Undergraduate Advising FAQ

 

What are the requirements for a Bachelor's degree in Psychology? -The Psychology requirements have changed for all students entering the program in Fall 2005 and after -See Psychology website for requirements www.umkc.edu/psychology   How do I find information about the graduate program? - Please refer to the Psychology website - Under "Our Programs" click on "Graduate" - If you have general questions about the type of program that may be best for you, please make an appointment to discuss your options with an advisor. Career counseling at UMKC can also be a valuable resource if you are undecided about a career.   I want to be a therapist that works with people, what degree is best for me? - If you are most interested in being a therapist, a master's degree is your quickest option. The requirements for licensure vary by state, but a master's in counseling would be your best option in Missouri. A Master's in Psychology will prepare you to be a researcher, but will not provide what you need to be licensed as a therapist. A Ph.D. in either field will give you the most options. Although the fields vary by theory, both will prepare you to be a researcher, therapist, or faculty member.   What is a senior audit? -When you have completed 90 credit hours, go to Arts & Sciences Advising (Scoffield Hall, Room 9) to complete a senior audit. This process is to ensure that you have taken the required courses and informs you of the remaining courses you need to graduate. Arts & Sciences Advising will complete this process with you. They will then provide you a copy of your transcript and a form for the Psychology Advisors to complete. After you have completed your audit with Arts & Sciences, see psychology advising to review your major requirements.   How do I find out if my credits transfer from another university? -As a general rule, General Psychology will transfer from other universities. However, if you have taken other courses that you think may count as UMKC credits (such as Child Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, etc.) you will need to meet with the Psychology Advisors to review your syllabi from those courses. If the advisors think that the course may be equivalent, it will be given to a faculty member, who teaches the equivalent course at UMKC. The faculty will then review the syllabus to determine if your course covers the same material. A psychology advisor will contact you within a month regarding the status of the course transferring. Please allow sufficient time to determine if courses are equivalent (i.e. please don't wait to do this process the semester you plan to graduate). -UMKC has a website that lists already decided course equivalencies, so you may not even have to come in to advising to find out. *Note* For students entering the Psychology program starting in Fall 2005 and beyond, the course requirements have changed. General Psychology and core area courses may transfer in, but a minimum of 22 hours must be taken from the Psychology Department at UMKC. However, if a student has completed Psychology 316 (Quantitative Methods) at another institution, he or she may petition to take an exam demonstrating his or her mastery of Psych 316 course content. A score of 75% of above must be earned on the exam. The exam may only be attempted once.   How do I apply for graduation? - The Arts & Sciences department will help you complete all the necessary documents for graduation. - Please refer to the Registrar's graduation website for further information: http://www.umkc.edu/registrar/graduation.asp   Where do I get information about commencement procedures? - All information regarding commencement is handled by another department. Most questions can be answered by visiting the commencement website at: http://www.umkc.edu/commencement   Do I have to take an exit exam or major field exam? - Yes, Arts & Sciences Advising and the Department of Psychology will mail you information regarding both exams. You must complete these exams before you can graduate from UMKC. In order to receive this information in a timely manner, make sure that Arts & Sciences is aware of the correct semester in which you plan to graduate.   How do I get involved in research as a Psychology major? - If you are interested in psychological research, or plan to attend graduate school, consider getting involved in a research lab or conducting an individual research project. The Psychology department offers an elective, Psychology 490, which may be taken for 1-6 credit hours. This course is taken under the supervision of a faculty member within the Department of Psychology. Most faculty members prefer that students have completed Psych 302, the research course in Psychology, before completing a 490. Refer to the list of faculty members on the psychology website to determine which faculty members perform research similar to your own interests. Contact him or her about this their requirements for completing this opportunity. Contact the psychology advisors if you need help in determining which faculty is the best match.   What Psychology courses count as electives? - 300/400 level psychology (PSYCH) courses count as psychology electives. The department offers a broad range of electives, such as: Introduction to Health Psychology, Advanced Child Psychology, Psychology of Women, Sports Psychology and Family Life Cycle. If you take both Child Psychology and Social Psychology, or both Theories and Methods of Personality and Abnormal Psychology (one 1 is required), then one will count towards an elective. The same is true for Biopsychology, Cognitive, Motivation, etc.   Where do I get information about graduate programs in Psychology? - The Psychology advising office has some files and books on graduate school. In addition, conducting web searches for programs that interest you are very helpful. There are also several books published that focus on what you need to get into graduate school. Graduate Programs in Psychology is published yearly, and lists every graduate program in the nation along with their requirements.   What do I need to do to apply to graduate school? - The first thing to do is decide what area of Psychology you want to focus on - such as Clinical, Counseling, Social, School, Industrial/Organizational, Biopsychology, etc. - Then decide if you are interested obtaining your Masters or a Ph.D. The requirements will vary depending on the type of program. - Students will need to take the GRE and get letters of recommendation from faculty members before their applications are due. - Most graduate programs prefer that you have had research experience. Consider taking Psychology 490 to help you become a competitive applicant for graduate school. - Consult with graduate school websites for deadline dates. These are usually in January or March, depending on the type of program.   Are there internship opportunities in psychology? - There is no requirement for an internship for your Psychology degree. However, Career Services often helps students find jobs or internships related to psychology. Contact them for more information (816-235-1636).