CSULB MASTER OF ARTS IN
RESEARCH
PSYCHOLOGY
 

MA-RESEARCH DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
 

SEMINARS
    In order to ensure basic graduate education and breadth in the field, a core of courses is prescribed with some choice permitted.  All students take at least four graduate seminars: one in statistics and research methods; one from a group including perception/physiological, learning, emotion/motivation and cognitive psychology; one from another group including personality, social or developmental psychology; plus a fourth from either group.  Besides the customary seminar assignments, students receive a reading list and study guide at the beginning of each core seminar to prepare for the comprehensive examination given at the end.

THESIS
    The thesis is the important capstone event in the graduate student's educational experience.  It allows the student to work relatively independently on a major project and demonstrate his/her ability to utilize psychological knowledge and skills in planning, conducting and reporting research.
    Our commitment to research is reflected in the broad scope of basic and applied research activities of the Department of Psychology.  Student participation in faculty research projects is a major feature of the M.A. program and is encouraged before students conduct their master's thesis research.  Students are encouraged to develop at thesis proposal in their first year of study.

SPECIALIZATION WITHIN THE PROGRAM
    Students who wish to concentrate their program of studies in specific areas of interest may want to consider the following suggested course clusters.  These clusters of courses are not formal program specializations; rather they are intended to serve as a guide to the possibilities of tailoring the master's students program to meet individual needs.

Psychometrics
    511 Statistical Design and Analysis of Experiments
    512 Multivariate Statistical Analysis
    515 Test Construction Theory and Practice
    518 Computer Applications in Psychology
    696 Seminar in Research methods in Psychology

Learning/Cognition
    533 Research in Cognition and Learning
    561 Research in Developmental Psychology
    538 Psycholinguistics
    632 Seminar in Learning
    634 Seminar in Cognition

Physiological Psychology
    541 Research in Physiological Psychology
    542 Techniques of Physiological Psychology
    631 Seminar in Perception and Physiological Psychology

Developmental Psychology
    539 Language Acquisition
    561 Research in Developmental Psychology
    571 Behavior Disorders of Children
    661 Seminar in Developmental Psychology

Social/Personality
    537 Research in Emotion and Motivation
    551 Research in Social Psychology
    553 Principles of Group Dynamics
    556 Research in Personality
    637 Seminar in Emotion and Motivation
    651 Seminar in Social Psychology
    656 Seminar in Personality
 

One of the following:
    PSY 511   Statistical Design & Analysis
    PSY 512   Multivariate Statistical Analysis

One of the following RESEARCH courses (these courses involve laboratory work):
    PSY 518   Computer Applications
    PSY 527   Human Factors
    PSY 533   Cognition & Learning
    PSY 541   Physiological Psychology
    PSY 545   Psychophysiology
    PSY 551   Social Psychology
    PSY 556   Personality

Four of the following SEMINAR courses (696 plus three additional seminars):
Three comprehensive exams are required: one in 696 and the other two from the remaining seminars.

    PSY 696   Research Methods in Psychology
 
    PSY 631   Perception/Physiological Psychology
    PSY 632   Learning
    PSY 633   Perception
    PSY 634   Cognition
    PSY 637   Emotion & Motivation
    PSY 651   Social
    PSY 656   Personality
    PSY 661   Developmental

Six units of Thesis (PSY 698)

Six units of graduate-level work to total 30 units (i.e., additional statistics course, additional research course, additional seminar or graduate level courses in related fields outside Psychology with approval of the Graduate Coordinator).

Attendance at a minimum of six department Colloquia during graduate program.
 

FILING A PROGRAM OF STUDIES

    Upon acceptance by the Psychology Department into the MA-Research Psychology program, you will be expected to attend an Orientation Meeting, and meet with the Graduate Coordinator to work out a program of studies.  You must file an official program of studies after your first semester in the program and before or during the same semester in which you enroll in PSY 698, Thesis.  Students must fulfill the Writing Proficiency Examination (WPE) requirement their first semester in the graduate program and before filing for Advancement to Candidacy.

Psychology Department * CSULB * 1250 Bellflower Blvd. * Long Beach, CA  90840-0901 * 562-985-5001