MS IN PSYCHOLOGY
The two-year curriculum in the Master of Science in Psychology degree program is designed to provide excellent training in research skills. Students gain expertise in the formulation of research designs and in the acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data. Laboratory courses in cognitive psychology, statistics and biological psychology are complemented by a rich array of electives in various other subfields of Psychology.
In addition, students may elect to take a graduate course in a department other than psychology to round out their area of special interest. Biology, chemistry, computer science, human resource development and applied statistics have been of particular interest in this regard. Students are required to complete a total of eight courses, including statistics and at least two laboratory courses and to conduct an original piece of research under faculty supervision in the form of a thesis.
The elective courses are designed to allow students the flexibility to tailor the program to their particular goals. The master's thesis is required, and additional independent research is strongly encouraged. There is no comprehensive examination or foreign language requirement.
The MS degree can also be earned as part of a Combined Bachelor's-Master's Program.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Prerequisites for Application
An applicant to the master's program must have completed (or be currently enrolled in) at least 18 undergraduate hours in psychology, including statistics. See all application requirements.
Requirements for Completion of Program
The following courses are required:
- PSY 8000 - Seminar
- PSY 8100 - Stat & Experimental Des
- PSY 8050 - Biopsychology
- PSY 8150 - Cognitive Psychology
- PSY 9032 - Thesis Direction I
- PSY 9033 - Thesis Direction II
- FOUR ELECTIVES - See below
At least three electives must be from among the following program electives:
- PSY 8175 - Animal Learning & Cognition
- PSY 8200 - Perception
- PSY 8225 - Psychopathology
- PSY 8275 - Approaches to Psychotherapy
- PSY 8300 - Developmental Psychology
- PSY 8325 - Psychological Testing
- PSY 8350 - History & Systems
- PSY 8400 - Personality: Empirical Res
- PSY 8450 - Psychologic Measurement
- PSY 8500 - Psychopharmacology
- PSY 8550 - Social Psychology
- PSY 8900 - Special Topics**
- PSY 9031 - Individual Research
**Special Topics Courses taught since 2005 - Transactional Processes in Child Development; Evolutionary Approaches to Psych; Attention and Memory; Psych & Law; Sleep & Dreaming; Health Psychology; Spatial Cognition; Psych of Gender; Behavior Modification and Applied Behavior Analysis; Language and Its Acquisition; Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience; Memory and Aging; Neural and Behavioral Economics; Close Relationships; Social Neuroscience
With advisor approval, one elective may be from among the following non-program electives:
- PSY 8425 - Organizational Psychology
- PSY 8475 - Organizational Training
- PSY 8825 - Psych of Personnel Admin
- PSY 8850 - Personality Theories
- PSY 8875 - Organizational Change Mgmt.
- A graduate course offered by another academic department may be taken if it is approved as appropriate for the student's focus in psychology.
PSY 8000 - Seminar
Description: Basic issues of experimental design, methodology, ethics, procedures, and philosophy in general-experimental psychology.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2020, Fall 2019
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8050 - Biopsychology
Description: Basic principles of neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, and endocrinology and their application in the experimental analysis of behavioral processes.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2021, Fall 2020, Fall 2019
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8100 - Stat & Experimental Des
Description: Basic principles in experimental design; foundations and applications of analysis of variance, covariance, and multiple regression.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2021, Spring 2020, Spring 2019
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8150 - Cognitive Psychology
Description: Theory and research in human learning, memory, and cognitive processes.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Spring 2022, Spring 2021, Spring 2020, Spring 2019
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8175 - Animal Learning & Cognition
Description: Seminar exploring contemporary views of learning and simple cognitive processes as developed from laboratory studies of non-human animals.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2020, Spring 2019, Spring 2017
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8200 - Perception
Description: Survey of sensation and perception, primarily human, emphasizing the relevance of sensory processing to our daily lives.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Fall 2018, Spring 2015, Spring 2001, Spring 2000
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8225 - Psychopathology
Description: Examination of contemporary theories and research on classification, etiology, and treatment of mental and behavioral disorders.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2020, Fall 2018, Fall 2016
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8275 - Approaches to Psychotherapy
Description: Examination of the major theoretical positions within contemporary psychotherapy and their clinical applications to human behavior.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Spring 2021, Spring 2019, Spring 2017, Spring 2015
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8300 - Developmental Psychology
Description: An investigation of the development of the principal psychological processes of learning, perception, and motivation with emphasis on phylogenetic comparisons and the effects of early experiences on these processes in the nature organism.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Spring 2006, Spring 2004, Spring 2002, Spring 2000
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8325 - Psychological Testing
Description: Psychometric principles underlying the development and validation of psychological tests, and techniques for administration and interpretation of selected tests.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Fall 2021, Fall 2019, Fall 2017, Fall 2016
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8350 - History & Systems
Description: Overview of major concepts and theories of psychology presented in a historical context.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Spring 2003
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8400 - Personality: Empirical Res
Description: Seminar in design, conduct, and evaluation of personality research.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Fall 2015, Fall 2013, Spring 2012, Fall 2009
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8425 - Organizational Behavior
Description: Understand individual, group, and organizational behavior at work as it relates to well-being and performance. Individual group, and environmental factors will be explored as to how they independently and interactively shape employees' job attitudes, motivation, behavior, and performance in organizations. Pre-requisites: Introduction to HR in the Business World (may be waived based on HR experience). Critical evaluation and research writing (may be waived based on writing assessment).
Prerequisites: HRD 8101 and HRD 8102
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Summer 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2021, Summer 2021
CRSE Attributes: Human Resource Development
PSY 8450 - Psychologic Measurement
Description: Theoretical issues in the measurement of psychological dimensions, with special consideration of approaches to the quantification of both sensory and non-sensory continua.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered:
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8475 - Training & Development
Description: Organizations that link learning strategies to business strategies report better financial performance. Training has changed from a classroom event to learning experiences that can occur through a variety of methods: online learning, developmental assignments, team collaboration or a blend. Pre-requisites: Introduction to HR in the Business World (may be waived based on HR experience). Critical evaluation and research writing (may be waived based on writing assessment).
Prerequisites: HRD 8101 and HRD 8102 (concurrency)
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Summer 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2021, Summer 2021
CRSE Attributes: Human Resource Development
PSY 8500 - Psychopharmacology
Description: Effects of drugs on the neurochemistry of brain systems which control instinctive and learned behavior patterns.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Spring 2021, Spring 2016, Spring 2006, Spring 2003
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8550 - Social Psychology
Description: Contemporary social psychological theory and research.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Fall 2006, Fall 2004, Fall 2002, Fall 2000
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8625 - Psychopathology of Child
Description: A survey of the behavioral and emotional disorders of childhood.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Fall 2018, Spring 2016
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8650 - Psychology of Child Adolescent Development
Description: A description and explanation of the courses of psychological development from infancy to adulthood.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered:
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8750 - Behavioral Modification in Counsel
Description: Cognitive-behavioral techniques applied to programs in school, institutional, family, and institutional settings.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered:
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8800 - Psychology Personal Adjustment
Description: Examination of the nature and variety of healthy and disturbed personalities from the framework of the counseling profession.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered:
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8850 - Personality Theories
Description: Selected major theories of personality and their applications in counseling and psychotherapy.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Spring 1997, Fall 1995
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 8875 - Organization Development
Description: Planned, system-wide effort with the goal to increase organization effectiveness and health through diagnosis and interventions in the organization's processes using behavioral science knowledge. Focus on developing organization capability through alignment of strategy, structure, management processes, and people. Pre-requisites: Introduction to HR in the Business World (may be waived based on HR experience). Critical evaluation and research writing (may be waived based on writing assessment).
Prerequisites: HRD 8101 and HRD 8102
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Summer 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2021, Summer 2021
CRSE Attributes: Human Resource Development
PSY 8900 - Special Topics
Description: An intensive examination of selected individual topical areas within psychology.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Fall 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2021, Spring 2021
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 9031 - Individual Research
Description: Individual research project conducted under the direction of a Psychology faculty member.
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Fall 2022, Summer 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2021
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 9032 - Thesis Direction I
Description:
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Fall 2022, Summer 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2021
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 9033 - Thesis Direction II
Description:
Credit Hours: 3
Last Offered: Summer 2022, Spring 2022, Summer 2021, Spring 2021
CRSE Attributes: NONE
PSY 9080 - Thesis Continuation
Description:
Credit Hours: 0
Last Offered: Fall 2022, Summer 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2021
CRSE Attributes: NONE
Ready for the Next Step?
DEADLINES
Fall Admittance Only
Mid-January: Application reviews begin
March 1: Admission and funding decisions are made on a rolling basis. Complete your application by March 1 to receive priority consideration.
June 1: Rolling admission without funding for the fall
If you are applying after May 15, please contact Program Director Dr. Irene Kan.
ALUMNI NEWS
Psychology Master’s Student Earns Fulbright, Publishes Depression and Anxiety Research
Shama Huq ’21 MS, was one of 11 Villanova University students and alumni to win a prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program award for 2021-22. In addition, Huq recently had her first lead-author paper accepted for publication in Frontiers in Neuroscience.