Psychology: Specialization in Military Psychology: Terrorism Concentration, (M.A.)

Program Overview

The Master of Arts in Psychology: Specialization in Military Psychology educates students in the discipline of military psychology to be socially responsible graduates who engage both the military and civilian community and promote social justice nationally and globally. This discipline involves the systematic and scientific study of the selection, training, adaptation, and performance of soldiers. It focuses on how the military interacts with larger social, organizational, cultural, and technological systems. Military psychology by necessity is a heterogeneous field of inquiry. It must draw on all sub-disciplines of psychology to understand the variables that affect military performance. Military psychology includes the contributions of clinical, experimental, social, industrial/organizational, and engineering psychology. Military psychology is united by a shared interest in advancing knowledge and application of psychological science toward a specific population, as well as community engagement with social responsibility and a local, regional, and global presence.

Military psychology programming works to improve the lives of those who are serving or have served, and their families. Other applications of military psychology impact social policy programs within the military that are designed to promote diversity and equal opportunity. This includes addressing issues such as integrating diverse ethnic, religious, racial, and sexually oriented groups into the military and reducing sexual assault and discrimination. In today’s world, the role of military psychology is being more pragmatic for consideration of national security, military defense, and global policy to ensure real-world solutions and measurable results. This program does not lead to professional licensure or certification.

Program Objectives

1. Evaluate the unique psychosocial needs of those who are serving, or have served, and their families.
2. Analyze military culture, its structures and systems, and their impact, thereby developing military cultural competence.
3. Apply psychological principles and theory to the military environment.
4. Create institutional change by being able to work collaboratively with others to foster social justice.
5. Evaluate the effectiveness of operational psychology within the military for unit cohesion, psychological operations, human terrain intelligence, military intelligence, and the promotion of behavioral health and welfare.
6. Determine and manage the psychological consequences of the continuum of conflict.

Graduation Requirements

1. Satisfactory completion of all required credit hours, including all required courses.
2. Satisfactory completion of the Social Justice Practicum.
3. Successful completion of capstone or thesis.
4. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
5. Submission of completed graduation application and full payment of all outstanding tuition and fees.
6. Faculty approval for graduation and recommendation to the Board of Trustees for the conferral of the Master of Arts in Psychology: Specialization in Military Psychology.

Social Justice Practicum

The Social Justice Practicum (SJP) is a nonclinical and non-discipline-specific experiential practicum. Students gain the knowledge, skills, and perspectives to utilize collective power and social justice strategies to build a more equitable society.

The SJP is designed to help students learn how to work alongside different communities as agents of social change and serves as the catalyst for students to realize and understand their strengths and responsibility to contribute to social equity.

The SJP unites the academic institution and larger communities and is an anchor of student learning at Adler University. This experiential learning process includes attending monthly workshops to explore civics, intersectionality, and community organizing and completing a practicum at community-based organizations to work on projects that will strengthen the social justice missions of our community partner members.

All students must complete the SJP before advancing onto any clinical or discipline-specific training, respective of the program in which they are enrolled. SJP requirements include:

- Completion of a minimum of 200 hours at an approved SJP site.
- Completion of online modules. 

- A formal SJP presentation at the Social Justice Symposium. 

- Students must receive a grade of “Pass” for the midterm and final evaluation to receive credit for completing the SJP.

The SJP may not be waived, and life credit is not admissible to meet this requirement.