Graduate Policies and Resources

Introduction

Welcome to the Department of Psychology. Graduate students are an essential component of our department. This is intended as an overview of and guide to what to expect over the course of the next four to eight years. It will also serve to familiarize you with the various campus and Department policies regarding graduate student life.

While these policies address a range of issues of interest to graduate students, it is not possible to cover every situation that might arise. In addition, it should be understood that this was not written nor approved by lawyers. It is not a legal document, but is instead our best (and occasionally imperfect) attempt to communicate to you what our policies are. If you have any questions about these policies, or if you are unsure about whether or not a particular policy applies to you, please feel free to consult with the Graduate Advisor or the Graduate Coordinator.

We begin with an overview of academic requirements, stage by stage, and then cover other issues of graduate student concern, including teaching, support and graduate student positions. Finally, staff listings and courses are listed for easy reference.

Overview

The Ph.D. program is designed to provide the students with the requisite background and skills necessary to conduct experimental psychological research. In accord with this goal, the graduate program requirements aim to develop a breadth of knowledge in the area of psychology and the ability to conduct independent research and present findings in a manner suitable for publication. In addition, graduate students will gain valuable teaching experience as a teaching assistant (TA) in the Department.

In the first year, students complete two quarters of statistics, four proseminar courses, and a year-long research project. By the end of the third year, the student should complete the requirements to advance to Ph.D. candidacy. Advancement to candidacy requires the completion of a qualifying paper and an oral proposal of the dissertation. Students typically take at least four years to complete all requirements for the Ph.D. and are not permitted to remain beyond eight years.

Throughout your graduate career, you will be expected to TA. In the first year, students are required to TA one quarter. In the second through fourth years, graduate students TA two quarters per academic year. In order to receive Departmental funding, students beyond the fourth year are required to TA every quarter that they do not have external funding. All of these requirements are discussed in detail in the sections below.