Degree Requirements

Directed Research. As an important element in the educational experience, all new students are required to participate in faculty-directed research by enrolling in Directed Research (PSYCH 306 ) for their first two semesters. An approved research proposal is required by the end of classes in the spring semester of the first year to successfully complete this course.

Research Requirements for Ph.D. Students. All Ph.D. students are required to complete the proposal for their thesis or first year project and have it signed off by two faculty readers by the end of their third semester in the program.  If this deadline is not met, the student will be moved to the terminal MA program immediately and have their financial aid reduced accordingly.

All Ph.D. students are required to complete their MA thesis or first year empirical project and have it signed off by both readers by the end of their third year in the program.  If this deadline is not met, the student will be moved to the terminal MA program immediately and have their financial aid reduced accordingly.

Core Courses. A series of core courses provides basic foundations in the major concentrations as well as the primary mechanism for the qualifying examination procedure. The roster of core courses changes from time to time but typically includes three or more specifically designated seminars in each of the concentration areas (see course listings under “Core Courses”). Each student is required to take and pass core courses in their area of major concentration within the first three years of graduate study, as follows: three applied cognitive core courses, four applied social core courses, four evaluation core courses, three organizational behavior core courses, five positive developmental core courses, or five positive organizational core courses. To obtain qualifying examination credit, a qualifying core course must be passed at the B- level or higher.

Psychology 302: Research Methods. Required of all graduate students. Students who have taken a comparable graduate-level course are encouraged to discuss with the instructor whether they should take a waiver examination. To receive program credit, this course must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

Psychology 308a, b, c & d: Statistics sequence. Required of all graduate students. Students who have already taken a statistics course comparable to any of these modules are encouraged to take the waiver examination given at the beginning of the semester. The waiver exam must be passed for graduate units in comparable courses to be acceptable for transfer into CGU. To receive program credit, these courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher.

Psychology 315 Methodology.  All students are required to take at least 4 units of methodology courses beyond the required Research Methods course 302.  Any course from the Psychology 315 series count toward this requirement.

Transdisciplinary Course Requirement. All students who enter the doctoral program after the spring 2006 semester are required to complete the transdisciplinary course requirement within their first 48 units of coursework. For details on the requirement, see the “Doctor of Philosophy Degree ” section in this Bulletin.

Field Experience. All students are required to have at least one semester’s field experience, either as a teacher or a teaching assistant in conjunction with Seminar in Teaching of Psychology (PSYCH 310 ), or in an assignment related to Field Placement (PSYCH 450 ).

M.A. Degree. To receive a MA along the way to the PhD, at least 48 units of course work and a M.A. thesis signed and approved by two readers must be completed by the CGU deadline for receiving a degree.

Portfolio. Each student is required to assemble a portfolio to provide evidence of professional development within an area of career specialization. The portfolio must contain a minimum of six different products or experiences, accumulated over the period of graduate study, that are relevant to the professional goals and specialization area defined by the student in consultation with the supervisory committee. Approval of the portfolio plan should be obtained by the end of the third year of graduate study.

Research Tools. In lieu of a specific language requirement, demonstrated proficiency in research tools tailored to individual needs is required. Faculty approval of the specific tools and satisfactory evidence of their mastery should be presented during the first three years of graduate study. Two research tools must be completed before taking the oral qualifying examination.

Oral Qualifying Examination. The oral examination is intended to demonstrate the student’s ability to organize, integrate, and evaluate knowledge in the area of concentration. Satisfactory completion of qualifying requirements and approval of a dissertation proposal are prerequisites to advancement to candidacy for the PhD degree.

Dissertation. Each candidate must submit acceptable dissertation research conducted with the approval of an advisory committee and must take an oral examination upon the dissertation and related work. All dissertation committees in SBOS consist of at least four examiners. One member will be a qualified visiting examiner from outside the Claremont community.

Time Limits. 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).

Time extensions are allowed only if certain conditions are met. The psychology faculty will not grant an extension longer than one year at a time. Only students who have passed the oral qualifying examination will be considered for a second extension. Only students who have been advanced to doctoral candidacy and are making satisfactory progress on the dissertation will be considered for a third extension. No more than three extensions will be granted.