About
Appalachian’s Master of Arts in Psychology program offers advanced study for students interested in the field of psychology, with concentration options in Experimental Psychology and Clinical Psychology. The choice depends on your career and/or research goals.
- Experimental Psychology – Students gain experience across areas of experimental psychology and learn to become researchers in a subdiscipline of experimental psychology. The program trains students to design and execute original research in the field, especially in preparation for doctoral programs. The program consists of 34 semester hours including a thesis. Course work includes coverage of the major areas of experimental psychology: biological, cognitive, developmental, learning and social psychology, as well as a selected topics course, research methodology, quantitative methods, a four-semester sequence of research-based seminar courses, and thesis research hours. Upon completion of this program, students are prepared to pursue various scientific and applied activities. Most students choose to pursue doctoral work at other institutions. Learn more
- Clinical Psychology – Students have a blend of academic, research and professional practice experiences. This terminal master’s program prepares students for doctoral programs or licensure as a Licensed Psychological Associate (LPA) in North Carolina. It involves four semesters of course work in diagnosis and treatment of psychological and behavioral health problems for adults and children, professional issues in psychology, intelligence and personality assessment, community psychology, health and behavioral medicine, and research methods. Students are also required to either complete an empirical thesis, or complete additional coursework through a non-thesis track. Two clinical practica are taken during the second and third semesters of the program, and a supervised internship beginning after the fourth semester completes the program. Learn more
People
Courses
Course titles and information can be found in the Graduate Bulletin.
Application Essentials
Required Entrance Exam: GRE (score must be no more than 5 years old)
Required number of references to specify in the online form: 3
Supplemental Information: Resume (Required upload for application submission); completion of approved courses (or demonstrated competence in the subject matter) in General Psychology; completion of approved courses in Research Methods (including statistics) for both tracks; completion of approved courses in Abnormal Psychology for Clinical track; statement not exceeding two pages describing the applicant's academic and professional goals (Upload on Additional Information page of application). Applicants should describe their research and/or clinical interests and identify a potential mentor from the Psychology faculty.
The Master of Arts Program in Psychology will be not be considering students for the clinical concentration beginning in Fall 2018 as we await potential approval of a PsyD program from the UNC system.
The experimental concentration will be accepting applications as usual.
Basic Conditions for Consideration of Admission: Meeting or exceeding the conditions below does NOT guarantee admission. All applications for a given entry term will be weighed based upon the number of seats available and the quality of the complete application packages. With special permission from the Graduate School, a program may admit a limited number of students with exceptional circumstances who do not meet the graduate school minimums.
Graduate School: 3.0 GPA in the last earned degree and official scores from the appropriate admission test(s), OR 2.5 GPA in the last earned degree and official scores at the 25th percentile level from the appropriate admission test(s).
Admission to Psychology: Both qualitative and quantitative aspects of applications are reviewed in comparison to the current applicant pool.
Doctoral and Terminal Degree Programs
Students have gone on to programs at these and other institutions:
- Cornell University
- University of South Carolina
- University of Georgia
- Vanderbilt University
- Virginia Tech
- University of Florida
- University of Iowa
- Kansas State University
- Kent State
- University of Toledo
- East Tennessee State University
- Wake Forest University
- N.C. State University
- UNC-Greensboro
- University of Virginia
- Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
- University of North Texas
Employers
- Assessment, Support and Counseling Center (school-based mental health services)
- Wake Forest Baptist Health, Comprehensive Cancer Center
- N.C. Department of Public Safety
- Chrysalis Center for Counseling and Eating Disorders Treatment
- TEACCH Autism Center, Asheville
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute
- UNC School of Medicine
- Suncoast Mental Health
- PMG Research
- Vanderbilt University
- Drexel University
- SAS
- RTI International
Application Deadlines
- Spring: x
- Summer Session 1: x
- Summer Session 2: x
- Fall: 4/1 (Priority deadlines: 3/1 for Experimental)
Why Appalachian?
- Strong training in the practice and science of psychology
- Small cohorts that facilitate close faculty-student mentoring
- Excellent pass rates for the national and state psychology practice examinations
- Excellent placement rates for doctoral programs (Nearly 90% of applicants are successful.)
Method of Delivery
On campus
Careers
From the Clinical track, students have careers as:
- Staff Psychologist
- Autism Specialist
- Therapist
- Data Analyst
- Clinical Research Coordinator
- Clinical Research Assistant
- Doctoral Candidate
From the Experimental track, students have careers as:
- Researchers in public, private and government organizations (i.e., animal research facilities, marketing companies, insurance companies, community colleges, research institutes)
- Statistical Analysts in private industry
- Doctoral Candidate
Contacts
Program Directors
Dr. Twila Wingrove, experimental track
wingroveta@appstate.edu
828-262-2272 ext. 440
Dr. Lisa Curtin, clinical track
curtinla@appstate.edu
828-262-8936