Psychology Graduate Major (MS, PhD)

The MS and Ph.D. program is a doctoral program with a Master's degree component that is obtained en route to the Ph.D. The MS portion of the program assures that students have experience designing and conducting research prior to the dissertation stage. The program has a strong research component, ensuring that graduates have the tools to tackle a variety of applied problems. This entails both coursework in research methods and statistics and a continuing emphasis on student research.

The program’s general focus is on the application of psychological research methods, theories, and principles to solving practical problems. The program has one formal option and three signature research areas:

Clinical Science Option

Clinical Science is a psychological science directed at the assessment, understanding, and amelioration of human problems in behavior, affect, cognition, or health, and at the application of knowledge to such problems in ways consistent with scientific evidence. Graduates work as clinical scientists, instructors, as well as licensed independently practicing and supervising psychologists. This option is transcript visible.

Signature Research Areas

Engineering Psychology Signature Research Area

Engineering Psychology refers to research at the intersection of psychology and technology. Relevant topics include such things as the improvement of technology, human-machine interfaces, transportation, information systems, and work and living environments. This signature research area includes a variety of experiential learning opportunities. It is not transcript visible.

Health Psychology Signature Research Area

Health Psychology concerns the relations between psychological factors (e.g., cognition, motivation, individual and interpersonal behavior, emotion) and physical and mental health and wellness in diverse populations with regard to age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, and health status. This signature research area includes a variety of experiential learning opportunities. It is not transcript visible.

Psychological Science of Teaching and Learning Signature Research Area

Psychological Science of Teaching and Learning refers to the translation and application of psychological theoretical and empirical science to effective teaching and learning practice in formal and informal settings across the lifespan, with an emphasis on the role of race/ethnicity, culture, disability, and intersectional forms of oppression. This signature research area includes a variety of experiential learning opportunities. It is not transcript visible.

Major Code: 9700

Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:

MS

• Conduct research or produce some other form of creative work.
• Demonstrate mastery of subject material.
• Conduct scholarly or professional activities in an ethical manner.

PhD

• Produce and defend an original significant contribution to knowledge.
  • Conduct independent research resulting in an original contribution to knowledge in psychology, including all steps from generating an original question to writing a manuscript describing all aspects of the study.
  • Demonstrate broad knowledge of psychology, advanced knowledge in a specialized area, and knowledge of statistics and methods used in psychology research.
  • Articulate principles of ethical and socially responsible behavior by psychologists, including in the context of human diversity; conduct research that is ethical and socially responsible.

  MS

  Students in the Psychology PhD earn an MS in Psychology as part of the program. The MS consists of a minimum of 45 credits, including at least 6 credits devoted to research and preparation of the thesis. Typically, courses in the PhD Methods Core, Professional Core, and Content Core, as well as 9 credits of PSY 501 or PSY 509 , and 6 credits of PSY 503 comprise the MS program of study.

  PhD

  The Psychology PhD consists of a minimum of 108 credits, including at least 36 credits devoted to research and preparation of the dissertation.

  The core requirements are in research methods, professional issues, and basic content in psychology. The required core curriculum provides a critical foundation in quantitative and research methods, core theory in psychological science, ethics, and professional issues.

  No more than 15 credits of a combined total of PSY 601 or PSY 609 can be applied toward a degree total of 108 credits

  PSY 603 credits beyond the 36 minimum can be applied as unrestricted credits

  Major Code: 9700

  2024-2025 Catalog

  Published by the Office of the Registrar

  Oregon State University
  B102 Kerr Administration Building

  Corvallis, OR 97331-2130