Psychology Master of Arts Degree (MA)
Our MA Degree Program offers students the opportunity to obtain training that serves as the foundation for building their own research agenda. Coursework, coupled with research mentorship provided by their faculty advisor, serves to guides students toward increasingly independent work, which is then carried out in the PhD Program. Therefore, it is expected that all students entering into the MA Degree Program will progress on to the PhD Program, pending satisfactory performance (i.e., the department does not offer terminal master's degrees).
The MA degree in Psychology typically takes four to five semesters to complete.
- A minimum of 30 credits is required by Graduate Division.
- Of these 30 credits, at least 24 must come from coursework.
- A minimum of 12 credits must be earned in courses numbered 600–798, exclusive of research courses (PSY 7x9) and thesis research (PSY 700).
- A grade of B or higher is needed for courses to count towards degree requirements.
- The degree requires the completion of an MA Plan A Thesis.
- There is no foreign language requirement.
Research Methodology and Statistics (6 credits)
- Methodological Foundations (PSY 600)
- Statistics (PSY 610)
Foundation Courses (6 credits)
Two courses from 2 different Psychology Foundation Areas:
- Cognitive: PSY 626, PSY 631
- Behavioral Neuroscience: PSY 622, PSY 633, PSY 634
- Developmental: PSY 640
- Social: PSY 650
- Clinical: PSY 670, PSY 676, PSY 776
- Community and Cultural Psychology: PSY 680
Additional Courses (6 credits)
- One graduate seminar in psychology or a related field (3 credits)
- One course in graduate program area (3 credits)
Research Courses (6 credits)
- Students are expected to enroll in research courses each semester throughout graduate training.
- PSY 7x9 – Research in graduate program area
PSY 699 can be used to obtain research credits. It is not, however, the primary recommended avenue.
Thesis Research (6 credits)
In order to gain the required credits, students typically register for 3 credits of PSY 700 in the semester before thesis defense, and 3 credits during the semester of the thesis defense. Students must be registered for at least 1 credit of PSY 700 during the semester the thesis is defended.
Concentration Requirements
Final course work requirements will vary among graduate program areas. Students should consult their graduate program area for any additional coursework guidelines.
Preliminary Conference
- Appointment of a faculty advisor and formulation of a degree plan.
- Submission of petition for waivers or substitutions of course requirements prior to the end of the first semester (if applicable).
Research Topic Selection
- A thesis research topic is chosen in close consultation with faculty advisor.
- Thesis topics are closely mapped to departmental resources and form the basis for thesis committee member selection.
Thesis Committee Formation
A thesis committee consists of:
- Three faculty members, typically core-faculty in the Department of Psychology who hold tenure-track or tenured positions.
- One member (maximum) from a field outside of psychology who is appropriately related to the student's program of study.
All members of a thesis committee must hold graduate faculty status unless special permission is granted by Graduate Division.
Thesis committee formation requirements may vary among graduate program areas.
Approval of Research Proposal
- A written research proposal is prepared in close consultation with the faculty advisor.
- Research proposals must be submitted to all thesis committee members and are subject to revisions.
- Research approval must be obtained from the Human Studies Program. Approval (or exemption) may take several months depending on the nature of your research.
- Upon completion of thesis revisions, an oral defense of the thesis proposal is held.
- Students should email gradpsy@hawaii.edu their committee members' contact information 24 hours before their defense.
- Students must submit the Master's Plan A Form II - Advance to Candidacy (from Graduate Division) to the Graduate Studies Chair with the approval (or exemption) letter from the Human Studies Program.
- Students may subsequently register for Thesis Research (PSY 700) credits at the beginning of the next academic semester.
Thesis Writing and Oral Defense
- Students must submit a thesis draft to all thesis committee members, which is subject to revisions.
- Upon completion of thesis revisions, an oral defense of the thesis is held.
- Students should email gradpsy@hawaii.edu their committee members' contact information 24 hours before their defense.
- Students must submit a Master's Plan A Form III - Thesis Evaluation to the Graduate Studies Chair.
Completion of Graduate Division Requirements
- Students must submit a final copy of the thesis with a Master's Plan A Form IV - Thesis Submission to Graduate Division.
- The deadline for thesis submission varies slightly each semester and can be found in the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Academic Calendar.
- Students must complete an application for diploma and pay the associated administrative fees.
Petitioning for Admission to the PhD Program
Admission to the PhD program from the MA program is not automatic and the following points should be considered:
- Petitions for admission into the PhD program should be completed in the semester you intend to complete the MA program to ensure that there is no interruption to your status as a full-time student (which could affect financial aid, visas, and other matters).
- Before seeking admission to the PhD program, you must first gain approval from the faculty of the graduate program area in which you are studying.
- Students should contact the program director to determine what materials, if any, must be submitted to their program area faculty members for review.
- Upon approval from the program area faculty, the program director will send the following to the Graduate Chair:
- A letter of application from the student that summarizes accomplishments within the MA program and plans for the PhD program.
- A copy of the student's curriculum vitae.
- These materials are presented to the faculty as a whole, who then vote on the student's admission to the PhD program.
- If approved, you must then submit an application form to process your admission to the PhD program via apply.hawaii.edu and pay the associated administrative fees.
