Admission Requirements
Admission to the graduate program for Psychology is very competitive, with many students applying for the program. Students with the strongest qualifications are selected. Application deadline for M.A. in Psychology is February 1. Late admit deadline is April 1. Please note: there are seldom positions available for students who submit late admit applications.
Students are admitted only for Fall semester. Application materials and instructions can be found on the Graduate Admissions website.
Undergraduate Work
- Minimum 3.0 GPA overall
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in psychology courses
- 18 credit hours of undergraduate psychology courses, including Introductory Psychology and Research Methods
- An undergraduate course in statistics
Additional Requirements
To be considered for admission, a student must present the following requirements in addition to those required by the Graduate School:
- Completed application by February 1
- An agreement with a member of the faculty in the Department of Psychological Science who will supervise the student’s research
Note: Standardized test scores (e.g., GRE, GMAT, MAT) are not required.
Degree Requirements
The program requires at least 30 credit hours of graduate coursework. Full-time students should be able to complete the program in two calendar years. All courses must be pre-approved by the student’s advisory committee. Hours beyond the 30 credit hours may be required by the academic advisor and student’s advisory committee.
During the first semester the student, with the agreement of the advisor (who must be a member of the Psychological Sciences faculty), must form a three-person advisory committee. At least one member of this committee must be on the faculty of the Department of Psychological Sciences. The members of the advisory committee may or may not be the same as members of the thesis committee.
The student, along with their committee, should draft a plan indicating which courses they anticipate taking, as well as a proposed sequence and a timeframe. Included should also be a timeframe to meet the milestones for the program (thesis proposal and defense), recognizing that some courses have prerequisites.
Students are expected to engage in research with their advisor throughout the program. A thesis is required.
Grade Requirements
Hours beyond the required 30 credit hours of graduate course work may be required by the academic advisor and the student’s advisory committee. The faculty conduct a thorough review of student performance on a regular basis. Continuation in the program is contingent upon a favorable review during these evaluations. Students who consistently show borderline course performance, who fail to complete coursework in a timely basis, or who otherwise perform unprofessionally or unsatisfactorily, may be required to complete additional courses or may be removed from the program. The enrollment of a student who receives three grades of C or one Unsatisfactory (U) grade during his or her graduate career is automatically terminated.
Assistantships
A variety of resources are available for financial assistance. These include teaching assistantships, research assistantships from faculty grants, and graduate assistantships in other campus units such as the Learning Center and Disability Student Services.
