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CSH 2024 Psychology
 

DePaul’s Psychological Science MA/PhD program is a highly competitive program that trains students in the theories and methodologies that define the core scientific pillars of psychology: social, developmental, cognitive and neuroscience. With an emphasis on critical and integrative thinking, our students will understand the psychological foundations of human thought, emotions, motivation and behavior while conducting innovative research on diverse topics within psychology. Students will have the opportunity to develop research and statistical skills both inside the laboratory and out in the world developing scientific solutions to real-world problems. Training prepares students for careers in a wide variety of scientific, academic, business and applied settings.  Research experience is an integral part of the training and begins in the first year under the guidance of a faculty advisor. During their first two years, students plan and conduct research toward their master's thesis and develop a comprehensive research project their third year that prepares them for the dissertation. Research for the dissertation usually begins during the fourth year. Students are supported with competitive stipends and other funding opportunities.

Program Requirements Quarter Hours
MA Degree Requirements 48
Total hours required 48
Program Requirements Quarter Hours
PhD Degree Requirements 28
Total hours required 28
 

MA Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

  • Identify major theoretical concepts in psychology, trace their historical development, and integrate theory, research, and domain-specific knowledge to explain and interpret how Psychological Science currently advances knowledge.
  • Critique and synthesize theoretical and empirical articles from peer-reviewed scholarly Psychological Science journals in terms of theory, methods, data analyses, and conclusions.
  • Develop testable research questions, identify strengths and limitations of research designs and data analysis techniques, conduct appropriate research and analytic strategies, and interpret the findings to situate them within the extant research literature in Psychological Science.
  • Describe and discuss the ethical issues associated with human subjects/participant protection and the sequence of procedures needed for IRB approval of research projects, and apply these ethical practices in research.

PhD Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to: 

  • Identify major theoretical concepts in psychology, trace their historical development, and integrate theory, research, and domain-specific knowledge to explain and interpret how Psychological Science currently advances knowledge.
  • Critique and synthesize theoretical and empirical articles from peer-reviewed scholarly Psychological Science journals in terms of theory, methods, data analyses, and conclusions in order to compose novel perspectives and ideas.
  • Independently develop testable research questions, identify strengths and limitations of research designs and data analysis techniques, conduct appropriate research and analytic strategies, and interpret the findings to situate them within the extant research literature in Psychological Science.
  • Independently describe and discuss the ethical issues associated with human subjects/participant protection and the sequence of procedures needed for IRB approval of research projects and apply these ethical practices in research.
  • Exhibit effective communication skills for presenting at professional conferences and publishing in professional journals in Psychological Science. Demonstrate competence in Psychological Science applications.

MA/PhD Degree Requirements

The Psychological Science MA/PhD is a combined degree. The MA is non-terminal and, therefore, only students intending to confer the PhD are admitted.

MA Course Requirements

The MA portion of the combined degree program requires a minimum of 48 quarter hours beyond the completion of a bachelor’s degree.

Core Courses

Course Title Quarter Hours
PSY 406PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES4
PSY 410ADVANCED STATISTICS I4
PSY 411ADVANCED STATISTICS II4
PSY 420QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGN4
Select two of the following:8
MULTIVARIATE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
FACTOR ANALYSIS AND STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT

Cognitive Seminar Courses

Course Title Quarter Hours
Select one of the following:4
PERCEPTION AND COGNITION
LANGUAGE AND COGNITION
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF JUDGMENT AND DECISION-MAKING

Developmental Seminar Courses

Course Title Quarter Hours
Select one of the following:4
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Social Seminar Courses

Course Title Quarter Hours
Select one of the following:4
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF THE SELF
SPECIAL SEMINAR IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE
PREJUDICE AND INTERGROUP RELATIONS
SOCIAL COGNITION

Elective Course1

One elective course is required and can be taken during any quarter. The elective can be any graduate-level psychology course, or any graduate-level non-psychology course, with permission from the faculty advisor. In addition, students may substitute one seminar requirement with an elective in each area with permission from the faculty advisor. 

Course Title Quarter Hours
PSY 413ANALYSIS OF LONGITUDINAL DATA4
PSY 414CATEGORICAL DATA ANALYSIS4
PSY 416METHODS IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH4
PSY 418MULTIVARIATE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS4
PSY 419FACTOR ANALYSIS AND STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING4
PSY 430SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF THE SELF4
PSY 435SPECIAL SEMINAR IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE4
PSY 450PSYCHOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT4
PSY 556PREJUDICE AND INTERGROUP RELATIONS4
PSY 560SOCIAL COGNITION4
PSY 592DIRECTED RESEARCH (Independent Study)1-4
PSY 594DIRECTED READINGS IN PSYCHOLOGY (Independent Study)1-4
1

Cannot count towards core requirements listed above if taken as an elective.

 
 

Professional Development

Course Title Quarter Hours
PSY 588TOPICS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE (taken twice, for a total of 4 credit hours)4
PSY 550SEMINAR IN TEACHING PSYCHOLOGY0

Research Course

Course Title Quarter Hours
PSY 597MASTER'S THESIS RESEARCH4

Master’s Research Thesis

Students must complete a thesis on a topic approved by the program. Research experience is considered an integral part of the training. Students are expected to begin directed research during their first year under the supervision of an advisor. During their second year, students are expected to conduct research and complete their master’s thesis. 

Master’s Thesis Examination

An oral defense of the completed research must be passed and the written document must be approved.

PhD Course Requirements

The PhD portion of the combined degree program requires a minimum of 28 quarter hours beyond the completion of the master’s degree, including four quarter hours of dissertation research. The following requirements must be completed to confer the PhD.

Cognitive Seminar Courses

Course Title Quarter Hours
Select two of the following (not taken towards MA)8
PERCEPTION AND COGNITION
LANGUAGE AND COGNITION
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF JUDGMENT AND DECISION-MAKING

Developmental Seminar Courses

Course Title Quarter Hours
Select two of the following (not taken towards the MA):8
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Social Seminar Courses 

Course Title Quarter Hours
Select two of the following (not taken towards the MA): 8
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF THE SELF
SPECIAL SEMINAR IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE
PREJUDICE AND INTERGROUP RELATIONS
SOCIAL COGNITION

Professional Development 

Course Title Quarter Hours
Optional:
PSY 550SEMINAR IN TEACHING PSYCHOLOGY (3 quarters, 0 credit hours; beginning winter quarter after successful defense of master's thesis)0

Research Course 

Course Title Quarter Hours
PSY 599DOCTORAL DISSERTATION RESEARCH1-4

Doctoral Candidacy Project

This requirement is completed after the student has defended the master's thesis and before progression to the dissertation research. To fulfill the requirement for admission to doctoral candidacy, the student will write and defend a dissertation proposal.

Admission to Doctoral Candidacy

Formally given to the student with satisfactory coursework performance who has successfully completed the master’s thesis and passed the Doctoral Candidacy Project. The candidate has no more than five years from the date of admission to doctoral candidacy to complete the PhD requirements or dismissal from the program will ensue.

Students denied candidacy will be required to withdraw from the program or withdraw after completion of the MA.

Doctoral Teaching

Students are required to demonstrate competency in the teaching of psychology through teaching one undergraduate course during the doctoral portion of their degree.

Dissertation

Departmental committee approval and acceptance of topic and outline of dissertation is given only after admission to doctoral candidacy. Research for the dissertation should normally be completed during the student’s fourth year in the program.

Oral Examination

For both the proposal and the completed project, an oral defense of the research must be passed and the written document must be approved. Students are expected to defend their dissertation and demonstrate competence in psychological science and their area of specialization.

Time Limitations

  • No more than four years between admission to the MA/PhD program and admission to doctoral candidacy.
  • No less than eight months and no more than five years between admission to doctoral candidacy and the final doctoral oral examination; or dismissal from the program will ensue.

Program Graduate Academic Student Handbook

Minimum Grades

  1. The minimum grade considered acceptable for a graduate course is a B-. This applies to courses taken both within and outside of the department for psychology graduate students. Grades below that (i.e., C+ and below) indicate that the student has not mastered the relevant content of the course.
  2. If a graduate student earns a grade lower than B- in a particular course, the student, instructor, and advisor will discuss the situation and circumstances and a remediation plan will be required. The student, his or her advisor, and the instructor, will work together to create a plan through which the student can gain competence in the course material, and demonstrate that competence. The remediation plan might include, for example, requiring the student to complete additional assignments, retaking the class, taking a substitute class, completing an independent study, or pursuing other options. The remediation plan must be approved by the instructor, advisor and the program director.
  3. A second occurrence of a grade lower than a B- (for the same or different course) will put the student on academic probation. Once placed on academic probation, the student’s record and any mitigating circumstances will be evaluated by a Psychology Department review board comprising the student’s advisor, the program director, and the department associate chair (the department chair might be included in special circumstances). Additional remediation and intervention might be suggested by the review board.
  4. If there is a third occurrence of a grade below B- (for the same or different course), the student will be dismissed from the program. The student may choose to appeal this decision, in which case the Chair of the Psychology Department will appoint a committee of three tenured Psychology Department faculty outside the student's program to hear the appeal. Depending on the student’s academic record and any mitigating circumstances, he/she may be allowed to complete his/her Master’s degree but will not be permitted to continue onto the PhD (not applicable to terminal Department of Psychology MS degrees) without a successful appeal.

Academic Probation

Students are expected to maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.2. If a student’s GPA goes below this minimum, the student will be put on probation and will have one quarter to bring their GPA up to the minimum or face dismissal from the program. If the student’s GPA goes below the minimum a second time, they will be dismissed from the program.

Academic Dismissal

In addition to violations of satisfactory progress, including but not limited to, earning minimum grades, failing the comprehensive exam (including any possible retakes) or project, or maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA, students may be dismissed for breaches of academic honesty, or breaches of the code of student responsibility articulated in the DePaul University Student Handbook.

Time Limitations

Students must complete their MA degree requirements prior to completing their requirements for admission to doctoral candidacy. Further, no more than four years may pass between admission to the doctoral program and successful completion of the doctoral candidacy examination/project, and no less than eight months and no more than five years may pass between admission to candidacy and the final examination (i.e., the oral dissertation defense). 

Students are required to meet the timelines specified by the program even if the timeline is more stringent than the College timeline. Failure to do so could result in dismissal. 

Extensions on these timelines must be requested in writing to both the department (Program Director) and the college (to the Dean) and must be approved at both levels. Students must complete all requirements for the degree (which may include additional coursework, examinations, or other conditions) by the deadline outlined in the extension. Failure to meet specified time limitations or deadlines can result in dismissal from the program. 

Graduation Requirements

Students need a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20 in courses required by the program. In addition to meeting the minimum cumulative GPA requirement, failing the doctoral candidacy exam (or one retake) or project, lack of progress towards degree completion, and/or unsatisfactory evaluation could result in academic dismissal. See individual program policies for more details.

Graduation with Distinction for MA 

​​​The criteria for graduation With Distinction is based on a GPA of 3.75 or higher at the time of degree conferral. This distinction is only given for the Master’s degree, and is not awarded at the PhD level. 

For topics not listed above, please consult the Graduate Student Handbook of the Department of Psychology, your program manual, or the Psychology Graduate Program Assistant.