MA in Psychology with Emphasis in Cognition and Neuroscience
The faculty and students in the Cognition and Neuroscience Training Area explore the interactions among mind, brain and behavior from individual and biological levels of analysis. Graduate training provides students with a thorough background in psychology, statistics and scientific methodology, through course work and participation in ongoing research. Students are expected to be actively engaged in faculty-mentored and independent research projects throughout their training.
Faculty and students in cognition and neuroscience investigate a variety of topics in human cognition, cognitive neuroscience, learning and memory, and behavioral neuroscience and use human and animal models. Our researchers investigate the structure and function of the nervous systems and its impact on behavior in brain imaging, psychophysiology and neuropharmacology experiments. Studies survey human memory, intelligence and sensorimotor function across the lifespan and the impact of physical and psychological disorders on these processes. Animal research examines motivation, learning and the biological basis of human psychopathologies.
The MA degree is typically completed as part of a student's normal progress through the doctoral program. Students are accepted into the MA program under the expectation that they will continue to doctoral study in our department. We do not admit students seeking a terminal master's degree in this emphasis area.
Degree Requirements
The requirements are (1) 30 credit hours, including research credit and the student's distribution courses, (2) a thesis, and (3) a final oral examination on the thesis research. Although only 30 hours are required to earn the master's degree, MA students are expected to successfully complete a subset of courses that will meet the PhD requirements of 9 hours of distribution courses, 11 hours in statistics and 24 hours in the area of concentration.
More detailed information about the rules and regulations for degree completion can be found in the Department of Psychological Sciences Graduate Student Handbook.
Admissions
Please refer to the admission requirements for the MA in Psychology. Students are only accepted for the PhD in Psychology and the MA is earned as a secondary degree en route to the PhD.