The Department of Psychology offers work leading to the degrees of Master of Arts and Master of Science. The department also offers a Ph.D. in Applied Psychology.
Graduate training in psychology at Portland State University provides a sound basis in traditional areas of psychology, while emphasizing applications of psychological theory and research to problems of contemporary society.
The program focus is on applied psychology with an emphasis on five areas: Applied Developmental, Industrial/ Organizational, Applied Social, Community, and Applied Quantitative Psychology. The aim is to prepare graduates for research and service roles in a variety of settings such as government agencies, businesses, educational systems, and hospitals. It should be noted that the graduate program in psychology does not offer graduate degrees in clinical or counseling psychology.
Admissions requirements
Applications may be made to either the doctoral (Ph.D. in Applied Psychology) or the terminal master’s degree (M.A. or M.S. in Psychology) programs. Those admitted to the master’s program may later apply for admission to the doctoral program, conditional upon demonstrated competence at the master’s level. Applicants to either program are expected to have had preparation in experimental psychology and methods of data collection and analysis, in addition to content areas in psychology. Admissions granted to applicants who do not meet these requirements may be conditional upon completing preparatory coursework.
Applicants should provide the following documents: Graduate Record Examination scores (i.e., GRE scores for verbal, quantitative, and analytic abilities), if required by the area to which the applicant is applying; three letters of recommendation from individuals knowledgeable about the applicant’s abilities (preferably from faculty members at colleges or universities attended); transcripts; and a 500- to 1000-word statement of academic and personal goals, which specifically addresses experiences with scientific writing, research methods, and statistics. The psychology subject test of the GRE is not required. Completed applications should be received by December 15 for admission the following academic year.