Program: Psychology (M.S.) - Kansas State University

Apr 02, 2025

2017-2018 Graduate Catalog

Graduate programs in Psychological Sciences provide professional training leading to the master of science degree.

Master’s programs are offered in four broad areas:

(1) behavioral neuroscience/animal learning (with concentrations in animal learning/behavior or physiological psychology/behavioral neuroscience)

(2) cognitive/human factors psychology (with concentrations in psycholinguistics, judgment and decision making,
human factors/engineering psychology, or sensation and perception)

(3) social-personality (with concentrations in social, personality, or developmental psychology)

(4) industrial/ organizational (with concentrations in human-resources/personnel issues and procedures, organizational behavior and theory)

At the master’s level, students may specialize in any of the traditional areas. The first year of the Master’s program is spent primarily in basic courses. Graduate students will also complete a first-year research project (see below). During the second year, students begin to satisfy related requirements, complete work on their master’s thesis, and begin to develop a major area of professional interest.

Department Requirements

A minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate credit is required for the Psychology Master of Science degree program, of which no less than 22 hours must be earned in coursework. Coursework for the M.S. program in Psychology must include PSYCH 802, PSYCH 805, and the seminar in Professional Problems (PSYCH 968). Students must also complete a minimum of 6 Master’s Thesis research credit hours (PSYCH 899) for their Master’s program of study. Course selection is done in consultation with and with the approval of the student’s supervisory committee.

First-Year Research Project

Graduate students will complete a first-year research project that is designed in consultation with their major adviser. This research endeavor is intended to reflect the importance of establishing a productive research component of an individual’s graduate program. Early in the second year, students will present their first-year project to the department in a format similar to a national meeting of a scientific society.

Master’s Thesis

Ideally, the Master’s thesis should be completed by the end of the third year. Students will complete a Master’s thesis prior to taking a preliminary examination and being advanced to candidacy in the doctoral program.

Distance Master’s Program in Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Distinct from the on-campus graduate program area in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, there is a distance Master’s program in Industrial/Organizational Psychology which does not include a thesis project. The Master of Science program in industrial/organizational psychology (MIOP) is a 38-hour sequence of on-campus and web-based courses. The program is directed at working human resource professionals and aims at teaching students to apply analytical behavioral science skill and course concepts to company related issues. The program spans 2 1/2 years and consists of eight courses in such areas as performance appraisal and compensation, training and program evaluation, job analysis and selection, organizational topics, ethical and legal issues, and applied research methods. The last semester of the program consists of students conducting a research practicum in their own organization under the supervision of faculty. Students attend campus once a year over the summer for two-week sessions. Four courses are taught as on-campus courses, and the remaining four courses and practicum are delivered via web-based instruction.

Follow this link for more information about our distance master’s program.