Program Information

Course Work

During their time as a graduate student, students will take courses, approved by their faculty supervisor, that are necessary for their specific research program. Students have flexibility to take courses in both Psychology and outside of the Department (with faculty supervisor approval).

First-year students take two or three organized (lecture or seminar) courses and an independent research course (PSY 390) each semester. All first-year developmental students will take the developmental program core course (PSY 394S: Fundamentals of Developmental Psychology) and (except in unusual circumstances) two statistics courses. 

Research Apprenticeship

Each student's involvement in research begins during the first semester under the supervision of his or her developmental faculty advisor. The particular research activities to be engaged in are open to negotiation between the student and advisor. But, in general, it is expected that this research will be preparatory to the student's second-year project (see below). This year should, however, be regarded-by student and advisor alike-as an exploratory year.

Area Meetings

The developmental area holds weekly colloquium meetings during the academic year. The meetings consist of presentations from students, faculty, or others about on-going developmental research; all developmental graduate students are required to attend. These meetings serve a variety of important functions such as broadening one's knowledge about developmental psychology, refining research skills, providing a forum for exchange of ideas, and learning how to effectively present research.

Advising

At the end of the first semester, students may consult with the area head if they wish to change advisors in anticipation of the second-year project. Under normal circumstances, the advisor during the second semester of the first year will supervise the second-year project.

Second-Year Project Prospectus

On the first Monday in May, a one- to three-page prospectus of the student's proposed second-year project is due (see below). That prospectus, outlining the research problem, rationale, hypotheses, and tentative design should be turned in to the student's advisor. All students will also present either their second year project prospectus or a report on other research activities at the final Developmental Area Meeting of the spring semester.

Course Work

Graduate students must be enrolled for at least 9 hours (3 courses) to be full-time students (typically PSY 390 and 2 organized courses). Courses and seminars taken during this year will include departmental core courses not yet taken, advanced courses and seminars in developmental psychology, and other courses in psychology or other departments relevant to the student's individual needs and interests.

During the second year, plans will be made for the completion of the departmental area distribution requirements. This means students must finish taking at least one departmental core course in each of the three general content areas: (a) Biological Psychology; (b) Human Experimental Psychology; and (c) Social and Personality Psychology. Questions can be resolved with guidance from your faculty advisor or the area head.

Second-Year Project

Each student is expected to execute an independent research project during the second year. Typically, such a project would be related to the advisor's ongoing research, though other options are certainly possible. Its purpose is for students to obtain supervised experience in the conduct of an entire study, including identifying and conceptualizing a research problem, designing an appropriate study, writing a research proposal, pilot testing and design revision if necessary, data collection, statistical analysis, writing a report of the research, and defense of the project before the student's three-person committee.

Scope

The project should be one that can be completed within one year. Given the other responsibilities of graduate students, this time frame limits the scope of the project. Rather than attempting "the definitive study" of a particular area, the student should identify a problem which lends itself to investigation with a modest amount of preliminary work-up time. Use of available equipment and facilities is strongly encouraged.

Supervision

Supervision of the project will reside in a three-member committee, at least two of whom shall be members of the developmental psychology faculty. The third committee member may be either another member of the developmental faculty, but representing a developmental specialty other than the student's own, or a representative of a program other than developmental psychology who would make a significant contribution to the conduct of the research.

Completion

The written report of the second year project is due October 1 of the third year. The oral examination of the second year project will be conducted by the student's committee and will consist of the student's oral presentation or the research, faculty members' questions concerning the research and its relevance for developmental psychology as a whole, and suggestions concerning revising the report for publication. Upon completion of the project, students will orally present their work at an area meeting. Students are encouraged to use this project as the basis for a Master's Thesis.

Course Work

Students are expected to complete their course work during the third year. Third, fourth, and fifth year students are required to present once a year at area meeting. This can be on your dissertation topic or another project. Students have the option to obtain additional certificates (e.g., in statistics). 

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