Psychology

The department, housed in Jordan Hall, maintains many computer-equipped laboratories and the Stanford Center for Cognitive and Neurobiological Imaging (CNI). Bing Nursery School, located on campus at 850 Escondido Road, provides a laboratory for child observation, training in nursery school teaching, and research. It was constructed with funding from the National Science Foundation and a special grant from Mrs. Anna Bing Arnold and Dr. Peter Bing.

The department provides

• courses designed for the general student
• a major program leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts, including options for honors and a specialization in one of four content area tracks
• an undergraduate minor program
• a coterminal master's degree program leading to the degree of Master of Arts
• programs of graduate study and research leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
• a Ph.D. minor

The Ph.D. is conferred upon candidates who have demonstrated substantial scholarship and the ability to conduct independent research and analysis in Psychology. Through completion of advanced course work and rigorous skills training, the doctoral program prepares students to make original contributions to the knowledge of Psychology and to disseminate this knowledge.

There are no specific course requirements for admission to the doctoral program. However, an applicant should have research experience as an undergraduate, as well as the equivalent of an undergraduate major in Psychology. The major focus of the doctoral program is on research training, and admission is highly selective.

Applicants for admission must submit their scores on the general Graduate Record Examination as part of the application. GRE subject scores are recommended.

In addition to fulfilling Stanford University requirements for the degree, the following departmental requirements are stipulated.

First-Year Course Requirements

During the first year of graduate study, the student should take PSYCH 207 Professional Seminar for First-Year Ph.D. Graduate Students, at least one approved graduate statistics course, and at least two core courses from the following list:

Students in each area may be required to take up to two additional non-core graduate courses in their area of specialization.

The student is expected to spend at least half of the time in research from the beginning of the first year of graduate study to the completion of the Ph.D., taking no more than 10 units of course work each quarter. At the end of the first year of graduate study, the student must file with the department a written report of the first-year research activities.

Second-Year Course Requirements

By the end of the second year of graduate study, the student should complete at least one additional core course for a total of three taken from the list above, and take a second approved graduate course in statistics as well as other courses contributing toward completion of the advanced course or minor requirement described below.

Optional Application for Conferral of the M. A. Degree: Graduate students, who have completed (a) the first-year and second-year course requirements, and (b) at least 45 units of Psychology courses, may apply for conferral of the M.A. degree. This application should be discussed with the Student Services office in the Department of Psychology.

Third-Year and Beyond

By the end of the third year the student should complete all of the required core courses listed above and should be well on the way toward completion of the advanced course or minor requirement.

Students are expected to form a research committee, which must include the dissertation reading committee, before the initiation of the dissertation research. The research committee includes the dissertation adviser and consists of at least three faculty members, at least two of whom should have primary appointments in the Psychology department. For University guidelines for the composition of the dissertation reading committee, see the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin.

The research committee should meet no later than the last day of classes of Spring Quarter of the third year, and determines the timeline for further development of the dissertation research project. Subsequent meetings are triggered by the completion of one of two documents: a dissertation proposal (DP) or a conceptual analysis of the dissertation area (CADA). The timing and sequencing of the DP and CADA are developed by the student in consultation with the committee. As a general guide, one of the two preliminary elements (CADA or DP) should be completed by the end of the third Summer Quarter and the second should be completed by the end of the fourth Spring Quarter. Students are free to alter the membership of the committee at any time during the process, subject to consultation with the adviser.

The DP should be a description of the proposed research. The CADA provides a framework for the research topic of the dissertation, addresses the central issues within the specialty area, and reviews the pertinent literature.

Advanced Course or Minor Requirements

The candidate must complete 12 units of advanced graduate course work or a Ph.D. minor in another department. If a student waives the minor requirement in favor of the 12 advanced units, the student must fulfill the advanced course requirement by taking (a) non-core graduate courses required by a particular area, or (b) graduate-level courses in other departments comparable in quality to Psychology's graduate courses. If there is any question about comparability, the student should consult the adviser, student services, and, in some cases, the graduate program committee chair before taking the course.

Orals

The candidate must pass the University oral examination, which also serves as a dissertation defense. A committee is formed to review the oral examination, including the dissertation reading committee, an additional faculty member, and one oral examination committee chair from outside the Psychology department. The oral examination consists of a 40-45-minute presentation to the department of the completed dissertation research. Parents and friends are welcome to attend. Following the presentation, the student and the committee convene for a discussion of the dissertation and the presentation.

Dissertation Requirements

The candidate must complete a dissertation satisfactory to the dissertation reading committee prior to the oral examination. Minor revisions to formatting may be made after the oral examination.

Ph.D. candidacy expires five years after admission to candidacy at the end of the second year of study. Reapplication requires department reexamination.

Student Evaluations

First-Year Evaluation: It is the department's policy to evaluate the progress of each graduate student at the end of the first year of graduate study. As part of the procedure, each student is required to file with the department a report of the first-year research activities.

Students should discuss this report and the evaluation procedures with their adviser as early as possible in their first year. If the student fulfills the academic promise displayed upon entrance, he or she is invited to continue working towards the doctorate.

The first-year evaluation is primarily based on three factors:

1. quality of research carried out in the first year
2. performance in courses (especially required courses)
3. recommendations of the adviser (including a commitment on the part of that adviser to continue in that role).

Second-Year and Beyond Evaluation: A similar evaluation is conducted at the end of each year of graduate training involving the same criteria as the first year; however, the student is not required to submit a paper. Students who are not making satisfactory progress may be dropped from the program.

The Doctoral Training Program

As indicated by the requirements described above, a student concentrates in any one of several areas within Psychology. Regardless of area, however, the training program places emphasis on the development of research competence, and students are encouraged to develop those skills and attitudes that are appropriate to a career of continuing research productivity.

Two kinds of experience are necessary for this purpose. One is the learning of substantial amounts of technical information. A number of courses and seminars are provided to assist in this learning, and a student is expected to work out a program, with his or her adviser, to attain this knowledge in the most stimulating and economical fashion.

A second aspect of training is one that cannot be gained from the courses or seminars. This is firsthand knowledge of, and practical experience with, the methods of psychological investigation and study. These methods include ways of behaving with the subjects being studied. Students are provided with whatever opportunities they need to reach those levels of competence representative of doctoral standing. Continuing research programs, sponsored by members of the faculty, offer direct opportunities for experience in fields represented by the faculty's many research interests.

Each student achieves competence in unique ways and at different rates. Each student and adviser share in planning a program leading to the objectives discussed. The student is expected to spend half of his or her time on research and takes no more than 10 units of course work per quarter. For further information please contact the student services office and the department graduate guide.

Teaching Requirement

The department views experience in supervised teaching as an integral part of its graduate program. Regardless of the source of financial support, all students serve as teaching assistants for at least five Psychology courses during their graduate study. Of these five teaching occasions, two must involve PSYCH 1, or either two Statistics courses (i.e., PSYCH 10, PSYCH 252, PSYCH 253, and PSYCH 254), or one Statistics course and one other course the department may designate as a service course.

Students are discouraged from participating in teaching during the first year of graduate study. However, all first and second year students are strongly encouraged to attend a one-day TA Training Workshop offered in September before the autumn quarter. Students typically progress from closely supervised teaching to more independent work. Some students may be invited to offer a supervised, but essentially independent, seminar during their final year of graduate study.

Psychology Colloquium

The Psychology Colloquium meets on most Wednesday afternoons at 3:45 p.m. Speakers from Stanford and other institutions present topics of current interest. Graduate students are expected to attend. 

Requirements

1. Online application (on the graduate admissions website)
2. Statement of Purpose (submitted electronically as part of the online application). At the top of your Statement of Purpose within your application, please include a list of 3 Psychology Department faculty members, in order of preference, with whom you'd like to work.
3. Three letters of recommendation from faculty at your undergraduate or masters program (submitted electronically on the graduate admissions website http://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/gradadmissions)
4. Two copies of official transcripts from BA/BS (undergraduate) and any graduate program (i.e., MA, MS, etc.). Please note that scanned copies of official transcripts will also be required within the online application.
5. GRE general test and TOEFL (if international)
6. Applicants should have the Educational Testing Service (ETS) send your GRE and/or TOEFL scores electronically to Stanford. Our university code is 4704. It is not necessary to indicate a department code.
7. Please do not mail CVs, resumes, writing samples, publications, or additional paperwork to the Psychology Department.

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Scholarships

• Research and Course Assistantships
• Federal Work Study Research Assistantship