Psychology: Consciousness and Society

About

Beyond traditional classes in psychological theory and research, students are exposed to a variety of experiences that foster rigorous and creative scholarship alongside social engagement and transformation. The program's strong humanistic, cultural/critical, and transpersonal foundations mean that scholarship is linked to social engagement. Faculty encourage and guide PhD students to submit articles to national and peer reviewed journals as well as a variety of national publications for professional development. Each semester students receive opportunities to present papers and posters at regional and national conferences that represent their areas of interest and further advance the goals of evolving perspectives in psychology, human science, discursive psychology and qualitative research.

The Ph.D. program in Psychology is focused on the study of Consciousness and Society. It is grounded in the program's approach to psychology as a distinctively human science. It will educate future scholars and practitioners at the highest level of the discipline to make original contributions to theory and knowledge. Our graduates will serve as researchers, consultants, leaders, and teachers who can creatively facilitate transformations in a global society. The program reflects three theoretical approaches to analyze the intersection of consciousness and society: Humanistic, Critical, & Transpersonal. These approaches serve as reflexive and reflective anchors to the scholarly trajectory of our students in developing their own research interests. All of the theoretic perspectives that inform the curriculum indicate a fundamental value of the program, to privilege the question of one's subjective accounting of an event, either in experiential or discursive terms. Whether in terms of reflexivity or awareness, this value links each of these traditions to more qualitative approaches to which the program's teaching is also committed. In all of our classes and projects, the Psychology program offers a more integrative and nuanced approach toward consciousness and society, including an awareness of the less explored spiritual dimensions that inform individual and community life. This promise is made good in our foundation in transpersonal psychologies with their articulation of the wisdom traditions. Our broad based sense of the place of community life for the individual translates into our support of social justice and ecological and integrative thinking. It dovetails with our effort to continually creatively address the relationship between theory and praxis through more ethically informed and engaged modalities of research. View our Psychology program website For more information, please see the Academic Catalog.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

3.0 or better GPA
GRE Scores: 147 verbal & 147 quantitative & 3.5 Analytical (1000 combined: preferred; 800 GRE score minimum)
3 Letters of Recommendation
Writing Sample (The writing sample is required for only those who are chosen for an interview)
Interview - By Invitation Only

English Requirements

IELTSMin 6
TOEFLMin 69

English Program Requirements

For those whose first language is English, the requirement can be waived based on completion of a degree taught in the English language from an English-based educational system (USA, Canada, UK, Australia, etc...).
For others, proof of English proficiency is required, and a number of exams are acceptable. For most students, the TOEFL or IELTS exams are the most common with the following score requirements:

Fee Information

How to Apply

Steps For Graduate Program Application

Step 1 - Online Application
Step 2 - Official Transcripts and All Required Documents
Step 3 - Graduate Entrance Exam
Step 4 - Program Specific Requirements
Step 5 - Verification of Lawful Presence
Step 6 - Proof of Immunization
Step 7 - Check the Status of Your Application

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Online Application

Complete this online application for admission. You will receive an email confirming that your application has been submitted.

When you submit your online application, you will be directed to pay the $39.99 non-refundable application fee by credit or debit card to the University of West Georgia. Call the UWG Graduate Admissions Office, (678) 839-1394, if you need help.

Note: If you are a McNair Scholar, please check the waiver option at the end of the application to waive the application fee and then email our office at [email protected]. Then, submit the McNair Program Participation Form (PDF) to [email protected] or fax to (678) 839-1395.

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Official Transcripts and All Required Documents

Contact each institution you have attended and request that they mail an official copy of your transcript directly to the UWG Graduate Admissions Office. If hard copies are mailed, send transcripts and all supplemental items to the following address:

UWG Graduate Admissions
Mandeville Hall
1601 Maple Street
Carrollton, GA 30118

Phone: (678) 839-1394

Official electronic transcripts are preferred where available, and may be sent from the issuing institution directly to [email protected] or by choosing 'University of West Georgia-Graduate Admissions' in the recipient list.

Do not send official electronic transcripts to colleges, departments, or program directors.

If a transcript is mailed to you instead of to Graduate Admissions, do not open it. Forward the transcript in its original, sealed envelope directly to the Graduate Admissions Office.

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Graduate Entrance Exam

Graduate programs vary in their requirements for entrance examinations. Please review the 'Admissions' tab for your individual program of study's requirements under the 'Programs' link above.

If your program requires an entrance exam, your next step is to schedule the graduate entrance exam. Take the exam 6 weeks prior to the application deadline to insure adequate time for processing. Exam scores will be reported directly to the UWG Graduate Admissions Office.

Note: Use the University of West Georgia institution code #5900 for the GRE, GMAT, and TOEFL.

A photocopy of your personal exam results may be submitted to the UWG Graduate Admissions Office to verify that the exam was taken; however, official test results must be received from the testing agency (e.g., Educational Testing Service, Psychological Corporation, or Graduate Management Admissions Council) before your application will be considered complete.

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Program Specific Requirements

Each graduate program has specific requirements that you must meet in order to enroll. Please review the "Admissions" tab to find your individual program of study's requirements under the 'Programs' link above.

You may upload certain documents to your file by logging into Begin West. Otherwise, send all program specific documents to the Graduate Admissions Office for processing. Once your admissions file is complete, it will be forwarded to the department for review.

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Verification of Lawful Presence

Students who want to qualify for in-state tuition rates must verify their lawful presence in Georgia. Review UWG Admission's page about Verification of Lawful Presence for instructions on verifying lawful presence.

Because online students pay eTuition rates, which are neither in-state nor out-of-state, they are not required to verify lawful presence.

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Proof of Immunization

After you are admitted, you will be required to show proof of immunization. Send your Certificate of Immunization (PDF, 127K)) to [email protected], or mail to:

Office of Student Health Services
University of West Georgia
Carrollton, GA 30118-4700

This requirement is a Georgia Board of Regents policy; however, there is one exception. If you will never travel to a UWG campus or site, you may apply for an Immunization Exemption. Contact the Immunization Clerk with your request by calling Health Services at (678) 839-6452.

Students admitted to 100% online graduate programs do not need to submit this requirement.

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Check the Status of Your Application

You can monitor the progress of your application and track the submission of your supplemental items via Begin West by clicking on the 'Supplemental Items and Documents' section of your online application.

Step 1 - Online Application

Step 2 - Official Transcripts and All Required Documents

Step 3 - Graduate Entrance Exam

Step 4 - Program Specific Requirements

Step 5 - Verification of Lawful Presence

Step 6 - Proof of Immunization

Step 7 - Check the Status of Your Application