The Master of Science (MS) degree in Psychology is intended to develop master's level professional competencies in either of two concentration areas in applied psychology. The two areas of study are clinical and industrial/organizational psychology. Typically, these master's degrees are considered terminal degrees in which the objective is acquisition of professional employable skills appropriate to the program area. Once students are accepted into one of the programs, their Program Coordinator helps them plan a program of study appropriate to their career objective. In the MS Clinical Program, the program of study is identical for all students, such that they meet California MFT licensing eligibility requirements. In the MS Industrial/Organizational program, programs of study consist of both required and elective courses. The approved program of study is then submitted to the University's Office of Graduate Studies and Research for its final approval.
The clinical psychology program is designed to provide the student with both theoretical and practical training in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide variety of individual (adult and children), couples', and family mental health problems, and to prepare the student to work in private or public service agencies, independent practice, community mental health centers, or hospitals. The required academic coursework and supervised fieldwork of 48 semester units meets most of the coursework requirements for the California State Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) license. An additional 2500-2700 hours of acceptable supervised experience is required for admission to the state MFT licensing examination
The industrial/organizational psychology program is designed to prepare students to work in a wide range of settings: including large industrial and service corporations; government agencies; organization and management consulting, training, development and research firms; and individual consulting practices. The program places particular emphasis on the ability to conduct applied, empirical research in organizations, using psychological and statistical methodologies.
1. The student must complete a total of not less than 30 semester units for the industrial/organizational concentration, and 48 units in clinical and counseling psychology.
2. Candidates in the MS Industrial/Organizational program must complete a thesis as part of their 30 semester unit degree requirement. The nature of the thesis is to be determined by consultation with a committee of at least three faculty members. The thesis ordinarily consists of a quantitative investigation or program design, trial and evaluation of some degree of originality. The topic should be relevant to the field of study in which the candidate plans to work. The thesis will generally constitute the final comprehensive examination.
3. Candidates in both concentrations (Clinical and Industrial/Organizational) must demonstrate satisfactory performance on one or more final comprehensive examinations. These examinations shall be written, oral or both, as determined by the appropriate concentration advisory committee.
4. Students are required to demonstrate their competency with regard to writing skills as a requirement for the awarding of a master's degree. This requirement may be satisfied by: satisfactory completion of the CSU baccalaureate graduation requirement of competency in written English; or satisfactory completion, as a graduate student, of the San José State University undergraduate upper division English writing competency requirement by passing the writing workshop waiver examination or completing satisfactorily a writing workshop; or satisfactory completion of a designated graduate-level course in which at least 30% of the course grade is based upon a substantial written project; or approval by the Associate Vice President of Graduate Studies and Research of a professional publication for which the candidate was principal author. For graduate courses that meet the competency in written English requirement, please refer to the Graduate Studies and Research website at www.sjsu.edu/gradstudies.
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