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Program Overview
Psychology, MA (CHSS)
The MA in psychology is distinguished by its emphasis on basic research and the application of research to solve practical problems in families, industry, government, and health care settings. Because of the program’s proximity to Washington D.C., students have access to many employment and continuing education opportunities in research, academia, and consulting within government, public, and private settings.
Concentrations
- Applied Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience
- Human Factors/Applied Cognition
- Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Admissions
Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions. For information specific to the MA in psychology, see Application Requirements and Deadlines.
Provisional Admission
Students who are admitted provisionally are required to take 12 credits in psychology and earn a minimum GPA of 3.25 in those courses to qualify for removal of the provisional qualifier. Programs may add other conditions to provisional admission. Individualized study courses cannot be used toward the 12 credits.
Policies
For policies governing all graduate degrees, see Graduate Policies.
In addition to satisfying the requirements for all master's degrees, students pursuing a master's degree in psychology must successfully complete 30-32 credits of required coursework. They complete this coursework in one of five concentrations.
A maximum of 6 credits of thesis proposal and thesis research (PSYC 798 Thesis Proposal, PSYC 799 Master's Thesis) may be applied to the master's degree. A maximum of 9 credits of thesis courses (PSYC 798 Thesis Proposal, PSYC 799 Master's Thesis), Directed Reading and Research (PSYC 597 Directed Reading and Research), and Practicum (PSYC 792 Psychology Practicum) may be applied to the degree.
Degree Requirements
Total credits: 30-32
Students should be aware of the specific policies associated with this program, located on the Admissions & Policies tab.
Choose one concentration and complete the requirements therein.
For policies governing all graduate degrees, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.
Concentration in Applied Developmental Psychology (APD)
The concentration in applied developmental psychology focuses on child development. It provides basic knowledge about normal development, skills for assessing developmental level, and techniques for planning and evaluating programs that foster optimal development. Graduates are prepared for employment at agencies concerned with educational and health programs for children, enrichment programs for infants and preschoolers, and education programs for parents.
Core Courses
- PSYC 704: Life-Span Development (3 credits)
- Select one course from the following:
- PSYC 701: Cognitive Bases of Behavior
- PSYC 702: Biological Bases of Human Behavior
- PSYC 703: Social Bases of Behavior
- PSYC 707: Emotional Bases of Behavior
Quantitative Methods
- PSYC 642: General Linear Modeling I (4 credits)
- PSYC 643: General Linear Modeling II (4 credits)
Developmental Specialized Content
- Select two courses from the following:
- PSYC 566: Cognitive and Perceptual Development
- PSYC 615: Language Development
- PSYC 648: Developmental Psychopathology
- PSYC 669: Social and Emotional Development
- PSYC 780: Applied Developmental Psychology
- PSYC 592: Special Topics 1
- Other developmental courses chosen with advisor approval
Thesis or Practicum/Research Experience
- Choose either a thesis or practicum/research experience (4 credits)
Thesis Option
- PSYC 798: Thesis Proposal (1 credit)
- PSYC 799: Master's Thesis (minimum of 3 credits)
Practicum Option
- PSYC 792: Psychology Practicum (take 3 credits)
- PSYC 597: Directed Reading and Research (take 1 credit)
Professional Seminar
- PSYC 890: Seminar in Professional Psychology (2 credits)
Electives
- Select 4 credits in consultation with your advisor
Concentration in Clinical Psychology (CLN)
The clinical psychology concentration trains students to have flexibility to fill the evolving functions of clinical psychologists, including research, direct provision of clinical services, supervision, program development and evaluation, and consultation.
Foundation Courses
- PSYC 810: Psychological Assessment I (4 credits)
- PSYC 811: Psychological Assessment II (4 credits)
- PSYC 822: Scientific Foundations of Clinical Psychology I (3 credits)
- PSYC 864: Foundations of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy (3 credits)
Practicum Courses
- PSYC 861: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Youth (3 credits)
- PSYC 862: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adults (3 credits)
Advanced Statistics and Research Methods
- PSYC 644: Methods for Social Research (3 credits)
- PSYC 642: General Linear Modeling I (4 credits)
- PSYC 643: General Linear Modeling II (4 credits)
Concentration in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience (CBNR)
The concentration in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience focuses on studying biological substrates of behavior. Core and affiliated faculty study areas as diverse as neural control of behavioral development; animal models of learning and memory and their disorders (such as Alzheimer's); human brain systems involved in cognition, perception, human error, decision making, and movement; the relation of neural activity to human performance; and cognitive aging. A focus of the program is on translational neuroscience-complementary study of neural systems in humans and animals, including application of animal research to human behavior.
Specialized Content
- PSYC 531: Mammalian Neurobiology (3 credits)
- or NEUR 603: Mammalian Neuroanatomy
- PSYC 558: Neuronal Bases of Learning and Memory (3 credits)
- or PSYC 685: Cognitive Neuroscience
Additional Course
- Select one course from the following:
- PSYC 555: Neuroimaging
- PSYC 559: Behavioral Chemistry
Quantitative Methods
- PSYC 642: General Linear Modeling I (4 credits)
- PSYC 643: General Linear Modeling II (4 credits)
Electives
- Students complete the 30 credits required for the degree through additional credits of coursework, including courses not listed above within or outside the department, with prior approval of the graduate advisor.
Practicum, Research or Thesis
- Students may choose to do either a 6 credit Psychology Practicum, a 6 credit research experience or a thesis. All options require at least 6 credits total.
Psychology Practicum Option
- PSYC 792: Psychology Practicum (6 credits)
Psychology Research Option
- PSYC 597: Directed Reading and Research (6 credits)
- or PSYC 897: Directed Reading and Research
Thesis Option
- PSYC 798: Thesis Proposal
- PSYC 799: Master's Thesis (minimum of 3 credits)
Concentration in Human Factors/Applied Cognition (HF)
The human factors/applied cognition concentration trains students in the application of cognitive science to real-world problems. Students gain expertise in such areas as human/computer interaction, cognitive system engineering, cognitive ergonomics, and transportation. Faculty members help place students who do not have real-world experience in a part- or full-time practicum before completing the degree.
Core Course
- PSYC 737: Psychology of Human-Technology Interaction (3 credits)
Quantitative Methods
- PSYC 642: General Linear Modeling I (4 credits)
- PSYC 643: General Linear Modeling II (4 credits)
Specialized Content
- PSYC 530: Cognitive Engineering: Cognitive Science Applied to Human Factors (3 credits)
- PSYC 645: Research Methods in Human Factors and Applied Cognition (3 credits)
Additional Courses
- Select two courses from the following:
- PSYC 734: Seminar in Human Factors and Applied Cognition
- PSYC 768: Advanced Topics in Cognitive Science
Electives
- Students complete the 30 credits required for this degree through additional coursework, including courses not listed above, within or outside the department, with prior approval of the graduate advisor.
Optional Practicum
- PSYC 730: Practicum in Applied Psychology (6 credits)
Optional Thesis
- PSYC 798: Thesis Proposal
- PSYC 799: Master's Thesis
Concentration in Industrial/Organizational Psychology (IO)
The industrial/organizational psychology concentration trains students in the conduct and application of psychological research in work settings. Expertise can be developed in a variety of areas, including personnel selection, training, leadership, motivation, and human performance assessment.
Statistics
- Select at least 11 credits of the following:
- PSYC 642: General Linear Modeling I
- PSYC 643: General Linear Modeling II
- PSYC 557: Psychometric Methods
- or PSYC 633: Evaluative Research in Psychology
Survey of Content
- PSYC 636: Survey of Industrial-Organizational Psychology (3 credits)
Specialized Content and Optional Thesis
- Complete 15 credits from the following:
- PSYC 626: Organizational Change and Development
- PSYC 631: Industrial and Personnel Testing and Evaluation
- PSYC 638: Training: Psychological Contributions to Theory, Design, and Evaluation
- PSYC 640: Techniques in Industrial/Organizational Psychology
- PSYC 667: Behavior in Small Groups and Teams
- PSYC 668: Personality: Theoretical and Empirical Approaches
- PSYC 703: Social Bases of Behavior
- PSYC 733: Issues in Personnel Psychology
- PSYC 741: Psychology of Work Motivation
- PSYC 742: Careers
- PSYC 743: Behavior and Performance at Work
- PSYC 738: IO Psychology and Legal Issues in Employment Discrimination
- PSYC 739: Seminar in Industrial/Organizational Psychology
- Other graduate courses with permission of I/O faculty
- Optional Thesis
- PSYC 798: Thesis Proposal
- PSYC 799: Master's Thesis (at least 3 credits required)
Professional Development
- Select at least 3 credits from the following:
- PSYC 730: Practicum in Applied Psychology
- PSYC 892: Special Topics in Psychology
Psychology, BA or BS/Psychology, Accelerated MA (Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience Concentration)
Highly qualified undergraduates may be admitted to the bachelor's/accelerated master's program and obtain a BA/BS in Psychology and an MA in Psychology, with a concentration in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience, in an accelerated time-frame after satisfactory completion of a minimum of 138 credits.
BAM Pathway Admission Requirements
Applicants to all graduate programs at George Mason University must meet the admission standards and application requirements for graduate study as specified in Graduate Admissions Policies and Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Degree policies. For information specific to this accelerated master's program, see Application Requirements and Deadlines.
Students will be considered for admission into the BAM Pathway after completion of a minimum of 60 credits, and completion of 12 hours of psychology coursework including one of the following combinations of courses:
- PSYC 300: Statistics in Psychology
- PSYC 372: Biopsychology
OR
- PSYC 300: Statistics in Psychology
- PSYC 375: Brain and Sensory Processes and PSYC 376: Brain and Behavior
Students are strongly encouraged to have obtained previous research lab experience and to have one reference letter from the faculty member who will serve as their advisor.
Students who are accepted into the BAM Pathway will be allowed to register for graduate level courses after successful completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credits.
Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements
Students already admitted in the BAM Pathway will be admitted to the MA program, if they have met the following criteria, as verified on the Bachelor's/Accelerated Master's Transition form:
- Minimum overall GPA of 3.25
- Successfully meeting Mason's requirements for undergraduate degree conferral (graduation) and completing the application for graduation.
Accelerated Pathway Requirements
To maintain the integrity and quality of both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs, undergraduate students interested in taking graduate courses must choose from the following:
- Advanced Standing courses (up to 12 credits)
- PSYC 531: Mammalian Neurobiology
- or NEUR 603: Mammalian Neuroanatomy
- PSYC 558: Neuronal Bases of Learning and Memory
- or PSYC 685: Cognitive Neuroscience
- PSYC 555: Neuroimaging
- PSYC 559: Behavioral Chemistry
- PSYC 592: Special Topics 1
- Reserve Graduate Credit courses (up to 6 credits) taken while an undergraduate and will only count for the graduate degree program
- PSYC 531: Mammalian Neurobiology
- or NEUR 603: Mammalian Neuroanatomy
- PSYC 558: Neuronal Bases of Learning and Memory
- or PSYC 685: Cognitive Neuroscience
- PSYC 555: Neuroimaging
- PSYC 559: Behavioral Chemistry
- PSYC 592: Special Topics 1
- PSYC 642: General Linear Modeling I
Program Outcomes
- Students will be able to summarize and critically evaluate theoretical and empirical literature within a relevant domain of psychology.
- Students will be able to effectively analyze a set of data to answer questions relevant to solving important practical problems in science, policy, and/or practice.
- Students will be able to communicate psychological knowledge in their area of specialization to a variety of audiences.
- Students will understand ethical principles of discipline and act in an ethical manner with respect to research and practice.
