MA - General/Experimental

Graduate Mission

The mission of the Graduate Psychology program is to build on the undergraduate study of psychology as an empirical science and provide students with foundations necessary to successfully enter and complete doctoral programs, become community college teachers, or acquire other professional positions.

Goals and Student Learning Outcomes

Goal 1: Theory and Content in Psychology. Students can demonstrate conceptual mastery of an area of emphasis in depth.

Learning Outcomes

1.Students can demonstrate knowledge and understanding of theory and research in at least one of the following areas: cognition, motivation, learning, psycholinguistics, psychopharmacology, perception, behavioral genetics, or physiological psychology.

2.Students can demonstrate knowledge and understanding of theory and research in at least one of the following areas: personality, social processes, or developmental changes in human thought and behavior.

 

Goal 2: Methodology and Technology. Students can understand and be able to use major research methods in psychology, including design, data analysis, and interpretation.

Learning Outcomes

1.Students can apply the appropriate use of various research designs for addressing different types of questions and hypotheses.

2. Students can evaluate the appropriateness of conclusions presented in disseminated research relevant to psychology.

3.Students can evaluate the appropriate use of various data analytic techniques for addressing different types of questions and hypotheses.

4.Students can explain APA guidelines for the ethical treatment of human and nonhuman research participants

5.Students can use the library, data bases, and the internet to locate relevant research, theory, and information necessary to plan, conduct, and interpret results of research studies.

6.Students can formulate a testable research hypothesis and design basic studies to address psychological questions using different research methodologies.

7.Students can collect data under supervised direction.

8.Students can enter and analyze data using a computer statistical package and interpret basic descriptive and inferential statistics.

9.Students can apply the scientific method and statistical techniques in research (e.g., thesis).

10.Students can apply APA ethical guidelines in the design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of psychological research.

 

Goal 3: Critical Thinking, Logic, and Problem Solving. Students can demonstrate the skills and attitudes of critical thinking and sound decision-making in course work and independent work.

Learning Outcomes

1.Students can evaluate the logic and data of research.

2.Students can defend arguments, compare perspectives and theories, differentiate assumptions and facts, and develop hypotheses based on research literature.

 

Goal 4: Communication Skills. Students can write clearly and effectively and can display effective oral communication skills.

Learning Outcomes

1.Students can produce well-organized papers and essays without grammatical errors.

2.Students can utilize APA format correctly in papers.

3.Students can compose and deliver an oral presentation on a psychology topic.

4.Students can explain scientific findings, ideas, and opinions in a group setting.

5.Students can develop a presentation appropriate for submission to a scientific conference.

 

Goal 5: Diversity and Awareness. Students can demonstrate appreciation of diverse perspectives.

Learning Outcomes

1.Students can show an understanding of, respect for, and responsiveness to cultural and individual differences by describing the perspectives of those of other ages, abilities, gender, or ethnicities.

2.Students can listen to and discuss perspectives on psychology with others regardless of similarity or diversity of personality characteristics or professional experience and orientation.