Our graduate programs will provide graduate students with the
knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to become successful
consumers and producers of psychological science. Psychology is a broad
discipline that interfaces with the biological and social sciences and
our program is organized around two concentrations that together
encapsulate the breadth of psychological science: (1) Biological and
Basic Processes and (2) Social and Behavioral Processes. These
concentrations represent two broad areas that focus on phenomena from
different orientations in moderately overlapping but distinguishable
content areas. Students seeking the MS degree will be broadly exposed to
the content and methods in both concentrations. Students seeking the
Ph.D. degree will have similar broad exposure to both concentrations
which will be extended by an intensive inquiry specialized in one
concentration. As a result, students in the Ph.D. degree program will
apply for admission in one concentration (either the Biological and
Basic Processes concentration or the Social and Behavioral Processes
concentration) whereas students in the MS degree program will be
required to distribute their course work across these concentrations.
Biological and Basic Processes Concentration
The Biological and Basic Processes concentration will include
consideration and investigation of phenomena focused on analyses of
biological and basic processes (e.g., brain function, comparative
psychology, pattern recognition, conditioning, memory, sexual selection,
language, consciousness, motivation). This area of concentration will
develop student knowledge and expertise in biological processes and
mechanisms that explain various aspects of behavior and mental
processes.
Social and Behavioral Processes Concentration
The Social and Behavioral Processes concentration includes consideration
and investigation of phenomena focused on analyses of social and
behavioral processes (e.g., social influence, persuasion, processes
concerning the self-system, personality, interpersonal relationships,
public health outcomes, cross-cultural issues). This area of
concentration will develop student knowledge and expertise in social
processes and mechanisms that explain various aspects of behavior and
mental processes.
Goals for the MS and Ph.D. Programs
Although students seeking the MS degree and the Ph.D. degree will gain
focused exposure to these two core interdisciplinary areas of research,
these two degrees are oriented toward somewhat different goals. The MS
degree is intended to help students achieve either of two goals: (1)
acquisition of the advanced research skills and knowledge of
psychological science necessary for successful participation and
advancement in an array of career paths across multiple market sectors
or (2) successful admission into and completion of a Ph.D. program in
psychology. It is important to note that MS students will complete
coursework alongside doctoral students including intensive core
education in the conduct of psychological science (i.e., courses in
research design and statistical analysis) as well as specific content
areas (e.g., social cognition, evolutionary psychology, neuroscience).
The Ph.D. degree is intended to prepare students for a position in
academia in which they will conduct and publish original research in
addition to teaching and training the next generation of students. As
part of their doctoral degree, Ph.D. students will conduct and defend an
original research project that represents a substantial contribution to
the field. In addition to this focused study, students will also
complete several intensive courses to ensure that they are broadly
educated in the psychological sciences. Through this focused and
intensive study in one core area of psychology and rich exposure to the
other core area of psychology, doctoral students will be prepared to
consume and produce psychological research.
Additional Information
If you have any questions about these programs, please contact Dr. Virgil Zeigler-Hill (
zeiglerh@oakland.edu).
It is important to note that we do not offer degrees in the applied areas of psychology (i.e., clinical, counseling, or school). This means that students who graduate from our program will not be eligible for employment in applied settings (e.g., our graduates cannot apply for licensure as a mental health provider in Michigan). However, students interested in applying to Ph.D. programs that specialize in the applied areas of psychology may benefit from the research training we provide in our MS program.