The experimental psychology master's degree is a broad and flexible program that provides a solid stepping-stone into careers or further study in psychology. A choice of tracks–in experimental psychology or engineering psychology–allows you to customize the program around your career goals and aspirations.
What is Experimental Psychology?
In experimental psychology, students are trained to apply scientific methods to basic psychological processes in perception, brain and behavior relationships, thinking, memory, learning, social interactions, human development, and related areas. RIT's master's in experimental psychology builds on the strengths of faculty research and student interests in experimental psychology broadly defined. The program as a whole provides a foundation for further advanced academic study in human factors and/or experimental psychology.
Master's in Experimental Psychology Courses
The experimental psychology master's degree includes core courses, elective courses, and a thesis. It also offers two tracks to choose from: experimental psychology and engineering psychology.
The experimental psychology track embraces the application of the scientific method to the study of behavior. Faculty are experts in a variety of fields including addiction, attention, cognition, development, evolutionary psychology, forensic psychology, perception, psychopathology, and social psychology, among others.
The engineering psychology track examines human capabilities to sense, perceive, store, and process information and how these human factors impact interactions with technology. This knowledge is applied to the design, use, and maintenance of human-machine systems. Courses emphasize the role of human behavior and performance in both simple and complex human-machine systems. Students are trained in both research methods of experimental psychology and the application of the results to contemporary problems in industry. This track prepares students to function as effective engineering psychologists in industrial, governmental, or consulting organizations.
Electives: If you choose the engineering psychology track must select two electives. Any graduate course at RIT can be taken as an elective, assuming prerequisites are met.
Capstone or Thesis: As part of the MS in experimental psychology, you will choose either a capstone project or a thesis. Students who select the capstone project will embark on a range of projects to demonstrate their ability to apply this knowledge in various assignments. A variety of written projects (white paper, focused literature review, and a resume) and an oral presentation are required for students to show proficiency in their areas of expertise.
Students who select to complete a thesis will select a thesis adviser in the first year, followed in the second year by a thesis topic and research proposal. Students will conduct their thesis, including the collection and analysis of data, in the second year. Ongoing research activity is expected through the summer term of the program. At the completion of the thesis, students will publicly present their findings and defend their research before a thesis committee.
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