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Fall 2025 Graduate Catalog
Psychology, MA
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 Return to: Master’s Programs
Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences
Degree Awarded: Master of Arts in Psychology
Chair: Joanne Davila, Psychology B-313, (631) 632-7826
Graduate Program Director: Dr. Kristin Bernard, Psychology B-226, (631) 632-7576
Assistant to the Chair: Cynthia Forman, Psychology B-173, (631) 632-7027
Graduate Program Coordinator: Risa Stein, Psychology B-150, (631) 632-7855
The Department of Psychology, in the College of Arts and Sciences, is one of Stony Brook’s largest graduate departments. Our graduate programs have as their foundation rigorous training in science and research. Students are admitted to work with a faculty mentor and are trained to conduct independent research. Collaboration with other labs is welcomed to foster development of expertise in areas relevant to each student’s interests. Graduates from the program are prepared for careers in academic and applied settings, including universities, colleges, medical centers, hospitals, clinics, research and governmental organizations, and business and industry.
Masters Program in Psychology
The full-time program begins with enrollment in required graduate courses in the first and second summer school sessions and continues into the subsequent fall and spring academic semesters. The program is generalist in its orientation and provides advanced education that will transfer well either to a career right after graduation or to further graduate education in a variety of fields such as law, business, medical school, social work, and psychology. Specific applied training leading directly to professional licensure is not provided. Instead, the students in the MA program receive traditional and general grounding in psychology via courses chosen from our regularly offered graduate courses.
A faculty director specifically for the MA program is available for consultation on course selection, career opportunities, and professional development. In addition to courses in clinical, social/health, cognitive/experimental, and integrative neuroscience, professional development workshops that address concerns about graduate school, career and personal choices, and professional presentation, are a regular part of the curriculum. Students complete relevant coursework, and engage in supervised research mentorship and training under the direction of Psychology or University affiliated faculty at the University. “Brown bag” seminars in Clinical, Social and Health Psychology, Cognitive Science, or Integrative Neuroscience provide awareness of ongoing research at Stony Brook and that of guest speakers at other research institutions, and the opportunity to gain applied skills through Internship placements is available.
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Admission Requirements
Application Website The requirements for admission to masters study, in addition to the minimum Graduate School requirements, ordinarily include: - A bachelor’s degree with a major in psychology, or in a program providing adequate preparation for the intended area of study (ordinarily including statistics, research methodology, and/or psychology laboratory).
- An average of 3.25 or better in all graded academic undergraduate coursework.
- One official copy of all previous college transcripts, with certified English translations of any transcripts in a foreign language.
- Letters of recommendation from three instructors or academic advisors.
- The Psychology Department does not require either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test or the subject GRE for admissions to its programs.
- For international students, TOEFL or IELTS scores (unless their native language is English) and the International Student Financial Affidavit.
- Students who do not meet these requirements may also apply if they feel that special circumstances should be considered.
- Acceptance by the department and Graduate School.
The Master’s Program begins Summer Session I. Applications are accepted January 15 through February 28th. All applications must be submitted online through the Graduate School. Admission questions and application instructions are available at the Graduate School website. Degree Requirements
The 1-Year MA Program in General Psychology provides an advanced education preparing students for a career in psychology or related fields directly after graduation or to further graduate education in psychology or related fields such as business, law, medicine, and social work. The full-time program begins with enrollment required graduate courses in the first and second summer school sessions and continues into the subsequent fall and spring academic semesters. - MA students are required to enroll in the Academic and Professional Development seminar (PSY 610 ) during Summer Session 1 of the year they enter the program, and a statistics course (PSY 501 ) during Summer Session 2.
- Students are required to enroll in a weekly seminar in the Fall semester with all first year graduate students (PSY 504 ), which include discussions of current research and research practices by faculty and visiting speakers.
- MA students can select among a wide range of courses in the Psychology Department from clinical psychology, cognitive science,developmental psychology, integrative neuroscience, and social and health psychology. For information on the courses offered, see the link below. (Note: not all courses are offered every year.)
http://www.stonybrook.edu/sb/graduatebulletin/current/courses/psy/ - In the Fall and Spring semesters, MA students enroll in weekly seminars in either Cognitive Science, Integrative Neuroscience, or Social and Health Psychology (PSY 581 , PSY 582 , PSY 583 , PSY 584 , PSY 585 , or PSY 586 ). These seminars include presentations on current methods and topic areas.
- MA students have a faculty advisor specifically for the MA program who is available for consultation on course selection, career opportunities, and other matters.
- The MA program includes professional development opportunities that address students’ concerns about graduate school, career and personal goals, professional presentation, etc.
- Students engage in supervised research mentorship and training under the direction of Psychology or University affiliated faculty at the University.
- A wide variety of internships are available to MA students, which provide them with experiential learning relevant to their future careers.
- Applicants to the MA program will be evaluated on the basis of their undergraduate GPAs (minimum 3.25), three letters of recommendation, and their personal statement. GREs are optional.
Timeline: - End of February: Application period ends.
- March and April: Offers of admission are made.
- End of May (Summer Session 1): Program begins.
- Mid-May of the following year: Graduation.
In light of the extraordinarily short period between admissions offers and the start of the MA program, applicants should carefully consider whether they will be able to satisfy all administrative and practical tasks to join the MA program on time. - Completion of the MA program will be contingent on completion of 30 credits with at least a 3.0 GPA, as per the regulations of the Graduate School. Additionally, students are expected to earn grades of C or better in all courses.
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Return to: Master’s Programs
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