Program Admission and Prerequisites

All application information must have been received by May 1 for a candidate to be considered for admission to the MS degree program in General Psychology. The following items are required for consideration for admission:

1. A completed application form accessed at: https://apply.memphis.edu/portal/graduate_application. As part of the application, list psychology-related courses taken with grades, academic honors and awards, psychology-related publications and presentations, and psychology-related research and work experiences.
2. An official transcript of all undergraduate and graduate coursework must be sent. An undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.5/4.0 is required for admission without special permission.
3. Applicants must have at least 12 undergraduate hours in psychology, including courses in general psychology, research methods, and statistics.
4. A personal statement (maximum 1500 words) that should address the following: your relevant background, research experiences, special qualifications/training, and career/professional goals. It should also address how your interests match up with the interests of the faculty with whom you would like to work and your experiences, efforts, and involvement working with a multicultural and diverse public.
5. Letters of recommendation from at least three persons familiar with the applicant’s academic background and aptitude for graduate work in Psychology.

GRE scores are not required and should not be submitted.

Applications to the MS in General Psychology program are considered once a year, to make decisions about enrollment for the following fall semester. Meeting the minimum department standards does not entitle an applicant to admission. Meeting such standards only ensures consideration of the application.

Further information about applying may be found at:   https://www.memphis.edu/psychology/graduate/apply.php.

Program Requirements

Admission to the MS in General Psychology program does not require a student to take any minimum number of credits per semester. The only constraint upon the pace at which the student pursues the degree is that credits more than six years old may not be counted toward the degree.

Other Requirements

1. During the first year in the program, it is expected that the student will, in consultation with the program director or major professor, have decided on goals and objectives for the remainder of the course of study. Courses that fit these goals and objectives may be in Psychology or other departments in the university. Students who are not in good academic standing at this time must institute an appeal with supporting letters to the program director and the MS in General Psychology committee for consideration of continuance in the program. Such cases will be considered on an individual basis. Also, for both semesters in the first year, all MS in General Psychology students must attend weekly colloquium series to acquaint them with issues of research and professional ethics and professional opportunities in the department and in the discipline.
2. A total approved program of 33 credit hours if the student elects to do a thesis, or 36 credit hours with a Specialty Review Paper. Students electing to write a thesis should familiarize themselves with the Thesis/Dissertation Preparation Guide before beginning to write. Students electing to write a specialty review paper should familiarize themselves with the guidelines for this paper, available in the Psychology graduate handbook.
3. For students not conducting a thesis, a specialty review paper covering the student’s area(s) of focus will be completed during the last semester in the program.