All graduate students complete the general psychology core, the research skills core, a master’s thesis, and a doctoral dissertation. Developmental science students also attend a weekly research seminar, complete a first-year project, and complete advanced coursework as indicated under the headings “First-Year Project” and “Advanced Coursework.”
The department also offers a combined cognitive-developmental science curriculum.
General Psychology Core
- PY650 Cognition and Learning
- PY629 Biological Bases of Behavior or PY651 Physiological Psychology
- PY670 Perception or PY672 Advanced Social Psychology
- HD501 Child Development
Research Skills Core
- PY607 Research Methods in Psychology
- PY602 Advanced Statistics I
- PY603 Advanced Statistics II
- PY604 Multivariate Methods of Analysis, BER646 Structural Equation Modeling, PY693 statistics topics, or approved alternative statistics course (must be individually approved in advance by the Graduate Statistics Committee)
Developmental Core
- Seminar in Developmental/Human Developmental topics (9 hours; 3-6 hours in PY and 3-6 hours in HDFS). Note: PY hours must be filled by PY 693 seminars on Developmental Psychology topics. HDFS hours may be filled by HD664 Family Crises, HD561/562 Theories/Dynamics of Families, HD 535 Parent/Child Relationships, or a pre-aprroved alternative.
- Two of: HD602 Infant Development, HD603 or BEP655 Adolescent Development, HD512 Adult Development or equivalent course
First-Year Project
- HD598 or PY598 Graduate Research (3-6 hours) during the first year of study
Advanced Coursework
- PY695 Teaching of Psychology
- Elective (3 hours) in focus area if applicable
- PY625 Developmental Science Proseminar (4 hours)
Thesis and Dissertation Hours
- HD599 or PY599 Thesis Research (6 hours)
- HD699 or PY699 Dissertation Research (24 hours)