Master in Arts Degree
Program Overview
Our two-year graduate program in Psychological Science awards a Masters of Arts degree. This program provides students with a solid foundation in scientific research, through a combination of mentored laboratory experience and complementary coursework. There are eight core faculty members in the program, providing the opportunity to gain expertise in cognitive, social, and/or neuroscientific approaches to experimental psychological research. Training will culminate in the proposal and defense of a thesis research project, with the goal of publishing results. Our program is designed to prepare students for further doctoral training and/or careers in academia, biomedical research, business, or clinical practice (see Alumni section for testimonials).
2023-2024 Psychological Science Program Handbook
2022-2023 Psychological Science Program Handbook
| REFER TO OUR APPLYING FOR GRADUATE ADMISSIONS PAGE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT ADMISSIONS CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES. |
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Program Requirements
Our two-year curriculum complements laboratory experience to establish a solid foundation in research, with an additional focus on professional development to prepare students for the future.
Required Courses
- PSY 509: Proseminar in Psychological Science
- PSY 511: Univariate Statistics
- PSY 611: Advanced Data Analysis
- PSY 512: Research Methods
- PSY 593: Special Topics in Psychological Science
- PSY 598: Advanced Research in Psychological Science
- At least one of the following
- PSY 525: Social Psychology
- PSY 562: Learning, Memory, and Cognition
- PSY 677: Foundations of Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience
- PSY 599: Thesis Development
- PSY 699: Research and Thesis
Highlights
- Rigorous scientific research training program
- Hands-on laboratory experience with direct mentoring from one of our core faculty members
- Coursework in statistics and methodology is structured to augment research training
- Affordable tuition with remittances available
- Travel funds available for presentation at scientific conferences
- Focus on professional development, preparing students for future applications to doctoral programs and/or careers in academia or health sciences
Faculty
The following core faculty members provide research mentorship for students in the Psychological Science program. Follow the links to their individual websites for more details.
| Faculty Profile | Title | Lab Name |
|---|---|---|
| Eric Allard | Associate Professor and Chair | Aging, Cognition, and Emotion Laboratory (ACE Lab) |
| Elizabeth Goncy | Associate Professor | HEAlthy RelaTionships Lab (HEART) |
| Michael Horvath | Professor | Horvath Organizational Psychology Research (HOPR) Laboratory |
| Robert Hurley | Assistant Professor | Neurocognitive Systems Laboratory |
| Conor McLennan | Professor and Associate Dean of Faculty, College of Arts & Sciences | Language Research Laboratory |
| Kathleen Reardon | Assistant Professor | Multimethod Assessment of Personality and Psychopathology (MAPP) Lab |
| Andrew Slifkin | Professor, Program Director | Action Laboratory |
| Albert Smith | Professor | |
| Kenneth Vail | Associate Professor | Social Psychology & Existential Attitudes Research (SPEAR) Lab |
Research Facilities
Faculty now benefit from over 14,600 square feet of dedicated research space in the new home of the CSU Department of Psychology: the Union Building on Euclid Avenue. Close proximity between laboratories, faculty and student offices promote collaboration in research. Faculty employ a wide range of research methods and technologies, allowing students to develop an optimal approach for their particular research questions