Masters Program in General Psychology

Students in the Master’s Program in General Psychology have two choices for completing the degree:

1-Without a Thesis 
This option involves intensive coursework and requires students to complete a total of 40 credits to graduate.
2-With a Thesis 
This option involves research-intensive thesis experience and requires students to complete a total of 31 credits to graduate.

Requirements for ALL students:

-Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.
-Take PSY V0100: Advanced Experimental Psychology I (4 credits | 2 lec. + 4 lab hr./wk.). 
-Take PSY V0500: Statistical Methods in Psychology I (3 credits | 2 rec. + 2 lab hr./wk.)
-Take one course from the following areas: Cognition, Neuroscience, Psycholinguistics, Psychometrics, Psychopharmacology, and Sleep. Or else achieve a score in at least the 65th percentile on the advanced psychology section of the Graduate Record Examination.

Requirements for THESIS students:

Thesis students are required to enroll in PSY B9900 Psychological Research and Seminar, for which 3 credits are received, with no grade, until completion of the thesis project. Students are also encouraged to enroll in PSY B9800 Tutorial for at least one semester prior to B9900 while they develop their thesis plans and complete the proposal.

Q1: I have no background in psychology. Can I still apply for the program?
Yes. Our program welcomes students with different academic backgrounds; however, applicants must prove that they have received some psychology education, such as introductory psychology and statistics courses. 

If you have fulfilled those two courses with at least a B, you can apply to the program with the condition that, if admitted, you will take experimental/research methods classes at the undergraduate level concurrently with your master’s classes during your first year, and earn at least a B. These required undergraduate courses do not count toward your required graduate credits.

Q2: As an undergraduate, I did not take any statistics or research methods courses. What are the steps I can take in order to qualify?
You must take the classes as a non-matriculated student either at CCNY or outside of CCNY.

Q3: I have not taken an Experimental Psychology course in undergraduate studies, but I took Research Methods. Does that qualify to apply to the program?
Yes. Research Methods is likely the same course by another name. Different schools use either.

Q4: What do you look for in a successful applicant?
We look for applicants who are likely to be successful in graduate school and demonstrate evidence that they will be able to perform well academically. Our courses are research-oriented and require strong statistical and research methods’ skills at the graduate level. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA to graduate from this program.

Q5: My undergraduate GPA is lower than 3.0, what can I do to improve my chances of getting into the program?
You may take the following steps to demonstrate your eligibility as an applicant:

• Provide a comprehensive explanation in your personal statement as to why your undergraduate GPA is lower than 3.0.
• Enroll in courses as a non-matriculated student and demonstrate that you can do well in graduate-level courses.

The admissions committee considers all components of the application. Strong letters of recommendation, a transcript trajectory of improvement, a high GRE score, and a personal statement explaining effectively the poor grades can offset a low GPA.

Q6: What is the typical class size?
Master’s courses usually consist of 15-25 students and are conducted as seminars.

Q7: Can I register as a part-time student?
Yes. Most students are part-time. You pay for the number of credits you take, and you move toward completion by how many credits you take.

Q8: Do you have classes on weekends?
We occasionally offer weekend courses, but most courses are offered in the afternoon or evening from Monday to Thursday.

Q9: Can I schedule a meeting with the program’s representative?
If you have any inquiries not answered on this page, please contact our program’s director, Dr. Vivien Tartter at vtartter@ccny.cuny.edu  

Q10: When is the deadline to apply? 
Fall - April 15th 
Spring - November 15^th

Q11: Will this degree let me practice as a therapist?
A: The MA General Psychology degree does not enable licensure as a Counselor, but completing the CASAC track within satisfies the state's academic requirements for being a Substance Abuse Counselor.

Welcome!

Whether you are obtaining or maintaining a non-immigrant international student status, please visit the two links below for the latest information on deadlines, requirements, and specific issues.

CUNY: Student Guide & Tutorial
CCNY: International Students Overview

Students may enter the program with an undergraduate major either in Psychology or in another field. Acceptance is based on assessment of the student's overall record and promise. Admission is based on flexible criteria. Special attention is given to the student's performance in the undergraduate courses of statistics and experimental psychology (or research methods). Students who have earned less than a B in either of these courses, or who have not taken them, are advised to contact the Director of the Masters Program in General Psychology, Dr. Vivien Tartter at vtartter@ccny.cuny.edu before applying.

Prospective students should note that it is not necessary to obtain a Masters degree before applying to a Ph.D. program, but is a way to improve your credentials if your psychology background, undergraduate transcript, or direction for graduate study needs buttressing. Students who do move to Ph.D. programs sometimes can transfer credits, but often cannot. Students may apply from the Masters in General Psychology to the Masters in Mental Health Counseling program. If accepted, the courses taken in the General program will transfer as elective credits.

The American Psychological Association’s booklet, Psychology: Careers for the Twenty-first Century, reports that most professionals with a terminal master’s degree handle research and data collection and analysis in universities, government and private companies. Others find jobs in health, industry and education, the primary work settings for psychology professionals with master’s degrees.

Government and industry positions in personnel and in mental health are often filled by persons with master’s degrees in psychology. Workers with their Master’s degree usually work under the supervision of a doctoral level psychologist, especially in clinical, counseling, school and testing and measurement psychology.

Over the past forty years our program has had a national and international reputation for providing outstanding training in psychology. Other institutions’ graduate programs have come to rely on the fact that students who achieve in our program can do so in theirs because we maintain high standards.

The faculty members are full-time professors. Most are also faculty in one of the ten City University of New York doctoral programs. The faculty members are all experienced teachers, researchers and/or clinicians; some are community consultants and evaluation researchers. The Director of the Program is Dr. Vivien Tartter.

Masters students can become involved in activities on the City College campus such as peer counseling, teaching-assisting, drug-and-alcohol counseling, and research in many areas of psychology.

Apply Now
 

Deadline

Spring  -   November 15th
Fall     -   April 15th

Requirements

Step 1

• The complete application form
• Application Fee

Step 2
Mail all supporting documents

• Personal statement
• ​​​​​Two letters of recommendation (at least one letter should be academic)
• Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended
• Resume/CV
• TOEFL/IELTS tests and scores

Where do I send application’s supporting documents?
All application materials should be submitted online via the Apply Yourself website. Nothing should be mailed to the program director or to the department directly. All supporting documents such as official transcripts, application fee, and any other supporting materials should be mailed to the Office of Admissions at:

WILLE  ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, ROOM 101
160 CONVENT AVENUE
NEW YORK, NY 10031

For more information on how to apply, please visit the CCNY’s Graduate Admissions official website or read the FAQ section above for further inquiries.