Media Psychology Programs

Media Psychology is a psychology subspecialty that addresses how people perceive and respond to media messages found in radio, television, film, video, newsprint, magazines and online. Career options include fields such as media consulting, advertising, and media research.

Walden University

Featured Programs:
BS in Psychology - Graduate School Prep

Southern New Hampshire University

Featured Programs:
BA in Psychology/Child & Adolescent Development (Online)

The pro business slant that much of media psychology entails makes it a very lucrative field for the interested professional. Helping to develop marketing campaigns based on the human behaviors associated with media messages is an increasingly popular use of the media psychology degree. If one is interested in pursuing this field, it helps to be in touch with the latest technologies, and to understand how people use those technologies to make decisions.

Useful Media Psychology Resources

• Division 46 of the American Psychological Association: Media Psychology
• Journal: Media Psychology
• Media Psychology Review Official Site

Capella University

Featured Programs:
MS in General Psychology (Online)
MS in Child and Adolescent Development

Post University

Featured Programs:
BA in Psychology (Online)

Media Psychologist's Methods of Operation

There are six key components to the field of media psychology that one will need to understand before he moves on to a career in the field: the human factor, media effects, how media and psychology interact, types of media, research, and psychological content delivery itself. Media Psychology Review has done extensive work in this field, and they can guide one toward some of the more advanced practices.

But if one is going to work as a media psychologist, then he will likely cover one or more--and sometimes all of those components from day to day. The nature of the work is both observational and interactional. It also requires the media psychologist to expand outside the field of psychology itself to understand the effects of human understanding and behavior in the present time and the world to come.

Kaplan University

Featured Programs:
BS Psychology (Online)

Northcentral University

Featured Programs:
MA in Health Psychology (Online)

Careers in Media Psychology

This field will have far reaching effects as society continues to grow more advanced while adjusting to things like social networking and changes in nearly a century of coding regarding broadcast and print media. It will have an impact on journalism, business, law, education, and virtually any other field that you can think of. Since this subspecialty is relatively new, it is a great time to explore it as a career opportunity.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is still struggling to come to terms with what they define as a media psychology specific job, but those working in the field cover a wide range of salaries. New media specialists could earn anywhere from $50,000 to $90,000 per year. If one chooses the business slant, is an expert in the field, and enough of an entrepreneur to run his own consultancy business, then well north of the $100,000 mark is easily attainable.

Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Featured Programs:
MA in Applied Forensic Psychology (Online)

Media Psychology Education and Training

Since the field requires no clinical psychology experience, beefing up your college resume with those types of classes will do little to prepare you. Study schedules are generally flexible, with institutes like Fielding Graduate University allowing a "you call the shots" type of plan.

While not all schools will manage their degree plans the same way, and not all schools even offer a doctorate degree in the field, you are best served to strive for the highest credential in the field. As technology continues to grow, so, too, will the requirements for professionals in this area.