2021-22 Academic Catalog

Psychology

This is an archived copy of the 2021-22 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.msstate.edu.

Department Head: Dr. Mitchell Berman
Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Kevin Armstrong
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 Cognitive Science and Clinical. The Cognitive Science 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 does not offer a terminal master's degree. Students who do not already possess a master's degree earn one along the way.

A minor in cognitive science is designed for students outside of Psychology 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 Graduate School and the following courses at the undergraduate level:

  • For all applicants--statistics and experimental psychology
  • For the cognitive science doctoral concentration-- introductory cognitive psychology
  • For the clinical doctoral concentration--abnormal psychology (students are also encouraged to complete coursework in Biological, Developmental, Social and Cognitive Psychology, and in History and Systems of Psychology)

The application deadline for the Cognitive Science doctoral program is January 15. The Clinical Psychology doctoral program deadline is December 1.  

The applicant may be admitted into the graduate program without having completed all of the undergraduate course requirements 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 of 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

An applicant who has not fully met the GPA requirement stipulated by the University may be admitted on a provisional basis. The provisionally-admitted student is eligible for a change to regular status after receiving a 3.00 GPA on the first 9 hours of graduate courses at Mississippi State University (with no grade lower than a C). The first 9 hours of graduate courses must be within the student's program of study. 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 attained, the provisional student shall be dismissed from the graduate program. Academic departments may set higher standards for students to fulfill provisional requirements; a student admitted with provisional status should contact the graduate coordinator for the program’s specific requirements.

Academic Performance

Unsatisfactory performance in the graduate program in psychology is defined as any of the following:

  • Earning a second grade of D or lower in graduate courses in a semester
  • Earning grades of C or lower in more than two courses not exceeding 8 credit hours for all courses since admission into the program, including those outside the program of study
  • A course grade of C or lower represents unsatisfactory mastery of a course's material and students will be required to retake a class in which they earn a letter grade of C. Students can retake only one course per degree and must submit a Request to Retake a Course form for approval to do so
  • In the Cognitive Science doctoral concentration: failing the first or second year projects, the general or specialty examinations, or the preliminary examination
  • In the Clinical doctoral concentration: failing the manuscript exam twice, failing the comprehensive exam twice, or not being certified as ready for internship by the clinical faculty by the end of one's fifth year of study
  • Unsatisfactory evaluation of a thesis or dissertation
  • Failing a required component of study

  • Failing to adhere to the APA Ethical Principles (www.apa.org/ethics/code), the Mississippi State University Honor Code (http://www.honorcode.msstate.edu/) and Graduate Academic Requirements.

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 during 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.

// ex: printoption:/pdf/undergraduate.pdf|Undergraduate Catalog|A PDF of the entire Undergraduate catalog.|/undergraduate/