Experimental Psychology

Philosophy and objectives

The experimental psychology program at the University of North Texas immerses you in scientific inquiry to prepare you for prominent roles as researchers in universities and as research consultants in counseling centers, hospitals, mental health centers, medical schools and rehabilitation services. You may participate in investigation from the beginning of your training in UNT's laboratories and interdisciplinary research centers.

Opportunities for graduate studies

The experimental psychology program provides specialized training in human research while remaining flexible to accommodate your individual interests. You may focus on aspects of cognitive neuroscience or developmental psychology, for example, which would include research into aspects of memory and cognition; stress and its physiological consequences; or the link between brain activity and behaviors. You could concentrate on such topics as the determinants of intellectual functioning in later life or ways of enhancing cognitive functioning in older adults. The program also includes a specialization in quantitative psychology with an emphasis on statistical methodology and its uses.

Faculty members actively research aspects of human development and aging, the social aspects of women's lives, and personality and minority issues. The program offers many teaching opportunities and support for professional development, and it maximizes training for research.

Admission requirements

You must meet the minimum requirements of UNT's Toulouse School of Graduate Studies and the department's specific requirements. For graduate school requirements and possible exceptions, access the graduate catalog online at www.unt.edu/catalog.

You are required to submit GRE scores and college transcripts. Undergraduates who plan to apply for graduate training should arrange to take the GRE during their senior year. Specific admissions criteria are listed on the department's web site, www.psyc.unt.edu.

Admission to the graduate experimental psychology program is not determined by any single criterion or quantitative measure of achievement. It is based on committee decision. Meeting minimum criteria does not guarantee admission.

Degree requirements
M.A., M.S.

A master of arts or a master of science degree is available with a major in experimental psychology. The M.A. requires a reading knowledge of at least one foreign language, whereas the M.S. does not. Requirements for two paths of study follow. Track 2 will make you eligible to take the psychological associate examination in Texas.

Track 1

• PSYC 5030 Advanced Research Design
• PSYC 5640 Cognitive and Affective Bases of Behavior
• PSYC 5700 Quantitative Methods I
• PSYC 5840 Psychometric Theory
• PSYC 5950 Master's Thesis
• Electives: 6 hours selected from the remaining 5000-level psychology courses, in consultation with the major professor
• Minor: 6 hours, may be selected from a field outside the department

Track 2

• PSYC 5640 Theories of Learning and Cognition
• PSYC 5700 Advanced Quantitative Methods in Psychology
• PSYC 5790 Physiological Psychology
• PSYC 5840 Psychometric Theory
• PSYC 5900 Special Problems
• PSYC 5950 Master's Thesis
• Electives: 12 hours selected from the remaining 5000-level psychology courses, in consultation with the major professor
• Minor: 6 hours, may be selected from a field outside the department

Ph.D.

The Ph.D. degree program in experimental psychology requires a minimum of 93 semester hours, including 20 hours in general core psychology courses, 25 hours of courses in a specialization and 12 hours for a dissertation. You also must complete a minor of 12 to 18 hours from another UNT academic department and 6 to 12 hours of integrated electives in psychology.

Financial assistance

UNT and the Department of Psychology provide financial support for doctoral students through teaching and research assistantships, teaching fellowships and scholarships.

Doctoral students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents may apply for a university fellowship, which may award up to $16,000 each year for three years and qualifies students to receive additional financial aid from teaching or research assistantships in their departments.

Competitive scholarships are available from the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies and other sources.

Facilities

The psychology department houses neuropsychology, psychophysiology and computer-based behavior laboratories, as well as the Center for Collaborative Organizations, Center for Psychosocial Health Research and the Center for Sport Psychology and Performance Excellence. Additionally, the Psychology Clinic includes psychotherapy rooms, rooms for research, and rooms with one-way mirrors for live observation of individual and group sessions. Extensive videotaping capabilities are available for use in supervision and training.