The Master's program is a two-year, full-time, research-oriented Master's program, which features an empirical Master's thesis, course work, and a close relationship with a faculty advisor. The number of graduate student admitted is limited. Currently, the ratio of faculty to graduate students is approximately 1 to 1.
Students apply to one of the Psychology Department's three areas of concentration (Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience; Social-Personality Psychology; and Developmental Psychology) and receive an MA degree in that area. Students may also participate in one of the department's interdisciplinary programs. One focuses on Neuroscience, and the other on Affective science. Information about the areas of concentration and interdisciplinary programs can be found in the Graduate Program Handbook.
Master's students complete the same course of study as the first two years of the Ph.D. program. Therefore students who want to learn more about the Master's program should read Chapter 2 ("The First Two Years") of The Graduate Program Handbook.
Admissions Process
The Admissions Process is the same as that for our Ph.D. program and is described on the Boston College Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website, with one exception: the GRE Subject Test in Psychology is optional.
The deadline for applications is January 2. Students indicate on the application form whether they wish to be considered for the M.A. program, the Ph.D. program, or both. Students submit a personal statement about the research they wish to pursue and the faculty member with whom they would like to work, three letters of recommendation, a transcript, and GRE scores. Students are admitted to work with a particular faculty member and within one of our three areas. However, in conjunction with the advisor, a student can devise a program of study that cuts across area boundaries, or that is interdisciplinary in scope (and may join one of our two cross-area training programs). Admission is selective and requires approval of the advisor and of the department's Graduate Admissions Committee.
Type of Student to be Admitted
The Master's program is aimed at students who intend to become psychologists but who, for some reason, are not ready to enter a 4-5 year doctoral program. Students who complete our MA program will typically apply to a doctoral program, including perhaps that at Boston College. (Admission to the PhD program is not guaranteed.)
For example, students with a BA in Psychology who want more research experience or who need to find a research focus might find it beneficial to get an MA before applying to a doctoral program. Another student might have graduated with a minor in Psychology and therefore needs more background in psychology. Students with little (or even no) background in Psychology are welcomed as well. Such students will need to take extra undergraduate courses in their area of specialization in order to be prepared for graduate level work in Psychology. The specific program of study will be worked out with the advisor and the Graduate Program Committee after the student is admitted.
Advisor and Thesis Committee
Each student is assigned a primary advisor. By the end of the first semester, the student along with the advisor selects two additional faculty members to serve on a thesis committee.
Course Requirements
Course Requirements are listed in Appendix 2 of the Graduate Student Handbook.
MA Thesis
The Master's student's primary task is the production of a thesis. Work on this task begins on day one of the first year. During the 1st year, a topic is selected, background reading carried out, a research program designed and piloted, and a proposal (written much like a grant proposal) is submitted to the student's three-person Master's committee. The proposal is defended orally in front of the committee, and must have final approval by the committee by the end of September of Year 2.
In the 2nd year, any further pilot work needed is carried out, IRB approval is obtained, the data gathered and analyzed, and the thesis written and defended (by April of year 2).
The thesis reports original empirical research initiated and carried out while in our MA program. Students may not bring previously collected data and use these data for the thesis. Although the entire project is carried out in close collaboration with the advisor, the student should be the major contributor to the thesis. Thus the student should qualify for senior authorship on the thesis when the thesis is submitted for publication (which we strongly encourage).
The thesis is to be in the form of an article publishable in a good journal in the student's area. The thesis must be submitted on the first Friday in April of the second year of the program. The evaluation of the thesis is based on the criterion of publishability - with the exception that results need not have turned out statistically significant.
The students three-person Master's committee serves as the examining committee for the final thesis defense at the end of Year 2. The student's advisor does not chair the defense.
Tuition and TA Stipends
Master's students typically take 15 credits per year, for a total of 30 required credits over the two years of the program. Tuition must be paid for these credits. (Click here for the current fees.)
All students admitted to the MA program are provided with some support, although it does not cover the full cost of tuition. Part of the support is in the form of a TA-ship. The other part of the support is in the form of tuition remission. Students can also discuss with their advisor the possibility of an RA-ship, especially over the summer months, for additional support.
TA assignments are made by the Director of the Undergraduate Program, the Director of the Graduate Program, and the Chair in order to make appropriate matches between TAs and courses.
Two-Year Time Limit
There is a two-year sequence of courses/thesis writing, and students must attend this program on a full-time basis. The time limit of two years will be strictly enforced. On a case-by-case basis, exceptions can be made by the Graduate Evaluation Committee, but only under exceptional circumstances, typically those beyond the control of the student. Students can take a leave of absence due, for example, to illness, and thereby stop the clock. According to university regulations, if a student does not complete the requirements for the degree in two years, he or she may be allowed to register for Interim Study (Course # 888) and continue work without paying tuition. This arrangement can continue up to a maximum of five years, provided that the student is making good academic progress.
Changing Advisors/Area
The Student must have an advisor. The student may change advisor and even area. Doing so does not require permission of the former advisor, but only of the new advisor and Graduate Program Director. The former advisor should then be notified once the requested change has been planned. It is the responsibility of the student to find a new advisor. Ordinarily, such changes do not alter the 2-year deadline for completion of all work.