Program tanımları
The Program
Koç University 'Master of Art (MA) in Psychology Program' is a two-year graduate program with two tracks : the Industrial and Organizational Psychology track and the Developmental Psychologytrack. Both tracks combine scientific excellence and applied significance. The Industrial and Organizational Psychology track takes a scientist-practitioner approach to examine and explain human behavior in the workplace, to increase organizational efficiency and to optimize utilization of human potential. The Developmental Psychology track provides specialization in the study of human development throughout the lifespan, particularly child development in the family context. Both tracks have an emphasis on measurement and assessment of human skills, human capacity development, and a cross-cultural approach. These tracks are intended to prepare students for professional careers as well as further graduate work.
Concentration in Developmental Psychology
YEAR I
Fall
Research Methods I
Seminar in Psychology (no credit)
Applied Developmental Psychology
Social Development
Spring
Research Methods II
Testing and Measurement
Cognitive Development
Emotions & Motivation
YEAR II
Fall
Thesis
Spring
Thesis
Beyond the scientific gains of participating in the Master's Degree in Koç University's Developmental Psychology Program, the following professional benefits are also expected:
a) Need for services. There is a growing awareness of the cognitive and socio-emotional needs and problems in child development in the family context. These are actually pan-human issues, with a very wide range, including early childhood development, parent education and sensitization, family communication, developmental handicaps, emotional adjustment problems in childhood, adolescence, adulthood, old age, and the like.
b) Demand for such a degree. In Istanbul there are more than 32 psychological counseling/guidance centers that cater to the growing needs and problems for which people seek psychological help. These numbers are expected to grow considerably. Similarly in hospitals, pediatric services increasingly include developmental assessment of suspected deficits in psychosocial, cognitive, language, emotional development, conducted by professional psychologists. For professional work in applied developmental work with children, adolescents and families, a Master's Degree in psychology is required.
c) Other application settings. Beyond counseling centers and hospitals/clinics, developmental/child psychologists are needed in other public and private institutions. Of foremost importance among these are schools (from preschools to universities) where there is a growing need for student counseling, career guidance, etc. Similarly, national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and foundations working with children, young people, education, families require the services of developmental psychologists in order to develop and evaluate programs that are designed to promote healthy development in children. Examples of such programs are interventions to reduce aggression, drug use, substance dependencies such as tobacco dependence, behavior problems associated with hyperactivity and attention deficits, school adjustment difficulties, and programs that promote cognitive growth such as accelerated educational programs and school readiness programs. Developmental Psychologists with rigorous theoretical and methodological training are much needed to design, develop, apply, evaluate and track such programs.
Concentration in Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Students will not be recruited for the Industrial and Organizational Psychology for the 2009-2010 academic year.
Courses in Industrial and Organizational Psychology
YEAR I
Fall
Research Methods I
Seminar in Psychology (no credit)
Organizational Behavior
Human Resources Management
Spring
Research Methods II
Psychological Assessment
Psychology and Social Policy
Current Issues in Industrial and Organizational Psychology
YEAR II
Fall
Thesis
Spring
Thesis
Beyond the scientific gains of participating in the Master's Degree in Koç University's Industrial & Organizational Psychology Program, the following professional benefits are also expected:
a) Need for services. The value of the human factor has become very clear in the business world. Recent trends emphasize the human aspects of organizations more than the material resources. Research findings emerging from the field of Industrial & Organizational Psychology, especially in the area of Human Resource Management, have fed a large portion of the information to be implemented in the workplace.
b) Demand for such a degree. One of the interesting developments in the companies in Turkey in recent years has been the establishment of Human Resources Departments. Many companies now have vice-president positions for Human Resources. Because of a deficiency in the number of professionals trained in the issues handled in such departments, commonly the staff consists of experts in other fields ranging from Engineering to Education. Currently in Turkey there are hundreds of human resources consulting firms where psychological services are being used. It is imperative that experts well-trained in these human resources issues are prepared by top-notch researchers of this field. A graduate degree program at Koç University has the potential of training and providing to the business world such professionals who are much-needed
Course Descriptions
Psyc 501
Research Methods I
Review of descriptive statistics and basic research methodology. Experimental methods and research design including one-way analyses,factorial designs, repeated measures, analysis of covariance, and the analyses of main effects, simple effects and interaction comparisons.
Psyc 502
Research Methods II
Building on the content of PSYC 501, further advanced research methods are presented. These include problems in multivariate regression analysis, multivariate analysis of nominal and ordinal data, structural equation models, and methods for analyzing longitudinal data. In addition, students learn how to choose appropriate methodology for a variety of research problems.
Psyc 504
Testing and Measurement
A review of basics of psychological measurement; all steps of the process of assessment development; different methods of psychological assessment such as observational, self-administered, and interview techniques; and, ways of integrating information from multiple assessment methods are discussed. Students work with applications and discuss greater cultural, ethical, and societal context of psychological measurement.
Psyc 506
Policy and Practice in Psychology
This course examines how social science, in particular psychology, can become relevant to social policy. The accountability of the psychologist to society can go beyond the individual and can inform policy in the service of human well being. Students conduct projects regarding applications and policy recommendations in Industrial/Organizational and Developmental Psychology.
Psyc 510
Emotion and Motivation
The Course provides an overview of theories and research in emotion and motivation. Readings will examine the role of emotions and motivations in verbal & nonverbal communicatio, decision making & reasoning, social functioning, and psychopathology. Whenever possible, students will be exposed to these topics at different levels of analysis including biological, cognitive and social.
Psyc 513
Organizational Behavior
Analyzes behavior in organizations and work groups. Specifically focuses on review of recent literature on issues such as leadership, teamwork, organizational communication, motivation, and organizational change and development.
Psyc 517
Special Topics in Industrial and Organizational Psychology
The course presents an overview of the developments in the field of Industrial and Organizational (I&O) Psychology. In specific, some of the classical work as well as the most recent literature are reviewed in key areas, such as organizational attitudes, work design, performance management, and individual assessment. There is also a focus on topics that emerge in the last decade. Theoretical and practical contributions of research in I&O psychology are discussed in depth.
Psyc 518
Human Resource Management
The course focuses on the most recent developments in science and practice of Human Resource Management (HRM) in key areas, including strategic role of HRM, human resource planning, staffing, performance appraisal and management, compensation and reward management, career management, training and development, and union-management relationships. There is an emphasis on the issue of fit between HRM practices and socio-cultural, economic, legal, and institutional context. Theoretical discussions accompany cases and examples of best practices from global and domestic organizations.
Psyc 521
Cognitive Development
This course will review current research and theoretical issues about cognitive development. Major research areas that will be covered are theory of mind, joint attention, language, memory, numerical cognition, social cognition, and implications of atypical cognitive development. Interfaces with socioemotional development will also be emphasized.
Psyc 524
Social Development
This course will examine the social aspects of development. Topics include parenting, peer relationships and friendship, attachment, empathy, aggression, emotional development, gender socialization, and adult social development.
Psyc 525
Applied Developmental Psychology
This course will help develop the students' understanding of how the science of human development may contribute to address individual, familial, social, political, and economic problems. This course will address how human potential can be realized at an individual level and how societal resources can be created, mobilized, and utilized to facilitate the realization of human potential.
Psyc 590
Seminar in Psychology
Discussion of recent research by faculty and other invited speakers, and cross-fertilization of, research ideas topics as well as methodological approaches are emphasized.
Psyc 503 (elective)
Current Topics in Psychology
A series of presentations by faculty, outside speakers and students.
ENGL 500
Graduate Writing
Builds a solid background in written and spoken academic discourse; improves critical reading and writing skillls ; fosters critical and creative thinking. Provides instruction in proper academic citation models.
MA Program in Psychology with Concentration on Social/Organizational Psychology Overview
The Social/Organizational Psychology program provides specialization in the science and application of psychology in social and organizational contexts.
It is a two-year program with a thesis requirement. In the first year, students are required to take six courses with credit: Research Methods I, Reseach Methods II, Testing and Measurement, Culture and Self, Advanced Social Psychology, Advanced Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
Students admitted to the Master’s program will be eligible to continue to the Ph.D. Program in Social / Organizational Psychology provided that they meet the criteria for the Ph.D. Program (e.g., GPA, major research project). More information on the structure of the program will be provided later.
