Psychology, Experimental Concentration, M.A.
Cyrille Magne, program coordinator
(615) 898-5599
Cyrille.Magne@mtsu.edu
The Department of Psychology offers programs which lead to two graduate degrees: the Master of Arts with a major in Psychology and concentrations in Clinical, Experimental, Industrial/Organizational, Pre-Specialist in Education: School Psychology, and Quantitative Psychology and the Specialist in Education with a major in Curriculum and Instruction and concentration in School Psychology. The department also offers a minor at the graduate level.
The goal of the Experimental Psychology program is to enhance professional and academic competitiveness by developing skills in statistical analysis and research methodologies, while also broadening knowledge of fundamental concepts in psychology. Students will actively participate in research using cutting-edge facilities while collaborating closely with outstanding faculty with expertise in social psychology, learning and memory, developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and psychopharmacology. Students can also pursue a Behavior Analysis Specialization and enroll in courses to become board-certified behavior analysts. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact program faculty for more information about specific labs and research opportunities. We strive to foster student success from all backgrounds--regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, ability, or culture by giving students the best academic experience possible both inside and outside the classroom.
Please see undergraduate catalog for information regarding undergraduate programs.
Admission Requirements
Admission to graduate study in experimental psychology is competitive and not automatic for students meeting minimal admission requirements. Students are selected from a pool of qualified applicants. Each year the number of students admitted to the program depends on the availability of adequate faculty supervision.
In order to be considered for admission, candidates must meet two standards: an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or higher and a minimum score on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). A minimum of 291 on the combined Verbal and Quantitative sections is expected for the Experimental concentration within the Master of Arts in Psychology.
Applications for Summer/Fall admission must be completed by March 1, and applications for Spring admission must be completed by October 1. Late applicants who meet the admission criteria may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Students who do not meet admission requirements may be admitted as non-degree seeking to the Experimental concentration. Students admitted as non-degree seeking must maintain a 3.25 GPA in their first semester (9 hours minimum) of required graduate courses in the concentration area to be fully admitted.
Previous students seeking readmission to the Experimental program should contact the graduate program director and refer to the program handbook for readmission policy.
Experimental students need to have a strong background in the core areas of experimental psychology. Some of this background can be attained at the undergraduate level; however, students must also complete a core of graduate experimental courses. In addition, students are encouraged to become involved in research and to participate in research projects throughout their graduate enrollment. Toward this goal, the student should enroll in at least one hour of research (PSY 6600) or thesis work (PSY 6640) each semester.
Applicants must demonstrate knowledge of the core areas of psychology by completing the following courses at either the undergraduate or graduate level prior to entering the Experimental program or during enrollment in the program (relevant courses offered at MTSU are listed in parentheses):
- introductory/general psychology (PSY 1410);
- research methods (PSY 3070);
- social psychology or personality (PSY 2210, 3230/PSY 5230, 3590, PSY 6020, or PSY 6030);
- cognition or learning (PSY 4040, 4480/PSY 5480, or PSY 6190);
- developmental (PSY 2300, 4190, 4210/PSY 5210, 4610/PSY 5610, PSY 6120, PSY 6130, PSY 6410);
- brain and behavior or sensation and perception (PSY 2190, 4030/PSY 5030, 4240/PSY 5240, or 4780/ PSY 5780);
- statistics (PSY 3020).
Application Procedures
All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.
Applicant must
- submit an application with the appropriate application fee (online at www.mtsu.edu/graduate/apply.php). Once this initial application has been accepted, the applicant will receive directions on how to enter the graduate portal to be able to submit other materials.
- submit official transcripts of all previous college work;
- submit three letters of reference;
- submit letter of intent stating career goals, relevant work/academic experience, and research interests;
- submit official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE);
- submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.
NOTE: To be considered for a graduate assistantship, students must submit additional materials. Information about the application procedure is available at www.mtsu.edu/psychology/grad/assistantship.php.
Degree Requirements
The major in Psychology with a concentration in Experimental requires completion of 36 semester hours including at least 30 hours in graduate psychology courses. Only 30 percent of the total number of hours may be dually listed (5000-level meeting in conjunction with 4000- or 3000-level) courses.
Candidate must
- complete PSY 6280 and PSY 6290;
- successfully write and orally present a written thesis evaluated by a committee of psychology faculty in conjunction with PSY 6640;
- pass a written comprehensive examination prepared by the faculty in the student's concentration (may be taken no more than twice).
Curriculum
The following illustrates the coursework requirements.
Experimental, General Core Courses (27 hours)
PSY 5080 - Advanced Research Methods
3credit hours
Prerequisite: PSY 3070. Provides hands-on advanced psychological research experience. Students evaluate and critique their own and others' research projects. Research teams design, conduct, analyze, and present advanced experimental study and write final APA-style research reports of their projects. Thesis proposal draft also written.
PSY 5240 - Behavioral Neuroscience
3credit hours
The role of the brain in those areas which are typically considered by psychology, such as sensory and motor functions, motivation, higher mental functions, and mental disorders.
PSY 6810 - Literature Review and Reading in Psychology: Social
1 to 3credit hours
Supervised literature review and/or readings on a topic of current importance in psychology. Topics and requirements obtained from individual faculty members. Specific courses may be repeated to a total of 6 credits.
PSY 6020 - Theories of Personality
3credit hours
Examines traditional schools of personality theory and current developments within each.
PSY 6120 - Developmental Psychology: Child
3credit hours
Reviews the major areas of child development. These areas include cognitive, emotional, and social development. Primary attention will be devoted to the period of infancy through early adolescence. Covers both developmental theory and research.
PSY 6130 - Developmental Psychology: Adolescent
3credit hours
Survey of research on adolescence from a biopsychosocial perspective. Student observation and study of developing adolescents from cognitive, biological, social, and psychological frameworks.
PSY 6410 - Development Across the Lifespan
3credit hours
Theories and characteristics of human development covering the lifespan.
PSY 6190 - Advanced Cognitive Psychology
3credit hours
Topic-oriented overview of cognitive psychology. Models of attention, perception, memory, language, reasoning, problem solving, and decision making. Issues in cognitive development and cognitive neuropsychology.
PSY 6280 - Psychological Statistics: Regression
3credit hours
Prerequisite: PSY 3020 or equivalent or admission to Psychology graduate program. Corequisite: PSY 6281. Review of basic statistics; various correlation coefficients; multiple and partial correlation; simple and multiple regression. Laboratory included.
PSY 6290 - Psychological Statistics: ANOVA
3credit hours
Prerequisite: PSY 3020 or equivalent or admission to Psychology graduate program. Corequisite: PSY 6291. Review of basic statistics. Scientific quantification, research design, and statistical analysis from the perspective of analysis of variance: one-way, factorial, repeated measures, and mixed designs. Laboratory included.
PSY 6600 - Independent Research in Psychology: General and Experimental
1 to 9credit hours
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Individualized empirical research and library research approved by the instructor. (1-9 credits applicable to degree)
PSY 6640 - Thesis Research
1 to 6 credit hours
(3 hours total)(3 credit hours required)
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title:(3 hours total)
(3 credit hours required)
PSY 6640 - Thesis Research
1 to 6credit hours
Selection of a research problem, review of pertinent literature, collection and analysis of data, and composition of thesis. Once enrolled, student should register for at least one credit hour of master's research each semester until completion. S/U grading.
Literature Review and Reading in Psychology (3 hours)
PSY 6590 - Literature Review and Reading in Psychology: General and Experimental
1 to 3credit hours
Supervised literature review and/or readings on a topic of current importance in psychology. Topics and requirements obtained from individual faculty members. Specific courses may be repeated to a total of 6 credits.
PSY 6660 - Literature Review and Reading in Psychology: Quantitative
1 to 3credit hours
Supervised literature review and/or readings on a topic of current importance in psychology. Topics and requirements obtained from individual faculty members. Specific courses may be repeated to a total of 6 credits.
PSY 6670 - Literature Review and Reading in Psychology: Behavioral Neuroscience
1 to 3credit hours
Supervised literature review and/or readings on a topic of current importance in psychology. Topics and requirements obtained from individual faculty members. Specific courses may be repeated to a total of 6 credits.
PSY 6680 - Literature Review and Reading in Psychology: Cognitive
1 to 3credit hours
Supervised literature review and/or readings on a topic of current importance in psychology. Topics and requirements obtained from individual faculty members. Specific courses may be repeated to a total of 6 credits.
PSY 6700 - Literature Review and Reading in Psychology: Developmental
1 to 3credit hours
Supervised literature review and/or readings on a topic of current importance in psychology. Topics and requirements obtained from individual faculty members. Specific courses may be repeated to a total of 6 credits.
PSY 6720 - Literature Review and Reading in Psychology: Learning
1 to 3credit hours
Supervised literature review and/or readings on a topic of current importance in psychology. Topics and requirements obtained from individual faculty members. Specific courses may be repeated to a total of 6 credits.
PSY 6730 - Literature Review and Reading in Psychology: Personality
1 to 3credit hours
Supervised literature review and/or readings on a topic of current importance in psychology. Topics and requirements obtained from individual faculty members. Specific courses may be repeated to a total of 6 credits.
PSY 6740 - Literature Review and Reading in Psychology: Reading
1 to 3credit hours
Supervised literature review and/or readings on a topic of current importance in psychology. Topics and requirements obtained from individual faculty members. Specific courses may be repeated to a total of 6 credits.
PSY 6790 - Literature Review and Reading in Psychology: Sensation and Perception
1 to 3credit hours
Supervised literature review and/or readings on a topic of current importance in psychology. Topics and requirements obtained from individual faculty members. Specific courses may be repeated to a total of 6 credits.
PSY 6810 - Literature Review and Reading in Psychology: Social
1 to 3credit hours
Supervised literature review and/or readings on a topic of current importance in psychology. Topics and requirements obtained from individual faculty members. Specific courses may be repeated to a total of 6 credits.
Electives (6 hours)
To be chosen with the approval of the student’s advisor.
Experimental, Behavior Analysis Specialization (37 hours)
PSY 5430 - Ethical Conduct in Behavior Analysis
3credit hours
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Ethical practice and professional roles of behavior analysts.
PSY 5480 - Learning Theories
3credit hours
Research and experiments in learning and the related growth of the major theories of learning with emphasis on classical and instrumental conditioning and related topics.
PSY 6440 - Advanced Applied Behavioral Analysis
3credit hours
Prerequisite: PSY 4400 or permission of instructor. Intensive presentation of methods used in behavioral assessment and interventions. Application of various behavioral techniques.
PSY 6445 - Skills Assessment and Methods in Applied Behavior Analysis
3credit hours
Covers the application of behavior analysis to building new skills and improving and maintaining existing socially important behaviors. Includes content on assessment, intervention procedures, and quality assurance of behavior analytic programming.
PSY 6545 - Systems Level Behavior Analysis
3credit hours
Introduces the application of behavior analytic concepts and principles to problems of human behavior at the group and organizational level, specifically in the context of clinical service delivery.
PSY 6500 - Behavioral Methodology
3credit hours
Techniques for design and evaluation of clinical treatment and research. Includes single subject and group designs. Emphasis on direct observation and data collection procedures, reliability, social validity, and generalization.
PSY 6600 - Independent Research in Psychology: General and Experimental
1 to 9credit hours
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Individualized empirical research and library research approved by the instructor. (1-9 credits applicable to degree)
PSY 6640 - Thesis Research
1 to 6 credit hours
(3 credit hours required)(3 credit hours required)
dotslash:(3 credit hours required)
title:(3 credit hours required)
(3 credit hours required)
PSY 6640 - Thesis Research
1 to 6credit hours
Selection of a research problem, review of pertinent literature, collection and analysis of data, and composition of thesis. Once enrolled, student should register for at least one credit hour of master's research each semester until completion. S/U grading.
PSY 6720 - Literature Review and Reading in Psychology: Learning
1 to 3credit hours
Supervised literature review and/or readings on a topic of current importance in psychology. Topics and requirements obtained from individual faculty members. Specific courses may be repeated to a total of 6 credits.
PSY 6785 - Principles of Behavior Analysis
3credit hours
Reinforcement theory and practice in applied settings with an emphasis on basic and advanced issues and best practices in behavioral control using reinforcers, punishers, discrimination, avoidance, shaping of new behaviors, chaining, contingencies, maintenance, and transfer. Special topics include language learning and training and the moral and legal controls in behavioral analysis.
PSY 6280 - Psychological Statistics: Regression
3credit hours
Prerequisite: PSY 3020 or equivalent or admission to Psychology graduate program. Corequisite: PSY 6281. Review of basic statistics; various correlation coefficients; multiple and partial correlation; simple and multiple regression. Laboratory included.
PSY 6290 - Psychological Statistics: ANOVA
3credit hours
Prerequisite: PSY 3020 or equivalent or admission to Psychology graduate program. Corequisite: PSY 6291. Review of basic statistics. Scientific quantification, research design, and statistical analysis from the perspective of analysis of variance: one-way, factorial, repeated measures, and mixed designs. Laboratory included.
PSY 5240 - Behavioral Neuroscience
3credit hours
The role of the brain in those areas which are typically considered by psychology, such as sensory and motor functions, motivation, higher mental functions, and mental disorders.
PSY 6020 - Theories of Personality
3credit hours
Examines traditional schools of personality theory and current developments within each.
PSY 6190 - Advanced Cognitive Psychology
3credit hours
Topic-oriented overview of cognitive psychology. Models of attention, perception, memory, language, reasoning, problem solving, and decision making. Issues in cognitive development and cognitive neuropsychology.
PSY 6810 - Literature Review and Reading in Psychology: Social
1 to 3credit hours
Supervised literature review and/or readings on a topic of current importance in psychology. Topics and requirements obtained from individual faculty members. Specific courses may be repeated to a total of 6 credits.
PSY 6120 - Developmental Psychology: Child
3credit hours
Reviews the major areas of child development. These areas include cognitive, emotional, and social development. Primary attention will be devoted to the period of infancy through early adolescence. Covers both developmental theory and research.
PSY 6130 - Developmental Psychology: Adolescent
3credit hours
Survey of research on adolescence from a biopsychosocial perspective. Student observation and study of developing adolescents from cognitive, biological, social, and psychological frameworks.
PSY 6410 - Development Across the Lifespan
3credit hours
Theories and characteristics of human development covering the lifespan.
Program Notes
Students must be able to meet the demands required for professional work in psychology. Therefore, students may be subject to dismissal from the Psychology Department if they (a) commit a serious breach of ethics or gross professional negligence or (b) present evidence of impaired psychological functioning that would present a danger to themselves or others in a professional role. Students who are dismissed may reapply and will be considered for readmission on a competitive basis. Students who reapply may be asked to provide evidence of improved ability to meet performance requirements.