Program Overview

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Program Overview

The Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology is offered within three fields of study: Community, Developmental and Social Psychology. The program is designed to provide students with a wide range of research experiences and close mentorship with faculty members.

Program Details

Be an Agent of Change

In the Community Psychology field, students gain valuable work experience as a community consultant through a practicum placement. The program focuses on taking a value-based, action-oriented, and ecological approach to research.

Advance Your Research Abilities and Interests

In Developmental and Social Psychology, students begin conducting research with a faculty adviser in their first year. The program emphasizes the development of research skills, including the use of new methodologies and statistical techniques.

Program Options

The full-time program is normally completed in two years (six consecutive terms). Program requirements vary by field.

Community Psychology

About Community Psychology

Community psychology is a critical and applied social science that pursues action-oriented social justice research. Community psychologists recognize the communities they work with as experts on their own situations and as integral partners in designing and implementing culturally appropriate interventions.

Program Overview

The Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology with a concentration in Community Psychology requires six half-credit courses, a practicum, and a thesis. The program offers theory, research, and skills development, as well as supervised real-world application of those skills through a 200-hour practicum placement.

Required Courses

• PS600: Advanced Behavioural Statistics I
• PS606: Research in Community Settings
• PS614: Community Psychology and Social Intervention I
• PS615: Community Practicum I
• PS619: Community Psychology and Social Intervention II
• PS625: Community Practicum II
• PS699: a thesis that is supervised by one of our faculty members

Community Practicum

The community practicum courses are a significant part of this program's curriculum requirements. Students are required to complete 200 hours of supervised practicum work in an agency of their choice.

Social Psychology

Program Overview

The Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology with a concentration in Social Psychology requires five half-credit courses, a research seminar, and a thesis. The program provides an excellent foundation in research and emphasizes the development and successful completion of a master's thesis.

Required Courses

• PS600: Advanced Behavioural Statistics I
• PS601: Advanced Behavioural Statistics II
• PS670: Seminar in Social Psychology
• PS678: Research Seminar in Social Psychology
• PS699: a thesis that is supervised by one of our faculty members
• One elective:
  • PS660: Principles of Cognition
  • PS663: Principles of Neuroscience
  • PS675: Seminar in Developmental Psychology

Developmental Psychology

Program Overview

The Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology with a concentration in Developmental Psychology requires five half-credit courses, a research seminar, and a thesis. The program follows an "apprenticeship model," where students work closely with faculty on research projects from the very first day of their graduate studies.

Required Courses

• PS600: Advanced Behavioural Statistics I
• PS601: Advanced Behavioural Statistics II
• PS675: Seminar in Developmental Psychology
• PS679: Research Seminar in Developmental Psychology
• PS699: a thesis that is supervised by one of our faculty members
• One elective:
  • PS660: Principles of Cognition
  • PS663: Principles of Neuroscience
  • PS670: Seminar in Social Psychology

Research

Research Projects

Examples of research projects currently being conducted in the department include:

• Taking culture seriously in community mental health (Community)
• Housing, self-help/mutual aid, and community support projects for people with physical, developmental and/or mental health challenges (Community)
• Aging and intergenerational relationships (Developmental)
• Child memory and learning (Developmental)
• Self and social cognition (Social)
• Factors that affect women's and minority group's psychological and social responses to experiences of discrimination (Social)

Faculty Research Expertise

Community Psychology

Community Psychology faculty offer diverse interests and areas of expertise, including:

• Community-based participatory research and stakeholder engagement
• Indigenous rights and governance
• The social exclusion of LGBT individuals and communities
• Environmental justice and sustainability
• Social innovation and social change
• Youth engagement
• Health equity and policy
• Early childhood education and care
• Community and education
• Program development and evaluation
• Social determinants of HIV/AIDS
• Population and public health

Social Psychology

Social Psychology faculty research a wide variety of topics, such as:

• People's thoughts about themselves through time, including their identity, memories, predictions, goals, and motivation
• Sociocultural influences on the self
• Implicit and explicit self-esteem
• Narcissism
• Experiences of awe
• Mindfulness
• Gender discrimination and coping
• Risk regulation in close relationships
• Personality and temporal processes at play during people's social interactions
• Social anxiety and other anxiety disorders
• Role ambiguity
• Acceptance in sport and exercise groups

Developmental Psychology

In the Developmental Psychology field, faculty members with supervisory status conduct experimental, observational, and applied research in:

• Cognitive development
• Language and mathematics development
• Reading acquisition
• Moral and personality development
• Developmental issues related to educational, health, and forensic psychology

Admissions

Admission Requirements

• A four-year (honours) undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in psychology or related field
• A minimum B average in the last two years of study
• Applications are reviewed by the graduate program committee, which considers all prior university grades, a writing sample, and letters of reference

Application Checklist

An application for admission to the MA programs in Psychology must include:

• The Application Summary
• Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work
• A completed statement of intent
• A resume of academic and work experience
• A sample of scholarly writing (10-20 pages in length)
• Completed reference forms (two academic references are required; applicants to the community psychology field are required to submit one professional reference letter in addition to two academic references)

Tuition and Funding

Graduate tuition and funding information is available. The university offers various scholarship and funding opportunities to support graduate students.

Careers

Many Psychology master's students continue with their PhD at Laurier or are admitted to prestigious doctoral programs at other universities. Other graduates have gone on to work in industry, government, and research labs. Examples of jobs held by graduates include:

• Faculty position at Carleton University
• Position with the Government of Canada
• Researcher at a Kitchener non-governmental organization

Faculty

Learn about the interests and ongoing research of faculty members. If their research interests you, you can contact the professor directly to set up a meeting. Faculty members are available to supervise students in the Community Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and Social Psychology fields.