Program of Study for the Master of Arts in Psychology

Admission Requirements: Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; complete application to the Graduate School ; official general GRE exam scores, unless waived; completion of approved courses (or demonstrated competence in the subject matter) in General or Introductory Psychology, Research Methods (including statistics); completion of an admissions questionnaire; statement not exceeding two pages describing the applicant’s academic and professional goals.

To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the criteria for admission to the Graduate School . Meeting these criteria does not guarantee admission.

Standardized Exam Waiver Eligibility:  The standardized exam (GRE) requirement may be waived for applicants who earned a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Location: On campus

Additional Standardized Exam Waiver Eligibility Information

Standardized exam (GRE, GMAT, MAT) waiver eligibility for graduate degree programs at Appalachian State varies by program, but requires that applicants hold a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher in their last earned bachelor’s degree or 3.3 or higher in an earned graduate degree. No exam waiver is automatic but will require review and approval by the program and by the Graduate School upon submission of a complete application. An approved waiver request does not guarantee acceptance into the program. A denied waiver request does not mean that a candidate is denied admission to the program, only that a standardized exam score is needed to more fully evaluate the application.  More complete information about standardized exam waivers can be found in the Admissions Requirements section of this Bulletin .

Accelerated Master’s Program

This program offers an Accelerated Master’s  option for undergraduate students currently enrolled at Appalachian State University.

Course Requirements for the Master of Arts in Psychology

Concentration Requirements (16 Hours)

• PSY 5015 - Research Seminar (1) Repeated 4 times for 4 hours total
• PSY 5310 - Cognitive Processes (3)
• PSY 5530-5549 - Selected Topics (1-4) 3 hours required
• PSY 6320 - Biological Bases of Behavior (3)
• PSY 6340 - Seminar in Social Psychology (3)

Other Requirements for the MA in Psychology

• Thesis: Required
• Proficiency: Statistics proficiency met by completion of PSY 5020  
• Candidacy: Required for both concentrations. For Experimental Concentration, candidacy is granted upon approval of thesis committee and prospectus. For Clinical Concentration, candidacy is granted upon approval of thesis committee and defense of prospectus, successful completion of PSY 5904 , and approval of program faculty.
• Comprehensive: Experimental Concentration students will satisfactorily complete a concentration-specific examination by scoring at or above the 70th percentile on the Area Concentration Achievement Test (ACAT). Not required for Clinical Concentration.
• Product of Learning: Not required