Graduate Program
We expect you to be a full-time student and to make a full-time commitment to psychology. You will find our programs challenging and interesting. We do not demand every minute of your life, but we expect a lot from you. There is too much to learn in a short time to approach it any other way!
In the past five or more years, we have been able to offer funding to many first-year students and almost all of the second-year master's degree program students (and all of the doctoral students in the Cognitive Science program). Most funding comes from departmental teaching assistantships where students assist faculty with undergraduate courses. Some funding comes from research or service assistantships either inside or outside the department. Funding typically covers tuition and provides a modest monthly stipend to help with living expenses and miscellaneous fees. All applicants are automatically considered for assistantships - there is no special application process.
Typically, more than 70% of our students who start the master's degree program get their degrees. Most of those who don't complete their degrees have major life events (e.g, getting married, starting a family, moving away to take their first professional job) that compete with completing their thesis. This is why students in the program are encouraged to complete their thesis defenses prior to leaving Starkville.
- Graduate Student Handbook (PDF) This document provides valuable information about various aspects of the psychology graduate programs at Mississippi State; last updated August 2007.
