Psychology, M.A. - COLA, UNH

The M.A. Psychology is only available as part of the accelerated B.A./M.A. program and thus not open for admission to students outside of UNH.

The Department of Psychology offers an accelerated B.A to M.A in experimental psychology that can be accomplished in a total of 5 years.  The basic goal of the program is the development of behavioral scientists who have a broad knowledge of psychology and can carry out sound research in an area of specialization. Although some students seek employment outside academia, the program is oriented toward developing the skills required by the research psychologist who intends to seek admission to a non-clinical Ph.D. program. Students who wish to apply to this program should submit a complete graduate application to the graduate school during the fall or spring of the student's third year. As well, they should arrange to work with a particular faculty member who will serve as a preceptor for the Paper of Publishable Quality - Thesis project.

Areas in which the student may specialize are brain, behavior and cognition; developmental psychology; or social psychology/personality. The department does not offer training in clinical or counseling psychology.

The first step toward applying to the program is to contact a faculty member whose research is in a topic that matches your interest in order to arrange support for your thesis or paper of publishable quality. Interested students must submit a full graduate application to the graduate school during their junior year.

For additional information, please contact the department at 603-862-2360 or at psyc-grad.admission@unh.edu.

Degree Requirements

The M.A. requires a minimum of 30 graduate credits.

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Most students complete the master’s research project in the form of a PPQ. Those selecting the thesis option should note that the thesis deadlines for the final oral and submission of the final thesis copy are about three weeks earlier than the deadlines for the PPQ option.

Accelerated Master's Overview

Accelerated Master’s programs offer qualified University of New Hampshire undergraduate students the opportunity to begin graduate coursework in select graduate programs while completing a bachelor’s degree. Accelerated master's programs are designed to provide students with an efficient and cost-effective pathway to earn both a bachelor's and master's degree or graduate certificate, enhancing career opportunities and long-term earning potential. 

Accelerated Master's Highlights

• Begin studying advanced topics while an undergraduate student with the opportunity to complete a master’s degree or graduate certificate early.
• Master’s degree program students: Earn up to 12* graduate (800-level) course credits while completing a bachelor’s degree. This coursework will count as dual-credit toward both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
• Graduate certificate program students: Earn up to 8* graduate (800-level) course credits while completing a bachelor’s degree. This coursework will count as dual-credit toward both the bachelor’s degree and the graduate certificate.
• Students complete the bachelor’s degree, and then officially matriculate into the master’s or graduate certificate program to complete the remaining required graduate-level coursework.

*Some exceptions apply. 

Accelerated Master's Admission Requirements

• A minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA is required.*
• A minimum of 90 undergraduate credits must be completed prior to enrolling in graduate (800-level) courses.
• Streamlined Graduate School Application (two letters of recommendation; most standardized tests and application fee are waived).*

*Some exceptions apply.

Accelerated Master's Requirements

• Students must attend a mandatory orientation session.
• Students must submit a special registration form each semester for dual-credit courses and note any DegreeWorks exceptions.
• Students may defer graduate matriculation for up to one year after earning their bachelor’s degree in most programs.
• See the Accelerated Master’s Catalog Policy and Accelerated Master’s Website for additional information and a list of programs. Note that some programs have additional requirements (e.g. higher-grade expectations) compared to the general policy.

Psychology (M.A.) Accelerated Option

This graduate degree program is approved to be taken on an accelerated basis in articulation with the following undergraduate program(s): 

Additional Information

The accelerated B.A. to M.A. program in experimental psychology aims to:

1. Improve opportunities for excellent undergraduates to prepare for competitive Ph.D. programs or add an additional credential before entering a competitive job market; and
2. Allow students interested in experimental psychology to advance and further specialize their psychology education in only one additional year at UNH.

The Psychology M.A. requires completing a minimum of 30 graduate credits. Twelve (12) credits will count towards both the bachelor's and master's degree. This coursework counts as electives and does not count towards the core requirements for the undergraduate program. Students must fulfill all programmatic requirements for the master's degree program, as well as fulfill all programmatic requirements for the bachelor's degree.

Sample Degree Plan Bachelor's/Master's

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12 credits of the MA (PSYC 805 Research Methodology and Statistics I,  PSYC 806 Research Methodology and Statistics II, Advanced Seminar) will also count as elective credits towards the undergraduate program.

²

Most students complete the master’s research project in the form of a PPQ. Those selecting the thesis option should note that the thesis deadlines for the final oral and submission of the final thesis copy are about three weeks earlier than the deadlines for the PPQ option.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Have a mastery of the field of psychology sufficient to teach introductory courses in psychology.
• Demonstrate an understanding of statistics and research design, and the ability to evaluate the quality and implications of scientific research by completing a research project (supervised by a faculty member).
• Write empirical research reports and literature reviews in American Psychological Association style.
• Demonstrate competence in oral communication and understanding of scholarly research by giving a conference style presentation.
• Assessment: Each student presents an oral defense of their Masters Thesis or paper of publishable quality.

Apply now

Deadlines

Application fee: $65

Campus: Durham

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Masters: Yes (for more details see the accelerated masters information page)

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission, or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of Recommendation: 2 Required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

GRE Optional But Recommended

The GRE scores are optional, though strongly recommended. If you wish to provide scores please email the scores directly to the department once you have submitted your application online.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:

1. Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
2. Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

Additional Department Requirements

Interview Required; applicant must communicate with preceptor prior to applying. 

The Master’s in Psychology will ONLY be available for application by current UNH undergrads to the Accelerated Master’s program. Non-UNH applicants are ineligible. 

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.