Department

Department of Psychology

Constance Jones, Chair
Science II Building, Room 312
559.278.2691
www.fresnostate.edu/csm/psych

Degrees and Programs Offered

BA in Psychology, B.A.
EDS in Psychology, Ed.S.
MA in Psychology, M.A.
MA in Psychology - Applied Behavior Analysis Option, M.A.
MN in Psychology, Minor
PREB in Pre-Psychology

Courses Offered

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior -- including human thought, emotion, and action -- and the application of scientific knowledge to the solution of real-world problems. It includes a wide variety of topics, including perception, learning, memory, thinking, emotion, personality, social interaction, development, and abnormal behavior. Psychologists recognize that understanding behavior in all its complexity requires studying it from multiple perspectives. A thorough understanding of memory, for example, requires knowledge ranging from the neural structures and processes that underlie it to the social and cultural forces that influence it.

Students majoring in psychology take core courses in general psychology, statistics, and research methodology, along with additional courses in each of the primary areas of the discipline. There are also numerous opportunities for students to supplement their coursework with hands-on experience in faculty research labs and in the field under faculty supervision. Advanced and well-qualified students can participate in our senior honors program. These students design, conduct, and present an original research project as a senior thesis.

Psychology majors learn to think critically, write and speak clearly, identify and solve problems, and work effectively both individually and in groups. As a result, the study of psychology provides excellent preparation for graduate study and careers in a variety of fields.

Requirements

Master of Arts Degree - Applied Behavior Analysis Option - Requirements

The Applied Behavior Analysis Option in the Master of Arts degree program in psychology is a two-year, full-time graduate program option that meets the degree, coursework, and experience requirements needed in preparation for national certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Students are required to take 43 hours of coursework, including 3 thesis hours and 4 hours of practicum. A minimum of 1,000 contact hours of practicum are required over the two years of the program. Students must apply for admission to the ABA Option of the M.A. program during the graduate application process.

This program option emphasizes behavior analytic applications with typically developing and developmentally disabled children.

Course Requirements for the Applied Behavior Analysis Option

Core
PSYCH 221 (4 units)
PSYCH 223 (4 units)
PSYCH 244A (4 units)
PSYCH 245 (4 units)
PSYCH 299 (Thesis) (3 units)
Total (19 units)

Additional requirements
PSYCH 231 (3 units)
PSYCH 268 (Practicum) (4 units)
PSYCH 271 (3 units)
PSYCH 288 (4 units)
PSYCH 289 (4 units)
Total (18 units)

Electives (7 units)
Courses must be approved by the ABA program coordinator.

Total (44 units)

Graduate Programs

The Master of Arts and Educational Specialist degrees in Psychology are designed to provide students with a broad background in psychology while allowing them opportunities to pursue areas of special interest. Completion of the requirements for either master's degree prepares students for positions in community mental health service agencies, school settings, community college teaching, research, or entry into Ph.D. or Psy.D. programs in Psychology.

Admission to the Master of Arts and Ed.S. programs in Psychology is based upon the satisfactory completion of prerequisite courses selected from the core courses required for the California State University, Fresno undergraduate major in psychology, or their equivalent. Potential graduate students should submit transcripts of all academic work and three letters of recommendation. In addition, students must submit scores from the GRE general test to be considered for admission. School Psychology program applicants must submit scores from the CBEST as well and complete other prerequisites as outlined in the department's application. All students must submit applications to both the Division of Graduate Admissions and the Department of Psychology.

Admission to the graduate program in psychology is based on the evaluation of a student's capacity to successfully complete master's level work. The graduate committee uses multiple criteria to assess an applicant's qualifications including coursework completed, grades, test scores, essays, and letters of recommendation. In addition, an applicant's professional interests and goals are evaluated in terms of the interests of the faculty and the resources of the Department of Psychology. Separate evaluations of applicants are made for the M.A. general/experimental program and the Ed.S. School Psychology program. Although many applicants meet our minimum admission requirements, we are limited in the number of positions available and many qualified applicants cannot be offered admission.

Admission to classified graduate standing requires a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0, as well as a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in undergraduate psychology courses. A combined score of 1,000 or higher on the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the GRE General Test is preferred. Applicants lacking minimum scores in one area with compensating strengths in other areas may apply. The Department of Psychology does not typically admit unclassified students into the graduate program.

In order to apply for advancement to candidacy, students in psychology graduate programs must earn grades of A or B in PSYCH 244A and PSYCH 244B and pass the Psychology Department Graduate Writing Requirement.

The graduate writing requirement can be fulfilled in PSYCH 244A. Further information can be found in the course syllabus and graduate handbook.

Under the direction of a graduate adviser, a coherent program is prepared and submitted, directed toward the achievement of the student's goal in graduate study.

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Faculty

All full-time faculty members in the department have a Ph.D. in psychology or a closely related field. Their areas of expertise represent the breadth of contemporary scientific psychology. In addition to being dedicated teachers, most faculty members also conduct and publish original research. Many are also licensed or certified as practitioners of clinical psychology, school psychology, or applied behavior analysis.

For faculty phone numbers and e-mail, see the campus directory.

For more on the faculty, see the faculty pages.
The faculty pages are updated by the department or program.