Psychology, Master of Science (0469)
Department website: http://www.wku.edu/psychological-sciences
Program Coordinator
Matthew C. Shake, matthew.shake@wku.edu, (270) 745-2440
This program prepares students to pursue careers in business, research, or government settings, and/or to enter a doctoral program.
Concentration(s)
- Industrial/Organization (MSIO)
- Psychological Science (MAPS)
Joint Undergraduate Master's Program (JUMP)
This degree offers a Joint Undergraduate Master's Program (JUMP) which provides academically outstanding students the opportunity to complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree in an accelerated timeframe. Contact the graduate program coordinator for additional information.
Program Admission
In addition to Graduate Studies admission requirements, the Department of Psychological Sciences requires
- The Psychological Sciences Departmental Application 1
- A 500-word personal statement describing professional interests and career goals
- Three letters of recommendation
- For the Psychological Sciences concentration only, applicants must identify two to three research mentors with whom they wish to work.
The following are recommended but not required for admission:
- Completion of a statistics and research methodology course
- A background in psychology
- A minimum GPA of 3.0 in psychology courses
- An additional writing sample (e.g., a paper, manuscript, thesis, etc.)
- Scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) 2
All application materials should be received by March 1st for priority consideration. An interview may be required.
1 Departmental application can be found at https://www.wku.edu/psychological-sciences/grad/admission.php
2 Admitted students who have provided GRE scores in prior years have had a median total score of 303 on the verbal and quantitative subtests, and a 4.0 on the analytical writing subtest. However, each applicant will be evaluated individually and on a holistic basis. Strong GRE scores may be beneficial for students looking to offset weaknesses in their application (e.g., low GPA).
Graduate Studies Admission
Please refer to the admission section of this catalog for Graduate Studies admission requirements.
Program Requirements (37-42 hours)
The program comprises 27 - 28 hours of core courses plus specific program content that varies by concentration. A thesis based on original research conducted under the direction of a department graduate faculty member is required. A comprehensive examination is required at the time of thesis defense. A research tool is required in both concentrations.
Industrial-Organizational Psychology Concentration (42 hours)
This concentration focuses on behavior in business, industry, consulting, and government organizations. Students develop proficiencies in the construction and validation of personnel selection systems, job analysis, employee compensation, criterion development, leadership, motivation theory, equal employment opportunity law, and training in business and industry. A thesis is required. Grades lower than B may not be used to satisfy requirements for courses in the industrial/organizational training sequence (PSYS 570, PSYS 571, PSYS 572, PSYS 670, and PSYS 673).
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| PSYS 510 | Advanced Research Methods in Psychology | 3 |
| PSYS 512 | Analysis of Variance | 3 |
| PSYS 513 | Correlation and Regression Analysis | 3 |
| PSYS 518 | Statistics and Psychometric Theory | 3 |
| PSYS 552 | Advanced Social Psychology | 3 |
| or PSYS 590 | Readings of Research Psychology | |
| PSYS 570 | Job Analysis and Compensation | 3 |
| PSYS 571 | Personnel Psychology | 3 |
| PSYS 572 | Organizational Psychology | 3 |
| PSYS 579 | Internship in Industrial-Organizational Psychology 1 | 3 |
| PSYS 581 | Professional and Ethical Issues in Psychological Sciences | 3 |
| PSYS 599 | Thesis Research/Writing | 6 |
| PSYS 670 | Equal Employment Opportunity, the Law, and Ethical Considerations | 3 |
| PSYS 673 | Advanced Training in Business and Industry | 3 |
| Total Hours | 42 | |
- 1
A three month internship in personnel psychology is encouraged (3 hours); 3 hours may be substituted for the internship if not internship placement can be obtained.
Psychological Science Concentration (37 Hours)
This concentration uses a research mentorship approach to prepare students to be competitive applicants for admission into a Ph.D. program and/or for positions where strong research and methodological skills are needed. In addition to 28 hours of required coursework, students must choose 9 hours of elective credits that best fit their focus area interests (under the guidance and mentorship of their advisor). A thesis is required. Applicants should refer to faculty research interests identified on the program web site and must apply specifically to work with one or more faculty members in whose research they have a particular interest. Grades lower than B may not be used to satisfy course requirements in the Research Methods and Statistics Core PSYS 510, PSYS 512, PSYS 513, PSYS 518, PSYS 581, and PSYS 595. Only one "G" course may be counted toward the degree.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| PSYS 510 | Advanced Research Methods in Psychology | 3 |
| Choose 2 from the following: | 6 | |
| Analysis of Variance | ||
| Correlation and Regression Analysis | ||
| Statistics and Psychometric Theory | ||
| Choose 2 from the following: | 6 | |
| Advanced Child Developmental Psychology | ||
| Advanced Topics in Cognition | ||
| Advanced Social Psychology | ||
| Advanced Physiological Psychology | ||
| PSYS 581 | Professional and Ethical Issues in Psychological Sciences | 3 |
| PSYS 595 | Practicum in Psychological Sciences | 4 |
| PSYS 599 | Thesis Research/Writing | 6 |
| Focus Area Electives (see below) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 37 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Focus Area Electives | ||
| Complete 9 credits from the following**: | ||
| PSYS 423G | Psychology of Adult Life and Aging | 3 |
| PSYS 431G | Psychology of Language | 3 |
| PSYS 465G | Psychopharmacology | 3 |
| PSYS 512 | Analysis of Variance | 3 |
| PSYS 513 | Correlation and Regression Analysis | 3 |
| PSYS 518 | Statistics and Psychometric Theory | 3 |
| PSYS 520 | Individual Differences and Human Diversity | 3 |
| PSYS 521 | Advanced Child Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSYS 530 | Conditioning and Learning | 3 |
| PSYS 533 | Advanced Topics in Cognition | 3 |
| PSYS 552 | Advanced Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSYS 565 | Cognitive Neuroscience | 3 |
| PSYS 567 | Advanced Physiological Psychology | 3 |
| PSYS 590 | Readings of Research Psychology | 1-3 |
| PSYS 640 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSYS 641 | Theories of Psychotherapy | 3 |
| ** Only one "G" course may be counted toward the degree | ||
Joint Undergraduate Master's Program (JUMP)
The Department of Psychological Sciences offers a Joint Undergraduate Master's Program (JUMP) which provides academically outstanding students the opportunity to complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree in an accelerated timeframe. Contact the graduate program coordinator for additional information.
This JUMP program allows students to start working toward their MS in Psychology with a concentration in Psychological Science (Ref: 0469) while completing their bachelor’s of science degree in Psychological Science (Ref: 747 and 747E). Undergraduate students admitted into JUMP may take graduate courses that count toward both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Up to 12 credit hours can be double-counted toward both degrees, and up to 15 hours of graduate courses can be taken while a student is completing the undergraduate degree. The key benefit of the JUMP program is that it allows students to earn a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in an accelerated timeframe. For more information, see https://www.wku.edu/psychological-sciences/.
To be considered for admission to the JUMP program to earn a BS in Psychological Science and a MS in Psychology in an accelerated timeframe a, a student must meet the following requirements:
- Be a Psychological Science major (includes programs with reference numbers 747 and 747E)
- Have completed at least 60 hours total, with at least 24 hours earned at WKU;
- Have at least 15 or more credit hours remaining to complete the bachelor’s degree;
- Have a minimum 3.25 overall GPA and 3.25 GPA in the Psychological Science major;
- Have completed or be enrolled in 16 credit hours in Psychological Science, including PSYS 100 (or PSYS 160), and PSYS 210, and PSYS 211, and PSYS 313 or the equivalent of these classes;
- Have completed at least one semester long research experience with a faculty member in the Department of Psychological Sciences.
Admissions are competitive and dependent upon graduate program capacity. The MS in Psychology with a concentration in Psychological Science uses a research mentorship approach to prepare students to be competitive applicants for admission into a Ph.D. program and/or for positions where strong research and methodological skills are needed.