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Master of Science

Psychology

The Master of Science in Psychology program at Arkansas Tech University is designed to provide advanced students with sufficient breadth and depth to function in a variety of professional environments. While emphasis is placed on research and Psychological Principles, a concentrated effort is also made to establish the foundation necessary for teaching, practice, post-graduate work, research, or any combination of these areas.

Unconditional Admission

Students are eligible to apply for unconditional admission to the Master of Science degree program in Psychology if they meet the following requirements and are approved by the Psychology graduate faculty:

  1. Applicants must meet the admission requirements for the Graduate College.
  2. Applicants must have a minimum of 18 semester hours in Psychology at the undergraduate level (including a course in statistics, and research methods, with a grade of "B" or better).
  3. Applicants must have an overall undergraduate grade point of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
  4. Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation, including two from faculty members.
  5. Applicants must submit a statement of intent. This statement must answer four questions: 1) Why does the applicant want to pursue this degree?; 2) Why does the applicant want to pursue this degree at Arkansas Tech University?; 3) What are the applicant's research interests and career goals?; and 4) Why does the applicant think they are qualified to receive a graduate assistant position?
  6. Approval from the Program Director.

Conditional Admission

Applicants who fail to meet the criteria for unconditional admission may be admitted conditionally to enroll in twelve (12) semester hours. Students admitted conditionally must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 at the completion of twelve (12) semester hours with no grade lower than "C".

An applicant who satisfies the grade point requirement from an unaccredited institution may also be eligible for conditional admission. In such cases, transcripts may be judged to be deficient. The nature of the deficiency and subsequent deficiency requirements will be determined by the Psychology Graduate Committee and the Director of the Graduate Program in Psychology or the Head of the Department.

Academic Advisors

The Director of the Graduate Program in Psychology or the Head of the Department will assign a temporary faculty advisor to each student admitted to the degree program. The faculty advisor will assist the student in designing a curriculum of study that leads to the fulfilment of the degree requirements and the preparation of the thesis. The faculty advisor, the Psychology Graduate Committee, and the Graduate College monitor the student's progress in the program. However, it remains the student's responsibility to understand and to satisfy all degree requirements.

Degree Requirements

The student seeking the Master of Science degree in Psychology must complete the following:

  1. A minimum of 30 semester hours in Psychology at the graduate level (5000-6000) with no more than 12 hours of 5000 level courses considered toward completion of the degree.
    Required Courses (12 hours)

    PSY 6003 Advanced Principles of Psychology I
    PSY 6013 / SOC 6013 Advanced Statistics
    PSY 6023 Research Design
    PSY 6103 Advanced Principles of Psychology II

    Electives (18 hours, minimum 6 hours at the 6000 level)

    PSY 5013 History of Psychology
    PSY 5033 Psychological Tests and Measurements
    PSY 5043 Social Psychology
    PSY 5053 Psychology of Perception
    PSY 5073 Cognitive Psychology
    PSY 6033 Personality Testing
    PSY 6043 Psychopathology
    PSY 6053 Advanced Developmental Psychology
    PSY 6063 Advanced Physiological Psychology
    PSY 6073 Personality Dynamics and Theories
    PSY 6083 Seminar in Psychology
    PSY 6091-6 Advanced Field Placement
    PSY 6993-6 Thesis Research
    PSY 6891-4 Independent Study

  2. The satisfactory completion of six (6) hours of PSY 6991-3.
  3. Thesis hours must earn a grade no lower than "B".
  4. The successful completion of an oral defense of the completed thesis or comprehensive examination. Candidates will receive additional information on the oral defense from the Academic Advisor and the Director of the Graduate Program in Psychology upon admission to candidacy.
  5. No more than six (6) hours of PSY 6993-6 Thesis Research will be counted toward the degree.
  6. No more than six (6) hours of PSY 6891-3 Independent Study will be counted toward the degree.
  7. A cumulative grade point average of a 3.00 or better must be achieved in all graduate work attempted at Arkansas Tech University, with a maximum of six (6) hours of "C" grades. A student receiving more than six (6) hours of "C" or grades lower than "C" should refer to the section of the catalog on Academic Probation and Dismissal.
  8. All course work must be completed within six (6) years of admission to the degree program.
  9. A minimum of 24 semester hours of graduate course work completed in residence at Arkansas Tech University.
  10. At the end of each fall semester, the student will meet with the Psychology Graduate Committee for program review and evaluation.

Degree Works

Degree Works is a software tool utilized by Arkansas Tech University designed to detail academic progression. It allows both students and advisors to monitor course progress towards degree completion and clearly indicates which course requirements have been met as well as how courses transfer into a program. Transfer courses must be approved through the use of a substitution/waiver form available via the Registrar for progress to display correctly within Degree Works. 

Degree Works will display course progression based on the current program of study, but a "what-if" scenario can be generated for any program to see how progression looks with the courses currently completed and in progress. Note that if you have applied to and been admitted to a graduate program while still finishing your undergraduate program, Degree Works will show your new program of study in the graduate program and you would have to generate a "what-if" query to see your undergraduate degree progress.

Application for Graduation

In addition to satisfying all degree requirements, a candidate for a degree must file an  Application for Graduation online.  Students must apply for graduation by Reading day of the semester prior to the semester of graduation.

Special Conditions of Graduate Credit

Graduate Credit Taken Prior to Admission to Arkansas Tech University

A maximum of six (6) semester hours of graduate credit with a grade of "B" or better may be transferred from an accredited school if deemed appropriate to the Psychology Graduate Committee, the Director of the Graduate Program in Psychology, and the Graduate College Dean. Students must send a written request through the Psychology Graduate Committee to petition the acceptance of the transfer credit prior to requesting admission to candidacy to the graduate program. Graduate credit earned six (6) years prior to the completion date of all degree requirements may not be applied toward the degree without the approval of the Director of the Graduate Program in Psychology or the Head of the Department and the Graduate College Dean. Credits earned by correspondence courses or taken for remedial purposes will not apply toward the graduate degree.

Graduate Credit Taken After Admission to Arkansas Tech University

If after admission to graduate study, a student wishes to take a course at another institution to count toward degree requirements at Arkansas Tech University, the student must (in advance of enrollment) obtain written approval from the faculty advisor, the Psychology Graduate Committee, the Director of the Graduate Program in Psychology, and the Graduate College Dean.