The Master of Arts in Psychology

Course Requirements for the Master’s Degree: 30 units

Continuous enrollment is required. A maximum of 9 semester units of transfer credit may be applied toward the degree.
Graduate Time Limit: All requirements for the degree are to be completed within five years of the end of the semester of enrollment in the oldest course applied toward the degree. See “Graduate Education” in The University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements.

Application Procedures:

The Department of Psychology admits applicants to its MA program only in the fall semester each year. In addition to the Office of Graduate Programs’ admission prerequisites and application procedures (please see The University Catalog, Graduate Education: Application Procedures), the Department of Psychology requires the completion of its own Admissions Application, including a Statement of Purpose, and three letters of recommendation. These application materials are available through the Office of Graduate Programs and are to be submitted along with transcripts and test scores, by March 1 for consideration for fall admission.

Prerequisites for Admission to Conditionally Classified Status:

1. Satisfactory grade point average as specified in “Admission to Master’s Degree Programs” in The University Catalog.

2. Approval by the department and the Office of Graduate Programs.

3. An acceptable baccalaureate from an accredited institution.

4. Completion of either the Graduate Record Examination Aptitude Test or the Miller Analogies Test. The Graduate Record Examination Advanced Test in Psychology is not required but will be considered if available.

Prerequisites for Admission to Classified Status:

In addition to any requirements listed above:

Students must have completed the following four course prerequisites within the last ten years: one course in the psychology of learning; one course in developmental or child psychology; one course in statistics for psychology; one course in either the psychology of personality, abnormal psychology, or social psychology. Students intending to pursue enrollment in the School Psychology Credential/Pupil Personnel Services specialization have the additional undergraduate prerequisite of one course in psychometrics (psychological measurement).

Advancement to Candidacy:

In addition to any requirements listed above:

1. Classified graduate standing and completion of at least 12 units of the proposed program, including 9 units selected from PSY 255 (for Psychological Science Option) or PSY 355 (for Applied Psychology Option), PSY 300, PSY 331 or PSY 332, with at least a B average in these courses.

2. Student must pass the writing proficiency requirement in order to be advanced to candidacy.

3. All “Incomplete” grades in courses included in the approved program must be completed before a student will be advanced to candidacy.

4. Formation of the graduate advisory committee.

5. Development of an approved program in consultation with the graduate advisory committee and approved by the Graduate Coordinator.

6. Approval of the graduate committee in the Department of Psychology.

Requirements for the MA Degree in Psychology: Option in Psychological Science

Completion of all requirements as established by the department graduate committee, the graduate advisory committee, and the Office of Graduate Programs, to include:

1. Completion of an approved program consisting of 30 units of 200/300-level courses as follows:
(a) Course Requirements:

PSY    255    Principles of Psych Measurement    3.0    FS

Prerequisites: A course in statistics including research design.

PSY    300    Research and Evaluation Methods    3.0    FS

Prerequisites: PSY 107 or equivalent, faculty permission.

PSY    301    Adv Statistical Methods in Psy    3.0    SP

Prerequisites: PSY 300 or faculty permission.

PSY    310    Advanced General Psychology    3.0    FA

PSY    315    Sem Contemporary Issues Gen Psy    3.0    SP

PSY    328B    Issues Teaching College Psych    1.0    FS

Prerequisites: Graduate standing in psychology, completion of appropriate graduate-level course work, concurrent enrollment in PSY 329B, faculty permission.

PSY    329B    Supervised Teaching College Psy    1.0    FS

Prerequisites: Graduate standing in psychology, concurrent enrollment in PSY 328B, faculty permission.

PSY    331    Advanced Developmental Psych    3.0    FS

Prerequisites: PSY 202; faculty permission.

PSY    332    Advanced Human Learning    3.0    FA

Prerequisites: PSY 109 or PSY 205; faculty permission.

PSY    396    Research Assistantship    1.0    FS

Prerequisites: PSY 107 or equivalent and at least conditionally classified status; faculty permission. This course must be repeated twice but may be repeated four times.

NOTE: Students may complete 4 units of PSY 396 in lieu of PSY 328B and PSY 329B.

PSY    399    Master’s Study    1.0-6.0    FS

Prerequisites: Advancement to candidacy; faculty permission.

(b) At least 24 of the units required for the degree must be in 300-level courses. The student’s graduate advisory committee and the graduate committee may grant exceptions to this.
(c) Not more than 9 semester units of transfer and/or extension credit (correspondence courses and U.C. extension course work are not acceptable).
(d) Not more than 15 units taken before admission to classified status.
(e) At least 9 units completed after advancement to candidacy.
(f) Not more than a total of 10 units of Independent Study (398) and Master’s Study (399); not more than 6 units of Master’s Study (399). (Enrollment in 399 is restricted to students who have been advanced to candidacy; students may not enroll in 399 for more than three semesters.) Not more than 4 units of Research Assistantship (PSY 396). Not more than 2 units of supervised college teaching (PSY 328, PSY 329).
(g) With the exceptions of Research Assistantship (396) and Master’s Study (399), all course work included in the approved program must be taken for a letter grade.

2. Completion and final approval of a thesis as specified by the student’s graduate advisory committee.

3. Satisfactory completion of an oral examination in the field of study.

4. Approval by the departmental graduate committee and the Graduate Coordinators Committee on behalf of the faculty of the university.

Requirements for the MA Degree in Psychology: Option in Applied Psychology

Completion of all requirements as established by the department graduate committee, the graduate advisory committee, and the Office of Graduate Programs, to include:

1. Completion of an approved program consisting of 30 units of 200/300-level courses as follows:

(a) Course Requirements:

PSY    300    Research and Evaluation Methods    3.0    FS

Prerequisites: PSY 107 or equivalent; faculty permission.

PSY    331    Advanced Developmental Psych    3.0    FS

Prerequisites: PSY 202; faculty permission.

PSY    332    Advanced Human Learning    3.0    FA

Prerequisites: PSY 109 or PSY 205; faculty permission.

PSY    398R    Analytical Review    3.0    FS

Prerequisites: Advancement to candidacy; faculty permission.

OR     (the following course may be substituted for the above)

PSY    399    Master’s Study    1.0-6.0    FS

Prerequisites: Advancement to candidacy; faculty permission.

NOTE: Students pursuing the School Psychology Credential must complete Master’s Study (399).

(b) At least three courses chosen from:

PSY    255    Principles of Psych Measurement    3.0    FS

Prerequisites: A course in statistics including research design.

PSY    260    Industrial/Organizational Psych    3.0    FS

PSY    273A    Counseling Psychology    3.0    FS

Prerequisites: PSY 225 or PSY 235; senior or graduate standing; faculty permission.

PSY    355    Psychological Testing in Schools    3.0    SP

Prerequisites: PSY 255, classified status, faculty permission.

PSY    370    Seminar in Group Counseling    3.0    FS

Prerequisites: PSY 273A (with a grade of B or better), faculty permission.

PSY    372    Cross-Culture Issues Counseling    3.0    FA

Prerequisites: PSY 273A, faculty permission.

PSY    378    Career Counseling/Development    3.0    SP

Prerequisites: Faculty permission.

(c) Two or three elective courses.
(d) At least 24 of the units required for the degree must be in 300-level courses. The student’s graduate advisory committee and the graduate committee may grant exceptions to this.
(e) Not more than 9 semester units of transfer and/or extension credit (correspondence courses and U.C. extension course work are not acceptable).
(f) Not more than 15 units taken before admission to classified status.
(g) At least 9 units completed after advancement to candidacy.
(h) Not more than a total of 10 units of Independent Study (398) and Master’s Study (399); not more than 6 units of Master’s Study (399). (Enrollment in 398R or 399 is restricted to students who have been advanced to candidacy; students may not enroll in 399 for more than three semesters.) Not more than 4 units of supervised college teaching
(PSY 328, PSY 329).
(i) With the exception of Master’s Study (399), all course work included in the approved program must be taken for a letter grade.

2. Completion and final approval of a thesis or analytical review as specified by the student’s graduate advisory committee.

3. Satisfactory completion of an oral examination in the field of study.

4. Approval by the departmental graduate committee and the Graduate Coordinators Committee on behalf of the faculty of the university.

School Psychology Credential/Pupil Personnel Services Course Work:

Work leading to the School Psychology Credential is offered in conjunction with the MA in Psychology with an Option in Applied Psychology. This is a 77-unit program (including the 30 units for the MA). This program meets the State of California’s requirements for the School Psychology Credential, and is accredited by the National Association of School Psychologists. Application for this program is made one year after the student has been admitted to the MA program and taken the required first-year course work to prepare for the program. Further information on recommended course sequences and application procedures for this program are available from the Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Program Coordinator.

School Psychology Credential/PPS Program Requirements

PSY    273A    Counseling Psychology    3.0    FS

Prerequisites: PSY 225 or PSY 235; senior or graduate standing; faculty permission.

PSY    300    Research and Evaluation Methods    3.0    FS

Prerequisites: PSY 107 or equivalent, faculty permission.

PSY    331    Advanced Developmental Psych    3.0    FS

Prerequisites: PSY 202, faculty permission.

PSY    332    Advanced Human Learning    3.0    FA

Prerequisites: PSY 109 or PSY 205; faculty permission.

PSY    339    Practicum Psych School Consult    3.0    FA

Prerequisites: PSY 332, PSY 355, admission to PPS Program, faculty permission.

PSY    355    Psychological Testing in Schools    3.0    SP

Prerequisites: PSY 255, classified status, faculty permission.

PSY    360    Assess Intelligence/Cognition    2.0    FA

Prerequisites: PSY 355, concurrent enrollment in PSY 360A, faculty permission.

PSY    360A    Prctm Assess Int/Cog    1.0    FA

Prerequisites: PSY 355, concurrent enrollment in PSY 360, faculty permission.

PSY    361    Social/Emotional Assessment    2.0    SP

Prerequisites: PSY 355, concurrent enrollment in PSY 361A, faculty permission.

PSY    361A    Prctm Social/Emotional Assess    1.0    SP

Prerequisites: PSY 355, concurrent enrollment in PSY 361, faculty permission.

PSY    363    Advanc Sup Psy Assessment    3.0    FA

Prerequisites: PSY 360, PSY 360A, PSY 361, PSY 361A, faculty permission.

PSY    370    Seminar in Group Counseling    3.0    FS

Prerequisites: PSY 273A (with a grade of B or better), faculty permission.

PSY    372    Cross-Culture Issues Counseling    3.0    FA

Prerequisites: PSY 273A, faculty permission.

PSY    373A    Practicum Individual Counseling    3.0    FS

Prerequisites: PSY 273A (with grade of B or higher), classified status in MA or MS Psychology program, faculty permission.

PSY    373B    Practicum in Group Counseling    3.0    FS

Prerequisites: Candidacy in MA or MS Psychology program. Grade of B or higher in PSY 370, PSY 373A, faculty permission.

PSY    378    Career Counseling/Development    3.0    SP

Prerequisites: Faculty permission.

PSY    380A    School Psy: Intro to Profession    3.0    FA

Prerequisites: Faculty permission.

PSY    380B    Sch Psy: Study Child Exceptions    3.0    SP

Prerequisites: PSY 380A, faculty permission.

PSY    380C    Schl Psy: Principles & Programs    3.0    SP

Prerequisites: PSY 380A, PSY 380B, faculty permission.

PSY    388A    Fieldwork School Counsel I    5.0    FA

Prerequisites: Open only to students admitted to the PPS Program.

PSY    388B    Fieldwork School Counsel II    5.0    SP

Prerequisites: Open only to students admitted to the PPS Program.

PSY    389A    Intern in School Psych I    5.0    FA

Prerequisites: Open only to approved candidates for School Psychology.

PSY    389B    Intern in School Psych II    5.0    SP

Prerequisites: Open only to approved candidates for School Psychology.

PSY    399    Master’s Study    1.0-6.0    FS

Prerequisites: Advancement to candidacy, faculty permission.

Graduate Literacy Requirement:

Writing proficiency is a graduation requirement.

Psychology MA students will demonstrate their writing competence through an essay examination offered once a semester by the Department of Psychology’s graduate committee. This requirement must be completed prior to advancement to candidacy.

Graduate Grading Requirements:

All courses in the major (with the exceptions of Research Assistantship-396 and Master’s Study-399) must be taken for a letter grade, except those courses specified by the department as ABC/No Credit (200-level courses), AB/No Credit (300-level courses), or Credit/No Credit grading only. A maximum of 10 units combined of ABC/No Credit, AB/No Credit, and Credit/No Credit grades may be used on the approved program (including 396, 399, and courses outside the major).

All courses on the student’s program, with the exception of Research Assistantship (396) and Master’s Study (399) must be taken for a letter grade.

Students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average in all course work on the approved master’s degree program as well as in all course work taken subsequent to admission to conditionally classified status. Students admitted to the School Psychology Credential Program must maintain a 3.4 grade point average in required courses.

Graduate Advising Requirement:

MA Psychology students should consult the Psychology Graduate Coordinator in planning their program.

MA School Psychology students should consult the School Psychology Credential/Pupil Personnel Services Coordinator in planning their program.

Research With Human Participants Or Animals:

All research projects which involve human participants must be reviewed for adherence to ethical guidelines as outlined in departmental and university policies (EM 84-03). No project may proceed without prior approval by the department’s Ethical Treatment in Human Investigations Committee. All research with animals must adhere to the guidelines outlined in the University Animal Welfare Policy.