Psychology, MA

Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences

Vision Statement

The Master of Arts in psychology is designed to give students a broad background in the field of psychology plus a sufficient degree of specialization to prepare them for either careers or further graduate training.

Program Contact Information

Joseph Brown, PhD, Graduate Program Chair (GPC)
347J Arts & Sciences Hall (ASH) 
402.554.2313
josephbrown@unomaha.edu

Program Website

Admissions

General Application Requirements and Admission Criteria

Program-Specific Requirements

Application Deadlines (Fall 2024)

  • Fall: January 10

Other Requirements

  • Baccalaureate degree with a minimum of 3.0 GPA.
  • A minimum of 15 undergraduate semester hours or the equivalent of psychology or related courses including: basic statistics and an upper level laboratory course, independent research, or equivalent, emphasizing the experimental method, data collection, statistical analysis, and report writing are required.
  • Entrance Exam: Graduate Record Examination (GRE)  
    • GRE scores are OPTIONAL for those applying to the Psychology MA Program. All applications will be reviewed whether or not GRE scores are included.
  • English Language Proficiency: Applicants are required to have a command of oral and written English. Those who do not hold a baccalaureate or other advanced degree from the United States, OR a baccalaureate or other advanced degree from a predetermined country on the waiver list, must meet the minimum language proficiency score requirement in order to be considered for admission.
    • Internet-based TOEFL: 80, IELTS: 6.5, PTE: 53, Duolingo: 110

  • Statement of Purpose
  • Writing Sample (preferred APA style)
  • Resume
  • Letters of Recommendation: Three letters of recommendation from professors and individuals who can speak to applicant’s potential for success in a graduate program are required.

Degree Requirements

Student must select an area of concentration.

Required Course

PSYC 8000THE PROFESSION OF PSYCHOLOGY0

Total number of required credits is determined by the area of concentration completed.

Other Requirements Needed for a Student to Complete the Program

Obtaining a score of at least 600 on the Advanced Psychology Test of the GRE. (NOTE: not required for the applied behavior analysis, neuroscience & behavior, developmental, cognitive areas of concentration).

Total Credit Hours: 30-37

Concentrations

Cognitive Concentration (Thesis Option 30 hours)

Required Cognitive Concentration Proseminar Courses
PSYC 9010PROSEMINAR: STATISTICAL METHODS I3
PSYC 9020PROSEMINAR: STATISTICAL METHODS II3
PSYC 9070PROSEMINAR: COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY3
PSYC 9230PROSEMINAR: BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE3
PSYC 9560PROSEMINAR: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY3
Advanced Cognitive Courses
Select three of the following:9
PSYCHOLOGY OF LANGUAGE
PROSEMINAR LEARNING
MULTIVARIATE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
TOPICAL SEMINAR IN PSYCHOLOGY 1
PSYC 8990THESIS6
Total Credits30
1

 PSYC 9910: (Cognitive topic)

Exit Requirements

  • Comprehensive Examination
  • Thesis
    • All candidates should carefully review the Graduate College requirements for forming the Supervisory Committee, Thesis/Thesis Equivalent Proposal Approval forms and final approval of a thesis and final submission of the thesis. 

Developmental Concentration (31-37 hours)

Plan A (Thesis Option 31 hours)

Plan A is recommended for students who plan to pursue a PhD and/or who wish to complete an independent research project (the thesis).

This plan requires completion of a minimum of 31 credit hours, as listed below:

PSYC 9010PROSEMINAR: STATISTICAL METHODS I3
PSYC 9020PROSEMINAR: STATISTICAL METHODS II3
PSYC 9560PROSEMINAR: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY3
PSYC 9650RESEARCH METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY3
PSYC 9960RESEARCH OTHER THAN THESIS 11
Developmental Concentration Courses
Select two of the following:6
PROSEMINAR: COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2
PROSEMINAR: BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2
PROSEMINAR: PERSONALITY
PROSEMINAR: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Advanced Developmental Concentration Seminars
Select two of the following:6
SOCIOEMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
RESEARCH METHODS IN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
PSYC 8990THESIS6
Total Credits31
1

PSYC 9960: (1-6 credit hours)

2
Note you must take either PSYC 9070 or PSYC 9230 as one of the options.

Plan B (Non-Thesis Option 37 hours)

Plan B is recommended for students who plan to work in an applied setting involving children and/or families and who do not plan to pursue a PhD. This plan requires completion of a minimum of 37 credit hours. In addition to required course work, students choose 3 elective courses (within or outside the Department of Psychology).

Instead of a thesis, students complete two applied practica (6 credit hours).

PSYC 9560PROSEMINAR: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY3
PSYC 9650RESEARCH METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY3
PSYC 9960RESEARCH OTHER THAN THESIS 11
Statistics Course
PSYC 9010PROSEMINAR: STATISTICAL METHODS I3
or PSYC 9020 PROSEMINAR: STATISTICAL METHODS II
Developmental Concentration Proseminars
Select two of the following:6
PROSEMINAR: COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
PROSEMINAR: BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
PROSEMINAR: PERSONALITY
PROSEMINAR: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
Advanced Developmental Concentration Seminars
Select two of the following:6
SOCIOEMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
RESEARCH METHODS IN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Developmental Concentration Electives
Select three of the following:9
FAMILY ANALYSIS AND TREATMENT
PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EDUCATIONAL TESTING
PSYCHOLOGY OF EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
PSYCHOMETRIC THEORY
SEMINAR IN PROGRAM EVALUATION
APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS
Additional Course
Select an additional course outside the Department of Psychology (e.g., SOWK, SOC, SPED, GERO, CJUS, COUN, and PA).
PSYC 8980PRACTICUM IN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 26
Total Credits37
1

PSYC 9960: (1-6 credit hours)

2

PSYC 8980: (6 credit hours) 

Exit Requirements

  • Comprehensive Examination
  • Thesis
    • All candidates should carefully review the Graduate College requirements for forming the Supervisory Committee, Thesis/Thesis Equivalent Proposal Approval forms and final approval of a thesis and final submission of the thesis. 

Industrial Organizational Concentration (Thesis Option 36 hours)

Required Industrial Organizational Concentration Proseminar Courses
PSYC 9010PROSEMINAR: STATISTICAL METHODS I3
PSYC 9020PROSEMINAR: STATISTICAL METHODS II3
PSYC 9440PROSEMINAR: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY3
Proseminar Required Course
Select one of the following:3
PROSEMINAR LEARNING
PROSEMINAR: COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
PROSEMINAR: BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
PROSEMINAR: EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY
Breadth Requirement
Select one additional course from list provided by area.3
Industrial Organizational Core Course
Select one of the following:3
MOTIVATION & MORALE
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
LEADERSHIP THEORIES AND RESEARCH
CRITERION DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL
PERSONNEL SELECTION
GROUPS AND TEAMS
Additional Required Industrial Organizational Courses
PSYC 8636ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY3
PSYC 8646PERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY3
PSYC 9090PSYCHOMETRIC THEORY3
PSYC 9650RESEARCH METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY3
PSYC 8990THESIS6
Total Credits36

Students who were undergraduate students at UNO cannot take a dual-listed course at the graduate level if they have already taken the course at the undergraduate level. 

Exit Requirements

  • Comprehensive Examination
  • Thesis
    • All candidates should carefully review the Graduate College requirements for forming the Supervisory Committee, Thesis/Thesis Equivalent Proposal Approval forms and final approval of a thesis and final submission of the thesis. 

Neuroscience and Behavior Concentration (Thesis Option 30 hours)

Required Neuroscience and Behavior Courses
PSYC 9010PROSEMINAR: STATISTICAL METHODS I3
PSYC 9020PROSEMINAR: STATISTICAL METHODS II3
Group I Proseminar3
PROSEMINAR LEARNING
PROSEMINAR: COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
PROSEMINAR: BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
PROSEMINAR: EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY
Group II Proseminar
Select one of the following:3
PROSEMINAR: PERSONALITY
PROSEMINAR: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
PROSEMINAR: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
Breadth Requirement
Breadth requirement in Psychology. From a list of approved courses provided by the area.3
Neuroscience and Behavior Field-related Electives
To be determined in consultation with your graduate advisor, approved GBCA (UNMC) allowed, may be PSYC, BIOL, or NEUR 8-- or 9-- courses EXCEPT the following:3
THESIS
RESEARCH OTHER THAN THESIS
Neuroscience and Behavior Electives
To be determined in consultation with your graduate advisor; approved GBCA (UNMC) allowed, may be PSYC, BIOL, or NEUR 8-- or 9--level courses EXCEPT the following:6
PSYC 8990THESIS6
Total Credits30

Special Performance Quality Rule

If at any time a grade of "C", (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) in graduate courses become a matter of record, a graduate student in the Department of Psychology will be placed on probation. An unexcused grade of "W" in a proseminar course will be considered equivalent to a grade of "C" for purposes of this policy. An excused "W" must be approved by the chair of the department of psychology. Students placed on this probation will forfeit any departmental graduate assistantship they may have and any approved programs of study will be subject to re-evaluation and change. Before registering for additional courses, a student placed on probation must, with the assistance and approval of his/her advisor, submit a plan for remediation of his/her academic problems, and have that plan approved by the Graduate Program Committee. The Graduate Program Committee will review and, if appropriate, modify the plan. Further, any enrollment in graduate courses must be approved by the Graduate Program Committee. The student will remain on probation until the Graduate Program Committee approves termination of probation status.  If a student earns a second "C", the student will be dismissed from the program and the GPC will work to come up with a plan, and evaluate if it is possible for the student to return to the program at some point.