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The Master of Science degree with a major in general psychology is offered for those students who seek to improve their knowledge, skills, and experiences in the discipline of psychology in order to pursue a psychology-related occupation or to strengthen their educational background for application to doctoral programs. This program offers a terminal Master of Science degree which provides the student with the basic knowledge and skills appropriate for a graduate education which may serve as a foundation for programs offering doctoral training. In addition, it prepares the student for a range of occupations in business, government, and human services, but excludes the provision of clinical services.
The Master's program in general psychology has two goals. The first goal is to provide the student with sufficient breadth in the methodology and content of psychology to demonstrate competence in two major areas:
Core areas of the discipline of psychology
Core areas include: biological bases and correlates of behavior; principles of behavior acquisition and change - to include learning/cognition; principles of social behavior- to include traditional social psychology or group behavior; individual or unique bases of behavior- to include personality or development.
Methods of the discipline of psychology
The degree program will provide students with the means for both understanding and possibly contributing to new developments in the field - the techniques necessary to be a sophisticated consumer, and possibly a producer, of research. These techniques include statistical procedures and the design of experiments.
A second goal of the program is to provide the student with sufficient information and skills to apply the knowledge of the discipline competently in their daily lives and careers. This includes course work in the theory and techniques of the application of psychological principles, and also includes a thorough grounding in ethical and professional standards of psychologists.
Although the program builds upon a core of basic courses, it provides some flexibility for students (with the approval of their advisors) to shape their course of study to fit special interests and needs. For example, with the help of their advisors, eligible students may build a concentration in social or quantitative psychology.
More in-depth information can be found in our admissions requirements and application materials.