PSYCHOLOGY (M.A.)

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Degree Conferred: Psychology (M.A.)
The Master of Art (M.A.) program in Psychology is a 36-credit course of study in which students are required to take core courses (18 credits) in behavioral neuroscience, clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, and social psychology. These are complemented by courses (6 credits) in research design and statistical methods. Students also choose three electives (9 credits) from the four core areas, and must also complete a thesis course (3 credits). A written thesis of potentially publishable quality is requied to earn the M.A. degree.

Program of Study:
The program is designed to fulfill the goals of providing students with a thorough grounding in advanced principles of psychology at a graduate level, and providing students with an understanding of the tools of advanced psychology that is suitable for building careers in business, education, research, and government. The objectives include providing students with an opportunity to strengthen their credentials in order to improve their chances of gaining acceptance to a Ph.D. program in psychology; providing those studdents who wish to enter a Ph.D. program in psychology with a chance to explore advanced courses in several sub fields of psychology, learn more about psychology and focus their interests, and then apply for and gain entrance to a Ph.D. program in Psychology; providing students with advanced training in each of the core areas of study; and providing students with a command of the analytical tools necessary to successful careers in psychology.

Admissions and Financial Aid Requirements
Medaille College has a rolling admissions policy and students may be admitted for the fall, spring, or summer semesters. Applicants are encouraged to apply in accordance with the following schedule:

Fall Semester Deadline August 15
Spring Semester Deadline January 1
Summer Semester Deadline June 1

Successful admissions candidates will generally have met the following selection criteria:
  • An undergraduate GPA of at least 2.8: The Graduate Admissions Committee reviews the undergraduate record, noting the total GPA, the area of concentration, and the trend of grades. A minimum 2.8 GPA is recommended, although all applications will be reviewed. Students under 2.8 will require convincing evidence of intellectual ability, communications skills, and initiative.
  • A degree from a regionally accredited educational institution.
  • Two applicant reference forms: The committee reviews references of applicants as they contribute to an understanding of the applicant's academic ability, leadership skills, and aptitude for graduate study. All applicants are required to have two forms submitted for review.
  • Satisfactory GRE score: A good balance of scores in verbal and quantitative areas is needed. No minimum total GRE is required, but the average entering student is above the 50th percentile. Students may be accepted provisionally pending receipt of exam scores or successful completion of the first 12 credits of course work.
Provisional Admission
Students may be admitted provisionally to the M.A. program pending receipt of credentials such as original transcripts or scores. Students admitted as provisional students may take no more than 12 semester hours of credit (four courses) prior to formal admission.

Tuition
The tuition for the M.A. program for the 2003-2004 academic year is $517 per credit hour. Modest changes may be expected for the following academic year; this information will be available at the appropriate time.

Financial Aid
Applicants interested in obtaining financial assistance are encouraged to contact the Medaille College Office of Financial Aid, 18 Agassiz Circle, Buffalo, New York 14214. Financial aid programs include:

New York Tuition Assistance Program
Federal College Work Study Program
Stafford Loans

Additional Information

Academic Performance Requirements
Good academic standing means that a student is making acceptable progress towards a graduate degree. Minimum academic requirements for good academic standing established by the program are as follows. The average of the grades for all courses taken in fulfillment of degree requirements at Medaille must be at least a B (3.0). It is the student's responsibility to monitor his or her cumulative grade point average, ensuring that any grades falling below a B are offset by corresponding grades above a B. A student whose grade point average falls below a 3.0 is automatically placed on academic probation.

A student earning less than B- in any course is required to repeat the course.

Time Limit
All graduate students must be registered for a minimum of six credit hours during each fall, spring and summer semester. Graduate students in good academic standing who cannot maintain continuous registration should apply for a leave of absence by the beginning of the semester in which the leave is to begin.

Academic Review/Probation/Dismissal
Any graduate student who receives a grade of F in any course required for completion of the M.A. degree or who indicates a lack of ability as determined by the program faculty, will receive an immediate academic review by the graduate program faculty. Upon completion of the academic review, the graduate program faculty may place the student on academic probation. Such notice will be made in writing by the department chairperson or designee prior to the end of the drop/add period of the next semester and will indicate the terms of the probation and its removal. Any student placed on academic probation is limited to three (3) credits per semester while on probation and is required to sign and adhere to a prescribed probationary contract. Any graduate student not meeting the written terms of their academic probation may be academically dismissed from the College.

Transfer Credit
Credit for study deemed equivalent to graduate courses or for graduate work completed at other regionally accredited institutions may be offered in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Medaille M.A. when the work is of acceptable quality, recent and appropriate to the program. The Program Director will determine if courses can be transferred into Program.

Convenient Weekend Format
Medaille's M.A. is offered during the day and through our well-known evening studies program. The schedule consists of two nine-week modules per semester. Each module consists of classes that meet two evenings per week (either Monday and Weednesday or Tuesday and Thursday). You may take up to 12 credits per semester in this format. You'll be considered a full-time student by attending only two classes and evenings at a time.

Curriculum

Psychology Credit Hours
PSY 504 Social Psychology
3
PSY 511 Cognitive Psychology
3
PSY 521 Biological Basis of Behavior
3
PSY 531 Research Methods
3
PSY 602 Counseling
3
PSY 607 Statistics
3
PSY 631 Developmental Psychology
3
PSY 760 Psychopathologies
3
PSY 797 Thesis Guidance
3
   
Any three courses from the following:
9
PSY 533 The application of Psychology to Law
3
PSY 598 Special Topics in Psychology
3
PSY 610 counseling in a Multicultural and Pluralistic Society
3
PSY 611 Memory
3
PSY 677 Internship
3
PSY 698 Special Topics in Psychology
3
PSY 701 Neuropsychological Assessment of the Older Adult
3
PSY 751 Readings in Psychology
3
     
Total Credits
36

Course Descriptions

PSY 504 SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY The single most important environmental factor influencing human attitudes and behaviors is the presence of other humans. Social psychologists strive to understand how individuals and groups affect these attitudes and behaviors. This course will focus on topics such as measurement and analysis of behaviors, attitude structure and function, the origins of social norms, attraction, altruism and antisocial behavior. Three credit hours.

PSY 511 COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY This course focuses on the science of the mental structures and processes involved in perception, attention, memory, problem solving, language use, consciousness, concept formation, reasoning, and decision making. Three credit hours.

PSY 521 BIOLOGICAL BASIS OF BEHAVIOR As it is possible to link the workings of individual nerve cells to observable behavior, this course focuses on the mental processes that under lie how humans, and other select organisms, perceive, learn, remember and behave. Three credit hours.

PSY 531 RESEARCH METHODS Focuses on the problems and procedures of research sciences with emphasis on understanding the basic types of research, the development of sound research design, conducting an appropriate experiment, and utilization of an effective writing style for preparing and reporting research. Three credit hours.

PSY 533 THE APPLICATION OF PSYCHOLOGY TO LAW This course focuses on how psychoological research can inform the legal process. Topics include eyewitness credibility, interviewing techniques, obtaining informaiton from child witnesses, the polygraph, the validity of recovered memories and memories obtained with the use of hypnosis. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: PSY 531 or PSY 607.

PSY 598 SPECIAL TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY Topics will be announced on a semester-by-semester basis. Courses goals, objectives, and content will be determined by the topic. Three credit hours.

PSY 607 STATISTICS This course is designed to integrate statistical concepts with real-world examples so that students can have a greater appreciation of statistics as a tool to analyze and validate psychological data. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the program.

PSY 610 COUNSELING IN A MULTICULTURAL AND PLURALISTIC SOCIETY Multicultural aspects of psychological services is currently one of the fastest growing facets of counseling psychology. This course addresses diversity counseling as it pertains to groups such as homosexuals, the elderly, minorities, and persons with disabilities. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: PSY 602.

PSY 611 MEMORY This course provides students with an overview of the multifaceted psychological study of memory. This course is predicated on the belief that an understanding of memory requires awareness of memory issues from a variety of perspectives, including psychobiological, developmental, neuropsychological, the traditional cognitive perspective, and applied perspectives. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: PSY 511.

PSY 631 DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY This course introduces students to the major theories that have shaped psychologists' understanding of human development from conception, childhood and adolescence, to early, middle and late adulthood. Aspects of development discussed include biosocial, cognitive and psychosocial changes. Three credit hours.

PSY 677 INTERNSHIP A 90-hour internship provides the student with on-site experience and a solid understanding of careers in the mental health, research or clinical setting. Additionally, internships allow students the opportunity to participate in the learning experience while developing professional contacts in their area of specialization. Internships require instructor approval. Three credit hours. Prerequisite: Completion of 18 PSY credits at the graduate level.

PSY 698 SPECIAL TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGY Topics will be announced on a semester-by-semester basis. Courses goals, objectives, and content will be determined by the topic. Three credit hours.

PSY 701 NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE OLDER ADULT Neuropsychological evaluations present a guideline for counselors, clinicians and social workers to assess whether an individual has undergone an abnormal cognitive change or a behavioral decline. This course profiles the major neurobehavioral disorders affecting older adults while providing a diagnostic framework for the student to follow. Clinical interview, formal testing, identifying a patient's neuropsychological profile and planning follow-up services are emphasized. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: Completion of 18 PSY credits at the graduate level.

PSY 751 READINGS IN PSYCHOLOGY This course focuses both on primary sources that make up historical works important in psychology, and secondary sources representing historical research in psychology. Readings will be placed within a historical framework. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: PSY 504, PSY 511, PSY 521 and PSY 602.

PSY 760 PSYCHOPATHOLOGIES Humans have been trying to understand the bases of psychopathologies for thousands of years. This course provides students with the most current infomration regarding the etiologies, and subsequent treatments, of the most prevalent mental illnesses in our society. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: PSY 504, PSY 511, PSY 521, PSY 531 and PSY 602.

PSY 797 THESIS GUIDANCE This course focuses both on the process of developing and writing a Masters level thesis consistent with the student's interests and career goals. Special attention will be focused on the development of an effective scientific wirting style with an individual faculty member using a mentorship model. Three credit hours. Prerequisites: Completion of 18 PSY credits at the graduate level.

2004 Mental Health Counseling Advisory Board Members

*Alumna
 

Office of Academic Affairs; page updated 10/5/04 (lak)
Medaille College, 18 Agassiz Circle, Buffalo, New York 14214 USA
Phone: (716) 884-3281; Fax: (716) 884-0291
email: Academic Affairs Office