Return to Graduate Program     Return to Main Page

There are two required gateway courses in the Master's Program.  All students are required to take  Foundations of Humanistic Psychology (PSYC 6000) and Human Growth and Potential (PSYC 6010).  The Foundations course will explore and examine the conceptual basis of contemporary humanistic psychology, while Human Growth and Potential will emphasize personal growth and awareness in an experiential context.  Besides these two courses, students can choose classes consistent with their interests and plans.  For example, some students may select courses to fulfill the basic requirements for becoming licensed while others may be interested in further graduate study.

There are two options to complete requirements toward graduation. Under option I, students must complete a minimum of 33 hours of course work and an acceptable original thesis.  Up to 9 hours of course work can be taken in graduate courses in departments other than psychology without special permission.  Under option II, students must complete a total of 45 hours of course work.  Up to 12 hours can be taken in graduate courses in departments other than psychology without special permission. However, you should check with the department Chair  for course appropriateness.  (There is no thesis option for students pursuing the emphasis in organizational development.)

Under both options, the student must demonstrate his or her ability to conduct exploratory research, design appropriate projects, and engage in creative reflection within the field of psychology.  In addition, students must pass an oral comprehensive exam based on course work and individual research or projects developed over the student's course of study.  The thesis fulfills this requirement under option I because the student must defend his or her thesis orally.  Under option II, a student must submit a written document as directed by his or her committee.  Also, a language requirement or cross-cultural experience acceptable to the department is required.
 

State University of West Georgia Psychology Graduates
Graduates with both the Bachelor's and Master of Arts degree in psychology at West Georgia find work in a variety of psychology and psychology-related areas.  Some of these employments do, some do not, require state licensing for practice.  Those related to education - e.g., special education or school counseling - usually require certification which means graduates planning to work in such settings would be required to have taken a certain number and kind of courses and, perhaps, gain other background in order to meet this certification level.  Much of this specialized preparation would have to be taken in the School of Education in addition to whatever requirements a student is expected to take in completing his or her psychology major.  On the other hand, some private schools do not require certification of the persons they hire for teaching.

Many West Georgia psychology M.A. graduates continue their graduate studies by enrolling in the Specialist (Ed.S.) program in the Counseling and Educational Psychology Department after completing the required prerequisites.  Others continue right on to doctoral programs.  Graduates interested in college teaching in psychology, or other areas not covered by APA accreditation, should look for the best university and program suiting their particular subject matter or orientation interests.  If they wish to go into some professional area of psychology with the ultimate aim of practicing, they should choose programs (e.g., Ph.D., Psy.D., or Ed.D.), which accommodate that intention.  Here, at this juncture, they may wish to see if the program they are considering is APA-approved.  Still, in most states, doctoral students who have gone through any professional university program may find an internship site and stand for the licensing examination even if their program is not APA-accredited.  These states usually give preferential treatment to those from APA-approved professionally-oriented doctoral programs, however.