4+1 Master's in Psychological Science

The 4+1 terminal Master's Program in Psychological Science provides qualified students earning a baccalaureate degree in Psychology from Tulane University and Xavier University of Louisiana with graduate training in psychology. The goal of the program is to prepare students for their next step of graduate training (e.g., doctoral program, medical school, law school) or entry into the workforce. Most students who apply to the 4+1 program in Psychological Science are interested in obtaining a broad background in psychology at the graduate level (or they may be interested in a specific area such as social psychology or developmental psychology). Curricular requirements and admissions criteria are detailed below.

Since its inception in 2002, 76 students have graduated from the 4+1 program in Psychological Science: 44 students (58%) completed the non-thesis track, and 32 students (42%) completed the thesis track. Our 4+1 graduates and career trajectories after the MS degree are detailed in the “Program Graduates” section at the bottom of this webpage.

Non-Thesis Track

Non-Thesis Track Checklist (pdf) 

This option, comprising 30 graduate credit hours, provides a broad background in the theories and methods of Psychology at the graduate level. No thesis is required. The average completion time in this track is 9 months (i.e., almost all students can finish the coursework in two semesters if they completed two graduate courses during their senior year).

Courses must include 3 credits in quantitative methods beyond PSYC 6090 (typically PSYC 6110), 3 credits in each of the distribution areas (i.e., 3 credits in the biological underpinnings of behavior and 3 credits in social, cultural, and developmental psychology), 6 credits in core courses (i.e., PSYC courses numbered 7000-7090, which also may satisfy distribution requirements), Professional Issues for MS Students (a 3-credit course designed for 4+1 master’s students to help them utilize and apply their skills and knowledge of psychology and to help prepare them for their future professions), no more than 3 credits of independent study in Psychology, and no more than one graduate course outside psychology (which must be approved by the Psychology Department’s Graduate Training Committee).

Up to 6 graduate credit hours may count toward the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree. Also, up to 6 additional graduate credit hours taken as an overload during undergraduate study (i.e., above the minimum 120 credit hours required to graduate) may be applied toward the MS degree. If students opt to take more than 6 graduate credits in psychology during undergraduate study for the purpose of applying these additional graduate credits to a future MS degree, they must notify the Psychology Senior Program Coordinator (Email: psych@tulane.edu) PRIOR to the conferral of their undergraduate degree. It is expected that applicants to the non-thesis track will complete some coursework toward the MS (typically two graduate courses) during their senior year.

Thesis Track

Thesis Track Checklist (pdf) 

The thesis track is available only to Tulane alumni. This option provides an in-depth examination of the theories and methods of a specific area of psychology, including the completion of an empirical thesis in that area. The degree requires 30 graduate credit hours consisting of eight graduate courses (24 credits) plus the thesis (3 credits of graded PSYC 6610 Independent Study first semester of +1 year and 3 credits of graded PSYC 9980 Master’s Thesis Research second semester of +1 year).

Tulane students electing to pursue the thesis track must have initiated empirical research as an undergraduate student and identified a specific area of research interest. Students are encouraged to develop a master’s thesis topic that is a continuation or extension of their undergraduate honors thesis or independent study research. An assistant, associate, or full professor in Tulane’s Department of Psychology must commit to thesis supervision prior to admission. Potential thesis advisors include the following assistant, associate, and full professors: Courtney Baker, Paul Colombo, Michael Cunningham, Benjamin Deen, Jonathan Fadok, Michael Hoerger, Julie Markant, Lisa Molix, Damian Murray, Bonnie Nastasi, Laurie O’Brien, Stacy Overstreet, and Janet Ruscher. In some instances, adjunct and research faculty may serve as co-directors.

The average completion time for the thesis track is 12 months (i.e., students often defend their theses during the summer for the August degree). Note: Students who pursue the thesis track are strongly encouraged to defend and submit the master’s thesis to the School of Science and Engineering (SSE) within one year after entering the program. However, the master’s thesis must be defended and submitted in final form to SSE within two years after entering the program. Students who fail to meet the two-year deadline will be recommended for dismissal from the program.

Courses must include 3 credits in quantitative methods beyond PSYC 6090 (typically PSYC 6110), 3 credits in core courses (i.e., PSYC courses numbered 7000–7090), and Professional Issues for MS Students (a 3-credit course designed for 4+1 master’s students to help them utilize and apply their skills and knowledge of psychology and to help prepare them for their future professions). The curriculum is flexible and specific to each individual student. The thesis advisor will provide guidance in the selection of courses appropriate to each student's unique interests and in all aspects of the master’s thesis.

Up to 6 graduate credit hours may count toward the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree. Also, up to 6 additional graduate credit hours taken as an overload during undergraduate study (i.e., above the minimum 120 credit hours required to graduate) may be applied toward the MS degree. If students opt to take more than 6 graduate credits in psychology during undergraduate study for the purpose of applying these additional graduate credits to a future MS degree, they must notify the Psychology Senior Program Coordinator (Email: psych@tulane.edu) PRIOR to the conferral of their undergraduate degree. It is expected that applicants to the thesis track will complete some coursework toward the MS (typically two graduate courses) during their senior year at Tulane.

Thesis Committee and Prospectus

Master’s thesis research is the central element of the 4+1 Thesis Track. The thesis is an extension of research conducted at the undergraduate level and tied closely to the research advisor’s interests and expertise. A student conducting a thesis in partial fulfillment of the 4+1 MS degree in Psychological Science will assemble a thesis committee of three faculty members, two of whom must be full-time faculty members in Tulane’s Department of Psychology. The student will prepare a written thesis prospectus for the committee, not to exceed 5 pages. The prospectus should describe the specific hypotheses, most relevant literature, proposed methodology and data analysis, and expected outcomes and significance of the project. Within one week after submission of the prospectus to the committee, the student will meet with the full committee for comments and guidance. The prospectus meeting with the thesis committee must occur prior to October 1 of the +1 year for students entering in August and prior to February 15 of the +1 year for students entering in January. Upon completion of the thesis, the committee will read and review the final thesis document and evaluate student performance at a formal thesis defense. The master’s thesis oral defense meeting must be held before: (a) April 15 for May degree, (b) August 5 for August degree, and (c) December 5 for December degree. The final document must be submitted to the School of Science and Engineering (SSE) by the deadlines posted on their website (the exact dates vary from year to year). The thesis must be defended and submitted in final form to SSE within two years after entering the master’s program. Students who fail to meet the two-year deadline will be recommended for dismissal. 

Admissions Information

Criteria for Admission

Students at Tulane University and Xavier University of Louisiana working toward the baccalaureate degree in Psychology may enter the 4+1 program during either the fall or spring semester of any academic year. The deadline for receipt of the COMPLETED APPLICATION, INCLUDING ALL SUPPORTING MATERIALS is April 1 to start in the fall semester and December 1 to start in the spring semester. Note: Spring semester applications only will be accepted from students who successfully completed PSYC 6090 Univariate Statistics I (or the PSYC 3090-4090 course sequence) during their undergraduate study. There are no rolling admissions, and we do not accept early applications (i.e., students may not apply until the last semester of their Senior year). The online application opens annually in October.

To be competitive for admission, students should meet the following criteria:

• Undergraduate grade point average of 3.4 or higher 
• A letter grade of B or higher earned in PSYC 3090 Univariate Statistics I (Note: the Department of Psychology’s 4+1 Master’s Education Committee generally does not offer admission to students who earn less than an A- in 3090)
• Baccalaureate degree from Tulane or Xavier University of Louisiana pending successful completion of requirements
• For applicants to the thesis track, at least 3 credits of independent empirical research in psychology must have been earned as an undergraduate. Also, an assistant, associate, or full professor in Tulane’s Department of Psychology must commit to thesis supervision prior to submitting your application. Note: The thesis track is available only to Tulane alumni.
• Standardized test scores (i.e., SAT, ACT, GRE) are NOT required for applicants to the 4+1 MS Program in Psychological Science 
• References: You should obtain two recommendations to provide an assessment of your qualifications for graduate study. One of the recommendations must be written by a regular full-time faculty member in Tulane University’s Department of Psychology (refer to the following website for a list of the full-time faculty: https://sse.tulane.edu/psyc/full-time-faculty). The full-time faculty member in Tulane’s Department of Psychology must meet at least one of the following two requirements: (a) For applicants to the thesis track (Tulane alumni only), the recommendation must contain a commitment from an assistant, associate, or full professor in Tulane’s Department of Psychology to supervise the thesis research; or (b) For applicants to the non-thesis track who completed a psychology graduate course (6000-level or above) during their junior or senior year, the letter must be written by the Tulane faculty member who taught the graduate course. The second recommendation may be submitted by a faculty member outside the Department of Psychology, a research supervisor, or a clinical supervisor. [Note to referees: in lieu of submitting a letter, you may complete the following one-page 4+1 recommendation form].

Advising

All students admitted to the 4+1 Accelerated MS Program in Psychological Science will be assigned an advisor to assure that each student’s uniquely tailored curriculum satisfies degree requirements, as well as the student’s own academic goals. Students admitted to the 4+1 Non-Thesis track will be advised by the 4+1 Faculty Coordinator, Dr. Julie Alvarez. Students admitted to the Thesis Track will be advised by their thesis director. The thesis advisor will provide guidance in the selection of courses appropriate to your interests and in all aspects of the master’s thesis research. The checklists, which highlight the requirements of each track, should be helpful in planning your curriculum with your advisor: (a) Non-Thesis Track Checklist, and (b) Thesis Track Checklist.