Learning Goals

Master of Science in Applied Psychological Methods

Mission and Program Overview

The Fordham University MS Program in Applied Psychological Methods (APM) is one of the Psychology Department’s two masters’ programs, and is housed within Fordham’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). APM provides students with a strong foundation in core quantitative concepts, theories, and methods including psychometric theory, research methodology, and statistics, and in-depth qualitative research methods that are essential in evaluating organizations’ structure, processes, and outputs. In lieu of a thesis we require that students apply the psychological research and statistical methods they learn in class to real-world problems through our internship program. APM students specialize in one of two concentrations, Program Evaluation or Tests & Measures.

Knowledge

Goals:

  1. Upon graduation, APM students will have developed general knowledge in psychological research skills, including research methods, psychological statistics, and for those who choose the Program Evaluation concentration, qualitative methods. 
  2. Upon graduation, students will also have developed specific knowledge of either Program Evaluation or Tests & Measures.
  3. Upon graduation, students will have completed an internship.

Objectives:  

  1. Students complete two or three courses distributed across the core content areas noted in Knowledge Goal 1.
  2. Students complete the courses that inform their identified concentration (Goal 2).
  3. Students engage in an internship in which they apply the skills learned in their core and concentration-based courses (Goal 3).

Assessment:

  1. Final course grades across all courses with a minimum level of achievement of B- or better in each course (Goal 1).  
  2. Final course grades across all concentration courses with a minimum level of achievement of B- or better in each course (Goal 2).
  3. Successfully completed internship with a satisfactory rating by a site-specific internship supervisor (Goal 2).  

Skills

Goals:

  1. Provide students with the scientific background necessary to engage in Program Evaluation or the evaluation of Tests & Measures.
  2. Students will design and undertake an internship project that uses data to address a specific real-world issues identified by their internship site.
  3. Prepare students for successful career related to Program Evaluation or Tests & Measures.

Objectives:  

  1. Students will complete coursework in Program Evaluation or the evaluation of Tests & Measures.
  2. Students will engage with internship supervisors to understand the needs of the site and design a project that uses data to address a specific need.
  3. Students will identify a career path related to Program Evaluation or Tests & Measures.

Assessment:

  1. Students will receive a B- or better on all coursework.
  2. Assessment letters from internship supervisors will provide a qualitative assessment of students’ work.
  3. Students will work with APM Program Director to identify their postdoctoral plans.

Dispositions

Goals:

  1. Students will be knowledgeable of, and act in accordance with, the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct and conduct themselves in an ethical manner in all professional activities. 

Objectives:  

  1. Students will complete one required course in Ethics.
  2. Students will demonstrate the ability to integrate knowledge of ethical principles and codes of conduct into research activities.

Assessment:

  1. Course grades for the required Ethics course will be a minimum level of achievement of B-.

Values

Goals:

  1. Upon graduation, students will behave in ways that reflect the ability to integrate awareness and knowledge of individual and cultural differences in the conduct of professional roles.

Objectives:  

  1. Students will take at least one course that includes multicultural content.

Assessment:

  1. The final course grade in a course with multicultural content will comprise a minimum level of achievement of B-.