Master of Arts - Psychology
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the graduate program, the candidate must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, with a minimum of 21 hours of undergraduate psychology courses including an introductory psychology course (or passing CLEP exam score), a statistics course, a research methods or experimental laboratory course, a course in abnormal psychology, and three upper division psychology courses. Students lacking required courses may be admitted on a provisional basis with the understanding that they must complete any deficiencies before being fully admitted into the program.
Application Procedures
Students who wish to apply must submit:
- A completed online admission form, which can be found on the Graduate Degree page of the Psychology Department website.
- Unofficial copies of all undergraduate transcripts.
- Three letters of recommendation are required. After a completed application has been submitted, the system will generate an email to each letter writer. That email will direct the letter writers to a link where they will upload their letters.
Deadline for submission of all application materials for fall admission is March 15. Spring and late admission requests will be considered on a space-available basis. Please email the department chair to inquire about the possibility of spring or late admission.
Official transcripts of all college work should be on file with the Office of Admissions before the student enrolls in his or her first graduate class. It is the student’s responsibility to have transcripts transferred, and the University may drop a student whose transcripts are not on file within six weeks from the date of initial enrollment.
Special Student Admission
Several psychology graduate courses are available to social workers, nurses, teachers, and members of other professional groups eligible for continuing education credit. In addition, the department accepts students as part-time, non-degree candidates, or students presently enrolled in other graduate programs who need graduate courses in psychology. Students who were not competitive for regular admission may use special student status to prove that they are capable of graduate work, improving their regular application.
Students who wish to enroll with special student status email psychology@washburn.edu and request a special student application.
Transfer Credit
Transfer credits will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Students requesting transfer credit should contact the Department Chair and be prepared to provide detailed documentation of the content of graduate-level courses completed at other institutions. Consistent with the requirement that 2/3 of the 60 semester credits required to complete the Master's in Psychology must be completed at Washburn University, a maximum of 20 credits can be considered for acceptance as transfer credits.
Degree Requirements
In order to meet graduation requirements, the student must complete a minimum of 60 hours, have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0, take at least two-thirds of the semester hours required for the degree at Washburn University, and complete all course work within six (6) calendar years.
Program Requirements
The student must complete a minimum of 60 hours including:
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Core Courses | ||
PY 610 | Intermediate Statistics | 3 |
PY 611 | Graduate Research Design | 2 |
PY 612 | Scientific Writing | 1 |
PY 602 | Advanced Physiological Psychology | 3 |
PY 635 | Ethics Psychological Practice | 2 |
PY 720 | Seminar in Psychology | 2 |
PY 603 | Advanced Health Psychology | 3 |
Subtotal | 16 | |
Clinical Courses | ||
PY 632 | Psychological Assessment of Adults | 3 |
PY 633 | Psychological Assessment of Children | 3 |
PY 625 | Advanced Psychopathology | 3 |
PY 640 | Introduction to Psychotherapy Techniques | 3 |
PY 670 | Individual Adult Psychotherapy | 3 |
PY 690 | Group Therapy: Theory & Application | 2 |
PY 700 | Child and Family Therapy | 3 |
Subtotal | 20 | |
Seminar | ||
PY 720 | Seminar in Psychology | 2 |
Subtotal | 2 | |
Practicum Courses | ||
PY 615 | Counseling Skills and Interviewing Techniques | 1.5 |
PY 631 | Psychological Assessment of Adults Practicum | 1.5 |
PY 634 | Psychological Assessment of Children Practicum | 1.5 |
PY 641 | Psychotherapy Practicum I | 1.5 |
PY 671 | Psychotherapy Practicum II | 1.5 |
PY 691 | Group Therapy Practicum | 1 |
PY 701 | Child and Family Therapy Practicum | 1.5 |
Subtotal | 10 | |
Internship Courses | ||
PY 780 | Internship (courses) | 6 |
Subtotal | 6 | |
Thesis/Case Study | 6 | |
Complete an acceptable thesis or empirically supported case study: | ||
Thesis | ||
Subtotal | 6 | |
Total Hours | 60 |
Suggested Schedule for the Master of Arts Degree
Sample Two Year Plan
First Year | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Hours | |
PY 635 | Ethics Psychological Practice | 2 |
PY 720 | Seminar in Psychology | 2 |
PY 615 | Counseling Skills and Interviewing Techniques | 1.5 |
PY 625 | Advanced Psychopathology | 3 |
PY 670 | Individual Adult Psychotherapy | 3 |
PY 611 | Graduate Research Design | 2 |
PY 671 | Psychotherapy Practicum II | 1.5 |
Hours | 15 | |
Spring | ||
PY 603 | Advanced Health Psychology | 3 |
PY 640 | Introduction to Psychotherapy Techniques | 3 |
PY 641 | Psychotherapy Practicum I | 1.5 |
PY 632 | Psychological Assessment of Adults | 3 |
PY 631 | Psychological Assessment of Adults Practicum | 1.5 |
PY 612 | Scientific Writing | 1 |
PY 610 | Intermediate Statistics | 3 |
Hours | 16 | |
Second Year | ||
Fall | ||
PY 690 | Group Therapy: Theory & Application | 2 |
PY 633 | Psychological Assessment of Children | 3 |
PY 634 | Psychological Assessment of Children Practicum | 1.5 |
PY 602 | Advanced Physiological Psychology | 3 |
PY 799 | Thesis | 3 |
PY 780 | Internship | 3 |
Hours | 15.5 | |
Spring | ||
PY 637 | Diversity Issues Treatment & Assessment | 2 |
PY 700 | Child and Family Therapy | 3 |
PY 701 | Child and Family Therapy Practicum | 1.5 |
PY 691 | Group Therapy Practicum | 1 |
PY 799 | Thesis | 3 |
PY 680 | Psychological Assessment: Personality and Behavior | 3 |
Hours | 13.5 | |
Total Hours | 60 |
Sample Three Year Plan
First Year | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Hours | |
PY 635 | Ethics Psychological Practice | 2 |
PY 720 | Seminar in Psychology | 2 |
PY 615 | Counseling Skills and Interviewing Techniques | 1.5 |
PY 625 | Advanced Psychopathology | 3 |
PY 690 | Group Therapy: Theory & Application | 2 |
Hours | 10.5 | |
Spring | ||
PY 637 | Diversity Issues Treatment & Assessment | 2 |
PY 640 | Introduction to Psychotherapy Techniques | 3 |
PY 641 | Psychotherapy Practicum I | 1.5 |
PY 631 | Psychological Assessment of Adults Practicum | 1.5 |
PY 632 | Psychological Assessment of Adults | 3 |
Hours | 11 | |
Second Year | ||
Fall | ||
PY 670 | Individual Adult Psychotherapy | 3 |
PY 671 | Psychotherapy Practicum II | 1.5 |
PY 633 | Psychological Assessment of Children | 3 |
PY 634 | Psychological Assessment of Children Practicum | 1.5 |
PY 611 | Graduate Research Design | 2 |
Hours | 11 | |
Spring | ||
PY 610 | Intermediate Statistics | 3 |
PY 612 | Scientific Writing | 1 |
PY 700 | Child and Family Therapy | 3 |
PY 701 | Child and Family Therapy Practicum | 1.5 |
PY 691 | Group Therapy Practicum | 1 |
Hours | 9.5 | |
Third Year | ||
Fall | ||
PY 602 | Advanced Physiological Psychology | 3 |
PY 799 | Thesis | 3 |
PY 780 | Internship | 3 |
Hours | 9 | |
Spring | ||
PY 603 | Advanced Health Psychology | 3 |
PY 799 | Thesis | 3 |
PY 780 | Internship | 3 |
Hours | 9 | |
Total Hours | 60 |
Course Offerings
Prerequisite for admission to all professional courses is graduate standing in the Psychology Department. Only those courses with prerequisites listed as consent are open to senior psychology majors and students with special student status. Consent may be obtained by contacting the Psychology Department prior to registration .
PY 602 Advanced Physiological Psychology (3)
PY 603 Advanced Health Psychology (3)
PY 610 Intermediate Statistics (3)
PY 611 Graduate Research Design (2)
PY 612 Scientific Writing (1)
PY 615 Counseling Skills and Interviewing Techniques (1.5)
PY 625 Advanced Psychopathology (3)
PY 631 Psychological Assessment of Adults Practicum (1.5)
PY 632 Psychological Assessment of Adults (3)
PY 633 Psychological Assessment of Children (3)
PY 634 Psychological Assessment of Children Practicum (1.5)
PY 635 Ethics Psychological Practice (2)
PY 637 Diversity Issues Treatment & Assessment (2)
PY 640 Introduction to Psychotherapy Techniques (3)
PY 641 Psychotherapy Practicum I (1.5)
PY 653 Psychological Assessment of Children (3)
PY 670 Individual Adult Psychotherapy (3)
PY 671 Psychotherapy Practicum II (1.5)
PY 680 Psychological Assessment: Personality and Behavior (3)
PY 690 Group Therapy: Theory & Application (2)
PY 691 Group Therapy Practicum (1)
PY 700 Child and Family Therapy (3)
PY 701 Child and Family Therapy Practicum (1.5)
PY 720 Seminar in Psychology (2)
PY 780 Internship (1-4)
PY 795 Directed Research (1-3)
PY 799 Thesis (1-3)