Industrial and Organizational Psychology Doctor of Philosophy Degree Program
Program of Study and Research
The general aim of the doctoral program is preparation of students to become productive scholars in the psychological sciences through coursework and research experience leading to the doctoral dissertation. It is the aim of this graduate program to provide a course of study which provides a foundation in psychology and to meet individual objectives in an area of specialization.
Departmental Requirements
Total credits needed: 65 (minimum)
I. Departmental and University Required Courses (26 credits)
A. Statistics/Method Courses (8 credits):
Psy 510 Statistical and Experimental Methods I
Psy 511 Statistical and Experimental Methods II
B. Four out of area courses (12 credits). Each student is required to take a minimum of four courses outside her or his own specialization. At least two of these classes must be from the Psychology Department. Examples of such courses from within the Psychology Department are:
Psy 601 Survey of Biopsychology
Psy 602 Survey of Learning and Conditioning
Psy 603 Survey of Cognitive Psychology
Psy 604 Survey of Developmental Psychology
Psy 605 Social Psychology I
Psy 606 Social Psychology II
Psy 640 Survey of Psychopathology
Courses from other departments will be considered by the Area Head on a case by case basis.
C. Research Project (6 credits):
Psy 600a Research Project in Psychology
Psy 600b Research Project in Psychology
II. Requirements Specific to Industrial and Organizational Psychology (39 credits)
A. Required Courses (24 credits) In addition to meeting department and university requirements for the Ph.D., students in the Industrial and Organizational (I/O) area are required to complete the following courses within their first four years of study:
Psy 613 Multivariate Analysis (3)
Psy 641 Survey of Organizational Psychology (3)
Psy 736 Research Methods in Psychology (3)
Psy 752 Personnel Psychology (3)
Psy 753 Psychometric Theory and Research (3)
Psy 758 Ethics and Professional Issues (3)
Psy 781 Topics in Industrial and Organizational Psychology (1 credit per semester for each of the first 6 semesters)
B. Advanced I/O seminars: choose four seminars (12 credits)
At least 1 from each of the following groups:
Group 1: Organizational psychology seminars:
Psy 751 Work Motivation
Psy 668 Group Dynamics
Psy 759 Occupational Health Psychology
Psy 780 Selected Topics in Psychology (seminar in organizational psychology topic)
Mgt Leadership course
Org studies seminar upon approval of Area Head.
Group 2: Industrial psychology seminars
Psy 754 Training and Development in Organizations
Psy 757 Performance Appraisal and Management
Psy 780 Selected Topics in Psychology (seminar in personnel psychology topic)
Psy 644 Human Factors
Mgt 733 Seminar in Human Resource Management
Org studies seminar upon approval of Area Head
C. Advanced statistics (3 credits)
Students must take at least one advanced statistics course beyond multivariate, or additional research credits in the form of an independent study.
Advanced Statistics Courses:
Research Methods II: Advanced Linear Models
Structural Equation Modeling
Latent Growth Curve Modeling
Psy 614 Meta-analysis
Advanced course in other department (Educational Psych, Sociology) subject to approval by advisor and Area Head.
Psy 897 Independent Study (must focus on an advanced statistical technique)
III. Other Requirements
A. Tool requirement
The department defines the research tool as a course or area of study involving both a skill component and an execution component that will aid students in their dissertation and future research endeavors. The tool subject must be satisfied following admission to and in addition to the student’s program of study in psychology.
B. Qualifying Examinations
Before the end of the fourth year of study, a student must have completed the doctoral qualifying examination. The specific format will be determined by the student's Qualifying Examination Committee, which must include at least three area faculty. It is the student's responsibility to consult with his or her advisor about examination format, committee membership, and time line. If a student fails the qualifying examination, he/she may take it once more. Failure on the second occasion constitutes a basis for dismissal from the program. It is strongly recommended that all course requirements specific to area are finished before taking the qualifying examination.
Dissertation
Students must submit an acceptable dissertation which demonstrates that they are capable of doing independent scholarly work and are able to formulate conclusions which should modify or extend previous knowledge. Students must be formally admitted to candidacy before the dissertation proposal can be accepted and approved.
Full Time Study in Residence
Each student in a doctoral program must engage in full-time study beyond the master's degree or equivalent at the University in at least two sessions after admission to the advanced program. This requirement is designed to insure for each doctoral student a sustained period of intensive intellectual growth. For this purpose a student will enroll in full-time study (12 credits) taken in each of two sessions, or in a regular session and a summer session, not necessarily consecutive, which must be completed satisfactorily, except as indicated here:
- Students authorized to register for work on a dissertation may meet this 12 credit per session requirement by satisfactorily completing a minimum of 8 earned course credits and registering for work on the dissertation for load credits that will bring the total to 12 credits for each of two sessions.
- Graduate assistants holding a full assistantship may meet the residency requirement by completing one academic year in such a position, including the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 9 registered credits per semester during the year plus satisfactory completion of assigned duties.
Admission to Candidacy
A student is admitted to candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy upon the following:
- Satisfactory completion of the research competency paper;
- Satisfactory record in course and seminar study;
- Satisfactory completion of the research tool requirement;
- Completion of university residence requirements;
- Satisfactory completion of the doctoral qualifying examination.
Statute of Limitations
All courses used to satisfy degree requirements (other than Psy 899) must have been completed no more than eight years prior to the semester in which the degree is officially granted by the University. This limitation also applies to all courses taken at other institutions for which transfer credit has been granted by the University.
