Behavioral Health is a broad term encompassing our social, emotional, and psychological well-being, which affects how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. The 4+1 terminal Master of Science program in Behavioral Health provides qualified students earning a baccalaureate degree in Psychology from Tulane University and Xavier University of Louisiana with graduate training in this specialty area of psychology. Students who pursue the M.S. in Behavioral Health are interested in future careers in clinical practice, research, or policy. Students either may pursue the M.S. with an empirical thesis, concentrating in depth on a particular area of Behavioral Health, OR students may pursue the M.S. with a broad training base in Behavioral Health without a thesis.
All students admitted to the 4+1 M.S. program in Behavioral Health will complete a two-semester Health Psychology course series: (a)PSYC 6700 Health Psychology I (3 c.h.) (fall semester), and (b)PSYC 6710 Health Psychology II (3 c.h.) (spring semester). In addition, all students will complete two graduate statistics and research methods courses: (1) PSYC 6090 Univariate I (3 c.h.) (fall semester), and (2) PSYC 6100 Rsch Methods Behav Hlth (3 c.h.) in Behavioral Health (spring semester).
Both thesis and non-thesis options are possible. The non-thesis option comprises 30 graduate credit hours (10 graduate courses). The thesis option requires 30 graduate credit hours consisting of eight graduate courses (24 credits) plus the thesis (3 credits of graded PSYC 6610 Adv Studies In Psych (1-3 c.h.) first semester of +1 year and 3 credits of graded PSYC 9980 Masters Research (3 c.h.) second semester of +1 year).
4+1 M.S. in Behavioral Health (PSBH) – Non-Thesis Option
General Curriculum:
- Undergraduate pre-requisite course: Grade of A (or A-) in either PSYC 3330 Clinical Science and Psychological Disorders (3 c.h.) (Abnormal Psychology / Clinical Science & Psychological Disorders) or PSYC 3340 Developmental Psychopathology (3 c.h.).
- 30 graduate credits in Psychology (10 graduate courses).
- No more than 3 credits from graduate courses outside of Psychology; these credits must be approved by the Department of Psychology’s Graduate Training Committee.
- No more than 3 credits in a Psychology independent study or special topics graduate course.
Requirements
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Senior Year | ||
| Psychology Graduate-Level Elective Course | 3 | |
| Spring Senior Year | ||
| Psychology Graduate-Level Elective Course | 3 | |
| Fall +1 Year | ||
| PSYC 6090 | Univariate I 1 | 3 |
| PSYC 6700 | Health Psychology I | 3 |
| PSYC 7610 | Psychological Assess I | 3 |
| or PSYC 7630 | Behav & Cog Behav Int | |
| Psychology Graduate-Level Elective Course 2 | 3 | |
| Spring +1 Year | ||
| PSYC 6100 | Rsch Methods Behav Hlth | 3 |
| PSYC 6710 | Health Psychology II | 3 |
| PSYC 7620 | Psychoed Assess II | 3 |
| or PSYC 7660 | Evidence-Based Interventions | |
| PSYC 7400 | Devel Psychopathology | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Other Requirements:
- All courses counting towards the 30 credits must have a B- or higher grade. Grades below a B- do not count towards the degree.
- The minimum grade point average calculated over the 30 credits counted toward the degree must be greater than 3.0.
- No more than 6 credits can count towards both the Bachelor’s and the Master’s degree.
- No more than 6 credits taken as an overload during undergraduate studies (i.e., above the minimum 120 credit hours required to graduate) can count toward the Master’s degree.
- Application for degree and submission of degree fees to the School of Science and Engineering is required.
4+1 M.S. in Behavioral Health (PSBH) – Thesis Option
General Curriculum:
- Undergraduate pre-requisite course: Grade of A (or A-) in either PSYC 3330 Clinical Science and Psychological Disorders (3 c.h.) (Abnormal Psychology / Clinical Science & Psychological Disorders) or PSYC 3340 Developmental Psychopathology (3 c.h.) (Developmental Psychopathology)
- 30 graduate credits consisting of 8 graduate courses (24 credits) + Empirical Master’s thesis (3 credits of graded PSYC 6610 Adv Studies In Psych (1-3 c.h.) first semester of +1 year and 3 credits of graded PSYC 9980 Masters Research (3 c.h.) second semester of +1 year)
- Prospectus meeting (Held before October 1 for students entering in August and February 15 for students entering in January)
- Successful Master’s thesis defense (Held before April 15 for May degree, August 5 for August degree, and December 5 for December degree)
Requirements
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Senior Year | ||
| Psychology Graduate-Level Elective Course | 3 | |
| Spring Senior Year | ||
| Psychology Graduate-Level Elective Course | 3 | |
| Fall +1 Year | ||
| PSYC 6090 | Univariate I 1 | 3 |
| PSYC 6700 | Health Psychology I | 3 |
| PSYC 7610 | Psychological Assess I | 3 |
| or PSYC 7630 | Behav & Cog Behav Int | |
| PSYC 6610 | Adv Studies In Psych (graded) | 3 |
| Spring +1 Year | ||
| PSYC 6100 | Rsch Methods Behav Hlth | 3 |
| PSYC 6710 | Health Psychology II | 3 |
| PSYC 7620 | Psychoed Assess II | 3 |
| or PSYC 7660 | Evidence-Based Interventions | |
| or PSYC 7400 | Devel Psychopathology | |
| PSYC 9980 | Masters Research (graded) | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
Other Requirements:
- All courses counting towards the 30 credits must have a B- or higher grade. Grades below a B- do not count towards the degree.
- The minimum grade point average calculated over the 30 credits counted toward the degree must be greater than 3.0.
- No more than 6 credits can count towards both the Bachelor’s and the Master’s degree.
- No more than 6 credits taken as an overload during undergraduate studies (i.e., above the minimum 120 credit hours required to graduate) can count toward the Master’s degree.
- Application for degree and submission of degree fees to the School of Science and Engineering is required.
- Submission of thesis to the School of Science & Engineering.
- 1
Although the PSYC 6090 requirement for the 4+1 MS in PSBH is waived for students who successfully complete the 3090-4090 sequence, credits do not count toward the graduate degree.
- 2
Examples of Psychology Graduate-Level Elective Courses are listed below.
| Course ID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Examples of Psychology Graduate-Level Elective Courses | ||
| PSYC 6060 | Behavioral Endocrinology | 3 |
| PSYC 6180 | History & Systems | 3 |
| PSYC 6330 | Neurobiol Learn & Memory | 3 |
| PSYC 6530 | Psychopharmacology | 3 |
| PSYC 6590 | Stress & Trauma | 3 |
| PSYC 6660 | Special Topics | 1-3 |
| PSYC 7000 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 7010 | Personality | 3 |
| PSYC 7020 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 7030 | Cog. Neurosc. Grad. Sem. | 3 |
| PSYC 7040 | Evol Models In Psych | 3 |
| PSYC 7070 | Culture and Cognition | 3 |
| PSYC 7090 | Physiological Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 7150 | Advanced Adolescent Psyc | 3 |
| PSYC 7160 | Children of Color | 3 |
| PSYC 7170 | Intergroup Relations | 3 |