Psychology — Experimental, Thesis, MS

Location(s): WWU - Bellingham

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Department of Psychology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Graduate Faculty

Bell, Angela, PhD, intergroup dynamics and the experiences of being a member of a stigmatized group.
Byrne, Christina, PhD, psychological trauma and intimate partner violence.
Ciao, Anna C., PhD, risk factors for developing eating and weight concerns, eating disorder and obesity prevention and early intervention, barriers to seeking psychological treatments, dissemination of evidence-based interventions.
Czopp, Alexander M., PhD, negative implications for intergroup relations of “positive” stereotypes of groups, prejudice reduction through interpersonal confrontation.
Delker, Brianna, PhD, psychology of trauma and abuse perpetrated within close relationships, social and cultural contexts of trauma, developmental psychopathology.
Devenport, Jennifer, PhD, legal psychology, jury decision-making, factors influencing erroneous eyewitness identifications.
Du Rocher Schudlich, Tina, PhD, developmental psychopathology, marital conflict and children, parent-child emotion regulation.
Fast, Anne A., PhD, cognitive development; development of prosocial behavior; motivations for prosocial behavior; development of socio-moral reasoning; perceptions of intellectual property infringement; gender cognition and identity development.
Gonzalez, Antonya, PhD, cognitive development.
Graham, James M., PhD, adaptive processes in romantic relationships, romantic love, measurement, multivariate statistics.
Grimm, Jeffrey W., PhD, animal models of drug taking and drug seeking, neurobiology of drug taking and drug seeking.
Gruman, Diana, PhD, school counseling, child and adolescent development, educational psychology.
Hyman, Ira, PhD, memory, cognitive psychology, social cognition.
Jantzen, Kelly J., PhD, behavioral and cognitive neuroscience, human environment interactions.
Kaplan, Joshua, PhD, behavioral neuroscience.
Lehman, Barbara, PhD, health psychology, research methods and statistics.
Lemm, Kristi, PhD, implicit attitudes.
Mallinckrodt, Brent, PhD, attachment in adults, affect regulation, the counseling relationship as a catalyst for client change, social support, training students for social justice advocacy.
Matsukura, Michi, PhD, cognition, perception.
McCabe, Jennifer, PhD, women’s wellness.
McLean, Kate, PhD, adolescent identity development.
Riggs, Anne E., PhD, social cognition, cognitive development, educational psychology.
Rose, Jacqueline K., PhD, molecular mechanisms of learning, memory, and plasticity.
Sattler, David, PhD, natural disasters, social dilemmas, small group research.
Scollon, Christie, PhD, science of well-being, memory for emotions, culture and emotion.
Smith, Aaron, PhD, treatment of psychological trauma and the causal mechanisms of posttraumatic growth; veteran mental health.
Sowell, Shaun, PhD, school counselors’ advocacy role, training school counselors with social justice focus, school counselor professional identity development.
Symons, Lawrence, PhD, perception.
Villicana, Adrian, PhD, intergroup relations, identity processes and social issues.
Warren, Michael, PhD, mindfulness in adolescence, virtue and moral development, allyship towards marginalized groups, positive psychology and positive youth development.

Program Advisor: Dr. Christie Scollon, Academic Instructional Center 594.

Program Description

The Master of Science in Experimental Psychology program follows a student-centered mentorship model that provides rigorous training and experiences to develop and implement independent, theoretically driven empirical science. The program values engagement in scholarship that includes attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion within topics studied, research practices, and mentorship practices.

Goals

The mentorship model and curriculum of the MS in Experimental Psychology are intended to foster an advanced understanding of psychological theory, effective application of research design & quantitative skills, engagement in independent original research, and an understanding of the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion in both topics studied and research practices.

Prerequisites

Applicants to the Experimental Psychology Graduate Program must have a baccalaureate degree (in any field) prior to starting the program; completed courses in Introductory Psychology, Statistics, Research Methods; and completed courses in three of the following areas: Cognitive Psychology, Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Physiological/Behavioral Neuroscience. The following are preferred but not required: depth of coursework in at least one area of the above concentration areas (e.g., multiple courses within a domain, upper-level courses); experience planning, conducting, analyzing, presenting, and/or writing research.

Application Information

Application Deadlines: Faculty will begin reviewing application materials on January 15 and will continue to review materials until the enrollment limit is reached or March 15, whichever comes first. Because student enrollment in the program is limited, all applicants are strongly encouraged to submit application materials by January 15.

Teaching Assistant Deadline: To be considered for a graduate teaching assistantship, applicants must submit their application materials by January 15.

Program Requirements: (46 credit minimum)

❑ PSY 501 - Behavioral Neuroscience Credits: 5
❑ PSY 503 - Cognition Credits: 5
❑ PSY 504 - Lifespan Psychological Development Credits: 5
❑ PSY 505 - Social Psychology Credits: 5
❑ PSY 512 - Correlation Methods and Data Analysis Credits: 5
❑ PSY 513 - Experimental Methods and Data Analysis Credits: 5
❑ PSY 584 - Research Design Credits: 3
❑ PSY 585 - Scholarship & Communication 1: Presenting Research Credits: 3
❑ PSY 586 - Scholarship & Communication 2: Writing Research Credits: 3
❑ PSY 690 - Thesis Credits: 1-12
❑ 5 credits of electives from any of the following combination:
PSY 517 - Advanced Multivariate Modeling Credits: 5
PSY 582 - Practicum in Research in Psychology Credits: 1-12
Courses under advisement
❑ A minimum of one research presentation (e.g. at a professional conference/Psychfest) or a public colloquium as part of the thesis defense is required.

Retention

Students in the MS Experimental program must be making satisfactory progress in their research to remain in the program. Written and verbal communication between students, research advisors, and the program director help clarify whether the student is making satisfactory progress. Progress is documented through required Annual Progress reports. If it is determined that a student is not making satisfactory progress in research or meeting other expectations, the student and the research advisor (and/or the program director, if the student lacks a research advisor) should meet and discuss the situation and plans for student progress. Together, the student and advisor will complete a Remedial Progress Report. This report establishes a firm agreement of the steps required for the student to maintain good standing in the program. At a minimum, the research advisor and student will both sign the form to indicate agreement with the plan, and set at least one subsequent meeting date/time. Failure to adhere to the meetings and timelines agreed upon in the Remedial Progress Report may be cause for dismissal from the program. Students may appeal any decision through the formal appeal process outlined in the WWU Bulletin (Appendix F).