Psychology, MA

The Master of Arts in psychology is designed to give students a broad background in the field of psychology plus a sufficient degree of specialization to prepare them for either careers or further graduate training.

Program Related Information

Program Contact

unopsycgrad@unomaha.edu
402.554.2581

Program Website

Fast Track

The Department of Psychology has developed a Fast Track program for highly qualified and motivated students providing the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in an accelerated time frame. With Fast Track, students may count up to nine graduate hours toward the completion of their undergraduate program as well as the graduate degree program.

Program Specifics:

• This program is available for undergraduate students pursuing a BS in neuroscience desiring to pursue a MA in psychology
• Students must have completed no less than 60 undergraduate hours.
• Students must have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.2.
• Students must complete the Fast Track Approval form and obtain all signatures and submit to the Office of Graduate Studies prior to first enrollment in a graduate course.
• Students will work with their undergraduate advisor to register for the graduate courses.
• A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduate coursework to remain in good standing.
• Students remain undergraduates until they meet all the requirements for the undergraduate degree and are eligible for all rights and privileges granted undergraduate status including financial aid.
• Near the end of the undergraduate program, formal application to the graduate program is required. The application fee will be waived, the applicant will need to contact the Office of Graduate Studies for a fee waiver code.
  • Admission to Fast Track does NOT guarantee admission to the graduate program. 
  • The admit term must be after the completion term of the undergraduate degree.

Special Note: Eligible undergraduate students may enroll in any dual level psychology or neuroscience course (PSYC 8xx6 or NEUR 8xx6).

Admissions

General Application Requirements and Admission Criteria

Application Deadlines

• Fall 2026: January 10

Other Requirements

• Baccalaureate degree with a minimum of 3.0 GPA.
• A minimum of 15 undergraduate semester hours (or the equivalent) of psychology courses including: basic statistics and an upper level laboratory course, independent research, or equivalent, emphasizing the experimental method, data collection, statistical analysis, and report writing are required.
• Entrance Exam: Graduate Record Examination (GRE)  
  • GRE scores are OPTIONAL for those applying to the psychology MA program. All applications will be reviewed whether or not GRE scores are included.
• English Language Proficiency: Applicants are required to have a command of oral and written English. Those who do not hold a baccalaureate or other advanced degree from the United States, OR a baccalaureate or other advanced degree from a predetermined country on the waiver list, must meet the minimum language proficiency score requirement in order to be considered for admission.

  • Internet-based TOEFL: 80, IELTS: 6.5, PTE: 53, Duolingo: 110

• Statement of Purpose
• Writing Sample (preferred APA style)
• Resume
• Letters of Recommendation: Three letters of recommendation from professors and individuals who can speak to applicant’s potential for success in a graduate program are required.

Degree Requirements

Student must select an area of concentration.

Required Course

Total number of required credits is determined by the area of concentration completed.

Other Requirements Needed for a Student to Complete the Program

Obtaining a score of at least 600 on the Advanced Psychology Test of the GRE. (NOTE: not required for the neuroscience & behavior, developmental, cognitive areas of concentration).

Total Credit Hours: 30-37

Concentrations

Cognitive Concentration (Thesis Option 30 hours)

¹

 PSYC 9910: (Cognitive topic)

Exit Requirements

• Comprehensive Examination
• Thesis
  • All candidates should carefully review the Graduate College requirements for forming the Supervisory Committee, Thesis/Thesis Equivalent Proposal Approval forms and final approval of a thesis and final submission of the thesis. 

Developmental Concentration (31-37 hours)

Plan A (Thesis Option 31 hours)

Plan A is recommended for students who plan to pursue a PhD and/or who wish to complete an independent research project (the thesis).

This plan requires completion of a minimum of 31 credit hours, as listed below:

¹

PSYC 9960: (1-6 credit hours)

²

Note you must take either PSYC 9070 or PSYC 9230 as one of the options.

Plan B (Non-Thesis Option 37 hours)

Plan B is recommended for students who plan to work in an applied setting involving children and/or families and who do not plan to pursue a PhD. This plan requires completion of a minimum of 37 credit hours. In addition to required course work, students choose 3 elective courses (within or outside the Department of Psychology).

Instead of a thesis, students complete two applied practica (6 credit hours).

¹

PSYC 9960: (1-6 credit hours)

²

PSYC 8980: (6 credit hours) 

Exit Requirements

• Comprehensive Examination
• Thesis
  • All candidates should carefully review the Graduate College requirements for forming the supervisory committee, Thesis/Thesis Equivalent Proposal Approval forms and final approval of a thesis and final submission of the thesis. 

Industrial Organizational Concentration (Thesis Option 36 hours)

Students who were undergraduate students at UNO cannot take a dual-listed course at the graduate level if they have already taken the course at the undergraduate level. 

Exit Requirements

• Comprehensive Examination
• Thesis
  • All candidates should carefully review the Graduate College requirements for forming the supervisory committee, Thesis/Thesis Equivalent Proposal Approval forms and final approval of a thesis and final submission of the thesis. 

Neuroscience and Behavior Concentration (Thesis Option 30 hours)

Exit Requirements

• Comprehensive Examination - at least one of the following
  • Submission of a national funding agency proposal
  • Manuscript submitted to peer-reviewed journal
  • Co-author of a poster or presentation at a national conference or first author at a regional conference
• Thesis
  • All candidates should carefully review the Graduate College requirements for forming the supervisory committee, Thesis/Thesis Equivalent Proposal Approval forms and final approval of a thesis and final submission of the thesis. 
  • Oral and written thesis defense; public presentation of thesis

Special Performance Quality Rule

If at any time a grade of "C", (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) in graduate courses become a matter of record, a graduate student in the Department of Psychology will be placed on probation. An unexcused grade of "W" in a proseminar course will be considered equivalent to a grade of "C" for purposes of this policy. An excused "W" must be approved by the chair of the Department of Psychology. Students placed on this probation will forfeit any departmental graduate assistantship they may have and any approved programs of study will be subject to re-evaluation and change. Before registering for additional courses, a student placed on probation must, with the assistance and approval of his/her advisor, submit a plan for remediation of his/her academic problems, and have that plan approved by the Graduate Program Committee (GPC). The GPC will review and, if appropriate, modify the plan. Further, any enrollment in graduate courses must be approved by the GPC. The student will remain on probation until the GPC approves termination of probation status.  If a student earns a second "C", the student will be dismissed from the program and the GPC will work to come up with a plan, and evaluate if it is possible for the student to return to the program at some point.