Applied Social Psychology (MA)
The Master of Arts in Applied Social Psychology is a terminal degree program designed primarily to prepare people for careers as research specialist. Such individuals usually work under the direction of a PhD-level supervisor in government agencies, market research firms, research centers, personnel departments and so forth.
The Applied Social Psychology (MA) also offers an Accelerated Master's Pathway for Undergraduate students to complete their Graduate studies in a fifth year. Further details of the AMP, including the suggested sequence of courses, can be found under the Curriculum tab.
Related Programs
Curriculum
The Master of Arts in Applied Social Psychology requires 30 credit hours of coursework and the completion of a master's thesis.
Besides the traditional Master's program, the Applied Social Psychology (MA) is also offered as an Accelerated Master's Pathway where exceptional students can complete the program in a fifth year. A suggested sequence for the AMP can be found below.
Required Coursework
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational Course Requirements | 12 | |
| Research Methods in Psychology 1 | ||
| Social Psychological Theory | ||
| Advanced Statistics | ||
| Multivariate Analysis 1 | ||
| Advanced Methods 2 | 6 | |
| Methods of Program Evaluation (required) | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling | ||
| Applied Topics (Pick One) | 3 | |
| Organizational Psychology | ||
| Prejudice and Intergroup Relations | ||
| Psychology and Law | ||
| Political Cognition | ||
| Basic Social Psychology (Pick One) | 3 | |
| Attitude and Attitude Change | ||
| Cognitive Social Psychology | ||
| Cognition and Emotion | ||
| Research in Group Dynamics | ||
| The Self and Self-Esteem | ||
| Two Graduate-Level PSYC Electives 3 | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Course must be completed with a grade of "B" or better.
- 2
Advanced Methods courses can be any graduate level statistics or methods course. Please contact Graduate Program Director for assistance.
- 3
Graduate level (400+) Psychology courses can be found here.
Thesis
The master's thesis should reflect an applied problem or theoretical issue relevant to social psychology. In addition, the thesis should be empirical, i.e., involve the collection and analysis of data. The student must present the results of the study to the faculty and students of the Social Psychology Program as part of the Program colloquium series. All master's theses must be submitted for publication in accordance with Graduate School policy.
Students are encouraged to begin work on their Master's thesis early in their graduate careers. Optimally, data collection should begin in the fall semester of the student's second year, and the thesis should be completed by the beginning of the fall semester of his/her third year. This allows students to begin teaching for the department during their third year of graduate school.
Suggested Sequence of Courses
Traditional Master's Program
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| PSYC 482 | Advanced Statistics | 3 |
| PSYC 460 or PSYC 486 |
Social Psychological Theory 1 or Methods of Program Evaluation |
3 |
| Applied Topics or Basic Social Psychology Course 2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| PSYC 420 | Research Methods in Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 491 | Multivariate Analysis | 3 |
| Applied Topics or Basic Social Psychology Course 2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| PSYC 486 | Methods of Program Evaluation 3 | 3 |
| PSYC Graduate-Level Course 3 | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| Advanced Methods Course 3 | 3 | |
| PSYC Graduate-Level Course 3 | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Students should take PSYC 460 or PSYC 486 as offered in the Fall term. If PSYC 460 is taken in the first year, PSYC 486 is taken in the subsequent year. If PSYC 486 is taken in the first year, PSYC 460 is taken in the subsequent year.
- 2
Only one (1) Basic Social Psychology course and one (1) Applied Topics course are required for the degree.
- 3
Advanced Methods courses and PSYC Graduate-level courses can be taken at any time during the second year of coursework.
Accelerated Master's Pathway
Students can take up to 12 credit hours in the senior year with admission to the AMP. These credits are shared between the Bachelor's and Master's programs.
| Senior | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| PSYC 482 | Advanced Statistics | 3 |
| PSYC 460 or PSYC 486 |
Social Psychological Theory 1 or Methods of Program Evaluation |
3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| PSYC 420 | Research Methods in Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 491 | Multivariate Analysis | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Master's | ||
| Fall | ||
| PSYC 486 | Methods of Program Evaluation 2 | 3 |
| Applied Topics Course | 3 | |
| Basic Social Psychology Course | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| Advanced Methods Course 2 | 3 | |
| PSYC Graduate-Level Course 2 | 3 | |
| PSYC Graduate-Level Course 2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Students should take PSYC 460 or PSYC 486 as offered in the Fall term. If PSYC 460 is taken in the first year, PSYC 486 is taken in the subsequent year. If PSYC 486 is taken in the first year, PSYC 460 is taken in the subsequent year.
- 2
Advanced Methods courses and PSYC Graduate-level courses can be taken at any time during the second year of coursework.
Responsible Conduct of Research
All PhD students and students in thesis-based Master's degree programs must successfully complete UNIV 370 Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship or other approved coursework in responsible conduct of research as part of the degree requirements. It is strongly recommended that students complete this two-day training before beginning the dissertation/thesis stage of the program.
Guidelines for Accelerated Master's Pathways
In Accelerated Master’s Pathways, students share limited, authorized credits between their Undergraduate and Graduate degrees to facilitate completion of both degrees in a shorter amount of time. Shared credits are Graduate level credit hours (400-level or higher) taken during the Undergraduate career and then applied both to the Undergraduate degree and towards Graduate program requirements.
Admission and Matriculation
Accelerated Master's Pathways are designed to enhance opportunities for advanced training for Loyola’s Undergraduates. Admission to these programs is competitive and will depend upon a positive review of credentials by the Graduate program. Accordingly, the admission requirements for these programs may be higher than those required if the Master’s degree were pursued entirely after the receipt of a Bachelor’s degree.
Students enrolled in an Accelerated Master's Pathway who choose not to continue to the Master’s degree program upon completion of the Bachelor’s degree will face no consequences.
Ideally, a student will apply for admission to an AMP program as they approach 90 credit hours in their Undergraduate career.
Students will not officially matriculate into the Master’s degree program and be labeled as a Graduate student by the university, with accompanying changes to tuition and Financial Aid (see below), until the Undergraduate degree has been awarded. Once admitted to the Graduate program, students must meet the academic standing requirements of their Graduate program as they complete the program curriculum.
Advising and Registration
Students in their final Undergraduate year will work with Advising in the home School of their Bachelor's program(s), as well as the Graduate Program Director of the Master’s program. Any 400-level or higher courses that the student plans to enroll in should be reviewed by both advisors to ensure that these courses will complete requirements for both degrees.
Registration in Graduate level courses during the Undergraduate year may require assistance from the Graduate Program Director and/or the student’s current academic advisor to enroll.
Shared Credits
Only courses taken at the 400-level or higher will count toward the Graduate program. At the Undergraduate level, students are restricted to enrolling in and sharing up to the number of Graduate level credits explicitly indicated in the catalog for their selected AMP program.
In general, Graduate level coursework should not be taken prior to admission into the Accelerated Master's Pathway. Exceptions may be granted for professional programs where curriculum for the Accelerated Master's Pathway is designed to begin earlier. On the recommendation of the program’s Graduate Program Director, students may take one of their Graduate level courses before they are admitted to the Accelerated Master’s Pathway if they have advanced abilities in their discipline and course offerings warrant such an exception.
Degree Requirements and Conferral
Undergraduate degree requirements are in no way impacted by admission to an Accelerated Master’s Pathway. Students should not, for example, attempt to negotiate themselves out of a writing intensive requirement on the basis of admission to a Graduate program.
The program’s Graduate Program Director will designate credit hours to be shared through the advising form and Master’s degree conferral review process. Graduate credit hours taken during the Undergraduate career will not be included in the Graduate GPA calculation.
If students wish to transfer credits from another university to Loyola University Chicago, the program’s Graduate Program Director will review the relevant syllabus or syllabi to determine whether it meets the criteria for a 400-level course or higher.
Programs with specialized accreditation requirements that allow programs to offer Graduate curriculum to Undergraduate students will conform to those specialized accreditation requirements.
Degrees are awarded sequentially. All details of Undergraduate commencement are handled in the ordinary way as for all students in the School/College/Institute. Once matriculated in the Graduate program, students abide by the graduation deadlines set forth by the Graduate program. Students in these programs must be continuously enrolled from Undergraduate to Graduate degree program unless given explicit permission by their program for a gap year or approved leave of absence. In offering the option of an Accelerated Master’s Pathway, the university is making possible the acceleration of a student’s Graduate degree completion. It should be understood that students may not request deferral of their matriculation into the Master’s degree program. If students would like to delay their Graduate studies after earning the Undergraduate degree, they may apply for admission to the traditional Master’s degree program. Any application of Graduate credit earned while in the Undergraduate program is subject to the policies of the Graduate degree granting school.
Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations
Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| PSYC 482 | Advanced Statistics | 3 |
| PSYC 460 or PSYC 486 |
Social Psychological Theory 1 or Methods of Program Evaluation |
3 |
| Applied Topics or Basic Social Psychology Course 2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| PSYC 420 | Research Methods in Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 491 | Multivariate Analysis | 3 |
| Applied Topics or Basic Social Psychology Course 2 | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| PSYC 486 | Methods of Program Evaluation 3 | 3 |
| PSYC Graduate-Level Course 3 | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| Advanced Methods Course 3 | 3 | |
| PSYC Graduate-Level Course 3 | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Students should take PSYC 460 or PSYC 486 as offered in the Fall term. If PSYC 460 is taken in the first year, PSYC 486 is taken in the subsequent year. If PSYC 486 is taken in the first year, PSYC 460 is taken in the subsequent year.
- 2
Only one (1) Basic Social Psychology course and one (1) Applied Topics course are required for the degree.
- 3
Advanced Methods courses and PSYC Graduate-level courses can be taken at any time during the second year of coursework.
Learning Outcomes
- Explain how classic and contemporary social psychological theory and research applies to human behavior in social settings
- Learn to conduct a literature review
- Evaluate the scientific rigor of research presented in social psychological journals and books
- Synthesize principles of basic and advanced research methods to produce independent, scholarly work
- Understand how to derive novel, previously untested hypotheses.
- Design and conduct basic and applied social psychology research
- Understand how to statistically analyze and interpret data collected in social psychology research
- Understand how to write up an academic research article
- Understand how to give a high quality professional presentation
- Apply ethical standards to evaluate psychological science and practice
- Apply knowledge of social psychology to scholarly and/or professional activities to promote positive social change
- Apply psychological content and skills to career goals
- Acquisition of research and publication skills that will allow students to pursue an applied job after completing the program