Courses and Degree Requirements for M.S. in Clinical Research Methods
Suggested Sequence of Study
Students will complete a total of 36 credits, including four required “core” courses (12 credits), primarily focusing on essential elements of clinical psychology research. In addition, students will take two scientific “breadth” courses (6 credits), reflecting the scientific underpinnings of psychology, and four elective courses (12 credits). The final 6 credits are comprised of the Master’s thesis research; 3 credits for a “research practicum” experience in which the student works in the lab of a faculty member or collaborator, and 3 credits for the thesis itself. Students are expected to complete the program in two years, taking four classes each semester in the first year (24 credits in total), and two courses (6 credits) in their second year (one per semester), while fulfilling the research practicum and completing the MS thesis.
Typical Course Schedule
Fall – Year One
- Research Methodology
- Psychopathology
- Elective
Fall – Year Two
- Research Practicum
- Elective
- Elective
Spring – Year One
- Introduction to Statistics
- Research Ethics
- Elective
Spring – Year Two
- Master’s Thesis
- Elective
- Elective
Although the “research” credits are typically taken in the second year, students are expected to begin working on research throughout their time in the program, whether with a faculty member or in an external research setting. In addition, students should plan on beginning to develop the Master’s thesis in the first year. Note that this intended curriculum is not mandatory; some students may elect to complete the program more rapidly (e.g., by taking summer courses and/or completing the thesis in the Fall of their 2nd year) and others may proceed through the program more slowly.
Required Courses and Electives
Core Required Courses (all six are required):
- Psychopathology
- Research Methodology
- Intro to Psychological Statistics
- Research Ethics
- Research Practicum
- Master’s Thesis
Scientific Breadth Courses (any two are required):
- Cognition and Affect
- Cognitive Development
- Foundations of Developmental Psychology
- History and Systems of Psychology
- Introduction to Neuroscience (with lab)
- Multicultural Psychology
- Multivariate Data Analysis
- Personality Theory and Research
- Regression Analysis
- Social Psychology
- Qualitative Methods
General Elective Courses (any four are required):
- Anxiety Disorders
- Behavioral Assessment
- Behavioral Medicine
- Clinical Geropsychology
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Developmental Psychopathology
- Developmental Prevention Science
- Factor Analysis
- Family Psychology
- Global Mental Health
- Health Disparities
- Health Psychology
- Hierarchical Linear Modeling
- Item Response Theory
- Meta-Analysis
- Program Evaluation
- Psychoanalytic Theory
- Psychology and Civil Law
- Psychology and Criminal Law
- Psychology and Juvenile Justice
- Psychopharmacology
- Qualitative Methods
- Regression Analysis
- Trauma and Family Violence
- Treatment of Substance Abuse
Research Practicum
As one of the primary aims of the CRM program is to provide students with rich research experience, each student is required to complete a semester-long practicum in their second year in order to collect data for their MS thesis. Therefore, although each student enrolled in the CRM program will be paired with a full-time Fordham faculty member, most students will also receive substantial mentorship from colleagues and affiliates at outside agencies, many of whom maintain collaborative relationships with Fordham faculty.
Practicum sites will be selected based on the student’s interests and goals. For example, a student interested in forensic psychology may complete his or her research practicum at the Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center, under the primary supervision of that institution’s chief psychologist (who is also an adjunct faculty member). A student interested in health psychology, on the other hand, could complete his or her research practicum at Mount Sinai Medical Center or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
For Additional Information
General inquiries regarding the MS program should be directed to Andrew Rasmussen, PhD ([email protected]). For information on admissions to the MS program, please visit our Admissions and Application webpage. If you have further questions regarding the application process, tuition and fees, or other matters related to the university, contact the Admissions Office of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences ([email protected]).