The MA Psychology program aims to expand the student’s knowledge, skills, expertise , and practice in psychology, thus enabling them to:

1. Apply psychological concepts and theories in the analysis of psychosocial issues;

2. Design and execute psychological research using appropriate approaches and methods;

3. Practice professional and highest ethical standards in the fields of psychology such as in the clinical and industrial settings;

4. Exemplify professional attributes and actively engage in lifelong learning undertakings, and

5. Exhibit collaborative and leadership skills.;

6. Acquire higher level competencies through post-graduate education in Psychology or employment advancement in Clinical and Industrial-Organizational setting.

Master of Arts in  Psychology (with Specialization in Clinical Psychology or Specialization in Industrial Psychology)   opens  a wide range of professional career paths for our learners, preparing them for dynamic, global work environments in the different fields of psychology such as clinical, forensic and industrial settings. These career pathways include:

1. Registered / Licensed Psychologist
   1. Clinical Psychologist
   2. Industrial/ Organizational  Psychologist
   3. Counseling Psychologist

2. Mental Health Practitioner
3. Educator
4. Researcher
5. Human Resource Specialist/ Generalist
6. Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

A in Psychology is a 45 – unit program divided into three areas: coursework, internship/ practicum and research.

There are 18 units of course work which are equivalent to nine (9)  courses namely: For Master of Arts in  Psychology (Specialization: Industrial Psychology) , Advanced Industrial / Organizational Psychology, Systematic Psychology, Advanced Theories of Personality , Training and Development, Advanced Psychological Assessment, Human Resource Management, Seminar on Filipino Psychology , Ethics in the Workplace and Organizational Psychology and to choose 1 elective from 3 elective courses (Group Process, Managerial Psychology or Special Issues in Industrial Psychology) . For Master of Arts in Psychology (Specialization: Clinical Psychology) the nine (9)  courses include: Advanced Experimental Psychology, Systematic Psychology, Advanced Theories of Personality, Advanced Developmental Psychology, Advanced Psychological Assessment, Advanced Abnormal Psychology, Ethics of Psychology and Counseling & Psychotherapy, Advanced Clinical Psychology. For their elective courses, the following are offered: Group Process, Health Psychology and Forensic Psychology.

After taking and passing 18 units of course work and before entering the last year of the program , the students are required to take  internship or  practicum which is equivalent to 300  hours from their chosen practicum site. After completing coursework and internship, they are also required to take and pass the comprehensive exam  before proceeding to Thesis Writing 1 and Thesis Writing 2. To complete the Master of Arts in Psychology program, students must defend their proposal and  final  thesis and must have one publication.

The Master of Arts   Psychology program  has been carefully crafted to empower our students into becoming independent, lifelong learners as future professionals and practitioners on their chosen field . As such, this program utilizes the following varied teaching-learning approaches focused on learners’ needs and capabilities:

• Student-centered learning. The  Psychology Graduate Studies programs adhere with the University’s educational philosophy and learning paradigm which emphasizes active and dynamic learning to develop the higher-order thinking skills of our learners. This entails designing engaging activities and encouraging collaboration between teacher and student inside the classroom to facilitate effective higher learning.

• Didactic approach. The program utilizes a variety of lectures, discussions and demonstrations in developing theoretical and foundational knowledge in the various settings (clinical, industrial, forensic , etc.) in psychology.

• Interdisciplinary approach   Psychology Graduate Studies programs offer  a glimpse of professional practice in psychometrics and psychology through the lens of various fields in psychology such as clinical, industrial and forensic settings.

• Blended learning. The  Psychology Graduate Studies  programs recognize the changing technological landscape which our current generation of learners must navigate. Geared towards ubiquitous and independent learning, some courses are delivered through a mix of online virtual classrooms, self-study modules and face-to-face sessions. The University utilizes Canvas, a world-class learning management system to facilitate this mode of delivery.

• Research-based approach. Aside from didactic and demonstrative approaches, the program utilizes case studies and research-based materials to ensure that learners are provided with updated knowledge and practices in the field. Moreover, the program encourages learners to develop an inclination towards research and scientific thought.

Assessment and Research

Throughout the course of the program, varied assessments and assessment-related tasks are deployed depending on the negotiation between the teachers and the learners. Teachers are encouraged to develop relevant formative assessments designed to help learners prepare for capstone summative assessments.

Assessments are a combination of traditional pen-and-paper tests, practical examinations, research work and performance-based tasks. These include quizzes and summative tests, reports and presentations, case analyses, research-based writing, return demonstration and peer assessments. Apart from course-based assessments, research is also integrated into the curriculum such as the Advanced Research Methods, Advanced Statistics, Thesis Writing 1 and 2 for MA Psychology. Oral Defense.

The required written comprehensive exams  before proceeding to thesis/ dissertation writing   assess the learners’ acquired knowledge and technical know-how in their professional courses. The required paper publication to reputable journals  to complete their degree program would strengthen the research culture of the university.

Written Comprehensive Exam

This is a requirement before enrolling Thesis 1 or Dissertation 1 which covers all course areas taken including the core, and the major courses. To be taken in a two-day period in which all the course areas are equally distributed.

The graduate student should secure an application form from the Department of Psychology, if intending to take the comprehensive exam  In case of failure in the written comprehensive exam, the student will retake the course/s that he/she failed. Repeated failures in the comprehensive exam, the student will be asked to take refresher course/s pertinent to the course where he/she fails.

Internship