OverviewThe A/E concentration in the general program isdesigned for those students who wish to pursue furtherstudy at the PhD level, work as a research psychologist,or teach psychology in a junior college. The A/Econcentration is research oriented and is designed to givestudents maximum flexibility in designing a course ofstudy.In this 36 semester-hour program, there are 18 semesterhours of required courses, including 6 semester hours ofthesis work. The remaining 18 semester hours may betaken as electives chosen to meet the student's area ofinterest.Six faculty members teach the required courses, whileanother ten to fifteen teach electives or participate inthesis supervision. The A/E concentration is one of threewithin the general program, the other two being mentalretardation/ developmental disabilities and industrial /organizational.Course WorkThe required courses and semester credit hours are asfollows:SYC6412 Advanced Physiological Psychology (3)6421 Social Psychology (3)6427 Advanced Principles of Learning (3)Statistics and Research Design (3)Thesis (3)Thesis (3)It is strongly recommended that students take PSYC6431, Design and Analysis, and a computer sciencecourse.Some of the available electives within the departmentinclude sensation and perception, laboratory methods,behavorial pharmacology, psychology of thinking,gerontology, developmental psychology, groupdynamics, and design and analysis. Students withinterests requiring course work in otherTdepartments areermitted to take up to 9 semester hours outside ofsychology.ThesisA thesis is a required component of the academic/experimental concentration. Students will exhibit theirresearch skills and and writing ability by preparing arofessional research paper. Students will defend thecompleted thesis at an oral session conducted by theirthesis committee.Other RequirementsA comprehensive examination is required. It includes thecore course areas (PSYC 6427 and 6430) and, in the A/Econcentration, PSYC 6412 and 6421 and one elective. Thisexamination is normally taken in the second year.A research skill requirement of not less than 3 semesterhours from certain areas determined by the departmentor from a foreign language must be met.Additional work in statistics or computer science isrecommended if it has not already been taken as anelective. These credit hours do not count toward the 36semester hours required for the masterTs degree.Application and AdmissionAdmission to the general psychology program iscontingent on meeting all requirements of the ECUGraduate School and being recommended by the graduateadmissions committee of the Department of Psychology.A completed application will include a Graduate Schoolapplication; a Department of Psychology basic informa-tion sheet; GRE verbal, quantitative, and advanced testscores; complete college transcripts; and a minimum oftwo letters of recommendation (at least one from asychologist). Interviews are occasionally requested.A combination of GRE scores, grade point average, andreferences is used in making the admission decision.Applicants should score above the fiftieth percentile onthe GRE and have above a 3.0 GPA, both overall and intheir major.The department requires that all graduate students have acommon core of undergraduate psychology courses inintroductory psychology, psychological statistics,experimental psychology, learning, personality,hysiological psychology, and tests and measurements.Applicants are admitted with deficiencies, but those mustbe met by appropriate undergraduate course work. Thesecourses will not count toward the masterTs degree. Anundergraduate course in computer science is also highlyrecommended.The Department of Psychology admissions screeningrocedure begins March 15. All application materialsmust be submitted prior to that date. Final decisionsgenerally are sent out in April. The general program willaccept applications after the March 15 deadline, butspaces may be limited.For course sequencing, it is recommended that studentsbegin graduate work in the fall semester. Admissions forentrance at other times should be discussed with therogram chair.