GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
Program Description
The Master of Science degree with a major in General Psychology is offered for those students who seek to improve their knowledge, skills and experiences in the discipline of psychology in order to pursue a psychology-related occupation or to strengthen their educational background for application to doctoral programs. This program offers a terminal Master of Science degree which provides the student with the basic knowledge and skills appropriate for a graduate education which may serve as a foundation for programs offering doctoral training. In addition, it prepares the student for a range of occupations in business, government, and human services, but excludes the provision of clinical services.
The Master’s program in general psychology has two goals. The first goal is to provide the student with sufficient breadth in the methodology and content of psychology to demonstrate competence in two major areas:
1. Core areas of the discipline of psychology
Core areas covered include: biological bases and correlates of behavior; principles of behavior acquisition and change - to include learning/cognition; principles of social behavior - to include traditional social psychology or group behavior; individual or unique bases of behavior - to include personality or development.
2. Methods of the discipline of psychology
The degree program will provide students with the means for both understanding and possibly contributing to new developments in the field -- the techniques necessary to be a sophisticated consumer, and possibly a producer, of research. These techniques include statistical procedures and the design of experiments.
A second goal of the program is to provide the student with sufficient information and skills to apply the knowledge of the discipline competently in their daily lives and careers. This includes course work in the theory and techniques of the application of psychological principles, and also includes a thorough grounding in ethical and professional standards of psychologists.
Although the program builds upon a core of basic courses, it provides some flexibility for students (with the approval of their advisors) to shape their course of study to fit special interests and needs. For example, with the help of their advisors, eligible students may build a concentration in social or quantitative psychology.
M.S. Admission Requirements
The department accepts as graduate students only those who show definite promise for completing the requirements for this advanced degree. Preference is given to those applicants who have a well-balanced background of psychology courses and some background in science and mathematics. Students who do not have an undergraduate major in psychology but who otherwise satisfy the following requirements may apply.
1. Completeness of Credentials: Applications must be completed by May 1. Missing transcripts, letters of reference, etc., may cause an applicant to be rejected.
2. Grade Point Average: Satisfactory undergraduate scholastic average.
3. Undergraduate Preparation: A minimum of six courses in psychology, including a four quarter hour (three semester hour) elementary statistics course, as well as a course in research methods or experimental psychology. The student judged to be deficient in prerequisites will be required to take, without graduate credit, such courses as are necessary to remedy any deficiencies before entering graduate school.
4. Graduate Record Examination: official results of the General test and the Subject test in Psychology. (The GRE psychology subject exam is strongly recommended, but not required.)
5. Letters of Recommendation: The three required letters should be from persons who are in a position to evaluate the applicant’s academic background and achievements.
6. Minority Status: Applications from minority students are encouraged.
7. Students with Disabilities: Applications from students with disabilities are encouraged.
Degree Requirements
Formal requirements for the M.S. degree include satisfactory completion of 48 quarter hours. In addition, program requirements include two mechanisms for demonstrating successful completion of the program: 1) a traditional Master’s thesis, perhaps involving an empirical study; or 2) a program evaluation proposal based upon the student’s internship or employment experience.
Upon completion of course work, master’s students are required to maintain active student registration status until graduation. All degree requirements must be successfully completed within a five-year period. Students failing to finish in five years will be dismissed from the program.
Curriculum
All core courses must be completed at a single campus. Other courses may be taken at the Lincoln Park campus, depending on availability and with the consent of the student’s psychology advisor. Most courses are 4 credit hours.
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
Core
Psy 345 Cultural Issues in Psychology or Psy 561 Advanced Psychology of Women
Psy 361 History and Systems of Psychology (or equivalent course or qualifying exam)
Psy 404 Learning and Cognitive Processes
Psy 406 Physiological Processes
Psy 430 Advanced Social Psychology
Psy 597 Masters Thesis or 592 Directed Research
Statistics and Methodology
Psy 410 Advanced Statistics I
Psy 411 Advanced Statistics II
Psy 420 Advanced Research Methodology
One of the following:
Psy 343 Introduction to Psychological Measurement
Psy 418 Multivariate Statistical Analysis
Psy 422 Computing for the Behavioral Scientist
Psy 450 Psychological Measurement
Electives (Choose 2):
Psy 363 Alcoholism, Drug Addiction and Recovery
Psy 364 Health Psychology and Stress Management
Psy 383 Human Factor
Psy 435 Psychology of Interpersonal Relationships
Psy 439 Advanced Developmental Psychology
Psy 473 Psychology of Judgment and Decision-Making
Psy 486 Advanced Psychopathology
Psy 493 Principles of Community Psychology
Psy 563 Mental Imagery
Psy 645 Organizational Development
Psy 646 Needs Analysis
Psy 647 Organizational Consulting: Diagnostics
Psy 649 Testing: Measurement, Application, and Legal Considerations
Psy 668 Behavior Analysis: Methods of Change
Department Office
Necessary supporting documents and application fees should be sent to the address below. Be sure the applicant's name, social security number and program being applied to are noted.
Graduate Psychology Program
DePaul University
2219 North Kenmore Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60614-3504
For More Information
Contact the DePaul University Graduate Psychology Program:
1. On-line: Complete the Contact Us form
2. E-mail: Send an e-mail message to gradpsych@depaul.edu.
3. Call: (773) 325-7887 or toll free 1-800-4DEPAUL (outside Illinois)
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