CSULB MASTER OF ARTS IN
RESEARCH
PSYCHOLOGY
PREREQUISITES TO ENROLLMENT IN THE MA-R PROGRAM:
Applicants to the MA-R program are expected to
have a bachelor's degree with a major in Psychology or 24 upper division
units of Psychology coursework which includes four specific prerequisite
courses. The following courses (or their equivalents) must be included.
Students may be admitted to the MA-R program if they lack only one required
course. The missing course must be completed within the first year of graduate
study. Students missing more than one prerequisite course at the time of
application may be offered provisional admission, if they submit a plan
to take the missing courses along with their application, subject to approval.
Prerequisite Coursework must include the following CSULB courses (or equivalents, to be determined by Psychology Department):
The following course:
PSY 310 (Intermediate
Statistics - 2 semester or 3 quarter sequential statistical courses)
One of the following four courses:
PSY 351 (Social Psychology)
or
PSY 356 (Personality)
or
PSY 361 (Child and
Adolescent Development) or
PSY 365 (Psychology
of Adult Development and Aging)
Two courses selected from the following (note that
only one course may be counted from each section to fulfill the two course
requirement):
Section 1:
PSY 331 (Sensation
and Perception)
PSY 332 (Cognition)
PSY 333 (Learning)
Section 2:
PSY 336 (Emotion)
PSY 337 (Motivation)
Section 3:
PSY 340 (Physiology
of Behavior)
PSY 341 (Neuropsychology)
PSY 342 (Psychopharmacology)
PSY 345 (Psychophysiology)
See Prerequisite course descriptions below (all courses require PSY 100 as prerequisite):
100. General Psychology (3)
Introduction to the scientific study of human behavior. Provides a basis
for further study and for application to everyday life. Topics include
biological foundations of behavior, motivation, emotion, learning, memory,
thinking, personality, development, social behavior, abnormal behavior, methods
of therapy.
241. Psychobiology (3)
Introduction to the study of behavior from a biological point of view.
Biological systems and processes underlying behavior, with emphasis on brain
mechanisms, presented in the context of fundamental concepts and issues in
psychology.
210. Introductory Statistics (4)
Calculation and meaning of statistical measures. Descriptive and
inferential statistics.
220. Research Methods (4)
Prerequisites: PSY 210 or equivalent.
Introduction to basic research methods in Psychology. Principles of
experimentation, naturalistic observation, correlational studies.
310. Intermediate Statistics (3)
Prerequisites: PSY 210 or introductory statistics course.
Basic theoretical concepts of statistics and use of these concepts in selection and development of model testing, hypothesis testing and parameter estimation procedures. Both single
measure (univariate) and correlation (bivariate) concepts are included.
331. Sensation and Perception (3)
Prerequisite: PSY 241, 220.
An introduction to the scientific study of sensory processes and perceptual
principles from a psychophysical and physiological perspective, and the methods
used to investigate them. Topics may include vision, audition,
psychophysics, and object and space perception.
332. Cognition (3)
Prerequisite: PSY 241, 220.
Study of higher-order processes basic to the acquisition of knowledge.
Includes thinking, problem solving, creativity, information processing,
decision making, judgment, concepts and imagination.
333. Psychology of Learning (3)
Prerequisite: PSY 241, 220.
Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior resulting from
experience. Emphasizes interaction of biological and environmental
variables in the processes of instinct, habituation, sensitization, Pavlovian
conditioning, instrumental learning, and cognition; examination of methods,
theory and applications.
336. Psychology of Emotion (3)
Prerequisite: PSY 241, 220.
Discussion of research and theories of emotions. Includes the
evolution of emotions, neurophysiological mechanisms of emotion, development of
emotions, expressions of emotions, and emotions in social relationships, with an
emphasis on the emotions of anger, grief, happiness, jealousy, and love.
337. Motivation (3)
Prerequisite: PSY 241, 220.
Situational and physiological determinants of human and animal behavior,
theories of motivation and emotion, discussion of techniques and problems
in the study of motivation.
No longer available at CSULB.
340. Physiology of Behavior (3)
Prerequisites: PSY 241, 220.
An in-depth examination of central nervous systems (CNS) components
that create our behavioral capabilities. Topics include major structural and functional features of the neuron
and of selected systems that are representative of the sensory, integrative
and motor capabilities of the CNS.
341. Neuropsychology (3)
Prerequisites: PSY 241, 220.
Localization of brain regions responsible for human capabilities as studied
in patients with brain damage, normal people, and nonhumans. How brain
damage is assessed and treated. Relation of findings to function of normal
brains.
342. Psychopharmacology (3)
Prerequisites: PSY 241, 220.
Introduction to the effects of major classes of psychoactive drugs on the
central nervous system. Topics include anatomical and functional
characteristics of neurotransmitters systems; pharmacology of drug
administration; and physiological and psychological actions of selected classes
of psychoactive drugs.
345. Psychophysiology (3)
Prerequisite: PSY 241, 220.
Physiological activity occurring in humans during particular behavior
states. Theoretical problems and methodological approaches.
No longer offered at CSULB.
351. Social Psychology (3)
Study of individuals and groups as they are affected by social interactions.
Topics may include social cognition, attitudes and persuasion,
social influence, interpersonal perception and attraction, aggression, altruism,
and group dynamics.
Not open to students with credit in SOC335I.
356. Personality (3)
Survey of classical theories and methods in Personality psychology, with a
sampling of current research. Examines how and why people differ in
personality, and the ways these differences are reflected in thoughts, feelings,
motivations, and behaviors.
361. Child and Adolescent Development (3)
Developmental change processes from prenatal development through
adolescence. Emphasis on ethnic, gender, and social class difference in
development combined with emphasis on the universal features of human
development. Topic coverage includes physical-motor, social,
physiological, and cognitive aspects of development.
365. Psychology of Adult Development and Aging (3)
Methodological and theoretical problems and issues in the study of
developmental change processes from young adulthood through old age. Topical
coverage includes physical-motoric, social, physiological and intellectual
aspects of behavioral functioning.
Psychology Department * CSULB * 1250 Bellflower Blvd. * Long Beach, CA 90840-0901 * 562-985-5001