Department of Psychology

Social and Health Psychology Requirements

The following requirements apply to Social and Health Area doctoral students who begin their studies on or after Fall semester, 2018. In addition to these requirements, students are strongly encouraged to (a) work with an additional faculty member besides their advisor on research at some point during their graduate training, (b) attend departmental colloquia and other events, (c) attend conferences in their field and relevant workshops offered elsewhere, and (d) be involved in Area service (serving on committees, organizing events, etc.).

DEPARTMENTAL COURSE REQUIREMENTS

All students are required to take Statistics (501/502/508) plus 3 outside-Area breadth courses in the Psychology Department. In addition, first year students must complete First-Year Lectures in the Fall semester and the seminar on Human Diversity in the Spring semester. Finally, all students must complete two semesters of Substantial Direct Instruction (SDI) during the first three years of graduate training. Students should refer to this Social and Health Progress Checklist as they plan their coursework with their mentor. 

AREA COURSE REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the 3 breadth courses required by the Department, Social and Health students must take at least 3 inside-Area courses, as described under points 1 and 2 below.

  1. Complete two of the following courses prior to advancing to candidacy (normally, that means during the first three years, but under some circumstances one may advance to candidacy earlier):     
  • PSY 549 (Prejudice)
  • PSY 555 (Social Psychology)
  • PSY 556 (Stress and Coping)
  • PSY 558 (Social Psychology: Health Applications)
  • PSY 559 (Psychology of Women’s Health)
  • PSY 594 (Psychology of Gender)

Note: Additional courses may be added to this category as current faculty develop new courses and as new faculty are hired.

  1. Complete an additional special topics course in the Social and Health Area (PSY 610 or 620) prior to advancing to candidacy. Alternatively, students can complete an additional course from category 1.
  2. In addition to the 3 inside-Area courses, all students must complete one of the quantitative courses listed below, or an additional methods or statistics course as approved by the student's advisor or Area Head, prior to advancing to candidacy. In most cases, this course can also be simultaneously used to fulfill one of the Department breadth course requirements (as a “wildcard”).
  • PSY 505 (Structural Equation Modeling)
  • PSY 506 (Psychometrics)
  • PSY 610/620 (Multilevel Models)

All students must maintain a graduate GPA of at least 3.0 and successfully complete the program of study detailed above (i.e., Department, Area, and Statistics requirements).

Students in Years 1–4 must also attend Social and Health Area Brown Bag seminars, which meet approximately twice a month during the academic year. The Seminar is optional for students beyond the fourth year. Students should give a minimum of two presentations at the Brown Bag Seminars during their graduate training, typically once during the spring of the second year and once during the fall of the fourth year.

SECOND YEAR PAPER

This paper reports empirical research in a form suitable for submission to a refereed journal. The paper requires approval by two members of the Area faculty (normally, the Advisor and one other Area faculty member). A final copy of the approved paper should be submitted to the Psychology Graduate Office by July 1st of the second year, along with these Masters Degree forms. To receive the Masters Degree, students must also apply for graduation through the Graduate School’s website.

SPECIALTIES PAPER

Goals:

The Specialties Paper has the potential to address multiple educational goals, including the following: (1) Evaluation of whether the student is ready to advance to candidacy; (2) Fostering breadth of scholarship; (3) Demonstrating independent research skills; and (4) Obtaining a publication.

 

University–Level Guidelines:

According to the Graduate School Bulletin (see p. 45), “The purpose of the [Specialties Paper] is to ascertain the breadth and depth of the student’s performance and to appraise readiness to undertake significant original investigation…” The examining committee is approved by the Psychology Graduate Director and the Dean of the Graduate School on recommendation of the student’s advisor and the Area Head. It [the committee] must include at least two faculty from the Social and Health Area and must include one or more members from outside the Social and Health Area. At least one member must be a within-department other-area faculty member. 

Format:

The following four options represent possible ways to fulfill the requirements for the Specialties Paper: a review paper, a meta-analysis, an NIH or NSF type of grant proposal, or a research project. Students must discuss these options with their advisor and select the one that best meets the student’s educational goals and facilitates his or her professional development. Each option is described below.

The Review Paper Option

Students may submit a review paper as their Specialties Paper. The topic to be reviewed should be worked out in collaboration with the student’s advisor. The student should identify a target journal (e.g., Psychological Bulletin), and should prepare the review with this journal in mind.

The Meta-Analysis Option

Students may submit a meta-analysis manuscript as their Specialties Paper. Students interested in this option should plan to take a course on meta-analysis. As is the case for submitting a review paper, students choosing this option should develop the topic for their meta-analysis in collaboration with their advisor, and the student should identify a target journal where the manuscript will be submitted.

The Grant Proposal Option

Students may submit an NIH or NSF type of grant proposal as their Specialties Paper. Before developing such a proposal, the student should consult with his or her advisor, and the Area Head, about the feasibility of the proposal and the chances of obtaining funding. The proposal may be developed in conjunction with the Department’s course on Grant Writing. The proposal should be developed for a specific target agency or funding source.

The Research Project Option

Students may submit a research project as their Specialties Paper. If this option is selected, the research project should represent an independent contribution developed primarily by the student, and should be separate from the Second Year Paper. The project should be prepared for a target journal that is identified by the student.

 

The Specialties Committee:

Students should give committee members ample time to read the Specialties Paper (e.g., one to two weeks prior to defense), and then schedule a defense of the paper in a specially arranged meeting. Students are not Ph.D. candidates until they have passed this very important milestone. The Specialties Paper should be defended during the 3rd year and a final copy of the paper should be submitted to the Psychology Graduate Office by the end of the Spring semester of the 3rd year. Meeting this deadline is important in order to be considered in good standing and be guaranteed a tuition waiver in the fourth year.

We recommend that students attach to the Specialties Paper a memo to the committee reminding them of the date and place of the defense. Students are expected to summarize the information discussed in their paper during the Specialties defense, and should also be prepared to answer questions from committee members. The defense typically lasts one and a half to two hours. Students should bring these Specialties Exam Forms, obtained from the Psychology Graduate Office, to the meeting.

ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY

Upon approval of Area faculty, students advance to candidacy following completion of all required Departmental and Area course work, the Second Year Paper, the Specialties Paper, the two semesters of Substantial Direct Instruction (SDI), and satisfactory progress in research. Students should advance to candidacy by the end of the second semester of the 3rd year.

DISSERTATION PROPOSAL

A written dissertation proposal must be approved, following oral presentation and discussion by the Dissertation Committee. This committee must include at least two members of the Area faculty, one faculty member from a different area of the department, and one faculty member from outside the department (note that faculty members from other departments who are joint-appointed in Psychology can not serve as an outside member). With approval, the outside member can be from outside the University. The committee members are approved by the Psychology Graduate Director and the Dean of the Graduate School on recommendation of the student's advisor and the Area Head. The dissertation proposal meeting should be scheduled only after the Specialties defense. For a proposed study involving new data collection, ordinarily a student should not collect any data (other than pilot data) before the proposal meeting and approval of the proposal.

Students should give committee members ample time (e.g., two weeks prior to defense) to read the written dissertation proposal, and then schedule a defense of the dissertation proposal in a specially arranged meeting. We recommend that students attach to the written dissertation proposal a memo to the committee reminding them of the date and place of the defense. During the proposal meeting, students will present background literature, the research questions they are planning to address, the proposed methods, and plans for analysis of the data. Students should include pilot data, if available. Students should bring these Dissertation Proposal Forms obtained from the Psychology Graduate Office to the meeting. 

ORAL DEFENSE OF DISSERTATION

Students will prepare a written dissertation with guidance from their advisor. The written dissertation should be circulated to committee members early enough that they have ample time to review it prior to the dissertation defense meeting (e.g., two weeks prior to defense). We recommend that students attach to the written dissertation a memo to the committee reminding them of the date and place of the defense. During this meeting, students are typically asked to make a brief presentation covering the hypotheses or research questions addressed, methods, results, and a discussion of the results, appropriate conclusions, and implications. The meeting usually lasts at least 2 hours. Students should bring these  Oral Defense Dissertation Forms, obtained from the Psychology Graduate Office, to the meeting. Students should defend their dissertation by the end of their fifth year.

RESEARCH AND TEACHING

All four graduate training areas in the Psychology Department focus heavily on research; research activity from the time of admission through graduation is required. 

Students who are funded on state lines serve as teaching assistants (TAs) for classes taught by departmental faculty and instructors. For all students, regardless of source of funding, two semesters of Substantial Direct Instruction (SDI) are required. Students must satisfy one semester of the SDI requirement in PSY 310. During those semesters when they are satisfying a SDI requirement, graduate students must receive teaching evaluations from their students and advisor or other faculty member. These SDI Pre-Approval and Evaluation Forms must be returned to the Psychology Graduate Office. 

It is also recommended that students take the Seminar on Teaching Methods (PSY 621) in their first or second year. This course is not a Departmental or Area requirement, however. It is helpful to take the teaching seminar prior to completing SDI’s. 

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Students are expected to present their research on a regular basis. These presentations will typically be made in the Brown Bag Seminars. As noted earlier, these presentations are typically given once during the spring of the second year and once during the fall of the fourth year. 

SATISFACTORY PROGRESS

Students are expected to do well in their coursework (i.e., GPA of at least 3.0), to be involved in research, and to meet deadlines for each requirement (e.g., Second Year Paper, Specialties Paper). The progress of each graduate student is reviewed at the end of each academic year by Area faculty. Students must obtain a favorable evaluation. This annual review provides opportunities for positive feedback about the student's achievements and constructive feedback for improving or accelerating the student's progress. 

SAMPLE COURSE OF STUDY

The following is an example of a possible course of study that would maintain students in good academic standing and position them to complete their graduate studies in a timely manner. Note that students should conduct research and register for appropriate research credits during each semester.  Students must advance to candidacy by the end of the third year.

Over the Summer and short Winter semesters, students in all years often continue to make progress on their research, including the writing of manuscripts.

 

FIRST YEAR

Fall: First-Year lectures, Statistics 501 and 508, one course, plan research and conduct literature review in that area, attend Area Brown Bag Seminars

Spring: Seminar on Human Diversity, Statistics 502 and 508, one course, begin research for Second Year Paper, attend Area Brown Bag Seminars

Fall or Spring: Consider taking seminar on Teaching Methods (Psychology 621)

 

SECOND YEAR

Fall: Two courses, work on Second Year Paper, continue conducting research, attend Area Brown Bag Seminars

Spring: Two courses, submit Second Year Paper, attend Area Brown Bag Seminars

Fall or Spring: Complete first SDI

Summer: Consider teaching a course independently (note: must complete first SDI to be eligible)

 

THIRD YEAR

Fall: One course, work on Specialties Paper project, continue research, attend Area Brown Bag Seminars

Spring: One course, submit and defend Specialties Paper, advance to candidacy, attend Area Brown Bag Seminars

Fall or Spring: Complete second SDI

Note: An additional course can be taken either term as needed. Some students are able to complete all coursework requirements within the first two years, however, and will not need to complete coursework in the third year.

Fall or Spring: Consider taking seminar on Grant Writing (Psychology 620)

Winter or Summer: Consider teaching a course independently

 

FOURTH YEAR

Fall: Continue conducting research, work on dissertation proposal, collect pilot data for dissertation proposal if needed, attend Area Brown Bag Seminars

Spring: Submit dissertation proposal, hold proposal meeting, attend Area Brown Bag Seminars

Winter or Summer: Consider teaching a course independently

 

FIFTH YEAR

Fall: Conduct dissertation research

Spring: Submit dissertation and complete oral defense