Applied Psychology/Public Service Leadership (BA/MA)
The BA Applied Psychology/ MA Public Service Leadership program is an accelerated, online program that gives academically successful Loyola SCPS BA Applied Psychology majors the opportunity to pursue the MA degree in Public Service Leadership while completing their BA degree. This program reduces the total number of courses needed and the total time needed for the combined degrees. Current accelerated bachelors/master’s degree programs at LUC allow qualified students to take up to four graduate-level courses as undergraduates. This program will allow students in the BA Applied Psychology program to take four of the courses from the MA Public Service Leadership in their senior year. These courses will be taken as elective courses and will count toward the degree requirements for both programs.
Related Programs
Curriculum
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BA Requirements | ||
| PSYC 101 | General Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 304 | Statistics | 3 |
| PSYC 306 | Research Methods in Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 275 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 362 | Industrial/Organizational Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 373 | Health Psychology | 3 |
| CPST 322 | Strategic Communication Tools for Applied Psych | 3 |
| CPST 320 | Program Evaluation | 3 |
| Tracks | ||
| Select one of the following tracks: | 12 | |
| Organizational Track | ||
| Foundations of Organizations | ||
| Human Resources Principles & Practices | ||
| Leadership, Culture and Ethics | ||
| Laboratory in Neuroscience I | ||
| Counseling Track | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy | ||
| Career Counseling and Development | ||
| Multicultural Counseling | ||
| SCPS Courses | ||
| CPST 200 | Introduction to Degree Completion | 3 |
| CPST 201 | Civic Identity and Development | 3 |
| CPST 397 | Capstone | 3 |
| Core Requirements | ||
| The number of hours remaining toward Core requirements can vary due to transfer credit. 1 | ||
| Mission Specific Requirements | ||
| Mission specific requirements can vary from 0 to 15 credit hours based on your prior credit. | ||
| General Elective Requirements | ||
| Students may have some general elective coursework to complete if their transfer credit and remaining required hours (Core, mission specific, major, etc.) do not total 120. | ||
| MA Requirements | ||
| PSLD 400 | Introduction to Public Service | 3 |
| PSLD 402 | Foundations of Global Strategic Communication | 3 |
| PSLD 403 | Program Management and Development | 3 |
| PSLD 404 | Data, Visualization and Evaluation | 3 |
| PSLD 405 | Design Thinking in Mitigating Complex Social Problems | 3 |
| PSLD 420 | Disaster Operations and Management | 3 |
| PSLD 423 | Integrated Social-Medical Issues in Emergency Management | 3 |
| PSLD 430 | Understanding and Mitigating Poverty | 3 |
| PSLD 431 | Foundations of Social and Sustainable Development | 3 |
| Elective Courses | ||
| PSLD 422 | Disasters and Vulnerable Populations | 3 |
| PSLD 432 | Gender Diversity & Sustainable Social Development | 3 |
| PSLD 433 | Social Analysis Inequality Poverty and Development | 3 |
| Total Hours | 69 | |
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Core Requirements - Learn More
Suggested Sequence of Courses
The School of Continuing and Professional Studies provides a high-touch advising model in order to incorporate the professional and educational outcomes of the student as well as any transfer credit accepted. In order to provide students with maximum flexibility in their education and because everyone’s academic background will vary, advisors will work directly with students to determine an appropriate sequence of courses starting at admission into their respective program based on their needs and expected time to completion.
Guidelines for Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Programs
Terms
- Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs: In this type of program, students share limited credits between their undergraduate and graduate degrees to facilitate completion of both degrees.
- Shared credits: Graduate level credit hours taken during the undergraduate program and then applied towards graduate program requirements will be referred to as shared credits.
Admission Requirements
Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs are designed to enhance opportunities for advanced training for Loyola’s undergraduates. Admission to these programs must be competitive and will depend upon a positive review of credentials by the program’s admissions committee. Accordingly, the admission requirements for these programs may be higher than those required if the master’s degree were pursued entirely after the receipt of a bachelor’s degree. That is, programs may choose to have more stringent admissions requirements in addition to those minimal requirements below.
Requirements:
- Declared appropriate undergraduate major,
- By the time students begin taking graduate courses as an undergraduate, the student has completed approximately 90 credit hours, or the credit hours required in a program that is accredited by a specialty organization,1
- A minimum cumulative GPA for coursework at Loyola that is at or above the program-specific requirements, a minimum major GPA that is at or above the program-specific requirements, and/or appropriate designated coursework for evaluation of student readiness in their discipline.2
Students not eligible for the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program (e.g., students who have not declared the appropriate undergraduate major) may apply to the master’s program through the regular admissions process. Students enrolled in an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program who choose not to continue to the master’s degree program upon completion of the bachelor’s degree will face no consequences.3
Ideally, a student will apply for admission (or confirm interest in proceeding towards the graduate degree in opt-out programs) as they approach 90 credit hours. Programs are encouraged to begin advising students early in their major so that they are aware of the program and, if interested, can complete their bachelor’s degree requirements in a way that facilitates completion of the program. Once admitted as an undergraduate, Program Directors should ensure that students are enrolled using the plan code associated with the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program. Using the plan code associated with the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program will ensure that students may be easily identified as they move through the program. Students will not officially matriculate into the master’s degree program and be labeled as a graduate student by the university, with accompanying changes to tuition and Financial Aid (see below), until the undergraduate degree has been awarded. Once admitted to the graduate program, students must meet the academic standing requirements of their graduate program as they complete the program curriculum.
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Programs that have specialized accreditation will adhere to the admissions criteria provided by, or approved by, their specialized accreditors.
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The program will identify appropriate indicators of student readiness for graduate coursework (e.g., high-level performance in 300 level courses). Recognizing differences between how majors are designed, we do not specify a blanket requirement.
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If students choose not to enroll in the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program, they still must complete all of the standard requirements associated with the undergraduate degree (e.g., a capstone).
For more information on Admissions requirements, visit here.
Curriculum
Level and progression of courses. The Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs are designed to be competitive and attractive to our most capable students. Students admitted to Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs should be capable of meeting graduate level learning outcomes. Following guidance from the Higher Learning Commission, only courses taken at the 400 level or higher (including 300/400 level courses taken at the 400 level) will count toward the graduate program.1,2 Up to 50% of the total graduate level credit hours, required in the graduate program, may come from 300/400 level courses where the student is enrolled in the 400 level of the course. Further, at least 50% of the credit hours for the graduate program must come from courses that are designed for and restricted to graduate students who have been admitted to a graduate program at Loyola (e.g., enrolled in plan code that indicates the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program, typically ending with the letter “D”).3
In general, graduate level coursework should not be taken prior to admission into the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program. Exceptions may be granted for professional programs where curriculum for the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program is designed to begin earlier. On the recommendation of the program’s Graduate Director, students may take one of their graduate level courses before they are admitted to the Accelerated Bachelors/Master’s program if they have advanced abilities in their discipline and course offerings warrant such an exception.4 Undergraduate degree requirements outside of the major are in no way impacted by admission to an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program.5
Shared credits. Undergraduate courses (i.e., courses offered at the 300 level or below) cannot be counted as shared credits nor count towards the master’s degree. Up to 50% of the total graduate level credit hours, required in the graduate program, may be counted in meeting both the undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. Of those shared credits, students in an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program should begin their graduate program with the standard introductory course(s) for the program whenever possible. So that students may progress through the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program in a timely manner, undergraduate programs are encouraged to design their curriculum such that a student can complete some required graduate credit hours while completing the undergraduate degree. For instance, some of the graduate curriculum should also satisfy electives for the undergraduate major.
The program’s Graduate Director will designate credit hours to be shared through the advising form and master’s degree conferral review process. Shared credit hours will not be marked on the undergraduate record as having a special status in the undergraduate program. They will be included in the student’s undergraduate earned hours and GPA. Graduate credit hours taken during the undergraduate program will not be included in the graduate GPA calculation.
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If students wish to transfer credits from another university to Loyola University Chicago, the program’s Graduate director will review the relevant syllabus(es) to determine whether it meets the criteria for a 400 level course or higher.
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Programs with specialized accreditation requirements that allow programs to offer graduate curriculum to undergraduate students will conform to those specialized accreditation requirements.
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In rare cases, the Graduate Director may authorize enrollment in a 400-level course for a highly qualified and highly motivated undergraduate, ensuring that the undergraduate's exceptional participation in the graduate class will not diminish in any way the experience of the graduate students regularly enrolled.
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For example, if a particular course is only offered once every 2-3 years, and a student has demonstrated the necessary ability to be successful, the Graduate Director may allow a student to take a graduate level course to be shared prior to the student being formally admitted to the graduate program. See, also, footnote 3.
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Students should not, for example, attempt to negotiate themselves out of a writing intensive requirement on the basis of admission to a graduate program.
Graduation
Degrees are awarded sequentially. All details of undergraduate commencement are handled in the ordinary way as for all students in the School/College/Institute. Once in the graduate program, students abide by the graduation deadlines set forth by the graduate program. Students in these programs must be continuously enrolled from undergraduate to graduate degree program unless given explicit permission by their program for a gap year or approved leave of absence. In offering the option of an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s program, the university is making possible the acceleration of a student’s graduate degree completion. It should be understood that students may not request deferral of their matriculation into the Master’s degree program. If students would like to delay their graduate studies after earning the undergraduate degree, they may apply for admission to the traditional master’s degree program. Any application of graduate credit earned while in the undergraduate program is subject to the policies of the graduate degree granting school.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply scientific thinking to solve individual, interpersonal, organizational and social problems in real world case studies and organizational/community projects. [Applied Psychology]
- Analyze theories in human behavior, cognition, emotion, and motivation in written assignments and oral presentations. [Applied Psychology]
- Use strategic communication and persuasion skills based in the behavioral sciences in role plays and real-world applications. [Applied Psychology]
- Interpret statistical and evaluation data to discern meaningful patterns and assess the impact of interventions in course work and organizational/community applications. [Applied Psychology]
- Recognize best practices including ethical and pragmatic constraints of applied research with people in course work and organizational/community projects. [Applied Psychology]
- Describe components and levels of leadership across public sectors. [Public Service Leadership]
- Apply ethical reasoning to administrative design and decision-making in the current realm of public service leadership. [Public Service Leadership]
- Analyze how systems of power, privilege, and oppression (e.g., racism, sexism, heterosexism, ableism) operate to create and maintain inequality as well as how resistance to these systems is enacted. [Public Service Leadership]
- Describe the experiences of underrepresented, marginalized, or oppressed communities within various contexts, including inequality in outcomes and resistance to systems of oppression. [Public Service Leadership]
- Collect and apply data in problem identification and problem solving. [Public Service Leadership]
- Differentiate between non-crisis leadership and leadership in emergencies among public, social and economic sectors. [Public Service Leadership]
- Apply fundamentals of communication appropriate to situation in both local and global situations. [Public Service Leadership]