Psychology (General) M.A. (Thesis) or M.S. (Non-thesis)

(32 credits minimum)

The Master of Arts in General Psychology is a traditional, on-campus program offered on the Indiana State University campus in Terre Haute, Indiana. Indiana State’s master’s program in psychology combines a strong foundation in general psychology with extensive research experience in general/experimental psychology. Indiana State’s Master of Science in General Psychology is designed primarily for students who intend to enter a doctoral program in one of psychology’s many experimental fields but are not yet prepared for that step. Consistent with this aim, our program emphasizes basic and experimental psychology and research experience in areas such as cognition, development, social psychology, and biopsychology. The program allows flexible tailoring of individual courses of study to meet the needs and career aspirations of students. The program is open to U.S. and international applicants who satisfy admission requirements.

The program’s main objectives are:

• To provide students with a strong foundation in the core areas of general psychology that will prepare them for entry into specialized doctoral programs; and
• To provide students with research experience in experimental psychology that will support their entry into careers utilizing research and statistical methods.

As a graduate student in psychology, your coursework will include study in core areas of general psychology combined with research in areas such as cognition, development, social psychology, and biopsychology. You will have the option of taking additional courses in such areas as liking and loving, evolutionary psychology, psychology of women and gender, cultural psychology, and ontogeny. A supervised research project or thesis is required. The program typically requires two years of study. Our program does not provide training for people interested in counseling or clinical psychology.

Most students accepted into the Psychology Master’s Program receive some form of financial assistance, which is renewable each year. However, students must have at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA (on a 4.0 scale) to be awarded a graduate assistantship. Graduate assistantships require 15-20 hours per week of work. Scholarship awards that waive tuition and fees, exclusive of building and student service fees, are also available.

Degree Requirements

Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field from a regionally accredited institution (for international students, a degree granted by a recognized institution). In this bachelor’s degree, applicants must have taken at least 12 credits in psychology. These courses should include general introductory psychology, psychological statistics, research methods, and learning or cognition (or their equivalent).

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 grade point average in all undergraduate coursework.

Other admission requirements are the same for graduate admission to our program. These include:

1. Three letters of recommendation
2. Transcripts from all universities attended
3. Personal statement
4. If accepted, you must confirm your intent to continue at ISU.

See the following link for information on applying to the Master’s Program in Experimental Psychology: https://indianastate.edu/academics/academic-program-finder/psychology-general-ma-ms

International applicants must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or provide equivalent evidence of language proficiency.

Advantages of a Master’s Program in Psychology

Having a Master’s degree increases your job opportunities after graduation. In addition, you will be able to begin your career sooner after completing the accelerated program than you would have otherwise.