Psychology
PROGRAM CONTACT INFORMATION
Quin Chrobak, Graduate Program Coordinator
Office: Clow Faculty 25
Telephone: (920) 424-2307
Website: https://www.uwosh.edu/psychology/graduate-studies
E-mail: chrobakq@uwosh.edu
FACULTY
Chrobak, Groves, Hong, Karst, Knepple-Carney, Koch, Lishner, Miron, Nelson, Olszewska, Phillippi-Immel
PURPOSE
The Master of Science in Psychological Research (Cognitive and Affective emphasis) is a program designed to train students to conduct research across ALL disciplines of psychology including but not limited to research in: clinical psychology, social psychology, biopsychology, neuroscience, quantitative psychology, developmental psychology, comparative psychology, cognitive psychology, and health psychology.
Cognition and affect are theoretical constructs that bridge multiple levels of analysis and a variety of psychological phenomena. The program offers students exposure to all faculty who will teach courses consistent with their training background (e.g., cognitive). This, coupled with high-quality instruction, offers our students the theoretical and practical background and skills necessary for succeeding in diverse careers in academia and in both the public and private sectors.
DEGREES/CERTIFICATES
Completion of the program will lead to the degree: Master of Science (M.S.)
ADDITIONAL ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS INFORMATION
In addition to the requirements of the Office of Graduate Studies specified in the first section of this Bulletin, the program has established the following policies and procedures for admission:
References
At least two reference letters are required. Ideally, these should come from faculty who are familiar with the applicant’s academic potential. In addition, applicants and letter writers must complete a form that will be sent to letter writers upon completion of the main UW system application.
Admission Test Scores
Applicants are required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE – General Test).
Personal Statement
Students are required to submit a personal statement (1000-1500 words) describing their reasons for wanting to attend the UW Oshkosh Masters’ program, relevant past academic experiences, area(s) of research interest, and future goals. If the applicant knows of a particular faculty member in the department with whom they would like to work with, this should be indicated and briefly explained.
Undergraduate Major
A baccalaureate in psychology or a related field is typical, but those with a baccalaureate in other areas may be considered as well.
SUMMARY
- Structure
The program is comprised of required courses, electives, and a thesis. - Academic Plans of Study
Psychology – Cognitive and Affective is the description for the Psychology plan of study. - Minimum Credit Requirements
30 credits applicable to the graduate degree constitute the minimal requirement for all students seeking the MS. - Admission to Candidacy
Students must satisfy fully the Office of Graduate Studies requirements for advancement to candidacy as stated in the POLICIES section of this Bulletin. Students must confer with their program coordinator/advisor to plan and receive program approval for their admission to candidacy. Students should apply for Admission to Candidacy after completing 9 credits. The Office of Graduate Studies gives final approval to Admission to Candidacy. - Graduation Requirements
Candidates must satisfy all program and Office of Graduate Studies academic, culminating, and degree requirements to be eligible for graduation and degree conferral. - Other Requirements
Successful completion of all coursework and MS thesis final defense typically requires two years but must be completed in four years.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Core Courses:
Cognitive and Affective Psychology
720 3 Theoretical Conceptualizations in Psychology
730 3 Foundations of Behavioral Statistics
731 3 Multivariate Statistical Methods
792 3 Foundations of Research Methods I
793 3 Foundations of Research Methods II
795 6 Psychology Thesis
Elective Courses – Nine (9) credits from the following:
705 3 Psychometrics
712 3 Motivation and Emotion
722 1 Ethics in Psychology
725 0 Culminating Experience Continuation Course
746 3 Seminar in Current Topics
765 3 Affect and Psychopathology
775 3 Learning and Cognition
777 3 Biological Basis of Mind and Behavior
780 3 Social Psychological Theory and Practice
785 3 Developmental Processes
790 3 Seminar in Psychology
796 1-3 Independent Study in Psychology
Or other courses approved by the student’s advisory committee.
COURSE OFFERING(S)
| Psychology 705 | 3 (crs.) |
| Psychometrics | |
| A thorough analysis of both classical and modern psychometric theory. Emphasis will be placed on the application of psychometric principles in the construction of tests and other measures used in both psychological research and practice. | |
| Psychology 712 | 3 (crs.) |
| Motivation and Emotion | |
| This course will examine contemporary theories and research about motivation and emotion. A historical perspective on the study of these phenomena by psychologists will also be presented. Applications to applied psychological practice will be made. Prerequisite: Admission to the M.S. Psychology Program or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 720 | 3 (crs.) |
| Theoretical Conceptualizations in Psychology | |
| Exploration of various psychological approaches to understanding the role of affect, cognition, and behavior in human functioning will be examined. The course will focus on the various perspectives used to uncover psychological principles and knowledge in psychology and on the philosophy of science behind the discipline of psychology. Prerequisite: Admission to graduate program in Psychology or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 722 | 1 (crs.) |
| Ethics in Psychology | |
| This course will cover the philosophical foundations of the ethical principles of psychologists, approaches to clinical decision making, and the ethical dilemmas occurring in clinical practice, research/teaching, and I/O psychology. Prerequisite: Admission to the M.S. Psychology Program or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 724 | 3 (crs.) |
| Organizational Psychology | |
| Examination of theory and research in Organizational Psychology. Topics include social influences in the organization, leadership, job satisfaction, motivation, job design, and group processes. Prerequisite: Admission to the M.S. Psychology Program or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 725 | 0 (crs.) |
| Culminating Experience Continuation Course | |
| The course is linked to the final semester course (86-795: Psychological Thesis) taken by graduate students as they work on their culminating project for degree completion. Students must be continuously enrolled in the course once they have completed all coursework but are still working on their thesis. This is a 0-credit course with an associated fee comparable to one graduate credit. Prerequisite: Completion of coursework and continuous enrollment in Psych 795. | |
| Psychology 726 | 3 (crs.) |
| Personnel Psychology | |
| Current methods in selection and classification, job analysis, testing, and measures of performance. Reliability of predictors. Classroom work stresses application of these techniques by industrial/organizational psychologists. Prerequisite: Admission to the M.S. Psychology Program or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 727 | 3 (crs.) |
| Research Methods | |
| An in-depth examination of conceptual and practical issues associated with the design and implementation of behavior science research. Topics include: 1) identifying a research question, 2) designing a study, 3) measuring and manipulating variables, 4) collecting and analyzing data, and 5) communicating the results. Classroom work emphasizes application of concepts across research settings. Activities include report writing and the use of statistical programs. Prerequisite: Psychology 730 or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 728 | 3 (crs.) |
| Industrial/Organizational Psychology Practicum | |
| Supervised, practical experience in problem solving and applied research for graduate students in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology. The course may be repeated for a total of 12 credits. Pass/Fail course. Prerequisite: Admission to the M.S. Psychology Program or consent of the instructor. | |
| Psychology 730 | 3 (crs.) |
| Foundations of Behavioral Statistics | |
| Statistical methods for behavioral research using simple and complex designs, such as parametric and nonparametric analyses, ANOVA, correlation and simple regression. Prerequisite: Psychology 203 or an equivalent course and admission to the Psychology M.S. Program or consent of the instructor. | |
| Psychology 731 | 3 (crs.) |
| Multivariate Statistical Methods | |
| Multivariate statistical methods useful in behavioral scientific research, including multiple correlation/regression, canonical correlation/regression, discriminate analysis, multivariate analysis of variance, factor analysis, and other topics. Prerequisites: Psychology 730 or an equivalent course and admission to the Psychology M.S. program or consent of the instructor. | |
| Psychology 732 | 3 (crs.) |
| Training and Organizational Development | |
| This course gives the graduate student an in-depth understanding of the main concepts of training and organizational development. The class readings have been designed to meet two objectives: l) to provide a broad overview of training, management development, and organizational development; 2) to allow for a more extensive treatment of selected topics. This course will emphasize the research and psychological perspectives to studying training systems. Prerequisite: Admission to the M.S. Psychology Program or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 733 | 3 (crs.) |
| Aging and Work | |
| This course examines changes in the nature of work, the workforce, and the workplace in an aging society. Topics to be addressed include: work/family relations; human factors/ ergonomics, workplace technology, and aging processes; cognitive aging and job performance; the recruitment, training, and management of middle-aged and older workers; and the impact of retirement on individuals and organizations. Prerequisites: Admission to the M.S. Psychology Program or consent of the instructor. | |
| Psychology 746 | 3 – 6 (crs.) |
| Seminar in Current Topics | |
| Current topics in one area in psychology are offered. Course content is expected to differ from offering to offering. A maximum of 6 units (crs.) may be counted toward the minimum unit (cr.) requirements for the masters of science degree in psychology. Prerequisite: Admission to M.S. Psychology Program or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 765 | 3 (crs.) |
| Affect and Psychopathology | |
| Examines the interplay between cognitive processes and affective experiences in the development and maintenance of psychopathology over the lifespan. Special emphasis will be on the acquisition of disorders of emotion deregulation and the use of emotion regulation techniques in the treatment of various psychopathologies. Prerequisite: Admission to graduate program in Psychology or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 774 | 1 – 2 (crs.) |
| Psychological Research | |
| Supervised research activity requiring completion of a research project and paper or poster based upon a theoretical or empirical project in psychology. May be repeated once for credit, for a total of 3 credits. Prerequisite: Admission to M.S. Psychology Program or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 775 | 3 (crs.) |
| Learning and Cognition | |
| This course provides an integrative examination of learning and cognition in humans and animals. It is designed to introduce graduate students to fundamental facts, theories, and research in this very broad field. The course emphasizes several themes: the neural basis of learning and cognition, computational approaches in the field, and the critical evaluation of current research. Prerequisite: Admission to the M.S. Psychology Program or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 777 | 3 (crs.) |
| Biological Bases of Mind and Behavior | |
| An overview of contemporary methodology and research in biological psychology. Content includes neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and an in depth analysis of the biological bases of behavior and cognitive functions. Topics include the physiology of sensation, perception, movement, motivation, sleep, learning, memory, emotion, and abnormal behavior. Prerequisite: Admission to the M.S. Psychology Program or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 780 | 3 (crs.) |
| Social Psychological Theory and Practice | |
| This seminar deals with classic and current theoretical issues and research findings in the area of social psychology. We will examine research in the areas of attitudes and behavior, personal perception, cognitive dissonance theory, attribution theory, social comparison, social influence, affiliation, conformity, social learning theory, theories of emotion, and theories of aggression. The class emphasizes methodology including issues in measurement, casual inference, and external validity. We will also discuss some areas of applied social psychology, e.g., psychology and the law. Prerequisite: Admission to the MS Psychology Program or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 785 | 3 (crs.) |
| Developmental Processes | |
| This course will review and discuss major conceptual approaches to the study of development through the lifespan, from conception to death, in the domains of cognition, personality, and social-emotional processes. The course will draw on theories and research in the physical and social sciences. Important empirical studies will be reviewed and their strengths, limitations, and implications for theories of normative and successful human development will be discussed. The course will meet three broad objectives: (1) develop an appreciation for the existing psychological research on human development; (2) foster critical reflection about the current status and future directions; and (3) develop research background specific to the students’ own areas of development psychology interest. Prerequisite: Admission to the MS Psychology program or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 790 | 3 (crs.) |
| Seminar in Psychology | |
| Critical analysis of current research in different areas of psychology. Emphasis on literature review and the preparation of critique papers. May be repeated for a total of (6) credits. Prerequisite: Admission to the M.S. Psychology Program or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 792 | 3 (crs.) |
| Foundations of Research Methods I | |
| This course provides an introduction to research methods in the behavioral science to teach students the strengths and limitations of various research designs to critically evaluate information about human behavior presented in professional journals, and to develop proficiency in scientific writing. Topics include ethical considerations in research design, operationalization and measurement of dependent variables, randomized, non-randomized, and quasi-experimental designs, and qualitative research techniques. Prerequisite: Admission to the MS Psychology program or consent of the instructor. | |
| Psychology 793 | 3 (crs.) |
| Foundations of Research Methods II | |
| This course continues the focus on the scientific method in psychology begun in Psychology 792, expands on some topics covered therein, and includes both quantitative and qualitative methods not previously covered. By the completion of the course, students should have skills that allow them to be satisfactory consumers of research in psychology, to conduct and present research according to professional guidelines, and to assess the adequacy of the evidence for claims about human behavior resulting from research. Prerequisite: Psychology 792 or consent of instructor. | |
| Psychology 795 | 3 – 6 (crs.) |
| Psychological Thesis | |
| Research and preparation of a thesis for MS Psychology Studies. A Research Approval form must be approved before the collection of data. Prerequisite: Admission to Candidacy or consent of instructor. Pass/Fail course. Fees may be associated with enrollment in this course. | |
| Psychology 796 | 1 – 3 (crs.) |
| Independent Study in Psychology | |
| Each registration with maximum accumulation of 4 cr. Individualized study by M.S. Psychology student. Prerequisite: Independent Study Topic and Instruction Approval Form must be filed at or prior to registration. Pass/Fail course. | |
| Psychology 799 | 0 (crs.) |
| Candidacy Examination | |
| Pass/Fail course. | |