Psychology MA

[didion10]

Hi all,

I'm new, I'm applying to MA programs some for the summer, some for the fall. and I'm hoping to get some advice from recent grads or recent applicants.

I know, I know, everyone says why not just go for the PhD.....Well, mostly money is just not an issue and I'm still unsure as my my direction. IE: i want to be able to take some philosophy of mind courses, and move around a bit.

I graduated from smith college a few years ago and have been working in neuro-imaging research since, I will probably have my name on a paper or two by the time I'm done with this job. My GRE's were 167/155 (i'm so bad at math).

Here is where I need some advice, in terms on terminal MA, the options are so limited. NYU, BU, Penn...brandeis?? I hear NYU's MA is only decent and thats the most prestigious name on the list. I'm wondering if I'm missing any important programs on the east coast? Has anyone been to one of these programs? Where else did you apply?

I'm really looking for a program with a rigorous curriculum, I want to work hard, have professors who care, and be able to go somewhere like Brown for my PhD after. Any advice, even small, is appreciated. I'm a bit swamped in the process.

-E

[juilletmercredi]

The reason that terminal MA programs in psychology are somewhat limited is because they have somewhat limited utility. Many successful applicants choose to work as lab managers for two years instead of doing an MA, taking classes and doing research in a university lab while they do so. In addition to that, in psychology credits from previous graduate programs typically do not transfer. And there aren't many jobs that require a master's in psychology.

Nonetheless, there are some programs:

-CUNY-Hunter College MA in General Psychology

-New School for Social Research MA in General Psychology

-St. John's University MA in General/Experimental Psychology

-Columbia University-Teachers College has several MA programs that may interest you: Applied Behavior Analysis, Applied Statistics, Behavioral Disorders, Clinical Psychology, Counseling & Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Psychology in Education, School Psychology, Social-Organizational Psychology

-American University MA in Psychology

-Boston College MA in Psychology

-George Mason MA in Psychology (concentrations in applied developmental psychology, cognitive and behavioral neuroscience (formerly biopsychology), human factors/applied cognition, industrial/organizational psychology, and school psychology)

-College of William & Mary MA in Psychology

-UCF MA in psychology

-Catholic University of America MA in psychology

-SUNY New Paltz

-SUNY Brockport

There are also some on the West Coast - Pepperdine and UC-Davis both have one.