Psychology M.A.

View information for the Department of Psychology .

The Master of Arts program in Psychology is designed (1) to prepare students for advanced graduate work, or (2) for those students who desire a research-oriented program. Admission to the program is competitive.

Minimum Prerequisites for Admission

1. A Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and completion of the concentration prerequisites, with a grade of B- or better or completion of a course in Introductory Psychology, completion of the concentration prerequisites with a minimum of 16 upper-division semester units in Psychology with a grade of B- or better with course content acceptable to the Psychology Graduate Committee.
   
   • One upper-division course in experimental psychology (PSYC 3000)
   • One upper-division general psychology course
   • Two upper-division laboratory courses or research seminars in Psychology
   • Three courses, one for each breadth area (C, D & E) as defined in the requirements for CSU Stanislaus undergraduate degree in Psychology 
2. A minimum 3.0 overall grade point average. 
3. Satisfactory performance on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test, which includes the GRE Analytical Writing Section. 
4. The student chooses an area of interest and a faculty member with whom the student would like to work. After consultation with the faculty member prior to applying, the student submits:
   
   1. A brief description of a sample problem the student might choose as a thesis,
   2. A letter of support from the faculty member stating that he or she agrees to serve as chair of the student’s Master’s committee and will direct the research for the student’s chosen project,
   3. A list of all coursework needed for completion of the student’s degree. 
5. Three letters of recommendation. 
6. Approval by the Psychology Department.

Minimum Prerequisites for Continuation

1. Maintenance of a 3.0 grade point average in all courses attempted.
2. Satisfactory progress toward the degree, which includes successful completion of coursework and thesis.
3. A classified graduate student in Psychology will be dropped from classified standing upon receiving more than three units of graduate study graded less than B-. However, any graduate student may retake a course graded less than B- for a higher grade, and a classified student must remove such grade deficits (in excess of three units) in the next semester or petition the Graduate Committee for a time extension if it is impossible to make up the deficit. In no case will more than three units of graduate study graded less than B- be counted towards a master’s degree.
4. Other requirements may be stated in University and Departmental Guidelines for Academic Probation and Termination. The student is responsible for obtaining current copies of these regulations and complying with the criteria listed.