M.A. Program in General Psychology

General Psychology

The M.A. program in general psychology at the University of Dayton is designed to prepare student for advanced graduate studies in psychology as well as employment in a variety of research and applied settings. The program emphasizes a modern scientific approach to the study of psychology.  To that end, the curriculum provides a solid methodological background through a two-semester sequence in experimental design and statistics. A History and Systems course provides breadth of knowledge in the field through exposure to most of the major subareas of psychology.  Students deepen their knowledge of the field by taking a series of core courses in social, cognitive, and developmental psychology as well as courses that focus on current research topics in psychological science (recent offerings have included cognitive neuroscience and forensic psychology).

Collaborative research with the faculty is strongly encouraged throughout the program.  Faculty research interests include topics in social, cognitive, and developmental psychology as well as in applied psychology areas such as human factors. More specifically, faculty are investigating topics such as: the factors affecting eye witness identification; aesthetic preferences (e.g. the illusory effects of color); memory improvement (e.g. mnemonic techniques in learning foreign vocabulary); use of visual displays in facilitating cognitive processing; questionnaire design; role of growth in framing personal life stories; and self attributions concerning personal ability--to list just a few. For a more complete and detailed description of indvidual faculty interests check out individual faculty web sites.

There are ample facilities for doing psychological research, including laboratories equipped with microcomputers and equipment for collecting behavioral data, as well as specialized research facilities such as sound-isolated observation rooms with intercoms. Graduate teaching and research assistantships are available on a competitive basis.

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Doctoral and employment prospects

Graduates of the program are currently studying in Ph.D. programs in psychology, are teaching or have taught psychology at institutions of higher education (e.g. Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, and Northern Kentucky University), and have found employment in industry.

Graduates have entered Ph.D. programs at Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati, Indiana University, Purdue University, Michigan State University, Miami University of Ohio, UCLA, University of California at Riverside, University of Illinois, University of Kentucky, Kent State University, Florida State University, Florida Atlantic University, University of North Carolina, Vanderbilt University, University of Houston, University of Memphis, and University of Maryland.

 

Courses

Core requirements:

• PSY 501 -- Experimental Design and Statistics I
• PSY 502 -- Experimental Design and Statistics II
• PSY 510 -- History & Systems
• PSY 599 -- Thesis

General Psychology requirements:

• PSY 573 -- Developmental Psychology
• PSY 522 -- Advanced Cognitive Processes
• PSY 585 -- Experimental Social Psychology
• Three additional courses in the core areas of psychology.  In recent semesters these have included Perception, Cognitive Neuroscience, Forensic Psychology, and Questionnaire Design

Electives:

• Six semester hours, some of which may be from other departments of the University, selected in consultation with the advisor

Total semester hours:  36

Admission requirements

Admission into the general psychology program is competitive and based upon the quality of the overall application.  If you are not an undergraduate psychology major, a minimum of 15 semester hours of undergraduate psychology course work is required, including introductory psychology, statistics and experimental psychology (or a two-course sequence in research methods in psychology).  A cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (or better) on a 4.0 scale, and an undergraduate grade point average of 3.3 (or better) in psychology course work is desirable. 

Students are admitted into the general psychology program, whether full-time or part-time, only beginning in the fall term.  The application deadline is March 1 for full consideration of financial aid; however, applications received after this date may be considered.  You should submit the following information in addition to the online application:

• Official academic transcripts from all previously attended colleges or universities should be submitted directly from the colleges or universities to the Office of Graduate Admission Processing.  Hand-carried transcripts, official copies marked Issued to Student and unofficial copies are not acceptable.
• Three letters of recommendation (at least two from professors familiar with your academic work).
• A personal statement and résumé.
• Official GRE test scores.  The general test is required, and the subject test is psychology is recommended.  Ideally, applicants will have a GRE verbal sub-score above 500 and a quantitative sub-score above 550.

Applying to UD

To be considered for graduate admission, apply online (http://gradadmission.udayton.edu/application/).  It's simple, fast and free.  After submitting your online application, you can check your status (http://gradadmission.udayton.edu/application/adm_status.asp) at any point during the process to see what pieces of information, if any, you may need to submit to UD.

Enhance your experience by personalizing our Web site to view information about your academic interests, and receive important news and updates throughout the admission process.

The UD Guide (http://gradadmission.udayton.edu/guide/) provides key information for graduate students covering topics such as housing and dining, parking, computer accounts, class registration, financial services and more.  You can also access the Graduate Bulletin which provides you with detailed course descriptions.

Cost

The charges listed are the cost per credit hour for the 2006-07 academic year and are subject to change for the 2008-09 academic year.  Visit http://gradadmission.udayton.edu/afford/costs.asp for more information.

General Psychology (Master's) $601 per credit

Financial aid

Graduate teaching and research assistantships are available on a competitive basis.  These assistantships include a stipend and full tuition remission.  The deadline for graduate assistantship consideration is March 1.  Applying for an assistantship is easy.  Simply indicate your interest on the online admission application, and include a brief summary of your qualifications in your personal statement.

Financial aid is also available to graduate students.  You must be admitted to the University of Dayton to receive a formal financial aid award.  For loan and grant consideration, you are required to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available from any college or the Web (http://www.fafsa.ed.gov).  Submit this form to the processing agency, and list the University of Dayton (COD #003127) to receive the results.  Although financial aid information is processed throughout the year for graduate students, May 1 is the priority consideration deadline.  It is recommended that you submit your completed FAFSA to the processing agency by May 1 for financial aid consideration for the upcoming fall, winter and summer semesters.

Faculty

The Department of Psychology faculty members have diverse interests, but are all dedicated to providing excellence in education.  In addition to the general faculty, the department has other full-time faculty who work with students in the general psychology program.  General areas of interest include social psychology, developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, cognitive neuroscience, statistics and research design, perception, learning, human factors, forensic psychology, and clinical psychology.

Bauer, Jack, Ph.D., Catholic University of America, 1999

Interests: Developmental and personality psychology; identity development; creating meaning and happiness in life; life stories, plans and transitions; higher stages of personality development 

Biers, David, Ph.D., Northwestern University, 1970

Interests: Statistics; research design; human factors; human computer interaction; workload assessment 

Bowers, Samuel, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University, 1963

Interests: Human factors; brain communication; computer-aided cognition; rapid communication and rapid training 

Cahoon, Melissa Berry, Ph.D., University of Cincinnati, 1998

Interests: Social psychology; forensic psychology; social cognition; causal attribution; counterfactual thinking; health-related behaviors 

Crutcher, Robert, Ph.D., University of Colorado, 1992

Interests: Cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience; human memory; language processes; improving human memory and thinking skills; verbal reports.  

Davis, Susan, Ph.D., Miami University, 1991

Interests: Experimental / cognitive psychology; memory; overconfidence; illusions; aesthetic preferences; preference for faces; research and questionnaire design and analysis

Elvers, Greg, Ph.D., Purdue University, 1989

Interests: Experimental psychology; perception; cognitive processes; prospective memory; visual displays; alarm displays; aging 

Katsuyama, Ronald, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University, 1977

Interests: Perceptual and cognitive development in children; schema-directed processes in reading; program evaluation 

Kimble, Charles, Ph.D., University of Texas-Austin, 1972

Interests: Experimental social psychology; nonverbal communication; interpersonal processes; sports psychology 

Montoya, R. Matthew, Ph.D., University of North Carolina, 2004

Interests: Interpersonal Attraction, Close Relationships, Intergroup Relations,Prejudice and Discrimination, Evolutionary Theory, Psychophysiology, Social Cognition

Moroney, William, Ph.D., St. John's University, 1968

Interests: Human factors / ergonomics; system design and development; questionnaires; computer literacy
 

Polzella, Donald, Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1974

Interests: Experimental psychology; perception; cognition; aesthetics; multimedia education

 

Contact information

Robert Crutcher, Ph.D., Co-Director General Psychology Graduate Program Department of Psychology University of Dayton 300 College Park Dayton, OH 45469-1430 Telephone: 937-229-1346 E-mail: robert.crutcher@notes.udayton.edu

Greg Elvers, Ph.D. Co-Director General Psychology Graduate Program Department of Psychology University of Dayton 300 College Park Dayton, OH 45469-1430 Telephone: 937-229-2171 E-mail: greg.elvers@notes.udayton.edu

Web:  http://artssciences.udayton.edu/Psychology/graduate/general.asp
http://campus.udayton.edu/~psych