexel University’s Master of Science (MS) in Psychology is the ideal foundation for students who wish to pursue advanced education in scientific psychology and research methods. Our research-based program allows students to take their first step into graduate education and begin a steady path toward more advanced educational and career opportunities. Our curriculum introduces students to and immerses them in a range of research experiences in neurocognitive and behavioral sciences. In addition to rigorous coursework, students complete a minimum of eight hours per week of faculty-mentored laboratory research; these activities contribute to the successful completion of the master’s thesis project.

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Program Format

Full-time, two-year, 45 credit program.
Required courses in statistics and research methods.
Many opportunities for electives in psychology and related disciplines.
Focused study in forensic psychology, cognitive neuroscience, behavioral/health or analytic methods possible.
Flexible options for thesis completion.

Application Requirements Program Advisor Plan of Study

Program Overview

Drexel University’s Master of Science (MS) in Psychology is the ideal foundation for students who wish to pursue advanced education in scientific psychology and research methods. Our research-based program allows students to take their first step into graduate education and begin a steady path toward further educational and career opportunities. The master’s curriculum introduces students to a range of immersive research experiences in neurocognitive and behavioral sciences. In addition to rigorous coursework, students complete a minimum of eight hours per week of faculty-mentored laboratory research; these activities contribute to the successful completion of the master’s thesis.

In this full-time, two-year, 45 credit program students receive the same individualized, committed mentorship model as our doctoral-level students. Master’s students are able to take advanced graduate courses and work alongside their mentors and other students in our tight-knit, collaborative research environment. The master’s program curriculum is customized to fit the unique interests of each student and offers opportunities for focused study with coursework in forensic psychology, cognitive neuroscience, behavioral/health and analytic methods.

Career Outcomes

About half of our students enter the workforce with a terminal master’s degree and establish themselves in positions as research coordinators at hospitals, universities and pharmaceutical companies. For our remaining students, the master’s degree serves as a solid foundation in psychology prior to entry into advanced doctoral programs. These scholars typically go on to pursue careers as clinical psychologists and cognitive neuroscientists in clinical practice, academic medical center, university and industry settings.

Our Mentorship Model

Graduate research is integral to building the intellectual life, growth and reach of the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. An important feature of our master’s program is that students are not assigned faculty mentors — prospective students select mentors best suited to their unique program of study and interview with them as part of the application process. Once admitted, they work with the faculty mentor of their choice.

Students receive dedicated mentorship and critical hands-on training as active, contributing members of faculty research labs. These students often present their research at national and international scientific meetings and serve as co-authors on publications with their faculty mentors in distinguished, peer-reviewed journals.

Research Areas and Labs

The master’s program fits the unique interests of each student with opportunities for focused study in forensic psychology, cognitive neuroscience, behavioral/health and analytic methods. Department faculty include world-class clinical and cognitive scientists who lead exploration across six core areas of research in psychological and brain sciences. Additionally, the department is home to the WELL Center, an interdisciplinary clinical research center dedicated to weight, eating and lifestyle science.

Applied Cognitive and Brain Sciences

Forensic Psychology

Health Psychology

Neuropsychology

Pediatric and Child Psychology

The WELL Center:
Weight, Eating and Lifestyle Science

Labs:
- Butryn Lab
- Forman Lab
- Juarascio Lab
- Manasse Lab
- Srivastava Lab

Faculty Accepting Students: 2024-2025

Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences faculty are dedicated educators as well as leading clinical and cognitive scientists whose diverse body of scholarship advances the frontlines of academics, discovery and practice.

Click on each faculty member’s profile to learn more about their areas of expertise and research interests.

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	Faculty Member	Expertise
	Meghan L. Butryn, PhD Professor; Associate Department Head Stratton 286 mlb34@drexel.edu	Obesity prevention and treatment Physical activity promotion Lifestyle modification Behavioral therapy Cancer prevention
	Evangelia Chrysikou, PhD Director, Applied Cognitive and Brain Sciences PhD program; Associate Dean for Research; Associate Professor Stratton 324 lilachrysikou@drexel.edu	Cognitive neuroscience Neural bases of memory, language, and executive functions Neurocognitive processes associated with problem solving and flexible thought Functional neuroimaging and non-invasive brain stimulation in healthy and psychiatric populations (mood and anxiety disorders) Translational neuroscience Neuropsychology
	Brian P. Daly, PhD Department Head; Associate Professor Stratton 118 brian.daly@drexel.edu	School mental health Mental health promotion Socioemotional learning (SEL) Evidence-based practice Trauma Risk and resilience Child and adolescent intervention
	Evan M. Forman, PhD Professor Director, Center for Weight Eating and Lifestyle Science (WELL Center) Stratton 282 evan.forman@drexel.edu MS in Psychology program – Mentor and co-mentor, with Charlotte Hagerman PhD in Clinical Psychology program – Mentor	Health behavior change Behavioral treatments for health promotion Weight control Neurocognitive drivers of eating Lifestyle modification Technology-facilitated behavior change Mindfulness and acceptance-based behavioral treatments
	Pamela Geller, PhD Director, Clinical Training; Professor, Ob/Gyn and Public Health Stratton 280 pg27@drexel.edu	Clinical and health psychology Stressful life events and mental and physical health outcomes particularly in the area of women's reproductive health
	Naomi E. Goldstein, PhD Professor of Psychology; Co-director of the JD/PhD Program in Law and Psychology; Director of the Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab Stratton 328 neg23@drexel.edu	Juvenile justice System reform Policy and practice Adolescent development Social science research Psychology, criminal justice, and law Forensic psychology
	Charlotte J. Hagerman, PhD Assistant Research Professor 3201 Chestnut Street, Room 232 cjh427@drexel.edu	Obesity Behavioral weight loss treatment Habit formation Goal achievement Motivation Self-compassion
	Kirk Heilbrun, PhD Professor; Director, Reentry Project 334 Stratton Hall kirk.heilbrun@drexel.edu	Forensic mental health assessment Violence risk assessment Risk-reducing interventions
	Adrienne Juarascio, PhD Director, Practicum Training; Director of Training, Weight, Eating, and Lifestyle Sciences Center; Associate Professor Stratton 288 asj32@drexel.edu	Enhancing treatment outcomes for eating disorders and obesity Acceptance-based behavioral treatments Evaluating mechanisms of action in behavioral treatments
	Aaron Kucyi, PhD Assistant Professor of Psychology aaron.kucyi@drexel.edu	Default mode network Spontaneous thought Mind wandering Experience sampling fMRI Intracranial EEG Mental health
	Erica LaFata, PhD Assistant Research Professor Stratton Hall 233 es3344@drexel.edu	Clinical utility of food addiction as a unique phenotype of disordered eating Addictive potentials of ultra-processed foods Overlapping mechanisms implicated in substance-use disorders and eating and weight disorders Assessment of addictive-like eating behaviors Treatment development for eating and weight disorders
	Nancy Raitano Lee, PhD Associate Professor; Director, Clinical Neuropsychology Major Area of Study Stratton 290 nancy.raitano.lee@drexel.edu	Neuropsychology Clinical child psychology Down syndrome Autism spectrum disorder Brain Neuroimaging Developmental disorders
	Matthew Lerner, PhD ml3823@drexel.edu
	Stephanie Manasse, PhD Assistant Professor; Director, MS and Accelerated BS/MS in Psychology Programs; Director, mPOWER Program (WELL Center); Director, Child and Adolescent Program (WELL Center) Stratton 244 smm522@drexel.edu	Eating disorders Self-regulation Eating behaviors Adolescents Intervention development Ecological momentary assessment Inhibitory control
	John D. Medaglia, PhD Associate Professor 322 Stratton Hall jdm582@drexel.edu	Cognitive Neuroscience Clinical Neuropsychology Brain Stimulation Neuroimaging Network Analysis Self-control Neuroethics
	Arthur M. Nezu, PhD, DHL, ABPP Distinguished University Professor of Psychology; Co-Director, Nezu Stress and Coping Lab; Professor of Medicine; Professor of Community Health and Prevention Stratton 268 amn23@drexel.edu Master of Science in Psychology program – Co-mentor with Christine Nezu	Stress Coping Emotion-centered Problem-solving Therapy Suicide Depression Veterans Mental Health Scientific Publishing
	Christine Maguth Nezu, PhD, ABPP Professor of Psychology; Professor of Medicine Stratton 278 cn25@drexel.edu Master of Science in Psychology program – Co-mentor with Arthur Nezu	Emotion-centered Problem-Solving Therapy (PST) for mood, personality, stress-related disorders EC-PST as an evidence-based, trans-diagnostic intervention across many clinical problem areas and populations including Veterans/US Service Members, and their families Clinical case formulation Integrative psychotherapy approaches Emotionally-focused interventions and CBT Departmental concentration areas of cognitive behavioral and clinical health psychology
	Paakhi Srivastava, PhD Assistant Research Professor ps887@drexel.edu MS in Psychology program – Co-mentor with Adrienne Juarascio	Understanding factors (e.g., body image disturbances) that maintain disordered eating behaviors in real-time and real-world Learning about how evidence-based treatments address maintenance factors to produce improvements in binge eating spectrum disorders Development of novel treatments/treatment augmentations to better address maintenance factors and improve clinical outcomes for binge eating spectrum disorders
	Alexa Tompary, PhD Assistant Professor Stratton Hall, Room 306 at3549@drexel.edu	Neural bases of episodic memory and conceptual knowledge Systems memory consolidation theories Functional neuroimaging Transcranial magnetic stimulation
	Fengqing Zoe Zhang, PhD Associate Professor of Psychology Stratton 316 fengqing.zhang@drexel.edu	Multimodal neuroimaging Machine learning Brain development and aging Mental health Wearable computing and mHealth
	Eric A. Zillmer, PsyD Carl R. Pacifico Professor of Neuropsychology; Director, The Happiness Lab Stratton 311 zillmer@drexel.edu	Military Psychology Sport Psychology Psychology of Happiness Psychology of Music Neuropsychology

All Program Faculty

The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences is actively engaged in vibrant research initiatives to advance the science and practice of psychology. Faculty publish widely in top-tier, peer-reviewed journals; are featured experts in national and international media; and are the recipients of major research awards from prestigious grantors including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

View All

	Faculty Member	Expertise
	Meghan L. Butryn, PhD Professor; Associate Department Head Stratton 286 mlb34@drexel.edu	Obesity prevention and treatment Physical activity promotion Lifestyle modification Behavioral therapy Cancer prevention
	Evangelia Chrysikou, PhD Director, Applied Cognitive and Brain Sciences PhD program; Associate Dean for Research; Associate Professor Stratton 324 lilachrysikou@drexel.edu	Cognitive neuroscience Neural bases of memory, language, and executive functions Neurocognitive processes associated with problem solving and flexible thought Functional neuroimaging and non-invasive brain stimulation in healthy and psychiatric populations (mood and anxiety disorders) Translational neuroscience Neuropsychology
	Brian P. Daly, PhD Department Head; Associate Professor Stratton 118 brian.daly@drexel.edu	School mental health Mental health promotion Socioemotional learning (SEL) Evidence-based practice Trauma Risk and resilience Child and adolescent intervention
	David DeMatteo, JD, PhD, ABPP (Forensic) Director, JD/PhD Program in Law and Psychology; Professor of Law; Professor of Psychology Stratton 338 David.DeMatteo@drexel.edu	Psychopathy Forensic Psychology Forensic mental health assessment Testing in forensic assessment contexts Drug policy research
	Kate Devlin, PhD Assistant Research Professor Stratton 123 knd52@drexel.edu	NeuroHIV Aging and neurodegenerative disease Cognitive health disparities Diagnosis and prognosis Cognitive heterogeneity Structural equation modeling Everyday functioning
	Evan M. Forman, PhD Professor Director, Center for Weight Eating and Lifestyle Science (WELL Center) Stratton 282 evan.forman@drexel.edu	Health behavior change Behavioral treatments for health promotion Weight control Neurocognitive drivers of eating Lifestyle modification Technology-facilitated behavior change Mindfulness and acceptance-based behavioral treatments
	Pamela Geller, PhD Director, Clinical Training; Professor, Ob/Gyn and Public Health Stratton 280 pg27@drexel.edu	Clinical and health psychology Stressful life events and mental and physical health outcomes particularly in the area of women's reproductive health
	Naomi E. Goldstein, PhD Professor of Psychology; Co-director of the JD/PhD Program in Law and Psychology; Director of the Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab Stratton 328 neg23@drexel.edu	Juvenile justice System reform Policy and practice Adolescent development Social science research Psychology, criminal justice, and law Forensic psychology
	Kirk Heilbrun, PhD Professor; Director, Reentry Project 334 Stratton Hall kirk.heilbrun@drexel.edu	Forensic mental health assessment Violence risk assessment Risk-reducing interventions
	Adrienne Juarascio, PhD Director, Practicum Training; Director of Training, Weight, Eating, and Lifestyle Sciences Center; Associate Professor Stratton 288 asj32@drexel.edu	Enhancing treatment outcomes for eating disorders and obesity Acceptance-based behavioral treatments Evaluating mechanisms of action in behavioral treatments
	John Kounios, PhD Professor Stratton 318 jk342@drexel.edu	Cognitive Neuroscience Creativity Problem Solving Individual Differences Brain Aging
	Erica LaFata, PhD Assistant Research Professor Stratton Hall 233 es3344@drexel.edu	Clinical utility of food addiction as a unique phenotype of disordered eating Addictive potentials of ultra-processed foods Overlapping mechanisms implicated in substance-use disorders and eating and weight disorders Assessment of addictive-like eating behaviors Treatment development for eating and weight disorders
	Nancy Raitano Lee, PhD Associate Professor; Director, Clinical Neuropsychology Major Area of Study Stratton 290 nancy.raitano.lee@drexel.edu	Neuropsychology Clinical child psychology Down syndrome Autism spectrum disorder Brain Neuroimaging Developmental disorders
	Michael R. Lowe, PhD Professor Stratton 284 lowe@drexel.edu	Please visit the Lowe Lab for more details about the research topics below: Obesity Set point Eating disorders Dieting Hedonic hunger Weight variability
	Stephanie Manasse, PhD Assistant Professor; Director, MS and Accelerated BS/MS in Psychology Programs; Director, mPOWER Program (WELL Center); Director, Child and Adolescent Program (WELL Center) Stratton 244 smm522@drexel.edu	Eating disorders Self-regulation Eating behaviors Adolescents Intervention development Ecological momentary assessment Inhibitory control
	John D. Medaglia, PhD Associate Professor 322 Stratton Hall jdm582@drexel.edu	Cognitive Neuroscience Clinical Neuropsychology Brain Stimulation Neuroimaging Network Analysis Self-control Neuroethics
	Christine Maguth Nezu, PhD, ABPP Professor of Psychology; Professor of Medicine Stratton 278 cn25@drexel.edu	Emotion-centered Problem-Solving Therapy (PST) for mood, personality, stress-related disorders EC-PST as an evidence-based, trans-diagnostic intervention across many clinical problem areas and populations including Veterans/US Service Members, and their families Clinical case formulation Integrative psychotherapy approaches Emotionally-focused interventions and CBT Departmental concentration areas of cognitive behavioral and clinical health psychology
	Arthur M. Nezu, PhD, DHL, ABPP Distinguished University Professor of Psychology; Co-Director, Nezu Stress and Coping Lab; Professor of Medicine; Professor of Community Health and Prevention Stratton 268 amn23@drexel.edu	Stress Coping Emotion-centered Problem-solving Therapy Suicide Depression Veterans Mental Health Scientific Publishing
	Maria T. Schultheis, PhD Vice Provost of Research; Professor 3180 Chestnut Street, Suite 104 schultheis@drexel.edu	I am interested in the use of innovative technologies for meeting the clinical needs of individual with neurological compromise. Much of our work is focused on using virtual reality simulation, neuropsychological measures and portable imaging systems (i.e., fNIRS). I work with cognitively impaired populations—traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke, dementia—in order to understand the effects of neurological involvement on functions, such as driving, returning to work and everyday activities of living. Our work intersects psychology, biomedical engineering, transportation, and rehabilitation medicine.
	Paakhi Srivastava, PhD Assistant Research Professor ps887@drexel.edu	Understanding factors (e.g., body image disturbances) that maintain disordered eating behaviors in real-time and real-world Learning about how evidence-based treatments address maintenance factors to produce improvements in binge eating spectrum disorders Development of novel treatments/treatment augmentations to better address maintenance factors and improve clinical outcomes for binge eating spectrum disorders
	Andrea Wieckowski Assistant Research Professor Research is focused on utilization of technology in assessment and treatment of social communication deficits in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) atw64@drexel.edu
	Fengqing Zoe Zhang, PhD Associate Professor of Psychology Stratton 316 fengqing.zhang@drexel.edu	Multimodal neuroimaging Machine learning Brain development and aging Mental health Wearable computing and mHealth

The Master’s in Psychology Thesis

Students in the master’s in psychology degree program begin working on the thesis during their first year, developing ideas and examining the existing research literature. Each student’s mentor works with them to offer guidance in all areas of thesis development: formulating a question, collecting and analyzing data, and writing the final thesis document. Students take two courses in research methods and three courses in data analysis to gain the tools and skills they will need to competently conduct their master’s thesis. More details regarding the thesis submission and binding process can be found on the Drexel Library website.

Drexel Library: Theses, Dissertations and Projects

Recent Theses

Students in our program complete theses on a wide range of topics. We proudly invite prospective students to review recent theses authored by our Master of Science in Psychology degree recipients.