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Master of Arts in Psychology

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    MA in General Psychology

    The overall mission of the graduate program in General Psychology is to provide students with a strong foundation in psychological science. The program is characterized by both an emphasis on advanced research and statistical training as well as a strong commitment to critical thinking. The faculty possesses expertise in social, cultural and political psychology, and in areas of learning, cognition, and neuroscience. In realizing its mission, the Master’s Program in General Psychology is committed to the following goals and objectives: to provide education and training in the use of the scientific method in psychological research; to provide education and training in ethical practices in psychology; and to provide supervision of an empirical research study of publishable quality.

    Candidates for the MA program in General Psychology should clearly state their research interest in their application's personal statement, and identify potential thesis supervisors among the department's current faculty (please see the department's main research areas or the research profiles of current faculty members). For candidates also applying to the MA in Clinical psychology, their personal statement should clearly differ from the one they submitted with their application to the clinical program.
    Applicants who do not hold a major or minor in Psychology can be accepted as prospective students but will be required to take undergraduate Psychology courses before they can enroll in the graduate program. Prerequisite courses will be determined on a case by case basis upon reviewing each application. Refer to the Admissions office website for general information on application requirements.

    A candidate for the MA General degree in psychology is required to complete twenty-one graduate credit hours in addition to nine thesis hours. The student must complete PSYC 301 and PSYC 302 and five additional graduate-level courses in psychology. One of these courses can be chosen from graduate-level courses outside the Department, according to the student’s interest and with the consent of the advisor.

    General MA students will follow the following stream of courses:
    PSYC301, PSYC302 and five of the following: PSYC 305, PSYC310, PSYC312, PSYC 314, PSYC316, PSYC318, PSYC 320, PSYC 350, PSYC 352, in addition to the Comprehensive Exam, PSYC 395 and Thesis, GPSY 399.

    Please note that as of Fall 2020-2021, the MA in General Psychology is not being offered.  ​

    MA in Clinical Psychology

    Please note that as of 2023-2024, the thesis-track of the MA in Clinical Psychology is not being offered. Applications for the clinical-track of the MA in Clinical Psychology are welcome.

    The mission of the Master’s Program in Clinical Psychology is to educate and train graduate students in the science and the practice of clinical psychology. Following the scientist-practitioner model, students will be prepared for doctoral study in clinical psychology or competent, ethical, and socially responsible professional practice. In realizing its mission, the Master’s Program in Clinical Psychologyclinical 1.png is committed to the following goals and objectives: to provide education and training in the scientific and professional foundations of the field of clinical psychology; to provide education and training for consideration of cultural diversity in the science and practice of clinical psychology; and to provide education and training in the ethics of research and professional practice.​



    Caption: Next S​teps visits our
     MA Graduate Students

    ​Students applying into the Clinical Program must hold a BA in psychology, or the equivalent. Students who do not hold a major, minor or the equivalent will not be considered for the program. There is no spring admission into the Clinical Program. The Clinical program also does not offer a prospective 

    ​​​clinical 2.pngstudent status. Candidates for the thesis-track MA program in Clinical Psychology should clearly state their research interest in their application's personal statement, and identify potential thesis supervisors among the department's current faculty (please see the department's main research areas or the research profiles of current faculty members). Refer to the Admissions office website for general information on application requirements.

    Caption: MA Clinical Psychology students attend aworkshop
    on eco-mapping with Trinity Centre for Global Health, Ireland

    ​A candidate for the MA degree in Clinical Psychology is required to complete 31 graduate credit hours in coursework, in addition to six credit hours of Clinical Practicum and six credit hours of Thesis, (thesis-track) or Project (clinical-track),​ for a total of 43 credits.

    Clinical MA students will follow the following stream of courses:
    PSYC301, PSYC302, PSYC 305, PSYC350, PSYC 352, PSYC 354, PSYC356, PSYC 358, PSYC 360, PSYC 362, PSYC364, PSYC366 in addition to the Comprehensive Exam, PSYC 395 Thesis or PSYC 398 Non-thesis Clinical Project, CPSYC 399.

    The Masters Clinical Psychology Curriculum​

    A candidate for the MA degree in Clinical Psychology is required to complete 30 graduate credit hours in coursework, in addition to six credit hours of Clinical Practicum and six credit hours of Thesis, (thesis-track) or Project (clinical-track),​ for a total of 42 credits.​

    ​​First Year – Fall Semester ​Credits
    ​PSYC 301​Research Design in Psychology
    		​3
    ​PSYC 305
    		​Ethics and Community-based Learning
    		​3
    ​PSYC 350
    		​Advanced Psychopathology I - Adult
    		​3
    ​​First Year – Spring Semester
    		​
    ​PSYC 302
    		​Statistical Analyses in Psychology
    		​3
    ​PSYC 352
    		Advanced Psychopathology II - Child​
    		​3
    ​PSYC 356
    		Introduction to Cognitive and
    Behavioral Interventions
    		​3
    ​​Summer session
    		​
    ​​​PSYC 360​​Psychopharmacology​3
    ​​Second Year – Fall Semester ​
    ​PSYC 354
    		​​Psychological Assessment and Lab
    		3
    ​​PSYC 358Introduction to Family Therapy
    		​3
    ​​PSYC 362​Clinical Practicum
    		​3
    ​​​Second Year – Spring Semester ​
    ​​PSYC 366Introduction of Psychodynamic Clinical Methods
    		​3
    ​​PSYC 364​Advanced Clinical Practicum
    		​3
    ​​CPSYC 399a (thesis track)​Clinical MA Thesis​6
    ​CPSY 398  
    (clinical track)     		​Clinical MA Project ​6
    ​​Total credits
    		​42



    ​

    Courses

    This course is the first part of the core research requirements for graduate students in psychology. It provides students with a solid foundation in the basic quantitative research methods and design, addresses ethical issues in psychological research, and introduces students to statistical analyses that will be needed for PSYC 302 and the master’s thesis. Annually.

    An advanced course in statistical analyses for the social sciences. The course explores bivariate, multivariate and structural statistical analysis using SPSS, the course combines both lecture and lab based sessions. Prerequisite: PSYC 301. Annually.

    An in-depth-exploration of the ethical and professional issues in scientific and applied psychology, with a special focus on the role psychology plays in civic engagement and community-based learning. Topics include confidentiality, informed consent, competence, integrity, and social responsibility. Optional opportunities to engage in community-based learning are available to students registered in this course. Annually.

    A critical survey of social-psychological theory and research, with special emphasis on cross-cultural variations, the course covers topics in social cognition and group processes. Alternate years.

    PSYC 312 Systems Neuroscience 3.0; 3cr.
    An advanced course on the underlying neural mechanisms of human mental processes. Using primary and secondary literature, topics are approached from a systems level and include, but are not limited to, decision-making, social cognition, control of action, creativity, language, cultural evolution, attention, memory, consciousness, and brain-computer interfaces. Alternate years.

    This course provides students with an in-depth review of the information processing paradigm with a particular emphasis on cognitive experimental techniques and procedures. Alternate years.

    PSYC 316 Experimental Analysis of Behavior 3.0; 3cr.
    An advanced course in the psychology of learning and behavior analysis concerned with the theories of associative learning and operant conditioning. It explores the classical and operant conditioning paradigms from an experimental perspective. Alternate years.

    PSYC 318 Special Topics in Psychology 3.0; 3cr.
    The topic varies from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
    PSYC 318E Neuroimaging (last given: Spring 2020)

    PSYC 320 Graduate Tutorial in Psychology 3.0; 3cr.
    May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: graduate standing and consent of instructor. Annually

    A critical examination of the symptomatology, etiology and treatment of adult psychological disorders including but not limited to mood and anxiety, psychotic, personality, eating and substance-related disorders. Annually

    A course on the critical examination of childhood disorders including the disruptive behavioral disorders, the various anxiety and mood disorders, and the per vasive development disorders. Focus is placed on diagnosis and etiology including environmental and neurobiological influences of childhood psychopathology. Annually

    The objective of this course is to provide students with the knowledge base and skills required to conduct a psychological assessment of a variety of mental health and neurological disorders. The course covers both psychometric and behavioral approaches to psychological assessment. Annually

    This course provides an introduction to the theor y and practice of cognitive and behavioral psychological inter ventions. These approaches will be contextualized within a critical discussion of the empirically supported treatments and evidence based practice movements. The course will sur vey key cognitive and behavioral approaches, including mindfulness and acceptance based “third wave” approaches. Annually

    A course on theories and practice of psychotherapy with families, couples and children. Students will gain a broad theoretical understanding of the various approaches to conducting family and couples therapy, including family systems, structural, strategic, solution-focused, behavioral and emotion-focused approaches. Annually

    A course on the principles of neuropharmacology, neurochemical systems, and the current medications used to treat psychological disorders, including psychotic disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, drug addictions, conduct disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Annually

    PSYC 362A Clinical Practicum 3.12; 3cr.
    Clinical training in AUBMC, an approved clinical setting, under the direct supervision of qualified clinical academic faculty and/or qualified clinical staff in the practicum setting. 14 hours per week. Annually

    PSYC 362B Clinical Practicum 3.12; 3cr.
    Clinical training in an approved clinical setting outside AUBMC, under the direct supervision of qualified clinical academic faculty and/or qualified clinical staff in the practicum settings. 14 hours per week. Annually

    PSYC 364A Advanced Clinical Practicum 3.12; 3cr.
    Advanced clinical training in AUBMC, an approved clinical setting, under the direct supervision of qualified clinical academic faculty and/or qualified clinical staff in the practicum setting. 14 hours per week. Annually

    PSYC 364B Advanced Clinical Practicum 3.12; 3cr.
    Advanced clinical training in an approved clinical setting outside AUBMC under the direct super vision of qualified clinical academic faculty and/or qualified clinical staff in the practicum setting. 14 hours per week. Annually

    This course provides an introduction to the theory and practice of contemporar y psychodynamic interventions. The course will cover current evidence-based psychodynamic approaches including transference-based psychotherapy, dynamic interpersonal therapy and mentalization therapy. Annually

    PSYC 395A/B Comprehensive Exam 0.0; 0cr.
    Prerequisite: Consent of advisor

    GPSY 399 General MA Thesis 9.0; 9cr.
    Annually

    CPSY 399 Clinical MA Thesis 6.0; 6cr.
    Annually

    CPSY 398 Clinical MA Non-Thesis-Clinical-Project 6.0; 6cr.
    Annually​

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