Master of Arts in Psychology
Introduction
This handbook describes the major milestones (see appendix A), program regulations and requirements that students will encounter as they complete the Master’s program in Psychology at Medaille College. Planning of all phases of the Master’s program should be done in consultation with your academic advisor. The academic advisor should not only help to provide guidance about academic matters, but should also serve as a mentor. Department faculty are committed to making your graduate work the most productive educational experience possible.
Policy statements described herein are subject to change. Students are advised to consult Department, College and Graduate School publications for detailed and up-to-date information. Copies of forms (or instructions) required to complete the procedures described in this Handbook may be obtained from either the Department or from the Graduate School at Medaille College. For further information, consult your academic advisor.
Philosophy of the Program
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 students 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.
Currently, some departmental faculty are engaged in a wide range of research projects investigating abnormal, cognitive, social, emotional, and biological development. Likewise, some departmental faculty have extensive applied experience in such areas as marriage and family therapy, and adolescent development. The psychology faculty are known at Medaille College for their research and professional development. The psychology faculty publish frequently, obtain research grants, and engage in many other scholarly activities. For example, the current graduate faculty have published articles in the following journals (to name a few): Brain & Cognition, Brain Research, Brain Research Bulletin, Developmental Brain Research, Developmental Review,Ergonomics,Infant Behavior and Development, The Journal of Social Psychology, Personality and Individual Differences, Psychophysiology. Both teaching and research are a major focus of the Department.
Program Planning and Advisement
Upon recommendation for admission, an advisor is assigned to each student by the Department based upon the student’s long term goals. The student should seek an appointment with the advisor as soon as possible after admission. Consultation with the advisor in program planning is essential. The entire course of study must constitute a unified, coherent program which is approved by the student's advisor and by the Graduate School. Additional courses may be required if the student is inadequately prepared for the required graduate courses.
Required Coursework
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 required to earn the M.A. degree.
Psychology |
Credit Hours |
|
Social Psychology |
3 |
|
Cognitive Psychology |
3 |
|
Biological Basis of Behavior |
3 |
|
Research Methods |
3 |
|
Counseling |
3 |
|
Statistics |
3 |
|
Developmental Psychology |
3 |
|
Psychopathologies |
3 |
|
Thesis Guidance |
3 |
|
Any three courses from the following: |
9 |
|
The application of Psychology to Law |
3 |
|
Special Topics in Psychology |
3 |
|
counseling in a Multicultural and Pluralistic Society |
3 |
|
Memory |
3 |
|
Internship |
3 |
|
Special Topics in Psychology |
3 |
|
Neuropsychological Assessment of the Older Adult |
3 |
|
Readings in Psychology |
3 |
|
Total Credits |
|
36 |
The First Year Project
Students in the program are required to complete a first year project under the direction of their advisor. Students are encouraged to begin discussing this project early on in the first year of their program.
Written Comprehensive Examination
Purpose
The comprehensive examination serves the following functions, the primary one being the measure of academic attainment:
1. Academic Excellence. The primary function of the Master’s comprehensive examination is to ensure that students demonstrate competence in the field of study. The Master’s examination not only assesses student achievement, but it also motivates the student to perform competently and rewards this performance. Students will not be allowed to sign up for thesis guidance until the examination is passed.
2. Integrating Function. Another function of the examination is to provide students with an opportunity to review, synthesize, and integrate the material that has been learned in coursework, readings, research experience, applied settings, and informal interactions with the faculty and other professionals.
3. Diagnostic Function. The comprehensive examination serves this function in two ways: (a) students and their advisors ascertain the students' strengths and weaknesses in the conceptual knowledge base and research skills required by the department. (This is particularly true for the Individualized component of the examination described below); and (b) Psychology faculty, by reviewing the collective quality of the students' responses in different areas, can determine how the curriculum may be improved.
The comprehensive examination consists of two components: (a) The Core/Departmental component, and (b) The Individualized component.
1. The Core/Departmental component is administered at the department level under the auspices of the Graduate Committee. It consists of a total of 6 hours of written examination consisting of two parts:
a. A three-hour written examination requiring the student to demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the literature in any one of three core content areas in Psychology (i.e., biological, cognitive, social) is administered during the AM portion of the exam. The question within each of the three core areas will be written and evaluated by a team of three faculty. These faculty examination teams are designated on a yearly basis by the Graduate Committee.
b. A three-hour written examination in which the student is required to demonstrate knowledge of research methodology within his or her chosen core area of Psychology is administered during the PM portion of the exam. Students read an empirical article and then critique its methodology. This portion of the exam is evaluated by a team of Psychology faculty members who are designated on a yearly basis by the Graduate Committee.
2. The Individual component of the Comprehensive Examination encourages and evaluates the student's proficiency and development of professional skills within his or her own area of interest. The specific nature and content of this component of the Comprehensive Exam is determined by the Program Committee, which consists of the student’s advisor and two additional members of the Psychology faculty. The primary intent of this component is to encourage clarification and refinement of the student’s research interests. Some possible formats for the individualized component include, but are not limited to, the following: preparing a grant proposal; writing a target research review; conducting a mock review of a manuscript submitted for publication; presenting a poster or paper at a professional conference; creating an original course curriculum in Psychology; etc.
The Core/Departmental component of the exam will be administered at the Department level twice each year (once in the Fall semester and once in the Spring semester) from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (with a one hour lunch break). Petitions to take the exam on an alternate date due to conflicts arising from religious practices need only advisor approval and subsequent registration. Extenuating circumstances, such as personal health or residency at great distance from Medaille College, may warrant special arrangements by the advisor and be subsequently approved by the Graduate Committee.
Reading lists for the core areas in Psychology (Biological, Cognitive, and Social) and the research methods component of the Comprehensive Exam are available from the Graduate School (see advisor for details). To prepare for the examination, the student is encouraged to review the material on these reading lists beginning at least one semester prior to the semester in which he or she plans to take the exam. It is also recommended that the student be familiar with material that has been covered in classes, current research in books and journals in the field, and participate in study groups that may be organized by fellow students prior to the exam. Questions asked on prior exams can be obtained from the Graduate School.
Evaluation of Master’s Comprehensive Exams
- Written Exam
1. Core/Departmental Component
Faculty evaluate examination responses to the core/departmental component without knowledge of the student's identity. To preserve this anonymity, students will be assigned an examinee numeral, which will be used to identify their examination answers.
The faculty teams appointed by the Graduate Committee to write the comprehensive questions pertaining to each of the three core areas is also responsible for evaluating student responses to their respective core areas. For example, the faculty team responsible for writing the question(s) concerning cognitive psychology scores student responses in that area. The student's responses to the Core/Departmental component are evaluated as follows:
a). The student's response to the examination is reviewed by two faculty members from the team who prepared the question(s). Performance is graded as " High Pass", "Pass", or "Fail".
b). When the student’s performance is graded "Fail" by one reader, then one additional faculty member from the team who prepared the question(s) for the core area being examined will independently read and score the student's response.
c). A student who receives a grade of "Fail" from two readers fails the comprehensive examination. Likewise, a student who receives a grade of " High Pass" from two readers receives a grade of " High Pass" on the comprehensive examination.
2. Individual Component
After receiving notification that a student has passed the Core/Departmental Component of the Comprehensive Exams, he or she should obtain approval of the Individual Component of the Exam. A brief memo from each of the members of this committee can be submitted as documentation that this Component has been approved.
Student Feedback
After all examination results have been summarized, the Graduate Committee Chair conveys the results to each student by letter. Students usually receive the letter about four to six weeks after the examination date. Should students fail either component of the examination, they MUST confer with their advisor about options available to them.
** Failure of the Master’s Comprehensive Examination: Students who fail either the Core-Departmental or the Individualized component may re-take that component (or both) once. Students who fail one or both components a second time are dropped from their degree program.
The Master's Thesis
The Master of Arts with Thesis candidate must successfully complete a thesis. A thesis committee of three (3) faculty members guides and encourages the student in the design and execution of the research program and in the writing of the thesis. During the time the thesis is being completed, the student must register with the advisor or an assigned research director for a total of six (6) semester hours of thesis credit (PSY 798).
The thesis must be approved by an examination committee nominated by the advisor in consultation with the student. The committee must be established at least two months prior to the date on which the oral examination is scheduled. Master's thesis committees must consist of at least three members of the Psychology Graduate Faculty at Medaille College.
Use of Human Subjects
If human participants are involved in thesis research, the student must obtain approval from the Institutional Review Board at Medaille College. Application materials and instructions are available from your advisor, and students should consult with their advisor in preparing these materials. Data may not be collected for the Master's thesis before human subjects approval has been granted.
The Oral Examination
A final oral examination on the Master's thesis shall be held when the student has completed the thesis to the satisfaction of the student's advisor, provided all other requirements for the Master of Arts degree have been completed and a 3.0 grade point average has been maintained throughout the student's coursework. An oral examination committee with a minimum of three members of the Psychology faculty conducts the oral examination. The chairperson of the examination committee selects the time and place of the oral examination and is responsible for notifying the other members of the committee and the candidate. Members of the oral examination committee must be given a minimum of seven (7) business days to review the student's thesis prior to the oral examination. The duration of the oral examination is approximately one (1) hour.
The decision to accept the oral examination as satisfactory must be unanimous. Students may present themselves for oral examination only twice.
Oral Examinations during the Summer
Because faculty are frequently not available for oral examinations during the summer session, the following rules have been established:
1) The committee must be appointed by the Graduate School prior to the close of the spring semester;
2) The date for the exam must be scheduled with the committee prior to the close of the spring semester;
3) A copy of the dissertation must be presented to the committee prior to the close of the spring semester;
4) All committee members are scheduled to be on campus on the exam date or agree to return.
Other Requirements and Procedures
Time Limits
All requirements for the degree of Master of Arts must be completed within five years of the date of admission to the Department of Psychology Graduate Program. 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.
Registration Requirements*
All masters students are required to register every semester for at least one credit hour. When all other requirements have been completed except for the completion of the thesis and/or passing the oral examination, students are required to register for a minimum of 1 credit of PSY 797. Waivers of registration shall be granted only if the student is making satisfactory progress toward the degree and can complete the degree requirements within the required time limits. Interruption of registration cannot be used to justify a time extension. A request for a waiver of registration should be filed 10 days before the beginning of the semester or year for which the waiver is sought. Tuition waiver requests will be granted only when the student affirms in writing that he or she will not be using any College resources, including the time of faculty members, during the waiver period.
*Added 3/27/2006
Transfer of Coursework Taken at Other Institutions or as an Advanced Special Student
A maximum of six (6) credit hours of graduate level coursework earned from regionally accredited institutions prior to or after matriculation at Medaille College Graduate School may be applied towards a masters degree in Psychology. All transfer credits must meet the following criteria:
a) Courses must have been offered at the graduate level.
b) Courses may not have been used to meet degree requirements for previously earned graduate degrees.
c) Courses must have been completed within the last five years of matriculation in the Department.
d) Courses must receive approval from the student's advisor, the Department Chair, and the Dean of the Graduate School.
e) A grade of "B" or above must have been earned in the requested transfer courses.
* The student may be subject to final examination in all coursework transferred into the Master's degree in Psychology.
** No credit is granted for correspondence courses or for "credit-by-examination" courses.
Waiver of a Course Requirement
In certain circumstances, a waiver of a course requirement may be requested based on coursework taken at Medaille College or at another institution. To petition for a course waiver, the student must submit a formal written letter requesting a Waiver of a Course Requirement. This letter must be approved by the student’s advisor, the department chair, and the dean of the graduate school.
Procedure for Change of Advisor
Requests for change of advisor must be made in writing and approved by the Dean of the School of Adult and Graduate Education.
Concerns or Questions about a Course or Program Requirement
In the event that a student has a concern or question about a course, the instructor of the course should be consulted before bringing concerns to the Department. If the situation is not resolved in consultation with the instructor, concerns and/or questions should be brought to the attention of the advisor and the Department Chair.
Grade Point Average Requirements
The Graduate School at Medaille College requires that all graduate students maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or above. A student whose grade point average falls below 3.0 after completion of 9 credits will be placed on academic probation for the following semester. A student whose grade point average falls below 3.0 for a second and successive semester may be allowed (with the recommendation of the Department and the consent of the Graduate School) a third semester in which to raise his or her grade point average to 3.0 or above. A student whose grade point average falls below 3.0 after three successive semesters will be required to withdraw from the College. A student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0 will not be recommended for graduation.
Likewise, 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.
* A student earning less than B- in any course is required to repeat the course. A student may repeat any course in an effort to earn a higher grade. The later grade will be used in computing the grade point average.
Academic Integrity
Medaille’s faculty and administration expect all students to complete their academic assignments with honesty and integrity. Students who engage in any form of academic dishonesty (e.g., plagiarism, cheating on a test, forging a signature or an entire college document) will be dealt with severely, with penalties ranging from an F on a given assignment to failing a course or even academic suspension or dismissal from the program. It is important to note that the Graduate School at Medaille College interprets the submission of the same paper, or substantially the same paper, to more than one instructor to be a violation of this code. Students found guilty of such offenses risk expulsion from the College. Students should consult their Student Handbook for full details on the college’s policy and procedures for handling formal charges of academic dishonesty.
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