Psychology, Master of Science
The Master of Science degree with a major in Psychology provides graduate training in the psychological sciences that prepares students for further study in doctoral programs as well as professional careers in a variety of fields. Students may choose from a thesis and a non-thesis option. The focus of the non-thesis option is upon the breadth of knowledge in psychology; whereas, the thesis option is focused on producing empirical studies or other substantial work that moves the discipline forward by generating new knowledge. Because the non-thesis option does not involve time-intensive knowledge generation required for a thesis, it instead allows students to gain extra breadth through taking more courses.
Administrative Officers
Dr. William Blake Erickson Graduate Coordinator (Psychology) STEM Building, Room 237B
Minimum admissions requirements include: (1) a B.A. or B. S. in psychology or a related field with a GPA of 2.75 or higher, and (2) scores in the 40th percentile or better on the verbal, quantitative, and analytical sections of the GRE. International applicants must demonstrate English proficiency by scoring a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based) or 79 (Internet-based).
Program Details
There are two tracks in the program - a Thesis Track and a Non-Thesis Track. Students pursuing the degree should consult with their thesis advisor and declare for one of the two tracks at the time of application. Of the 30-36 SCH to fulfill the coursework required to graduate, students declaring the Thesis Track will have a 6 SCH allotted for a research thesis; whereas, those in the Non-Thesis Track will have a maximum of 3 SCH allotted for a capstone project that includes a major area paper.
- Thesis Track: Submission of a thesis based on the in-depth analysis of a research study. The thesis should conform to the format required by the Psychology program.
- Non-Thesis Track: Capstone project that includes a major area paper. The paper will need to conform to the format required by the Psychology program.
Non-Thesis Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| PSYC 5301 | Research Methods and Design | 3 |
| PSYC 5302 | Statistics | 3 |
| PSYC 5303 | Ethics | 3 |
| One from Biological Aspects of Behavior | 3 | |
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Biopsychology | ||
| One from Cognition and Learning | 3 | |
| Learning | ||
| Cognition | ||
| One from Social Psychology and Emotion | 3 | |
| Social Psychology | ||
| Motivation and Emotion | ||
| One from History and Systems | 3 | |
| History and Systems | ||
| Psychological Assessment | ||
| Electives | 12 | |
| Capstone Project | ||
| PSYC 5304 | Capstone Project | 3 |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Thesis Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | 9 | |
| Research Methods and Design | ||
| Statistics | ||
| Ethics | ||
| One from Biological Aspects of Behavior | 3 | |
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Biopsychology | ||
| One from Cognition and Learning | 3 | |
| Learning | ||
| Cognition | ||
| One from Social Psychology and Emotion | 3 | |
| Social Psychology | ||
| Motivation and Emotion | ||
| One from History and Systems | 3 | |
| History and Systems | ||
| Psychological Assessment | ||
| Electives | 3 | |
| Thesis (Two Semesters Required) | 6 | |
| Capstone Project | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |