A Master of Arts (M.A) degree is completed by students as part of their course of study for the Ph.D. degree. The master's level education of graduate students focuses upon basic psychological knowledge and methodologies common to the science and profession of psychology across program areas. Although students typically begin specialized coursework at this level, the master's degree is intended as preparation for continued learning in pursuit of the doctoral degree. Doctoral-level study then provides students the opportunity to acquire the additional knowledge and skills necessary for professional careers in teaching, research, clinical service, and consultation.<br><br>The facilities of the department permit work in cognition, development, behavioral neuroscience, neuropsychology, learning, infant behavior, sensation and perception, motivation, aging, social psychology, assessment, individual psychotherapy, group and family therapy, behavior therapy, and community psychology. Students may work with both human and nonhuman populations. Human populations include all age ranges and a variety of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Nonhuman populations include several rodent and primate species.