Catalog Year: 2023-2024
Banner Code: LA-PHD-PSYC-CLN
The PhD in Psychology provides knowledge of the basic content areas in psychology and practical experience in applying this knowledge to solve human problems in relationships, work, and education. Core course requirements cover subject matter identified by the profession as essential to doctoral training. This includes biological, social, cognitive, and individual bases of behavior, as well as the history of psychology. The program offers the following concentrations: applied developmental psychology, clinical psychology, cognitive and behavioral neuroscience, human factors/applied cognition, and industrial/organizational psychology.
The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on program requirements and courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes. Requirements may be different for earlier catalog years. See the University Catalog archives.
Total credits: 72-79
Students should be aware of the specific policies associated with this program, located on the Admissions & Policies tab.
In addition to satisfying the requirements for all doctoral degrees, students must successfully complete 72–79 credits of required coursework chosen in one of five concentrations. Each concentration consists of four educational components: core courses, upper-level specialty courses, supervised practica, and dissertation.
The applied developmental psychology concentration is concerned with enhancing developmental processes and preventing developmental disorders in individuals and families across the life span. It uses the knowledge base and methodologies of developmental science to assist the development of individuals who vary in cultural and ethnic backgrounds; economic and social opportunities; physical, social, emotional, and cognitive abilities; and conditions of living (e.g., families, neighborhoods, communities, and physical settings). The program's emphasis is on child development (infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence), and students may focus their studies on the cognitive, social, emotional, language, personality, or physiological aspects of development.
The applied developmental concentration has two goals: to train students to teach and do research on basic and applied issues in child development for employment in such settings as universities, research institutes, and organizations, and to train students to do applied work in developmental psychology (consultation, program evaluation, assessment and evaluation, developmental interventions, and parent training) in such settings as schools, hospitals, courts, child care facilities, and other organizations.
Students pursuing this concentration must complete 72 credits comprised of doctoral coursework and at least 12 credits of dissertation research. The number of credits required may be reduced for a prior master's degree as described above.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 704 | Life-Span Development | 3 |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Cognitive Bases of Behavior | ||
| Biological Bases of Human Behavior | ||
| Social Bases of Behavior | ||
| Emotional Bases of Behavior | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 642 | General Linear Modeling I | 4 |
| PSYC 643 | General Linear Modeling II | 4 |
| Additional courses | 9 | |
Choose at least two from the following: |
||
| Neuroimaging | ||
| Psychometric Methods | ||
| Longitudinal Data Analysis | ||
| Doing Social Network Research in Psychological Science | ||
| Quantitative Methods IV: Multivariate Techniques in Psychology | ||
| Advanced Topics in Statistical Analysis (with approval) | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling and Meta-Analysis | ||
| Special Topics (with approval) | ||
| Special Topics in Psychology (with approval) | ||
Additional course can be taken from the following: |
||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Qualitative Methods in Educational Research | ||
| Mixed Methods Research: Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches | ||
| Item Response Theory | ||
| Hierarchical Linear Modeling | ||
| Special Topics (when topic is Matlab for Psychologists) | ||
| Seminar in Human Factors and Applied Cognition (when topic is Python for Psychology) | ||
| Applied Statistics and Visualization for Analytics | ||
| Total Credits | 17 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Choose four courses from the following: | 12 | |
| Social and Emotional Development | ||
| Cognitive and Perceptual Development | ||
| Language Development | ||
| Developmental Psychopathology | ||
| Applied Developmental Psychology | ||
| Advanced Learning, Motivation, and Self-Regulation | ||
| Special Topics 1 | ||
| Special Topics in Psychology | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
When topic is Adolescent Development; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Child Development and Social Policy; Executive Functions Development; or developmental in content, with approval.
Students take 1 credit in fall and 1 credit in spring of their first year and 1 additional credit at any other time (preferably in their second year).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 890 | Seminar in Professional Psychology (3 credits) | 1-3 |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
Students may fulfill this requirement with 8 credits of PSYC 897 Directed Reading and Research or a combination of PSYC 897 Directed Reading and Research and PSYC 792 Psychology Practicum.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 8 credits from the following: | 8 | |
| Directed Reading and Research (can be repeated for credit) | ||
| Psychology Practicum (A maximum of 6 credits may be applied to this requirement.) | ||
| Teaching Practicum in Psychology | ||
| Total Credits | 8 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 14 credits in consultation with your advisor to complete 72 total required for the degree. | 14 | |
Students complete the 72 credits required for the degree with additional coursework from within or outside the department, excluding PSYC 798 Thesis Proposal and PSYC 799 Master's Thesis, with prior approval of the advisor.
To advance to candidacy, students must complete all courses required by the program. Students must also successfully complete and pass written and oral comprehensive exams.
The dissertation requirement is designed to demonstrate the student's ability to apply psychological principles to research problems. Once enrolled in PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation, students must follow the university's continuous registration policy as specified in AP.6.10.6 Dissertation Research. Students who defend in the summer must be registered for at least 1 credit of PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation.
Students complete a minimum of 3 credits of PSYC 998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal and 3 credits of PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation. They must apply a minimum of 12 dissertation credits (PSYC 998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal and PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation combined) to the degree. Because of the continuous registration policy, students may be required to register for additional credits of these courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 12 credits from the following: | 12 | |
| Doctoral Dissertation Proposal | ||
| Doctoral Dissertation | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
The clinical psychology concentration is committed to the clinical science model. Our goal is to train clinical psychologists who are capable of integrating research and applied clinical activities. The program is unique in approaching clinical psychology from social psychological and contextual perspectives. A social psychological approach uses theory and research from social psychology to understand emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal functioning. A contextual perspective stresses the impact of social and cultural factors on the individual and vice versa. Most of the faculty members employ cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal approaches to research and clinical practice, but students also receive exposure to humanistic, existential, and psychodynamic perspectives.
Students pursuing this concentration must complete 79 graduate credits comprised of doctoral coursework and at least 12 credits of dissertation research. The number of credits required may be reduced for a prior master's degree as described above.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Mammalian Neurobiology | ||
| Biological Bases of Human Behavior | ||
| Total Credits | 3 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 704 | Life-Span Development | 3 |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 642 | General Linear Modeling I | 4 |
| PSYC 643 | General Linear Modeling II | 4 |
| PSYC 644 | Methods for Social Research | 3 |
| Total Credits | 11 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 642 | General Linear Modeling I | 4 |
| PSYC 643 | General Linear Modeling II | 4 |
| PSYC 644 | Methods for Social Research | 3 |
| Select one additional approved quantitative course, such as those in the list shown under Quantitative Emphasis C | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 14 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 642 | General Linear Modeling I | 4 |
| PSYC 643 | General Linear Modeling II | 4 |
| PSYC 644 | Methods for Social Research | 3 |
| Select two additional approved quantitative courses, such as: | 6 | |
| Psychometric Methods | ||
| Longitudinal Data Analysis | ||
| Quantitative Methods IV: Multivariate Techniques in Psychology | ||
| Advanced Topics in Statistical Analysis (varies by semester but includes Bayesian methods) | ||
| Special Topics in Psychology (Credits: 3 that include Meta-analysis/SEM) | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling and Meta-Analysis | ||
| Qualitative Methods in Educational Research | ||
| Total Credits | 17 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 810 | Psychological Assessment I | 4 |
| PSYC 811 | Psychological Assessment II | 4 |
| PSYC 813 | Supervision, Consultation, and Interprofessional Skills | 3 |
| PSYC 822 | Scientific Foundations of Clinical Psychology I | 3 |
| PSYC 861 | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Youth 1 | 6 |
| PSYC 862 | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adults 1 | 6 |
| PSYC 864 | Foundations of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy | 3 |
| PSYC 881 | Practicum in Clinical Psychology 2 | 6 |
| PSYC 883 | Ethical and Professional Issues in Clinical Practice | 3 |
| PSYC 855 | Social, Cognitive, and Affective Foundations of Behavior | 3 |
| PSYC 856 | Diversity, History and Clinical Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 890 | Seminar in Professional Psychology | 1 |
| PSYC 792 | Psychology Practicum | 2 |
| Total Credits | 47 | |
Students take 3 credits in fall and 3 credits in spring of the second year.
Students take 3 credits in fall and 3 credits in spring of the third year.
The choice of quantitative emphasis affects the number of credits available for electives. Those who choose Emphasis A take 3 credit hours of electives; students choosing Emphasis B or Emphasis C take 0 hours of electives. PSYC 850 Teaching Practicum in Psychology is recommended for anyone considering academia.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 0-3 electives with the approval of the advisor. | 0-3 | |
| Total Credits | 0-3 | |
To advance to candidacy, students must complete all core courses required by the program. Students must also successfully complete and pass written and oral comprehensive exams.
The dissertation requirement is designed to demonstrate the student's ability to apply psychological principles to research problems. Once enrolled in PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation, students must follow the university's continuous registration policy as specified in AP.6.10.6 Dissertation Research. Students who defend in the summer must be registered for at least 1 credit of PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation.
Students complete a minimum of 3 credits of PSYC 998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal and 3 credits of PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation. They must apply a minimum of 12 dissertation credits (PSYC 998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal and PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation combined) to the degree. Because of the continuous registration policy, students may be required to register for additional credits of these courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 12 credits from the following: | 12 | |
| Doctoral Dissertation Proposal | ||
| Doctoral Dissertation | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Students complete a full-time, 12-month clinical psychology internship at a site accredited by the American Psychological Association.
Students complete a part-time clinical psychology externship in the fourth and/or fifth year of the program.
This cognitive and behavioral neuroscience concentration focuses on studying biological substrates of behavior. Core and affiliated faculty study areas as diverse as neural control of behavioral development; animal models of learning and memory and their disorders (such as Alzheimer's); human brain systems involved in cognition, perception, human error, decision making, and movement; the relation of neural activity to human performance; and cognitive aging. A focus of the program is on translational neuroscience-complementary study of neural systems in humans and animals, including application of animal research to human behavior.
The program’s core facilities have well-equipped behavioral testing and histological/histochemical facilities. The program’s strong links to the Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study and the Center for Biomedical Genomics and Informatics allows opportunities for collaborative work as diverse as tissue slice preparations and molecular genetics. The doctoral program prepares students for research-based careers in academics, government, or industry.
Students pursuing this concentration must complete 72 graduate credits comprised of coursework and at least 12 credits of dissertation research. The number of credits required may be reduced for a prior master's degree as described above.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 531 | Mammalian Neurobiology | 3 |
| or NEUR 603 | Mammalian Neuroanatomy | |
| PSYC 555 | Neuroimaging | 3 |
| PSYC 559 | Behavioral Chemistry | 3 |
| PSYC 558 | Neuronal Bases of Learning and Memory | 3 |
| or PSYC 685 | Cognitive Neuroscience | |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Two required Courses | ||
| PSYC 642 | General Linear Modeling I | 4 |
| PSYC 643 | General Linear Modeling II | 4 |
| Elective Statistics and Methods | 6 | |
| Students will choose from research methods and statistics courses in consultation with their advisor. May include but not limited to PSYC 563. | ||
| Laboratory Methods in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience | ||
| Total Credits | 14 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 850 | Teaching Practicum in Psychology | 2 |
| Total Credits | 2 | |
The research credit requirement can be met through completion of a master's thesis (recommended) or other research course as approved by the program.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 6 credits in either a master's thesis or other research course 1 | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Students can complete the 72 credit requirement through credits of additional coursework, within or outside the department, with prior approval of the advisor.
Some options for fulfilling this requirement:
NEUR 602 Cellular Neuroscience
NEUR 689 Topics in Neuroscience
BIOL 585 Eukaryotic Cell Biology Laboratory
BIOS 740 Laboratory Methods in Functional Genomics and Biotechnology
To advance to candidacy, students must complete all core courses required by the program. Students must also successfully complete and pass written and oral comprehensive exams.
The dissertation requirement is designed to demonstrate the student's ability to apply psychological principles to research problems. Once enrolled in PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation, students must follow the university's continuous registration policy as specified in AP.6.10.6 Dissertation Research. Students who defend in the summer must be registered for at least 1 credit of PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation.
Students apply to this degree a minimum of 3 credits of PSYC 998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal and 3 credits of PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation; they may apply a minimum 12 and a maximum of 24 dissertation credits (PSYC 998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal and PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation combined) to the degree. Because of the continuous registration policy, students may be required to register for additional credits of these courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 12-24 credits from the following: | 12-24 | |
| Doctoral Dissertation Proposal | ||
| Doctoral Dissertation | ||
| Total Credits | 12-24 | |
The human factors and applied cognition concentration covers basic theoretical and empirical issues and emphasizes research that applies cognitive science to real-world problems. The program builds bridges between human factors engineering and cognitive psychology. Many applications of cognitive science are in the domain of human factors, and many doctoral students who complete our program go on to be human factors professionals.
Students pursuing this concentration must complete 72 graduate credits comprised of coursework and at least 12 credits of dissertation research. The number of credits required may be reduced for a prior master's degree (up to 30 credits).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 701 | Cognitive Bases of Behavior | 3 |
| or PSYC 768 | Advanced Topics in Cognitive Science | |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select two from the following: | 6 | |
Biological: |
||
| Neuronal Bases of Learning and Memory | ||
| Behavioral Chemistry | ||
| Cognitive Neuroscience | ||
| Biological Bases of Human Behavior | ||
Social: |
||
| Behavior in Small Groups and Teams | ||
| Personality: Theoretical and Empirical Approaches | ||
| Social Bases of Behavior | ||
Developmental: |
||
| Cognitive and Perceptual Development | ||
| Social and Emotional Development | ||
| Life-Span Development | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 642 | General Linear Modeling I | 4 |
| PSYC 643 | General Linear Modeling II | 4 |
| Total Credits | 8 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select three courses from the following: | 9 | |
| Nonparametric Statistics and Categorical Data Analysis | ||
| Psychometric Methods | ||
| Longitudinal Data Analysis | ||
| Quantitative Methods IV: Multivariate Techniques in Psychology | ||
| Advanced Topics in Statistical Analysis | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling and Meta-Analysis | ||
| Qualitative Research Methods | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 530 | Cognitive Engineering: Cognitive Science Applied to Human Factors | 3 |
| PSYC 645 | Research Methods in Human Factors and Applied Cognition | 3 |
| Select three courses from the following: 1 | 9 | |
| Seminar in Human Factors and Applied Cognition | ||
| Advanced Topics in Cognitive Science | ||
| Total Credits | 15 | |
These are seminars with variable topics that may be repeated for credit when the topic is different.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 890 | Seminar in Professional Psychology | 1-3 |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
Students are encouraged to take a minimum of 1 credit of this course each semester until they advance to candidacy.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 897 | Directed Reading and Research | 1-3 |
| Total Credits | 1-3 | |
Students have several options for completing the remaining 72 credits required for the degree. They may take additional content courses with permission of their advisor. Students who do not have work experience in applied cognition or human factors are encouraged to take up to 6 credits of practicum.
Students are strongly encouraged to develop competence in programming and computer science through coursework or independent study. Students are also encouraged to identify and take relevant courses within or outside the department with permission of their advisor.
Some options for fulfilling this requirement:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 734 | Seminar in Human Factors and Applied Cognition | 3 |
| PSYC 768 | Advanced Topics in Cognitive Science | 3 |
| PSYC 730 | Practicum in Applied Psychology | 1-6 |
| or PSYC 592 | Special Topics | |
| or PSYC 892 | Special Topics in Psychology | |
To advance to candidacy, students must complete all core courses required by the program. Students must also successfully complete and pass written comprehensive exams.
The dissertation requirement is designed to demonstrate the student's ability to apply psychological principles to research problems. Once enrolled in PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation, students must follow the university's continuous registration policy as specified in AP.6.10.6 Dissertation Research. Students who defend in the summer must be registered for at least 1 credit of PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation.
Students complete a minimum of 3 credits of PSYC 998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal and 3 credits of PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation. They must apply a minimum of 12 dissertation credits (PSYC 998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal and PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation combined) to the degree. Because of the continuous registration policy, students may be required to register for additional credits of these courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 12 credits from the following: | 12 | |
| Doctoral Dissertation Proposal | ||
| Doctoral Dissertation | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
The industrial/organizational psychology concentration focuses on multiple aspects of behavior in organizational settings, including personnel selection, quantitative analysis, teams, leadership, work and family issues, and organizational health issues. Mason’s graduate work in this area emphasizes research as the key to knowledge in both academic and applied settings. The program fosters a peer-oriented environment whereby students collaborate on numerous projects in addition to working with faculty members, in many different areas of industrial/organizational psychology.
Students pursuing this concentration must complete 72 graduate credits comprised of coursework and at least 12 credits of dissertation research. The number of credits required may be reduced for a prior master's degree as described above.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 703 | Social Bases of Behavior | 3 |
| PSYC 668 | Personality: Theoretical and Empirical Approaches | 3 |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 557 | Psychometric Methods | 3 |
| PSYC 633 | Evaluative Research in Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 642 | General Linear Modeling I | 4 |
| PSYC 643 | General Linear Modeling II | 4 |
| Select two additional specialized statistics courses from the following: | 6 | |
| Longitudinal Data Analysis | ||
| Quantitative Methods IV: Multivariate Techniques in Psychology | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling and Meta-Analysis | ||
| Special Topics in Psychology (when topic is Specialized Statics) | ||
| Total Credits | 20 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 636 | Survey of Industrial-Organizational Psychology | 3 |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
Students taking 18 credits of specialized content may take an additional 3 credits of PSYC 897 Directed Reading and Research.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select six to seven courses of specialized content from the following: | 18-21 | |
| Organizational Change and Development | ||
| Industrial and Personnel Testing and Evaluation | ||
| Training: Psychological Contributions to Theory, Design, and Evaluation | ||
| Behavior in Small Groups and Teams | ||
| Issues in Personnel Psychology | ||
| IO Psychology and Legal Issues in Employment Discrimination | ||
| Seminar in Industrial/Organizational Psychology | ||
| Psychology of Work Motivation | ||
| Careers | ||
| Behavior and Performance at Work | ||
| Special Topics in Psychology | ||
Other graduate courses with permission of I/O faculty and psychology department. |
||
| Total Credits | 18-21 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required: | ||
| PSYC 890 | Seminar in Professional Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 892 | Special Topics in Psychology 1 | 6 |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
When topic is IO Learning Series.
Students complete the remaining credits required for this degree through additional coursework, within or outside the department in a content area, professional development, teaching practicum, or dissertation, with prior approval of the advisor.
To advance to candidacy, students must complete all core courses required by the program. Students must also successfully complete and pass written and oral comprehensive exams.
The dissertation requirement is designed to demonstrate the student's ability to apply psychological principles to research problems. Once enrolled in PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation, students must follow the university's continuous registration policy as specified in AP.6.10.6 Dissertation Research. Students who defend in the summer must be registered for at least 1 credit of PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation.
Students complete a minimum of 3 credits of PSYC 998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal and 3 credits of PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation. They must apply a minimum of 12 dissertation credits (PSYC 998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal and PSYC 999 Doctoral Dissertation combined) to the degree. Because of the continuous registration policy, students may be required to register for additional credits of these courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 12 credits from the following: | 12 | |
| Doctoral Dissertation Proposal | ||
| Doctoral Dissertation | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
This program has been identified by George Mason University as one that may lead to a career requiring professional licensure/certification. Federal regulations require Mason to disclose information as to whether this program meets/does not meet the educational requirements for licensure/certification in your state, or whether such a determination has not been made. Please consult our Licensure Disclosure Tool (https://provost.gmu.edu/licensure) for the disclosure statement specific to your desired state/program combination.