Progressive Degree Program in Psychology

This progressive degree program permits superior students to complete all requirements for both the B.A. in Psychology and the M.A. in Psychological Science in five years. Students may apply on completion of 64 units of course work, but not later than the end of their junior year (or the completion of 96 units). To be eligible for admission, students must have at least a 3.5 overall GPA and must have completed PSYC 274 Statistics and PSYC 314 Research Methods with at least a B+ in each. The application for admission to a progressive degree program must be accompanied by an approved course plan proposal and letters of recommendation from two USC faculty members (at least one in the Department of Psychology who agrees to mentor the student). The requirements for both the B.A. and M.A. degrees must be satisfied. Further details about progressive degrees can be found in the college catalogue.

Master of Arts in Psychological Science

The M.A. in Psychological Science is designed for superior students who wish to further their research training and to acquire the methodological background and hands-on research experience to define their scholarly interests and to pursue graduate education, professional degrees or careers requiring advanced skills in research and writing. This is a terminal degree. Students who wish to pursue their doctorate at USC should apply directly to the Ph.D. program initially.

Admission Requirements

A minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA in the bachelor's degree and grades of at least B+ in an undergraduate statistics and an undergraduate methods course are required for admission.

This program requires a minimum of 24 units at the graduate level.

Course Requirements		Units
One statistics or methods course from the following:
PSYC 501	Statistics in Psychological Research	4
PSYC 503L	Regression and the General Linear Model	4
PSYC 504	Research Design	4
PSYC 616	Research Techniques for Non-Experimental Social Science	4
PSYC 524	Research Design in Developmental Psychology	4
Three courses, spanning at least two of the following five areas:
Cognitive
PSYC 506	Learning and Cognition	4
PSYC 510	Visual Cognition	4
Developmental
PSYC 531	Psychology of Adult Differentiation and Aging	4
PSYC 533	Cognitive Development in Children	4
PSYC 534	Social and Emotional Development in Children	4
PSYC 580	Seminar in Aging	4
Biological
PSYC 516	Survey of Physiological Psychology	4
PSYC 544	Psychophysiology	4
PSYC 545	Neuropsychology	4
PSYC 547	Functional Neuroanatomy	4
PSYC 555	Introduction to Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging	4
Clinical
PSYC 514	Psychopathology	4
PSYC 660	Seminar in Clinical Psychology	4, max 8
Social
PSYC 512	Seminar in Social Psychology	4

The student must take 2 units of PSYC 590 Directed Research each semester.

Thesis Requirement

The student will enroll in PSYC 594a during fall semester and PSYC 594b during spring semester and will complete a final paper (either an empirical paper or an extensive review paper) that is written in publication format. The student will submit the thesis to the faculty mentor and two other psychology faculty members by May 1 and will schedule a one-hour committee meeting to defend the master's thesis prior to graduation.