| |
Dec 14, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
2025-2026 Graduate Catalog
Psychology (MS)
|
|
 Return to: Psychological Sciences
Graduate programs in Psychological Sciences provide professional training leading to the master of science degree as a requirement of the Ph.D. program for students entering with a relevant bachelor’s degree.
Master’s training is 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.
|
Course 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 two semesters of the one-credit seminar in Professional Problems (PSYCH 968 ). Details on the thesis requirement are provided below. A culminating experience is required for this option. The graduate student works with the major professor and the supervisory committee to determine the parameters of the culminating experience. Required Courses
14 credit hours 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
Students are expected to complete a Master’s thesis as part of their degree requirements in preparation for their doctorate work. 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. Under limited circumstances a student may complete a non-thesis report instead of a thesis by taking 2 credits of 899 and 4 credits of approved coursework in lieu of the 6 credits of 899. The report must meet department requirements and describe research conducted by the student; the final report must be approved by the student’s supervisory committee. This option is available only by means of petition of the department’s Graduate Program Committee and is intended to only be used for students who cannot complete the thesis due to extenuating circumstances and who will not be continuing to the Ph. D. Total Hours Required for Master’s: 30
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. 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. Required Courses
12 credit hours
Topics Courses
12 credit hours
Practicum: 14 credit hours taken across six semesters
Total Hours Required for Master’s: 38
|
Return to: Psychological Sciences
|
|
