UL Lafayette: Department: Graduate Degrees

GRADUATE DEGREES

After completion of an undergraduate degree, students with superior credentials may pursue a graduate degree. The Master of Science (M.S.) in Psychology has various options available to the student. The general-experimental option is designed to prepare the student for a doctoral program. Possibilities include the Ph.D. program in Cognitive Science here at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette or a doctoral program at another university. The applied option offers students an advanced overview of the discipline as well as coursework directed at the research-based application of psychological principles in human services careers. The M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling is directed toward meeting community needs for the handicapped, retarded, and substance abusers.

Statement of Purpose
Admission Procedures
General Information
Assistantships
Curriculum Requirements

General Experimental
Applied Program
Preliminary Examination in Psychology
Date of Preliminary Examination in Psychology This Semester

Graduate Faculty

I. Statement of Purpose

The Department of Psychology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette strives to promote the study of psychology as a science, as a profession, and as a means of promoting human welfare.

A two year Master's program is offered with specialization in General Experimental or Applied Psychology. Courses in the General Experimental track are appropriate for students preparing for doctoral work at another university. Courses in the Applied track are appropriate for students pursuing a terminal master of science degree. Following graduation, applied psychology students would normally seek professional employment in community service agencies or in educational settings at all levels. The objectives of the program are to provide academic knowledge, technical skills, and experience under professional supervision for persons interested in entering the field and profession of psychology.

General Experimental students are required to do research under the supervision of a faculty member throughout their graduate training. Applied students are expected to learn to understand and critically analyze current research. Opportunity for research under supervision is always available.

The Psychology Department is part of a collaborative effort of the university in offering a Counselor Education Program. Students wishing to become licensed professional counselors, rehabilitation counselors, or school counselors may pursue a degree in counselor education.

II. Admission Procedures

A. Prerequisites: eighteen (18) semester hours in undergraduate psychology completed to undertake graduate work in the Department of Psychology. These courses must include general psychology, statistics, experimental psychology, and human behavior. Any deficiencies must be cleared before a student can be formally admitted into our graduate program.

B. Admission to the Graduate School is granted by the Dean of Graduate School. Admission to a graduate program in psychology is granted by the Psychology Department Coordinator of Graduate Studies. Thus, approval from two (2) separate sources is required for acceptance. (The Department does not admit graduate students with probationary status to its graduate training program). The student should complete the following admission procedures as early as possible before the start of the semester in which he/she wishes to enroll. Send the following items to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Graduate School, P.O. Box 44610, Lafayette, LA 70504.

(1) Completed Graduate School Application forms.

(2) Two (2) copies of all transcripts of academic credits. If you are now completing academic work at a school, be sure the transcript of your present work is sent upon completion, together with official confirmation of any degree you will have received.

(3) Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores: Allow several weeks for a report of your GRE to reach UL-Lafayette.

(4) Criteria for admission into the Department of Psychology: In judging applicants, objective predictors receive heavy weight although in extenuating circumstances, other evidence, such as letters of recommendation and psychological work experience, may be considered.

Acceptance by the Graduate School.
Must have acceptable GRE (typically, minimum scores of 500 per scale)
Overall undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or a G.P.A. of 3.0 in last 60 hours of undergraduate training.
Three letters of recommendation from professors or supervisors.

III. General Information

The Program: The Department of Psychology offers two programs of study leading to the degree Master of Science.

A Master of Science in General Experimental Psychology for those students taking graduate work preliminary to a doctoral course of study
A Master of Science in Applied Psychology for those students seeking professional employment in community service agencies or in educational settings at all levels

IV. Assistantships

A limited number of assistantships are available each year, awarded on a competitive basis. Work assignments vary from 10-20 hours per week. Besides payment for work assignments, a student on assistantship receives a waiver of tuition fees.

V. Curriculum Requirements

General Experimental students will complete 33 semester hours.
1. During his/her first semester every student must complete the following six hours:
  - Psyc 515 - Experimental Design
  - Psyc 511 - Conceptual and Philosophical Issues in Psychology

To complete the curriculum, the student must, then, choose 3 out of the 5 following courses (nine hours):
- Psyc 513 - Quantitative Models in Psychology
- Psyc 425G or 426G - Physiological
- Psyc 516 - Human Learning
- Psyc 512 - Perception
- Psyc 538 - Advanced Social Psychology
The student must be involved in research with a faculty member AND must register for at least 1 hour of credit in Psychology 597 (Directed Research) during the first 3 semesters of enrollment (Total & 3 hours).
Thesis (Psychology 599): Students in the General Experimental Program are required to write a thesis under the direction of a major professor. The thesis should be conceived as publishable research. (Total: 6 hours)
The student must take a minimum of 9 hours (3 courses) of electives chosen from the following courses:
- Psyc 590 - Seminar
- Psyc 535 - Psychotherapy
- Psyc 533 - Psychopathology
- Psyc 534 - Developmental
- Psyc 531 - Evaluation of the Child
- Psyc 517 - Personality
- Psyc 536 - Abilities Testing
- Psyc 597 - Individual Research
- Students may also use a course not chosen from the first group (Psyc 425G, 426G, 512, 513, 516 and 538). Students may petition the graduate committee to include appropriate courses from other areas (for example, cognitive science) as electives if those courses substantially contribute to the student's area of expertise or training.

Applied Program students must complete 42 semester hours.
1. During his/her first semester every student must successfully complete the following six hours:
  - Psyc 515 - Experimental
  - Psyc 511 - Conceptual & Philosophical Issues in Psychology
2. To complete the curriculum, the student must complete the following courses for fifteen (15) hours credit:
  - Psyc 517 - Personality
  - Psyc 533 - Psychopathology
  - Psyc 534 - Developmental
  - Psyc 535 - Psychotherapy
  - Psyc 536 - Abilities Testing
3. The student must complete a six hour Field Practicum (Psychology 595) in the last semester of training. The Psychology Field Practicum is designed for a student in his/her last semester of graduate work. He/she spends 500 hours obtaining various types of experience. The student normally selects the type of experience which would be related to the area of employment that he/she is considering.
  
  Depending on the area the student selects, he receives the following types of experience. (1) Testing in psychological education; (2) Observations and experience in group counseling and individual psychotherapy.
4. The student must take a minimum of fifteen hours (15) of electives chosen from the following courses:
  - PSYC 425G or 426G - Physiological
  - PSYC 512 - Perception
  - PSYC 513 - Quantitative Models in Psychology
  - PSYC 516 - Human Learning
  - PSYC 531 - Evaluation of the Child
  - PSYC 538 - Advanced Social Psychology
  - PSYC 590 - Seminar
  - PSYC 597 - Directed Research
  - Students may petition the graduate committee to include appropriate courses from other areas (for example, cognitive science or counselor education) as electives if those courses substantially contribute to the student's area of expertise or training.
Preliminary Examination in Psychology
1. A requirement for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology is successful performance on the Preliminary Examination.
2. The Preliminary Examination will consist of five questions chosen from the student’s core courses. Core courses are defined as follows:
  
  History & Systems (PSYC 511) and Experimental Design (PSYC 515) are general core courses for both the applied and general experimental programs.
  
  The extended core courses for the general experimental program are PSYC 513, PSYC 425G or 426G, PSYC 516, PSYC 512, and PSYC 538.
  
  The extended core courses for the applied program are PSYC 517, PSYC 533, PSYC 534, PSYC 535, and PSYC 536.
  
  Questions from PSYC 511 and PSYC 515 will be two of the five questions on the Preliminary Examination for all students. The other three questions will be from three courses chosen by the student, subject to the requirement that at least two of the three be from the student’s relevant extended core, and the other one from the extended cores for either program. Under special circumstances, students may petition for another course to replace one of the extended core courses.
  
  The student may answer any four of the five questions on the exam itself.
3. Normally, students will have a maximum of six hours in which to complete their four answers on any administration of the exam.
4. Students should note the following points:
1. Students should plan their course schedules so that they will be prepared to take the exam in the semester following accumulation of the 15th hour in order to maintain satisfactory progress towards completion of degree requirements.
2. In no case may the Final Examination be taken until the Preliminary Examination has been passed.
Date of Preliminary Examination in Psychology This Semester

The Preliminary Examination in Psychology will be held in Girard 310 on Monday, September 10, 2007. The exam will start at 10 am, and go until 4 pm. Please contact Dr. Cech via email (cech@louisiana.edu) to verify your choice of questions. Note that you should bring blue examination booklets to the exam, unless you have made other arrangements with Dr. Cech.

VI. Graduate Faculty

Bothwell, Robert K., Ph.D., Florida State University, 1985, Social
Cech*, Claude G., Ph.D., University of Illinois, 1981, Cognitive
Elliott, Kathryn, S., Ph.D., 1991, The Union Institute, Rehabilitation Counseling Psychology
Greenway, David, Ph.D., University of New Mexico, Clinical, Substance Abuse, 1995
Isaak, Matthew, Ph.D., Carnegie-Mellon University, 1994, Cognitive
Lin, Hung-Chu, Ph.D., University of Connecticut, 2006, Developmental
Lynch, Cheryl, Ph.D., Department Head, Tulane University, 1991, Psychology
MacGyvers, Valanne, Ph.D., University of Illinois, 1993, Developmental
McFatter, Robert M., Ph.D., University of Denver, 1979, Experimental, Quantitative, Social
Perkins, David R., Ph.D., University of New Mexico, 2001, Clinical
Veazey, Connie, Ph.D., University at Albany (SUNY), 2003, Clinical
* (Dr. Claude Cech - Graduate Program Coordinator - (337) 482-6585)
NOTE: DR. CECH IS NORMALLY NOT AVAILABLE FOR ADVISING IN THE SUMMER

Document last revised Friday, June 27, 2008 10:00 AM