Master of Arts in Psychology

Admission Requirements

Applications are reviewed in terms of four sources of information, although performance related to any one source is not sufficient to assure or deny admission. Applicants are assumed to have substantial training in psychology at the undergraduate level with a minimum of 18 hours of credit in psychology, including introductory statistics. Applicants may be required to complete additional courses following matriculation in order to satisfy these basic requirements.

The application procedure includes submission of:

A transcript showing the completion of an undergraduate major or minor in psychology
Graduate Record Examination (verbal and quantitative tests)
Three letters of recommendation
An autobiography describing academic interests and professional goals
The Department of Psychology admission application

Students are admitted only during the Fall Semester each year. The deadline for receipt of all application materials is January 20.

It is the policy and commitment of the Department of Psychology not to discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, color, national origin, height, weight, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, handicap, or Veteran status in its educational programs, student programs, admissions, or employment policies. The Department of Psychology complies with all requirements of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the 1972 Amendments, Executive Order 11246 as amended, and Section 504 or the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and all other pertinent state and federal regulations.

Program Requirements

Behavior Analysis
Advisor:
James E. Carr,
Behavior Analysis Program Chair
3758 Wood Hall

This program prepares students for doctoral study or for work in applied settings.

The Behavior Analysis program requires thirty-six credit hours, including:

Principles of Learning and Motivation (3 hrs.)
Theoretical Issues in Behavior Analysis (3 hrs.)
Professional Issues (3 hrs.)
Behavioral Approaches to Individual and Systems Management (3 hrs.)
Cognates (0-3 hrs.)
Research Methods (6 hrs.)
Master’s Thesis or Master’s Project (6 hrs.)
Behavior Analysis: Theory and Application (6-9 hrs.)
Professional Experience (0-9 hrs.)

Note: Limited license advisory:
Behavior-analysis students wishing to qualify for a Limited License to Practice as a psychologist in the State of Michigan are advised that the General Rules of the Board of Psychology of Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulation lists the following requirements for a Rule 7 limited license at the M.A. Level:

one course in assessment
one course in treatment
a 500-hour practicum under supervision of a licensed psychologist
2,000 hours of supervised, post-M.A. experience.

Behavior-analysis students may need to take two or more extra courses to meet these additional requirements. Students interested in qualifying for a limited license are encouraged to consult the appropriate licensing law and the Board of Psychology for further details.

Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Advisor:
Alyce Dickinson,
Industrial/Organizational Psychology Program Chair
3700 Wood Hall

The master’s program in Industrial/Organizational Psychology prepares students for human resource management positions in business, government, and human service organizations or for entry into a Ph.D. program for advanced study.

This program requires a minimum of thirty-six credit hours, including:

Industrial/Organization Psychology Core (9 hrs.)
Behavior Principles (3 hrs.)
Behavior Systems Analysis (6 hrs.)
Methodology (6 hrs.)
Research Methods and Applications (6 hrs.)
Elective Cognates (6 hrs.)
A master’s thesis is required of persons planning to pursue a Ph.D. degree, while those with a professional orientation select a research project (3 hrs.) and a professional practicum (3 hrs.) in an industrial setting. The selection of elective courses outside the core, including the thesis option, is approved by the advisor for the industrial/organizational psychology program.

Clinical Psychology
No terminal Master of Arts is offered in Clinical Psychology. A master’s degree in this area is offered only as part of the Doctor of Philosophy. See the description of the doctoral program in clinical psychology for more information.