Psychological Sciences, M.A.

          psychology.ucmerced.edu
          Contact: Linda Cameron, Chair, lcameron@ucmerced.edu

Psychological Sciences cover a broad array of approaches to the study of both basic and applied problems. Psychological Sciences at UC Merced focuses on three of those approaches—Developmental Psychology, Health Psychology, and Quantitative Psychology–culminating in the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Psychological Sciences. Training begins with five core courses, two in statistics, one in methodology and two in a year-long professional seminar designed to introduce students to the field of Psychological Sciences. Along the way to completion of the PhD, the student will complete at least seven additional courses, an empirical pre-candidacy project (by end of second year), a candidacy exam portfolio (by end of third year), and a dissertation. Students entering the program with a Bachelor’s degree are expected to complete the doctoral degree in five years on average. Students entering with prior graduate coursework may take less time. We do not admit students unless we expect to support them with teaching or research assistantships while they are in the program, contingent on acceptable progress.

The graduate program in Psychological Sciences accepts and trains students who wish to pursue the PhD and a career in research. We do not offer training in clinical psychology or related fields like counseling or school psychology. We do not admit students into a Master’s program, but offer the M.A. as an en route degree, fulfilled while completing the Ph.D. program. The M.A. degree has the same foundational curriculum as the Psychological Sciences Ph.D. degree. The recipient of the M.A. degree is understood to possess knowledge of a broad field of learning that extends well-beyond that attained at the undergraduate level, but is not expected to have made a significant contribution to knowledge in the field.