The doctoral program in Psychology prepares students for scholarly careers and for leadership roles in a variety of organizations. Study is organized around six defined major concentrations:
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Applied Social Psychology
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Evaluation and Applied Research Methods
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Organizational Behavior
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Positive Developmental Psychology
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Positive Organizational Psychology
This program is offered in-person with some coursework offered in an hybrid/online modality and can be completed in six semesters of full-time attendance (twelve units/semester).
Degree Requirements
A minimum 72 units is required for the degree. A Master’s Project, two Research Tools, and Oral Qualifying Exam, a written portfolio, and a Dissertation are also required to earn the degree.
In addition, students are encouraged to regularly attend colloquia, department sponsored conferences, research discussion groups, and other such activities as part of their education to enhance their development and broaden their horizons.
Coursework
Required Courses (24 units)
Research Methods (8 units)
All graduate students must meet the following course requirements and pass these courses with a grade of B- or better.
Directed Research (4 units)
All students are expected to be engaged in a research project each semester in the program under faculty supervision. Doctoral students are required to be enrolled in the Directed Research seminar during each of their first two semesters at CGU. The goal of the Directed Research seminar is to launch each student on an empirical research project with a faculty research advisor at CGU.
Students completing a concentration in Applied Social Psychology must complete four units in:
PSYCH 306B - Directed Research: Social Psychology (2 units)
All other students completing a concentration in Evaluation and Applied Research Methods, Organizational Behavior, Positive Developmental Psychology, Positive Organizational Psychology will instead complete four units in:
PSYCH 306E - Directed Research: Evaluation & Applied Research Methods and Positive Developmental (2 units)
These courses provide valuable educational experience for participating in faculty-directed research. An approved research proposal is required by the end of the second or third semester to successfully complete this course.
Statistics Sequence (8 units)
All graduate students must meet the following course requirements and pass these courses with a grade of B- or better.
Students who have taken comparable statistics courses may consider taking the waiver examination given at the beginning of each module. [If student pass, additional electives are required] Courses from other institutions cannot be considered for transfer credit unless the waiver examination is passed and grades in the comparable course(s) were B- or better.
Transdisciplinary Elective (4 units)
All PhD students are required to enroll in a 4-unit transdisciplinary (TNDY) course. This requirement should be completed within the first two years of coursework.
Core Courses (14-20 units)
Applied Social Psychology (16 units)
Evaluation and Applied Research Methods (14 units)
Organizational Behavior (16 units)
Positive Developmental Psychology (20 units)
Positive Organizational Psychology (20 units)
Electives (24-30 units)
Students will select additional courses in consultation with their academic advisor.
Applied Social Psychology (28 units)
Evaluation and Applied Research Methods (30 units)
Organizational Behavior (28 units)
Positive Developmental Psychology (24 units)
Positive Organizational Psychology (24 units)
Field/Teaching Experience (4 units)
Students are required to four units in either:
Empirical Thesis Milestone
All doctoral students in the program must meet the following two deadlines: the Empirical Thesis Proposal and Empirical Thesis. Failure to meet these deadlines will result in the student’s program being changed to a terminal MA degree, which will include adjustments in student fellowship rates and financial aid.
Empirical Thesis Proposal
Students must submit to the DBOS office a copy of the approved empirical proposal along with an official form signed by two faculty readers. An approved empirical thesis proposal must be submitted by the end of the student’s third semester in the program.
Empirical Thesis
All students are required to conduct an empirical research project prior to beginning work on their PhD dissertation. The Empirical Thesis must be completed and approved by two faculty readers by the end of the student’s third year in the program (or sixth semester in the program).
Research Tools
In lieu of a language requirement, the program requires demonstrated proficiency in research tools tailored to the individual needs of the student. Faculty approval of specific tools and satisfactory evidence of their mastery is required within the first three years of graduate study. Two research tools must be completed before taking the oral qualifying examination. A list of the approved research tools is available on the DBOS internal website.
Portfolio
All students are required to assemble a portfolio to provide evidence of professional development within an area of specialization. A minimum of two research tools (one of which is the statistics sequence) and six different products or experiences accumulated over the student’s period of graduate study that are relevant to the professional goals and specialization area of the student are to be submitted and approved by the end of the third or fourth year of graduate study. Selection of portfolio items is expected to occur in consultation with and with approval of the student’s research advisor and the second faculty member on their committee. Approval of the portfolio plan is recommended in each student’s second year in the PhD program but must be obtained by the end of the third or fourth year in the PhD program. By this completing the portfolio, you will have satisfied the Practical Experience Milestones. See below for further information.
Oral Qualifying Examination
The oral qualifying examination is intended to demonstrate the student’s ability to organize, integrate, and evaluate knowledge in an area of concentration. The following requirements must be met before a student is permitted to take the oral qualifying examination:
Satisfactory completion of the qualifying examination and approval of the dissertation proposal are prerequisites for advancement to candidacy for the doctoral degree.
If students do not pass the oral qualifying exam, they may be dismissed from the PhD program.
Practical Experience Milestone
Psychology PhD students must meet the Practical Experience Milestone through one of the following:
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A teaching assistantship
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A research assistantship
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An external teaching opportunity
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A research project with CGU or other Faculty in the Claremont Colleges
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One or more articles submitted for publication
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Completion of one or more semesters in Doctoral Studies that includes relevant work experience and/or progress on the doctoral dissertation, e.g., successful completion of the PhD Empirical Thesis Portfolio.
Students must have their Practical Experience Milestones approved by the department prior to the submission of their completed Final Approval Form. This milestone is to be completed during the time to degree at CGU (7 years for PhD students). Extensions of time to degree citing this milestone will not be approved. Students can have a maximum of 4 years of experience for the Practical Experience Milestone. Activities completed in the past as part of the Portfolio can include up to 4 years of experience as part of the milestone.
Dissertation
University policies and procedures regarding dissertations are detailed in the Doctoral Degree Regulations section of the current Bulletin and on the registrar’s webpage. Additionally, the Ph.D. Psychology program requires the following additional specifications:
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Acceptable dissertation research conducted with the approval of an advisory committee must be submitted.
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Dissertation committees must consist of at least four examiners, including one DBOS Core Faculty member and one visiting examiner from outside the Claremont community. The committee must be approved by the Dean prior to approval of the dissertation proposal.
Time to Degree Limits
University policies on time to degree apply. For doctoral students, no more than 7 years from the time a student begins graduate study will be allowed for the fulfillment of all degree requirements (6 years if 13-24 units of transfer credit are accepted toward degree; 6.5 years if 1-12 units are transferred in). The Psychology program imposes the following additional specifications for its students regarding extensions of time to degree.
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Extensions of time are granted for only one year at a time.
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Only students who have completed the oral qualifying examination may be considered for a second extension.
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Only students who have been advanced to candidacy and are making satisfactory progress on their dissertation will be considered for a third extension.
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The Psychology PhD program does not authorize more than three extensions.
Master’s Degree Along the Way
Students may qualify for the Master of Arts in Psychology, received along the way to the doctoral degree, provided all of the following conditions are met:
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A minimum of 48 units of coursework must have been completed.
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Completed coursework must not have been used toward conferral of a master’s degree from CGU in another discipline.
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Empirical Thesis Milestone has been completed and approved by two readers. Students who complete program requirements for MA co-concentration programs may earn their MA without completing the Empirical Thesis milestone; however, all PhD students are required to complete the Empirical Thesis Milestone to progress satisfactorily in the program.
To receive the master’s degree, students must follow degree completion procedures and comply with the deadlines applicable for the semester in which the degree is requested. Degree completion deadlines are published in the University’s Academic Calendar.
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