Master of Arts in Psychology

The Master of Arts in Psychology emphasizes an understanding and appreciation of the scientific basis of behavior. The  focus is general-experimental with coursework in applied experimental, biological, cognitive, developmental, human factors, industrial/organizational, and social psychology. Students will have the opportunity to gain hands-on research experience working side by side with faculty members in their labs.

Two of our courses are available through Online Learning: PY 502 Industrial/Organizational Psychology and PY 503 Human Factors.

The M.A. program in Experimental Psychology involves 30 hours of coursework and a thesis. Students in the program may choose to specialize in Industrial/Organizational psychology, which is expected to be the fastest growing occupation over the next ten years. 

The M.A. program is directed primarily toward students whose goal is the continuation of scholarly study, research, and writing. It is also appropriate for those who want to apply their skills and knowledge for use in the professional workplace.

This program is not designed to qualify students for licensure or private practice, or to enable them to provide therapeutic psychological services without further advanced education.

Admission Requirements

Pre-requisites for the Psychology M.A. program are a bachelor's degree in psychology, including coursework in experimental design and statistics. Prospective students who do not yet have these pre-requisites can take the necessary pre-requisites in our undergraduate curriculum; students should contact the Chair of the Psychology Department to discuss this possibility.

Documents for Graduate School

• Official transcripts: From all colleges and universities attended (minimum GPA accepted 3.25)
• GRE scores for the general exam: Minimum scores Verbal + Quantitative = 300, with no scores below 150. Ideally, the percentile rank will be 50 or above for each section of the exam.

Documents for Department of Psychology

• Three letters of recommendation: From university professors; at least two from psychology professors
• Letter of intent: A description of why you want to study experimental psychology at UAH and with which faculty member you would potentially like to work
• Empirical research report: An APA-formatted research paper describing data you have collected and analyzed. If this is not a paper you completed for a class but a publication that you completed with other authors, the applicant must be first author on the paper.

Where are they now?

Since earning their degree in psychology from UAH, our alumni have gone on to successful academic and professional careers. Take a look!

Master's Students

2017

Elizabeth East 
Human Factors Engineer, Northrop Grumman

Faculty Advisor: Carpenter

Cesar Gonzalez 
Doctoral Program, University of Alabama - Birmingham

Faculty Advisor: Seemann

Alan Harrison
Doctoral Program, Louisiana State University

Faculty Advisor: Price

Wilson Lester
Doctoral Program, Auburn University

Faculty Advisor: Price

Donald Skinner
Doctoral Program, University of Mississippi 

Faculty Advisor: Price

Preston Smith
Doctoral Program, University of California - Riverside

Faculty Advisor: Neuschatz

2016 

Cassandra Baldwin
Doctoral Program, Texas A&M University

Faculty Advisor: Torres

Heather Beard
Human Factors Engineer, Intergraph

Faculty Advisor: Carpenter

THESIS: CYBERSECURITY MESSAGE FRAMING

Victoria Blakely
Research Associate, UAH Systems Management & Production Center (SMAP)

Faculty Advisor: Price

Katherine Luecht
Human Factors Engineer, Northrop Grumman

Faculty Advisor: Neuschatz

Robert Noneman
Human Factors Engineer, Northrop Grumman

Faculty Advisor: Torres

2015

Payton Brown
Human Factors Engineer, Intergraph

Faculty Advisor: Carpenter

Kylie Key 
Cognitive Psychology Doctoral Program, University of Oklahoma 

Faculty Advisor: Neuschatz

Matthew Frazier 
HR Talent Development Analyst, Sentry Insurance

Faculty Advisor: Carpenter

Michael Shreeves
Human Factors Doctoral Program, Clemson University

Faculty Advisor: Carpenter

2014

Daniella Cash
Doctoral Program, Louisiana State University

Faculty Advisor: Neuschatz

Kelsey McElroy
Alabama Psychological Services Center Support Staff

Faculty Advisor: Price

Jennifer Brown Morgan
HR Assistant, Polaris

Faculty Advisor: Carpenter

Amanda Pryor 
Human Factors Engineer, Northrop Grumman

Faculty Advisor: Carpenter

Casey Thomas 
Statistical Data Analyst at The University of Southern Mississippi

Faculty Advisor: Carpenter

2013

Kristin Weger 
Doctoral Program, The University of Braumbach, Germany

Faculty Advisor: Carpenter

Michael Graham 
User Experience Researcher, Intergraph

Faculty Advisor: Neuschatz

Alex Wooten 
Doctoral Program, Texas A&M - Commerce

Faculty Advisor: Neuschatz

2012

William Exley 
Learning Manager, Leadership Development Department, Progress Rail

Faculty Advisor: Carpenter/Neuschatz

Sarah Meacham 
Project Manager/Research Associate, UAH Systems Management & Production Center (SMAP)

Faculty Advisor: Price

David Stephenson 
Doctoral Program, The University of New Orleans

Faculty Advisor: Torres

2011

Devin Harker 
QuickBooks Advisor & Intuit Solution Provider at Diversified Business Solutions

Faculty Advisor: Neuschatz

Joy McClung 
Senior Administrative Assistant, Provost Office, UAH

Faculty Advisor: Torres

Cassie Stutts 
Doctoral Program, Florida State University

Faculty Advisor: Torres

Stacy Wetmore 
PhD, The University of Oklahoma; Visiting Assistant Professor - Butler University

Faculty Advisor: Neuschatz

2010

Lauren (Jones) Harris 
Ph.D., Mississippi State University

Faculty Advisor: Price

Abigail Harris 
PhD, University of Alabama in Birmingham, Instructor at UAB

Faculty Advisor: Seemann

Hear what alumni of the Psychology Department have to say about how their degree helped them!

"If you are trying to decide between a small psychology program like UAH or a larger program in experimental psychology, let me convince you that UAH is a much better choice. The psychology department at UAH is small, so that you are able to get individualized attention from ALL of the professors, which is something that is impossible to get at a larger university. UAH in particular would be a very wise choice for an education in psychology because it provided me with a really good grasp of research methods and the professors helped me to tailor my education to my professional goals. I was offered opportunities to conduct research which led to 10 presentations at regional conferences and 10 presentations at national conferences. With my adviser, I published 3 journal articles and a book chapter during the years we worked together. Our research won 2 regional awards and 2 national awards. This did wonders for making me competitive when I applied for PhD. programs. I am positive that I had many more offers than I would have if my educational experience had not been so profoundly impacted by the professors at UAH."

"The faculty members in the Psychology Department have a large variety of interests and are only too happy to share their knowledge with students. UAH is one of the best schools in the nation and the Psychology Department at UAH is the best department on campus."

"At UAH, I found a program that teaches the basic research and analysis skills necessary to succeed in any field within psychology."

"My undergraduate education at UAH was extensive and thorough, providing me with a broad base of knowledge upon which I could build my graduate education."

"The undergraduate psychology program at UAH provided a great basis upon which I could build. The professors are very helpful and consistently reward students who accomplish. I particularly benefited from the training in statistics and research methods."

"Psychology is a very diverse field with endless applications in both public and private life. I am grateful to the UAH program for educating me on the many different aspects of the field and for providing me with the knowledge to pursue a career in any of those fields. I received not only a well-rounded education from experienced and knowledgeable professionals willing to both teach and learn, but also the confidence necessary for success in today's world."

"I credit much of my success to my experiences at UAH. The psychology faculty were OUTSTANDING (and still are, no doubt). I was able to gain valuable research experience while still an undergraduate at UAH, which strengthened my application to graduate programs. The strength of the undergraduate classes at UAH thoroughly prepared me for graduate school. While many of my classmates struggled, I felt prepared, especially in statistics classes (the typical "weed-out" classes of many graduate programs)."

"Very close knit department. The professors actually know your name and face outside of class, which made me feel special. Some individuals think that bigger is better. Well, I disagree, UAH has a small department compared to some schools; however, I still feel that I am obtaining a quality education. I did not choose UAH for its psychology program. I chose this school because of its residence hall. I certainly lucked out."