Description
of Departmental Requirements
PSY 600 A and B. All
graduate students in the Psychology Department, including those entering
with a Master’s degree,
are required to complete a 600A/B research project
in the first two years. Satisfactory completion
of the PSY 600A and B courses requires the student
to conduct an empirical study and write a research
competency paper similar in scope to a paper
submitted to peer-reviewed journals. This paper
should include (1) a substantive review of relevant
literature; (2) a detailed description of methods
and materials used to generate empirical data;
(3) fully documented data analyses; and (4) a
discussion of issues raised by the results. Projects
limited to qualitative literature reviews are
not acceptable for this requirement. The paper
must be written entirely by the student and the
final copy must be approved by the student’s
advisor and the department chair.
Students are responsible for consulting with
faculty regarding their willingness to supervise
the 600 Project. The Graduate Director must be
notified in writing (see form) of each student’s
advisor by the end of the first semester of graduate
study. The research project and written paper
are expected to be completed by the end of the
student’s second year of graduate study. Students
may not sit for Qualifying Exams until the 600
Project is completed.
Students register for PSY 600 A and B in the
first two semesters of graduate study, respectively.
However, grades are earned, on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
basis, after the completion of the entire project.
Therefore, a grade of “I,” or incomplete, will
be carried until after the final paper is submitted,
and will be changed accordingly by the Director
of Graduate Studies in Psychology.
The 600A/B Project may be converted into a Master’s
thesis if the student chooses to earn a Master’s
degree. The student should consult with her or
his advisor regarding this option. A second reader
and an oral defense are required. (See University
requirements and forms.)
Transfer
of Credits (Waiver of Required Courses). If
a student has had prior graduate work, he
or she can transfer up to 30 hours toward
the University requirement of 66 total hours.
To accomplish this, the student must take
the relevant transcript(s) to the Director
of Graduate Studies in Psychology, and he
or she will take the steps necessary to process
the request. However, using prior graduate
work in lieu of Department requirements is
another matter. Students may be waived out
of PSY 510, 511, or any other required course,
only with the written recommendation of the
course instructor and approval of the Department
Chair. If you think you qualify for a waiver,
see the instructor.
It is important to remember that students entering
with prior graduate work cannot assume that they
will receive credit for previous course work
or be waived out of any program requirements
(e.g., the 600 A/B research requirement cannot
be waived.)
Grades
and Academic Performance. In the first
year of doctoral studies, students take the two-semester
sequence of statistic courses, PSY 510 and 511.
A student who receives a grade lower than a “B”
in PSY 510 or 511 must repeat the course. (Students
who earn less than a “B” in PSY 510 cannot enroll
in 511.) First-year students are expected to take
at least 12 hours per semester. First-year students
also take PSY 600A and 600B, which is a two-semester
course. Students must maintain a “B” average in
the four outside-of-the-area courses. Failure to
do so means either that one of the courses must
be repeated or that additional ones must be taken
with grades sufficient to balance low grades previously
earned, thus attaining the “B” average. A GPA of
less than “B” constitutes grounds for dismissal
from the University.
Research
Tool. Students must develop
and demonstrate expertise in a technique
or skill used in conducting or evaluating
research. The research tool requirement involves
a course or experience that (1) goes beyond
the basic program of study; (2) has a clear
benefit for the student’s research capabilities;
(3) includes a demonstration that the student
has successfully used the technique or skill
in a meaningful way; and (4) has a structured
evaluation procedure.
Possible ways in which to fulfill the research
tool requirement include courses in computer
programming, mathematics, electronics, biochemistry,
histological techniques, foreign language, pharmacology,
and advanced statistics. However, formal coursework
is not a requirement for the research tool. Structured
and supervised projects or experiences are also
possible (e.g., gaining skills in administration
of structured clinical interviews, specific interventions,
or assessment technologies). The student’s advisor
must approve the manner in which this requirement
is met (i.e., the area of study, work to be completed,
and method of evaluation).
The research tool requirement must be fulfilled
during the student’s residence at the University
at Albany. A student must earn at least a B in
a course intended to satisfy the research tool
requirement. Course credits taken in conjunction
with completing the Tool Requirement do not count
toward the 66 hours required for the degree.
Furthermore, any course used toward the research
tool requirement may not be included in the four
outside-of-area courses.
Outside-of-Area
Courses. Each student is
required to take a minimum of four graduate-level
courses outside
his or her own graduate program area (i.e.,
clinical, I/O, cognitive,
social, or biopsychology). A minimum of two
of these courses
must be courses offered by the Department
of Psychology and represent a minimum
of two different graduate program areas within
psychology. The remaining
courses may be taken within the Department
of Psychology, in other University
Departments, or in special cases, at other
Universities. Courses within
the Department of Psychology that are commonly
used for this requirement
include PSY 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 640,
and 641. Quantitative/statistical
methods courses may not be used to satisfy
this requirement.
Each graduate program area may identify particular
courses for its students to
take. The student's faculty research advisor,
with the approval of a majority
of faculty in the student's graduate program
area, will determine whether a specific course meets this requirement.
The purpose of this requirement is to increase
the breadth of knowledge gained.
The courses selected for this requirement
should bear some meaningful
relationship to the student's professional
preparation. Ideally, these
courses will enable students to view their
work from various perspectives.
Students must earn at least a B (or S) in each
of the four outside-of-area
courses. If a student earns a B- or lower, the
course must be repeated or replaced.
Students may not use any course to fulfill both
the outside-of-area courses
and research tool requirements.
Area
of Specialization Specific Requirements. Each
Area of Specialization (i.e., biopsychology, clinical
psychology, cognitive
psychology, industrial/organizational
psychology, and social-personality
psychology)
has its own specific requirements for students.
Students should consult his or her Area Head
and/or advisor for more detailed information.
Qualification
Exams. The department qualifying
examination requires a student to perform
independently and professionally within their
area of specialization. This demonstration
will require broad-ranging mastery of conceptual
and methodological issues in the area, and
may be exemplified by a comprehensive test,
an integrative review article, or a grant
proposal. The specific format may vary by
the student’s Area of Specialization (e.g.,
Cognitive, I/O, Social/Personality, etc.)
and may also be determined by the student’s
Qualifying Examination Committee, which must
include at least three faculty members within
the student’s Area of Specialization. It
is the student’s responsibility to consult
with his or her advisor regarding the examination
format, committee membership, and time line
specific to his or her Area of Specialization.
All graduate students are required to complete
the PSY 600A and PSY 600B project before
they may take the qualifying examination.
Areas of Specialization may also have additional
requirements that need to be met prior to
taking the qualifying examination. A student
must have completed the doctoral qualifying
examination before the end of the fourth
year of study.
If a student fails the qualifying examination, he or she may take it once more.
Failure on the second occasion constitutes a basis for dismissal from the program.
Dissertation
Requirements. Students must
submit an acceptable dissertation that demonstrates
that they are capable of doing independent
scholarly work and are able to formulate
conclusions that would modify or extend previous
knowledge. Students must be formally admitted
to candidacy before the dissertation proposal
can be accepted and approved. Please note that
these guidelines are based in large
part
on University
policy,
and in remaining part on
Department practice and policy, which has been
in place since 1985. As always, petitions for
waiver or revision may be presented to the
Graduate Director.
1. The choice of the Chair of the doctoral dissertation
committee is the student’s, and each student
is free to make this decision as he/she wishes.
Once the choice of a committee Chair is made
and agreed upon by both, the student and the
Chair will decide upon other potential members
to be approached and invited to participate.
2. Each committee shall have a minimum of three
members. There may be additional members and/or
consultants. Once the committee is formed, the
student is responsible for notifying the Director
of Graduate Studies in Psychology of the committee
membership.
3. Two of the members, including the Chair,
shall be voting faculty members of the Psychology
Department at the University at Albany. The third
member may be a member of the faculty of the
Psychology Department, another department at
the University at Albany or another academic
unit, or in an occupation pertinent to the student’s
program of study
4. All committee members must hold the earned
doctoral degree, or title of Professor.
5. A faculty member may continue as a committee
member of chair if s/he should leave the department.
The responsibilities of the committee pertaining
to the supervision of the dissertation are as
follows:
A) The total committee must unanimously approve
he dissertation topic.
B) All members must be available to consult
with the student as the research proposal is
developed. Students are urged to circulate copies
of their proposal among the entire department
faculty for suggestions.
C) Upon receiving a written proposal of the
research rationale, design, and analysis, the
total committee shall meet with the student to
ascertain the student’s grasp of relevant information
and to suggest and decided upon modifications
to the proposal.
D) Every member of he committee must sign approval
of the final version of the proposal on the appropriate
form. This signature constitutes agreement to
approve the final dissertation if it has been
executed as proposed, and written in an acceptable
scholarly style.
E) The Chair of the committee will be the individual
must actively guiding the student during the
data gathering and analysis stages. It is the
student’s responsibility to keep the other members
apprised of progress. The total committee is
responsible for consulting with student upon
request. The Chair of the committee may call
meetings of the total committee periodically.
F) If the research is to be conducted away from
the Albany campus, arrangements with the appropriate
authorities must be agreed upon prior to approval
of the proposal. Normally, the Chair will be
the responsible liaison with the off-campus facility.
G) Two of the three members or a simple majority
of the committee if larger than three
must provide approving signatures to the final
completed copy
of the dissertation submitted to the
Office of Graduate Studies.
6. Each student must give an oral defense of the
dissertation before the faculty of the department
prior to the preparation of the final typed form.
The chair of the dissertation committee will determine
the format of the oral examination. Copies of the
dissertation will be available for those who wish
to read it prior to the defense. Within the format
determined by the dissertation committee Chair,
other individuals attending the defense may raise
questions and discussion pertaining to the dissertation.
7. Upon the completion of revisions, if necessary,
the student must present the final typed
copy to the committee for their approval signature.
This copy is to be delivered to the Department
Chair for signature of approval. The Chair
of the Department will transmit the dissertation
and the recommendation of the award of the
Ph.D. degree form to the Office of Graduate Studies.
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Select
and reach agreement with a 600 project advisor
and notify Graduate Director of 600 project advisor’s
name by the end of first semester*