Psychology
Department Head: Dr. Mitchell Berman
Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Deborah Eakin
110 Magruder Hall
Drawer 6161
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Telephone: 662-325-3202
E-mail: grad@psychology.msstate.edu
Website: http://www.psychology.msstate.edu
The Department of Psychology offers a doctoral degree in Applied Psychology. The objective of the program is to train applied psychologists for employment in business, industry, engineering, college, university, clinical, and other applied settings. Concentrations are offered in the areas of Applied Cognitive Science and Clinical. The Cognitive concentration focuses on the interplay and linkages between cognitive psychology, advances in computer science and engineering, the varying cognitive abilities of individuals, and demands for people to use technology more easily and efficiently. The Clinical concentration focuses on the study and application of psychological science involving both normal and pathological human behavior, drawing from the cognitive, social, and biological arenas as well as computer science and advanced technologies.
The Department also offer the Master of Science in Psychology degree. Major areas of study at the master’s level are clinical psychology and experimental psychology. A limited number of graduate teaching and research assistantships are available.
A minor in cognitive science is designed for students who wish to pursue an interdisciplinary study of mind and thought. Students completing the program will have a broad understanding of the field of cognitive science and will have demonstrated an approach that highlights the interdisciplinary nature of cognitive science.
Admission Criteria
Prerequisites for admission into the graduate program include all the general requirements of the Office of the Graduate School and the following courses at the undergraduate level:
- For all applicants—statistics and experimental psychology
- For the cognitive science doctoral program—introductory cognitive psychology
- For the clinical master’s program—abnormal psychology
- and (if available to applicants) biological/physiological psychology or some sort of behavioral neuroscience course
The application deadline for the Cognitive Science doctoral program is January 15. The application deadline for the master’s program (for both Clinical and Experimental) is February 1. Occasionally, students are admitted to begin in January.
The applicant without all of the undergraduate course requirements may be admitted into the graduate program contingent upon making up any deficiencies as soon as possible.
Requirements for admission into the graduate program are as follows: three letters of recommendation, an official score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test, and transcripts of all college/university work. The applicant not meeting the GPA requirement (2.75 for the M.S. program and 3.00 for the Ph.D. program) may receive provisional admission if other factors (e.g., publications, work experience, excellent grades at the end of an undergraduate career) suggest the potential for successful graduate-level work.
Provisional Admission
If a student does not meet the GPA (2.75) admission requirements of the program, the student may be admitted provisionally. In that case, the student must attain a 3.00 GPA on the first 9 hours of graduate courses at MSU after admission to the program. Courses with an S grade, transfer credits, or credits earned while in Unclassified status cannot be used to satisfy this requirement. If a 3.00 is not achieved, the student may be dismissed from the graduate program.
Academic Performance
Unsatisfactory performance in the graduate program in psychology is defined as any of the following:
- Earning two grades of C or lower in graduate courses in a semester
- Earning three grades of C or lower
- In the doctoral program—failing the first or second year projects, the general or specialty exams, or the preliminary examination
- In any graduate program—failing the research defense
- Unsatisfactory evaluation of a thesis or dissertation, or
- Failing a required component of study
Any one of these or a combination will constitute the basis for review for possible dismissal. The graduate coordinator and the student’s graduate committee will review the record and recommend a final course of action: immediate dismissal or the establishment of a probationary period in which corrective action must take place. Appeal of the dismissal can be made by submitting a written appeal statement to the department head. If the dismissal is upheld by the department head upon the student’s appeal, the student can then submit a written appeal to the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Psychology with Applied Cognitive Science Concentration
| Research Methods and Quantitative Core | ||
| PSY 8214 | Quantitative Methods in Psychology II | 4 |
| PSY 8803 | Advanced Quantitative Methods for Industrial Organizational and General Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 8513 | Psychological Research | 3 |
| Research | ||
| PSY 9000 | Dissertation Research /Dissertation in Psychology | 21 |
| Cognitive Science Core | ||
| PSY 6653 | Cognitive Science | 3 |
| PSY 8713 | Issues and Methods in Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| Cognitive Science Integration | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Cognitive Models of Skills | ||
CSE 8633 | ||
| Philosophy of Science | ||
| Introduction to Linguistics | ||
| Applied Cognitive Integration | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Applied Cognitive Psychology | ||
| Cognitive Engineering | ||
PSY 6123 | ||
| Human Factors Engineering | ||
| Seminar in Consumer Behavior | ||
| Cognitive Psychology Integration | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Sensation and Perception | ||
| Memory | ||
| Language and Thought | ||
| Advanced Graduate Seminars | ||
| PSY 8653 | Applied Cognitive Reading Seminar | 9 |
| Graduate Electives | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Advanced Social Psychology | ||
| Psychology of Aging | ||
| Industrial Psychology | ||
CSE 8633 | ||
CSE 8663 | ||
IE 8343 | ||
IE 8783 | ||
| Aging and Retirement in American Society | ||
| Issues in Aging | ||
MKT 8313 | ||
| Seminar in Marketing-Price and Product | ||
| Managing Information Technology and Systems | ||
| Cognitive Science Seminar | ||
| PSY 8731 | Applied Cognitive Science Research Seminar | 8 |
| Total Hours | 72 | |
Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Psychology with Clinical Concentration
| Research Methods and Quantitative Core | ||
| PSY 8214 | Quantitative Methods in Psychology II | 4 |
| PSY 8803 | Advanced Quantitative Methods for Industrial Organizational and General Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 8513 | Psychological Research | 3 |
| Research | ||
| PSY 9000 | Dissertation Research /Dissertation in Psychology | 21 |
| Clinical Concentration 1 | ||
| PSY 8713 | Issues and Methods in Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 8313 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 8613 | Advanced Social Psychology | 3 |
| EPY 8113 | History and Systems of Psychology | 3 |
| COE 8073 | Cultural Foundations in Counseling | 3 |
| PSY 8233 | Ethical and Professional Issue in Clinical Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 9730 | Doctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology | 9 |
| Total Hours | 58 | |
| 1 | Clinical concentration courses are APA Breadth and/or licensure requirements. |
Master of Science in Psychology with Clinical Concentration
| PSY 8214 | Quantitative Methods in Psychology II | 4 |
| PSY 8513 | Psychological Research | 3 |
| PSY 8000 | Thesis Research/ Thesis in Psychology | 6 |
| PSY 8323 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSY 8333 | Systems of Psychotherapy | 3 |
| PSY 8354 | Intelligence Testing | 4 |
| PSY 8364 | Personality Appraisal | 4 |
| PSY 8383 | Behavior Therapy | 3 |
| PSY 8454 | Professional Practicum | 4 |
| PSY 8464 | Professional Practicum | 4 |
| PSY 8533 | Introduction to Clinical Practicum in Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 8573 | Psychopharmacology | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 47 | |
Master of Science in Psychology with Experimental Concentration
| PSY 8214 | Quantitative Methods in Psychology II | 4 |
| PSY 8513 | Psychological Research | 3 |
| PSY 8000 | Thesis Research/ Thesis in Psychology | 6 |
| Additional graduate coursework | 27 | |
| Total Hours | 40 | |
A minimum of 15 hours of coursework at the 8000-level is required.
Graduate Minor in Cognitive Science
| PSY /CSE 6653 | Cognitive Science | 3 |
| PSY XXXX | Select course from Psychology Courses list | 3 |
| IE XXXX or CSE XXXX | Select course from the Industrial and Systems Engineering Courses list or the Computer Science and Engineering Courses list | 3 |
| Select one course each from two of the following lists: | 6 | |
Psychology Courses | ||
Industrial and Systems Engineering Courses | ||
Computer Science and Engineering Courses | ||
English/Anthropology/Sociology Courses | ||
Electrical and Computer Engineering Courses | ||
Philosophy Course | ||
| Total Hours | 15 | |
Psychology Courses
| PSY 6423 | Sensation and Perception | 3 |
| PSY 6643 | Social Cognition | 3 |
| PSY 6713 | Language and Thought | 3 |
| PSY 6733 | Memory | 3 |
| PSY 6753 | Applied Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 8713 | Issues and Methods in Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 8723 | Cognitive Models of Skills | 3 |
| or CSE 8613 | Cognitive Models of Skill | |
| PSY 8990 | Special Topics in Psychology (with approval) | 1-9 |
| Total Hours | 22-30 | |
Industrial and Systems Engineering Courses
| IE 6113 | Human Factors Engineering | 3 |
| IE 8153 | Cognitive Engineering | 3 |
| IE 8343 | ||
| IE 8990 (with approval) |
Computer Science and Engineering Courses
| CSE 6633 | Artificial Intelligence | 3 |
| CSE 6663 | Human-Computer Interaction | 3 |
| CSE 8633 | ||
| CSE 8653 | ||
| CSE 8663 | ||
| CSE 8673 | Machine Learning | 3 |
| CSE 8990 | Special Topics in Computer Science and Engineering (with approval) | 1-9 |
English/Anthropology/Sociology Courses
| EN /AN 6403 | Introduction to Linguistics | 3 |
| EN 6463 | Studies in Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| EN /AN /SO 6663 | British and Irish Novel Since 1900 | 3 |
| AN /SO 6623 | Language and Culture | 3 |
Electrical and Computer Engineering Courses
| ECE 6713 | Computer Architecture | 3 |
| ECE 6813 | Communications Theory | 3 |
| ECE 8443 | Pattern Recognition | 3 |
| ECE 8463 |
Philosophy Course
| PHI 6143 | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
PSY 6223 Drug Use and Abuse: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013). Three hours lecture. Study of basic principles of drug use and abuse. Includes an introduction to psychopharmacology and basic treatment strategies
PSY 6353 Psychology and the Law: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite PSY 1013 and Junior Standing).Three hours lecture. Examination of the roles of psychologists in the legal system; application of psychological theory and research to issues in the legal system
PSY 6373 Forensic Psychology: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite:PSY 1013 and junior standing) Three hours lecture. Examines topics related to the application of clinical psychology to legal matters
PSY 6403 Biological Psychology: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013). Three hours lecture. Nervous, endocrine, and immune systems of the body as they affect behavior and adjustment. Emphasis upon the role of the central and peripheral nervous systems
PSY 6423 Sensation and Perception: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013 ). Three hours lecture. Survey of basic sensory mechanisms and perceptual phenomena. Sensory mechanisms reviewed will include vision, audition, olfaction, gustation, and touch with emphasis on vision and audition
PSY 6523 Industrial Psychology: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013). Three hours lecture. Applications of psychological principles and methods to industry emphasizing employee selection, placement, merit rating, training, human relations, and measurement and improvement of employee morale
PSY 6643 Social Cognition: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 3623 or consent of instructor). Three hours lecture. Examination of how people perceive, categorize and reason about other people and themselves
PSY 6653 Cognitive Science: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 3713 or CSE 4633 or PHI 4142 or AN 4623). Three hour lecture. The nature of human cognition from an interdisciplinary perspective, primarily utilizing a computational model, including insights from philosophy, psychology, linguistics, artificial intelligence, anthropology, and neuroscience. (Same as CSE 4653/6653)
PSY 6713 Language and Thought: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013 and PSY 3713, or consent of instructor). Three hours lecture. Review of current research and theories. Symbolic process, concept formation, problem solving and language development
PSY 6733 Memory: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013 and PSY 3713). Introduction to theoretical and practical aspects of memory. Discussion of laboratory memory, computer models of memory, memory self-concepts, everyday memory, and clinical memory problems
PSY 6743 Psychology of Human-Computer Interaction: 3 hours.
(Prerequisites: PSY 3713 or CS 4663/6663 or IE 4113/6113 or consent of the instructor). Two hours lecture. Two hours laboratory. Exploration of psychological factors that interact with computer interface usablilty. Interface design techniques and usability evaluation methods are emphasized. (Same as CS 4673/6673 and IE 4123/6123)
PSY 6753 Applied Cognitive Psychology: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 3713 or IE 4113 or consent of instructor ).Three hours lecture. Human perceptual, cognitive, and motor capabilities and limitations are described with particular emphasis on the implications of developing effective, user-friendly man-machine systems
PSY 6983 Psychology of Aging: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 1013). Three hours lecture. A description and analysis of the development and changes occurring in individuals from early adulthood through late life
PSY 6990 Special Topics in Psychology: 1-9 hours.
Credit and title to be arranged. This course is to be used on a limited basis to offer developing subject matter areas not covered in existing courses. (Courses limited to two offerings under one title within two academic years)
PSY 7000 Directed Individual Study in Psychology: 1-6 hours.
Hours and credits to be arranged
PSY 8000 Thesis Research/ Thesis in Psychology: 1-13 hours.
Hours and credits to be arranged
PSY 8111 Scientist-Practitioner Applications: 1 hour.
(Prerequisite: Consent of instructor). Two hours laboratory. A minimum of two hours per week in supervised service delivery and research activities of clinical psychologists
PSY 8121 Scientist-Practitioner Applications: 1 hour.
(Prerequisite:Consent of instructor). Two hours laboratory. A minimum of two hours per week in supervised service delivery and research activities of clinical psychologists
PSY 8131 Scientist-Practitioner Applications: 1 hour.
(Prerequisite:Consent of instructor). Two hours laboratory. A minimum of two hours per week in supervised service delivery and research activities of clinical psychologists
PSY 8141 Scientist-Practitioner Applications: 1 hour.
(Prerequisite:Consent of instructor). Two hours laboratory. A minimum of two hours per week in supervised service delivery and research activities of clinical psychologists
PSY 8151 Scientist-Practitioner Applications: 1 hour.
(Prerequisite: Consent of instructor).Two hours laboratory. A minimum of two hours per week in supervised service delivery and research activities of clinical psychologists
PSY 8214 Quantitative Methods in Psychology II: 4 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 3103). Three hours lecture. Three hours laboratory. Advanced experimental design and methods with emphasis on analysis of variance
PSY 8233 Ethical and Professional Issue in Clinical Psychology: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: Consent of instructor). Theory and application of current ethical, legal, and professional standards in clinical psychology across settings
PSY 8313 Developmental Psychology: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 3803). Three hours lecture. Human growth processes and related developmental tasks in areas such as creative ability, language, social competency, and bodily fitness
PSY 8323 Psychopathology: 3 hours.
(Prerequisites: PSY 3213). In-depth coverage of contemporary systems of psychiatric diagnosis, and biological, psychological, and social theories of the etiology of psychological disorders
PSY 8333 Systems of Psychotherapy: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: Consent of instructor). Three hours lecture. A comparative introduction to the theories, techniques, and outcomes of major approaches to psychotherapy
PSY 8354 Intelligence Testing: 4 hours.
(Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor). Three hours lecture. Two hours laboratory. Administration, scoring, and interpretation of the standard psychometric instruments in evaluating individual intellectual functioning
PSY 8364 Personality Appraisal: 4 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 8323). Three hours lecture. Two hours laboratory. Administration, scoring and interpretations using standard self-report and projective methods of individual personality assessment. Current research is also explored
PSY 8373 Child Psychopathology and Treatment of Childhood Disorders: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 3213). Three hours lecture. Research on the nature, assessment and treatment of disorders of childhood/adolescence
PSY 8383 Behavior Therapy: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: Consent of instructor). Three hours lecture. A survey of contemporary literature relating to the theory, techniques, and outcomes of behavior therapy. Emphases placed on systematic desensitization and operant conditioning techniques
PSY 8454 Professional Practicum: 4 hours.
(Prerequisite: Departmental consent). A minimum of 300 hours per semester of supervised professional psychological experience in an appropriate setting
PSY 8464 Professional Practicum: 4 hours.
(Prerequisite: Departmental consent). A minimum of 300 hours per semester of supervised professional psychological experience in an appropriate setting
PSY 8513 Psychological Research: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 3313). Three hours lecture. Practicum in the techniques of planning and execution of various areas of psychological research
PSY 8533 Introduction to Clinical Practicum in Psychology: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: Consent of instructor). One hour lecture. Two hours practicum. Intensive introduction to clinical interviewing, as well as the research literature in clinical psychology
PSY 8573 Psychopharmacology: 3 hours.
(Prerequisites: PSY 4403 and PSY 8323).Three hours lecture. Overview of research on pharmacological and combined treatments for psychological disorders. Emphasis is placed on psychological disorders in adulthood
PSY 8613 Advanced Social Psychology: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: PSY 3623). Three hours lecture. Examination of research and theories of attraction and liking. Emphasis upon reinforcement theory, gain-loss theory, and dissonance theory
PSY 8653 Applied Cognitive Reading Seminar: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: consent of instructor for all non-psychology or non-cognitive science graduate students). Seminar exploring current topics in Applied Psychology and Cognitive Science
PSY 8713 Issues and Methods in Cognitive Psychology: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: Graduate Standing). Three hours lecture. Exploration of theoretical issures and research methods in current Cognitive Psychology
PSY 8723 Cognitive Models of Skills: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: Graduate Standing). Three hours lecture. Introduction to cognitive modeling, with a focus on computational models of skill acquisition and expert skill (Same as CS 8613)
PSY 8731 Applied Cognitive Science Research Seminar: 1 hour.
One hour seminar.Presentations of research in applied cognitive science
PSY 8803 Advanced Quantitative Methods for Industrial Organizational and General Psychology: 3 hours.
(Prerequisites: PSY 8214). Three hours lecture. Study of advanced analytic and multivariate quantitative methods applied to contemporary problems and research in industrial/organizational and general psychology
PSY 8990 Special Topics in Psychology: 1-9 hours.
Credit and title to be arranged. This course is to be used on a limited basis to offer developing subject matter areas not covered in existing courses. (Courses limited to two offerings under one title within two academic years)
PSY 9000 Dissertation Research /Dissertation in Psychology: 1-13 hours.
Hours and credits to be arranged
PSY 9730 Doctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology: 3 hours.
(Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor). Supervised predoctoral internship for psychologists involving the theory and practice of evaluations, consultation, interventions, research, and related activities within a professional setting. May be repeated for credit 2 times