Graduate studies leading to the Ph.D. degree in psychology are designed to offer the student training in a major research area within psychology, expertise in quantitative and design methodology, and varied research opportunities. Students study either an area of Psychological Science (Cognitive/Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Psychology, or Social Psychology) or School Psychology (which is accredited by the American Psychological Association).
The minimum requirements for the Ph.D. degree include:
- A total of 48 hours of graduate course credits. These credits include 3 courses in core areas of psychology (e.g., developmental psychology), 3 courses in quantitative methods (e.g., multivariate statistics), and other approved courses and research projects.
- Completion of a Master's thesis in psychology including the production of at least one empirical study.
- Satisfactory performance on a comprehensive preliminary examination.
- Proposal and completion of an original dissertation research project.
- Successful defense of the written doctoral dissertation through an oral examination. The requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology with a specialization in School Psychology are similar to those noted above except that students complete a minimum of 62 didactic hours, 24 practicum hours, and a one-year pre-doctoral clinical internship.