Degree Requirements
Students are accepted into the Ph.D. program only. The M.A. is earned by students as they work toward the doctorate. The M.A. in Psychology entails 30 credits of course work which must include two semesters of quantitative methods. In addition, each student must complete an acceptable pre-dissertation research project of potentially publishable quality.
The requirements for the Ph.D. are as follows: (1) the satisfactory completion of all requirements for the M.A.; (2) a major qualifying examination; (3) a total of 42 credits of course work (including those presented for the M.A. but excluding non-topical research; (4) work experience in the form of teaching; (5) internship is required for clinical only; (6) a dissertation. Students are expected to complete all pre-dissertation requirements, including coursework and qualifying examinations, by the conclusion of their sixth term of study.
The psychology department has no formal foreign language requirements. However, the advisory committee for any graduate student may require evidence of professional skills beyond psychology courses as part of the student’s degree program. Each student is required to teach, participate in research, and/or acquire training in a clinical or community setting during each semester that the student is in residence.
Graduate Programs
The purpose of the graduate programs in the Department of Psychology is to prepare the student for research, both basic and applied, and teaching. The department offers Ph.D. programs in seven areas of psychology: clinical, cognitive, community, developmental, neuroscience and behavior, quantitative, and social. Various combinations of these specialties are possible, depending on students’ interests and professional goals.
Departmental Facilities
The Department of Psychology is located in Gilmer Hall. The air-conditioned, five story building provides the department in excess of 50,000 square feet for offices, laboratories, and classrooms. The Psychology Department supports a wide variety of computers, both Mac and PC. Most labs have a large number of machines to meet the research needs of the faculty and grad students. Also located in Gilmer Hall is a branch of the University Library which houses current psychological journals and a large collection of relevant books, and a wide variety of laboratories for both human and animal research.
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