The program stresses the relationship between theory and
research and graduates individuals who can function as independent
researchers in laboratory settings, hospitals and industry. The
majority of students elect to complete their studies by conducting
and orally defending a master’s thesis. Those students who do
not elect this option take a comprehensive examination which
involves conducting a thorough search of a designated literature
and proposing an experiment to resolve an issue related to that
literature.
The program will prepare graduates to:
Demonstrate the ability to plan empirical
research
- Demonstrate knowledge of a variety of literatures in
psychological science.
- Critically evaluate research literature in terms of conceptual
and methodological adequacy.
- Recognize a research problem as meaningful and justify a
methodology, based on a constructively critical, integrative
evaluation of literature.
- Operationalize the problem through a research design.
- Prepare concise, clear research proposals for academic and for
institutional review board submission.
Carry out a research plan
- Obtain Institutional Research Board (IRB) certification prior
to recruitment and testing of human subjects.
- Apply ethical principles in the recruitment and testing of
human participants.
- Test subjects in accord with the research design indicated in
the written proposal.
- Test subjects in full accord with the ethical principles of the
American Psychological Association.
- Apply ethical principles in the treatment of animals.
Evaluate research data
- Demonstrate knowledge of a broad range of statistical methods
and the appropriate circumstances of their application.
- Demonstrate the application of statistical software (e.g.
SPSS).
- Enter and analyze data in accord with the research plan.
- Execute ancillary statistical analyses, if needed, to attempt
to elucidate unexpected outcomes
- Appropriately interpret the statistical outcomes of
research.
Report research
- Write a report that clearly states the rationale for the
problem selected, for the hypotheses being examined, and for the
methods used.
- Acknowledge fully all source(s) of the ideas and information
used and cite sources in accordance with APA guidelines
- Acknowledge the limitations of the work being reported,
including potential alternate interpretations of the outcomes, and
the proposal, where possible, of potentially useful future
directions.
Prepare for further study in psychology or
in allied disciplines
- Research career paths in psychology
- Research opportunities and apply for further graduate
study