Program Overview

Psychology BS / Psychology MS

The Accelerated Master of Science in Psychology (BS/MS) program provides an opportunity for select undergraduate students to complete their undergraduate education and psychology MS curriculum classes in an accelerated fashion. Through this program, potential BS/MS students may be identified when first admitted as entering freshmen psychology majors. Students may also enter as transfers or up until the spring of their junior year.

About the Program

During the course of their undergraduate study, students will need to seek out and establish a faculty member to serve as their mentor and program advisor, and with whom they wish to continue working during their graduate training and completion of their graduate thesis.

The Accelerated Master of Science in Psychology program allows accelerated entry into graduate level courses during the student's fourth undergraduate year with planned entry into graduate school upon completion of their BS degree at the end of year four. Because students have received a "head start" by completing a structured curriculum in their senior year, their graduate coursework for the MS degree can be completed in one year post-BS. The BS/MS curriculum is designed to include a four-year undergraduate or four-year undergraduate co-op program. Students in the program cannot be enrolled in a five-year co-op.

Admission Requirements

• Prospective freshman criteria:
  • Combined SAT score of 1300 (Quantitative and Verbal scores only)
  • High school GPA of at least 3.5
  • Top 10% of graduating class
  • If these admission requirements are met, an additional application essay is requested and evaluated by the program director for final admission decisions.
• Third year Psychology student criteria:
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher with no grade lower than a "C" in any class
  • Enrollment in a 4-year, 1 co-op or 4-year, no co-op (some exceptions may apply)
  • Completion of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) with a minimum score of 302 (Quantitative and Verbal scores)
  • Identification of and commitment from Psychology faculty mentor to advise student's MS research

Degree Requirements

University Requirements

• CIVC 101: Introduction to Civic Engagement (1.0)
• COOP 101: Career Management and Professional Development (1.0)
• ENGL 101: Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research (3.0)
• ENGL 102: Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing (3.0)
• ENGL 103: Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres (3.0)
• UNIV H101: The Drexel Experience (1.0)
• UNIV H201: Looking Forward: Academics and Careers (1.0)

College of Arts and Sciences Core Curriculum

• Developing Quantitative Reasoning (6.0-8.0)
• Engaging the Natural World (6.0-8.0)
• Analyzing Cultures and Histories (6.0-8.0)
• Understanding Society and Human Behavior (6.0-8.0)
• Cultivating Global Competencies (6.0-8.0)
• Perspectives in Diversity (3.0-4.0)

Departmental Requirements

• Business Elective (4.0)
• COM 230: Techniques of Speaking (3.0)
• Fine Arts Elective (3.0)
• General Psychology Course Requirements:
  • PSY 111: Foundations of Psychological Science for Majors I (3.0)
  • PSY 112: Foundations of Psychological Science for Majors II (3.0)
  • Select two of the following:
    • PSY 120: Developmental Psychology
    • PSY 140: Approaches to Personality
    • PSY 150: Introduction to Social Psychology
• Required Psychology Courses:
  • PSY 212: Physiological Psychology (3.0)
  • PSY 240: Abnormal Psychology (3.0)
  • PSY 264: Statistical Methods in Psychology I (3.0)
  • PSY 265: Statistical Methods in Psychology II (3.0)
  • PSY 280: Psychological Research (3.0)
  • PSY 290: History and Systems of Psychology (3.0)
  • PSY 325: Psychology of Learning (3.0)
  • PSY 330: Cognitive Psychology (3.0)
  • PSY 360: Experimental Psychology (3.0)
  • PSY 380: Psychological Testing and Assessment (3.0)
• Advanced Psychology Electives (12.0)
• Senior Thesis Sequence:
  • PSY 490: Psychology Senior Thesis I (4.0)
  • PSY 491: Psychology Senior Thesis II (4.0)
  • PSY 492: Psychology Senior Thesis III (4.0)
• Free Electives (58.0)

Psychology Master's Requirements

• PSY 510: Research Methods I (3.0)
• PSY 511: Research Methods II (3.0)
• PSY 512: Cognitive Psychology (3.0)
• PSY 624: Behavior Analysis (3.0)
• PSY 680: Data Analysis in Psychology I (3.0)
• PSY 681: Data Analysis in Psychology II (3.0)
• PSY 682: Data Analysis in Psychology III (3.0)
• PSY 898: Master's Thesis in Psychology (9.0)
• Additional Electives (15.0)

Total Credits

• 225.0-236.0

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid "clustering" these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

Sample Plan of Study

4 + 1 (5 years), 1 coop

• First Year:
  • Fall: ENGL 101 or 111 (3.0), MATH 101 or 121 (4.0), PSY 111 (3.0), UNIV H101 (1.0), (UG) Engaging the Natural World (3.0-4.0)
  • Winter: CIVC 101 (1.0), ENGL 102 or 112 (3.0), PSY 112 (3.0), PSY 120, 140, or 150 (3.0), (UG) Developing Quantitative Reasoning (3.0-4.0)
  • Spring: COOP 101 (1.0), ENGL 103 or 113 (3.0), PSY 120, 140, or 150 (3.0), UNIV H201 (1.0), (UG) Cultivating Global Competencies (3.0-4.0)
  • Summer: VACATION
• Second Year:
  • Fall: PSY 264 (3.0), PSY 290 (3.0), (UG) Analyzing Cultures and Histories (3.0-4.0), (UG) Cultivating Global Competencies (3.0-4.0)
  • Winter: COM 230 (3.0), PSY 265 (3.0), PSY 330 (3.0), (UG) Free Elective (3.0-4.0)
  • Spring: PSY 212 (3.0), PSY 280 (3.0), PSY 360 (3.0), (UG) Business Elective (4.0), (UG) Understanding Society and Human Behavior (3.0-4.0)
  • Summer: PSY 325 (3.0), PSY 380 (3.0), (UG) Psychology Elective (3.0), (UG) Free Elective (3.0)
• Third Year:
  • Fall: (UG) Analyzing Cultures and Histories (3.0-4.0), (UG) Psychology Electives (6.0), (UG) Free Electives (6.0)
  • Winter: (UG) Free electives (18.0)
  • Spring: COOP EXPERIENCE
  • Summer: COOP EXPERIENCE
• Fourth Year:
  • Fall: PSY 490 (4.0), (UG) Free Electives (9.0), PSY 512 (3.0), PSY 680 (3.0)
  • Winter: PSY 491 (4.0), (UG) Free Electives (9.0), PSY 510 (3.0), PSY 681 (3.0)
  • Spring: PSY 492 (4.0), (UG) Free Electives (9.0), PSY 511 (3.0), PSY 682 (3.0)
  • Summer: Student Classified as Graduate Status
• Fifth Year:
  • Fall: PSY 898 (3.0), (GR) Psychology Master's-Level Electives (6.0)
  • Winter: PSY 624 (3.0), PSY 898 (3.0)
  • Spring: PSY 898 (3.0), (GR) Psychology Master's-Level Electives (6.0)