PSYCHOLOGY
COLLEGE OF ARTS, HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
LEADING TO THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS (M.A.)

 

Purposes

The purposes of offering graduate study in the Department of Psychology are:

  1. To prepare the student for a Ph.D. program in Psychology through a Master of Arts degree program providing knowledge and research skills.
  2. To provide students not intending to pursue a Ph.D. degree with a variety of courses that will help prepare them for paraprofessional positions.

 

Requirements for Admission

To be considered for admission to the Master of Psychology degree program, the applicant must meet the following criteria:

  1. Complete the university graduate application and meet all University admission requirements.
  2. Have taken at least 18 semester hours of undergraduate credit in psychology and/or educational psychology, including at least three semester hours each in a statistics course and in a general experimental (laboratory) course.
  3. An undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or higher in all psychology and/or educational psychology courses attempted is expected to be considered for regular admission and a minimum 2.50 is expected to be considered for provisional admission.
  4. Under the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scoring system instituted in 2011, a combined score of at least 294 on the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the GRE is typically expected in order to be considered for regular admission status. A combined score of at least 289 is typically expected to be considered for provisional status. A GRE score for the psychology subject test is not required, but may offset a low combined verbal and quantitative score.
  5. Submit a personal statement and at least three appropriate, satisfactory letters of reference.
  6. Applicants are reviewed in a comprehensive manner and admission to the program is selective and limited in order to guarantee progression through the program. Application materials such as the personal statement, letters of recommendation and relevant research experience are given serious consideration in addition to grades and GRE scores. To guarantee review, application materials should be received by March 15 for Fall admission and by October 15 for Spring admission.

 

Requirements for Degree

To receive the Master of Arts degree in Psychology, the student must:

  1. Pass 38 hours of graduate courses, including 6 hours of thesis approved by student’s thesis committee or 6 hours of non-thesis project approved by the non-thesis graduate faculty advisory committee. Psychology 649 Independent Skills Augmentation for Research may not be counted toward the required 38 hours. Hours completed in thesis (Psychology 770) will not count toward the required hours for non-thesis project (Psychology 771) and completed non-thesis project hours (Psychology 771) will not be counted toward the completion of the thesis (Psychology 770).
  2. Maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA with no more than two grades of “C” for the entire program. A grade of at least “B” is required for satisfactory completion of Psychology 635 and Psychology 636.
  3. Pass comprehensive examinations administered by the Department. This requirement is satisfied by a grade of "B" or better on the final exam in Psychology 635, Psychology 636, Psychology 612, Psychology 613, and Psychology 614.

 

Course Requirements

 

Required Courses (26 hours)

PSYC 635: Experimental Design and Analysis 4 hours
PSYC 636: Nonexperimental Design and Analysis 4 hours
PSYC 612: Learning, Memory, and Cognition 3 hours
PSYC 613: Physiological Psychology 3 hours
PSYC 614: Social Psychology 3 hours
PSYC 660: Special Topics in Psychology or PSYC 661: Special Topics in
Industrial/Organizational Psychology 		3 hours
PSYC 770: Thesis or PSYC 771: Non-Thesis Project 3 hours

 

Elective Courses (12 hours)

PSYC 521: History and Systems of Psychology 3 hours
PSYC 522: Abnormal Psychology 3 hours
PSYC 549: Individual Research in Psychology 3 hours
PSYC 552: Industrial Psychology 3 hours
PSYC: 570: Organizational Psychology 3 hours
PSYC 582: Seminar in Psychology 3 hours
PSYC 615: Psychological Assessment 3 hours
PSYC 616: Theories of Personality 3 hours
PSYC 620: Developmental Psychology 3 hours
PSYC 679: Psychotherapy Techniques 3 hours
PSYC 668: Independent Readings in Psychology 3 hours
PSYC 683: Practicum 3 hours
PSYC 692: Psychopharmacology 3 hours
PSYC 660: Special Topics in Psychology or PSYC 661: Special Topics in
Industrial/Organizational Psychology		 up to 9 hours

 

Concentration in Industrial/Organizational Psychology

First Year

First Semester

PSYC 635: Experimental Design and Analysis 4 hours
PSYC 614: Social Psychology 3 hours
PSYC 612: Learning, Memory, and Cognition 3 hours

 

Second Semester

PSYC 636: Nonexperimental Design and Analysis 4 hours
PSYC 613: Physiological Psychology 3 hours
PSYC 661: Special Topics in Industrial/Organizational Psychology 3 hours

 

Second Year

First Semester

PSYC 615: Psychological Assessment 3 hours
PSYC 770: Thesis or PSYC 771: Non-Thesis Project 3 hours
PSYC 683: Practicum 3 hours

 

Second Semester

PSYC 661: Special Topics in Industrial/Organizational Psychology 3 hours
PSYC 770: Thesis or PSYC 771: Non-Thesis Project 3 hours
PSYC 683: Practicum 3 hours


 

Thesis Plan

Thesis Requirements

A complete description of the thesis requirements (as well as other departmental policies) can be found in the Guide to Graduate Study in Psychology at Southeastern Louisiana University given to all students when they first enter the program.

 

Thesis Committee

The student will be supervised by a thesis committee consisting of the major professor and a minimum of two other members from the Psychology faculty. Committees may include one member from outside the Department in addition to the required three members from the department. The committee should be chosen by the student in consultation with the major professor. Faculty chosen for the committee should not be asked to serve until the student and major professor have agreed on the exact topic for the thesis as well as the methodology to be used.

 

Major Professor

The major professor who directs the thesis project must be a member of the Psychology Department faculty and a member of the Graduate Faculty. A faculty member is limited to chairing three thesis committees at a time, with no more than two in the pre-proposal stage.

 

After 2 semesters, if the thesis proposal has not been accepted, the major professor’s commitment to the project ends. In addition, if the entire thesis project has not been completed in 2 years, the major professor’s commitment to the project ends. In the event that a student goes past one of the thesis deadlines, it may be necessary to change major professors and possibly thesis topic (this applies even to students who have thesis proposals approved).

 

Progression

Students who have not successfully proposed the thesis within 2 regular semesters of eligibility will be required to enroll in PSYC 649 Independent Skills Augmentation for Research each semester concurrently with thesis (PSYC 770) until the student has successfully proposed. Students who have not successfully defended the thesis within 2 regular semesters of proposing will be required to enroll in Psychology 649 Independent Skills Augmentation for Research each semester concurrently with thesis (Psychology 770) until the student has completed all requirements for the defense, including those outlined in the University’s Thesis and Dissertation Standards.

 

Non-Thesis Plan

Non-Thesis Project Requirements

The non-thesis plan is designed for students specifically interested in paraprofessional positions, and not for students hoping to pursue Ph.D. program placement. Faculty will not write letters of recommendation for non-thesis plan students who apply to Ph.D. programs. A complete description of the non-thesis project requirements (as well as other departmental policies) can be found in the Guide to Graduate Study in Psychology  at Southeastern Louisiana University given to all students when they first enter the program and posted online. The project should be developed to reflect the student’s long-term career goals in a paraprofessional position and must be approved by the non-thesis graduate faculty advisory committee.

 

Non-Thesis Project Committee

Students who opt to complete a non-thesis project must also select a major professor to supervise the project. Students must submit a project proposal during a departmental seminar that must be approved by the non-thesis graduate faculty advisory committee the semester prior to its completion. All non-thesis students must also present a non-thesis project defense during a departmental seminar describing the non-thesis project the semester of its completion. This must at a minimum include a review paper on the area of study and a presentation before the non-thesis graduate faculty advisory committee. Students have one opportunity to repeat the seminar in the event of unsatisfactory performance. Departmental seminar dates will be made available at the beginning of each semester (see graduate guide or graduate coordinator).

 

Major Professor

The major professor who directs the non-thesis project must be a member of the Psychology Department faculty and a member of the Graduate Faculty. After 2 semesters, if the non-thesis project proposal has not been accepted, the major professor’s commitment to the project ends. In addition, if the entire non-thesis project has not been completed in 2 years, the major professor’s commitment to the project ends. In the event that a student goes past one of the non-thesis deadlines, it may be necessary to change major professors and possibly non-thesis topics (this applies even to students who have non-thesis proposals approved).

 

Progression

Students who have not successfully proposed the non-thesis project within 2 regular semesters of eligibility will be required to enroll in Psychology 649 Independent Skills Augmentation for Research each semester concurrently with non-thesis (Psychology 771) until the student has successfully proposed. Students who have not successfully defended the non-thesis project within 2 regular semesters of proposing will be required to enroll in Psychology 649 Independent Skills Augmentation for Research each semester concurrently with non-thesis (Psychology 771) until the student has completed all requirements for the defense.