FOLLOW YOUR PASSION FIND YOUR PLACE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
PsycHOlOgy www.psychology.missouristate.edu
Psychology graduate programs
psychology
PsycHOlOgy gRADuATE PROgRAMs at Missouri State
The department of psychology offers one master’s degree with three possible tracks, and one graduate certificate.
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Graduate degree
MAsTER OF scIENcE IN PsycHOlOgy This degree will help you deeply explore your interest in the study of human behavior and mental processes. You may choose your area of specialization from three different tracks.
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Degree tracks: Clinical
Experimental
Clinical psychologists use theories and technologies to help people with their problems in life. They may assess, diagnose, treat and prevent mental disorders. The faculty members at Missouri State enable you to make basic diagnostic decisions, administer psychological tests and conduct basic counseling. You will be prepared for doctoral studies or to become licensed as a clinical psychologist.
Experimental psychologists use scientific methods to study the mind and behavior. They often have careers in research or academic settings. Missouri State has an apprenticeship-style program that allows students to have a close working partnership with a faculty member. We have excellent placement rates for graduates who want to go on to PhD programs.
Industrial/ organizational Industrial/organizational psychology, or I/O, is the scientific study of the workplace. I/O professionals examine behavior in settings such as business, government and nonprofit organizations. They apply psychological theories and principles to areas such as human resources, management and marketing. Missouri State’s I/O program prepares students for careers and doctoral studies.
See all course work Explore all degree work, including courses specific to each track: www.psychology.missouristate.edu
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Graduate certificate
FORENsIc cHIlD PsycHOlOgy Missouri State’s program is one of the first of its kind to provide training specifically for professionals working with children who have come into contact with the criminal justice system. Courses explore topics such as psychological issues that may arise during child abuse investigations, and protecting the integrity and reliability of child interviews in criminal cases. This certificate is not only pursued by those seeking a degree in psychology, but also by those interested in criminal justice, social work or those who work with children in the legal system. The certificate requires 12 hours of course work.
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More than
85%
of all students seeking a psychology master’s degree at MSU graduate in
2.5 years
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lIFETIME succEss
Psychology alumni go on to great careers.
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Examples of career titles
Recent employers of program graduates
• Clinical: Licensed professional counselor; social worker; therapist; psychometrician
• Aon multinational consulting firm
• Experimental: Psychologist; researcher; professor; data analyst; statistician • Industrial/organizational: Human resources director; employee development and training manager; staff specialist; organizational research consultant
Doctoral studies
• Creighton University department of medicine
MSU prepares students to apply to world-class doctoral programs. Here are some PhD programs that have recently accepted or interviewed graduate students in the psychology program:
• Hewlett-Packard
• Brown University
• Burrell Behavioral Health
• Mercy Research and Development • U.S. Office of Personnel Management • Washington University School of Medicine, department of psychiatry
• Fordham University • Lehigh University • The Ohio State University • Northeastern University • University of Hawai’i • University of Iowa • University of Kansas • University of Minnesota • University of Nebraska • University of New Mexico • University of Notre Dame
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WHy cHOOsE Msu FOR PsycHOlOgy? Individualized attention The psychology graduate degree tracks have incredibly low student-to-faculty ratios. Faculty members become mentors who guide students through the experiences they need to accomplish their individualized academic goals.
Student-to-professor average ratios, per track
3:1 2:1 5:1 Clinical
Experimental
I/O
Number of students accepted per year, per track
8-9 Clinical
5-7 10-12
Experimental
I/O
Fantastic peers The psychology department is highly selective. The average GPA of accepted for all tracks is 3.68, so you know your fellow students will be motivated and high-achieving.
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Research experiences
Research facilities
Students often help faculty members in the planning, data collection and analysis stages of research projects. For example, students have recently studied nutrition and development in Haiti, examined visual learning in infants and analyzed data about the effectiveness of college courses that blend online and in-class methods.
Students will find state-of-the-art resources and high-tech equipment in labs across campus. We have a brain and behavior lab, clinical labs, experimental labs, an eye/heart lab, a health lab, an infant behavior lab, a mnemonic strategies lab and a psycholinguistics lab. The psychology department also operates a Learning Diagnostic Clinic.
Publishing opportunities
Conference presentations
Real-world experiences
Graduate students have contributed to materials published in industry-leading journals, including Psychology of Teaching and Learning, Human Resource Development Quarterly and Behavior Research Methods.
Graduate students frequently attend national and international conferences. They are able to showcase their work and network with leaders in their fields.
Each psychology graduate student will have a “culminating experience� before finishing his or her degree. Students choose between completing an internship or finishing a thesis.
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HEAR FROM A REcENT AluMNA! See her full story: www.missouristate.edu/ spotlights/katyvalentine Katy Valentine, ’11 and ’13, had her pick of PhD programs thanks to her Missouri State experience. She was accepted to at least six top programs, and will be starting doctoral studies soon at the institution of her choice. She credits MSU for providing what she calls astounding mentors who propelled her to attend conferences, conduct research, publish and teach. The psychology department helped her individualize her master’s experience so she could focus on quantitative analysis, looking for “truth in data,” as she puts it. “They are all amazing people who have put me in the place I need to be.”
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uNbEATAblE vAluE We invite you to compare us to other schools: Missouri State’s cost is lower than most of our private and public competitors, and is better than state and national averages. We also offer numerous ways to help you pay for school. Psychology graduate students may find assistance in the forms of scholarships, graduate assistantships, grants, loans and work study.
About graduate assistantships Missouri State graduate assistantships allow you to gain work experience in your field while receiving both a stipend for living expenses and a fee-waiver scholarship. The department of psychology has competitive graduate assistantships related to each degree track. Assistantships may focus on research, clinical work, teaching, experimental psychology or other areas. In addition, psychology students are often placed in assistantships in MSU’s College of Health and Human Services, or across Missouri State in areas related to their interests.
Learn more about graduate student financial aid: www.missouristate.edu/financialaid/graduate.htm 12
15+
graduate assistantships in Missouri State’s department of psychology
400+
graduate assistantships in offices and departments across MSU
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HOW TO APPly Potential students must apply to both the Missouri State University Graduate College and the department of psychology’s graduate program. Admission to the psychology graduate program is very competitive. A student who does not meet all listed criteria, but who demonstrates outstanding potential, may be considered on the basis of individual merit.
Deadlines Psychology graduate programs begin only in fall semesters. All application materials, including recommendation letters, must be submitted by February 15 of the year you hope to start the program. Decisions regarding acceptance usually begin March 1.
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Requirements before applying
Psychology prerequisites
• You must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. In addition, you must have earned a GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale in your undergraduate course work.
To be admitted, you must have taken at least 20 semester hours (or 30 quarter hours) of psychology courses, including courses in both statistics and research methods, and received a 3.25 GPA or better for those courses.
• Applicants must have taken the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). We recommend a Verbal Reasoning score of 151 or higher and a Quantitative Reasoning score of 142 or higher.
acheck off as you go
Steps to take: 1. Complete the Missouri State University Graduate College application: www.missouristate.edu/futurestudents/applynow.aspx You will pay a nonrefundable fee of $35 to apply. (The application fee is $50 for international students, who must apply through International Student Services: www.international.missouristate.edu/services)
2. Submit your GRE scores and undergraduate transcript(s), as well as graduate transcripts if you have them, to the Graduate College. These must be official, sealed copies of transcripts sent from any institution(s) where you have done prior academic work. Missouri State University transcripts do not need to be sent. 3. Fill out a separate application for the Graduate Admissions Committee of the psychology department: www.psychology.missouristate.edu/graduateapply The application will ask you to provide the following: • A personal statement of your career goals • A curriculum vitae with information about your experience in research activities, community activities, classroom activities, or nonacademic activities related to psychology 4. Provide at least three letters of recommendation, including at least two from college-level teachers who are familiar with your academic achievements. You will upload the letters online. 5. Although it’s not required, it is helpful if you also include a copy of your GRE report and transcript(s) with the materials you send to the psychology department.
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Follow your passion, find your place at Missouri State
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About Missouri State Missouri State University is a public university with an enrollment of more than 23,000 students. There are four physical campuses, located in Springfield, Mo.; West Plains, Mo.; Mountain Grove, Mo.; and Dalian, China. Missouri State offers:
80+
graduate academic options
A remarkable education. We have excellent bachelor’s degree options, master’s degree options, graduate certification programs and doctoral programs.
400+
graduate assistantships across campus
500+
affiliations with businesses and professional organizations, leading to networking and research opportunities for graduate students
20+
MSU centers and institutes where graduate-level research may take place
An unbeatable value. Our cost is lower than state and national averages, and we have many ways to help students pay for school.
A distinctive mission. Our public affairs mission is about getting involved and becoming a leader with strong ethics. The mission is everywhere on campus, from the classroom to special events open to the community.
Memorable experiences. Our student body is known for being warm and welcoming. The main campus is in Springfield, the third-largest city in Missouri. Springfield blends the best of small-town coziness and bigger-city amenities.
100,000+
Missouri State alumni living around the nation and world
Lifetime success. Missouri State has extensive, free career services for both graduate students and alumni to help them reach their professional goals.
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cONTAcT us www.psychology.missouristate.edu psychology@missouristate.edu 417-836-6841 Missouri State University Department of Psychology 901 S. National Ave. Springfield, MO 65897
Missouri State University adheres to a strict nondiscrimination policy and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, veteran status, or on any basis (including, but not limited to, political affiliation and sexual orientation) not related to the applicable educational requirements for students in any program or activity offered or sponsored by the University. | PSY 160 14