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The MA in Experimental Psychology provides training in the scientific sub-disciplines of psychology. The program is an experimentally oriented program that is designed to give students a broad foundation in psychological science and does not provide training in the delivery of psychological services. Instead, students learn about human behavior and gain key analytical skills that will prepare them for further doctoral education or to enter the work force in research management or teaching positions. Students may pursue a formal research thesis when a faculty mentor supports their prospectus and agrees to supervise their thesis research.  In addition, in order to graduate with an MA degree in this program, students take a comprehensive examination in their final semester, which assesses their knowledge of the areas to which they have been exposed.

The Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program seeks to train professionals with a broad knowledge of scientific psychology who will be skilled clinicians. The program’s educational philosophy is to produce scientist/practitioners who possess expertise in both research and clinical practice. The department believes that experience in applied settings produces scientists who are sensitive to pragmatic issues and who are on the cutting edge of research questions essential to practitioners in the field. Conversely, clinicians who have been trained as scientists understand emerging research and incorporate new findings into their daily practice. The program uses a flexible mentor model in which students are accepted to work with a particular member of the faculty for their degree-required research, but also are encouraged to seek research opportunities with other members of the Department faculty. All students are required to complete a dissertation and to be enrolled full-time. The demands of the program’s training are not amenable to part-time or weekend course schedules.

The Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology is designed to produce Master's-level practitioners who are qualified to apply for licensure as a Licensed Psychological Associate (LPA) by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists. Recent changes to Texas state licensure rules and regulations require 60 hours of coursework in order to be eligible to obtain an LPA and practice independently. The program provides supervised practicum experiences and equips students with applied skills in psychological assessment, diagnosis and clinical intervention. A Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from SHSU also prepares students for further graduate study and/or community college teaching. Students must successfully complete two capstone evaluations in assessment and psychotherapy typically during their last semester of the program.

The MA in Clinical Psychology: Pre-Doctoral degree offers students the opportunity of earning their Masters degree on their way to earning the Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.  Please, note that this option is only available to students who have been admitted to Sam Houston State University as doctoral students.  As with the Ph.D. program, the demands of the MA: Pre-Doctoral degree’s training requirements are not amenable to part-time or weekend course schedules.