Program Description
The Department of Psychology at North Dakota
State University grants both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. The doctoral
program is in experimental psychology and is designed to prepare
students for research and academic careers. There are two separate
tracks within the Psychology master's degree program. Students
may elect to pursue the experimental or clinical (behavior therapy) options.
Doctoral Program. Students enter the Ph.D. program with one of two emphases: Health and Social Psychology or Visual and Cognitive Neuroscience. These two areas represent the strengths of the department's faculty in experimental research, as well as two of the most active and cutting-edge areas of the field of psychology. The program accommodates 20 students, with approximately 4 new Ph.D. degrees awarded each year. Training in the program includes course work in the student's area of emphasis, as well as methods courses, breadth requirements, and research experience under the supervision of a faculty mentor. Training and experience in college-level teaching is an important part of the program. Student support is available through teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and teaching stipends.
Master's Program. Both master's tracks are designed to provide a broad background in general psychology and a firm grounding in research methodology. The clinical track of the program combines an emphasis on research with training and supervised practice in clinical behavior therapy skills. The program is suited for people who wish to pursue doctoral studies after receiving the M.S. or wish to work in a supervised practice setting immediately after graduation. The general cognitive-behavioral orientation integrates research and practice. Applied behavior analysis is an integral part of the program as are social learning and cognitive-behavioral approaches. Experiences and training are available in several subareas.
The general-experimental program stresses broad training in general psychology and involvement in research beginning early in graduate training. The program operates on a mentor system in which a student works closely with a primary faculty member in the student's chosen field of experimental psychology. The program is designed so that students satisfy a large amount of the general requirements the first year and acquire more specialized skills and training during the second year. The program prepares the student for doctoral studies in the experimental areas of psychology.
Students in both tracks have access to well-equipped research facilities and to faculty supervision time. (A favorable staff-to-student ratio is maintained.) The program requires 21 months of full-time study. Oral defense of a research-based thesis is required. The program is individualized, particularly in the second year, and students elect courses of special interest to them.
Admissions Requirements
The Department of Psychology graduate programs are open to qualified graduates of universities and colleges of recognized standing. To be admitted with full status to the master's or doctoral programs, the applicant must
1. Hold a baccalaureate or graduate degree from an educational institution of recognized standing. Students may be admitted to the doctoral program at either the bachelor's or master's level.
2. Have adequate preparation in psychology and show potential to undertake advanced study and research as evidenced by academic performance and research experience.
3. At the baccalaureate level, have earned a cumulative grade point average (GPA) in all courses of at least 3.0 or equivalent. Students with a previous graduate degree with a GPA of 3.0 or equivalent may be admitted in full standing.
4. To be competitive for admission, students should have GRE scores above the 50th percentile on the general subtests.
Applications should be submitted directly to the Graduate School. Applications are due by February 15 in order to receive full consideration for admission in the upcoming academic year. However, applications will be considered after this date to the extent that space in the program is still available. Official transcripts (transcripts having an appropriate seal or stamp) of all previous undergraduate and graduate records must be received by the Graduate School before the application is complete. When a transcript is submitted in advance of completion of undergraduate or graduate studies, an updated transcript showing all course credits and grades must be provided prior to initial registration at North Dakota State University .
Three letters of recommendation are required before action is taken on any application. Personal reference report forms are available from The Graduate School.
Scores on the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are required prior to evaluation of applications by the Department of Psychology.
Financial Assistance
Students are routinely supported through research and teaching assistantships. Applicants are considered on the basis of scholarship, potential to undertake advanced study and research, and financial need. All students who submit complete applications to the program by the appropriate deadlines are considered for assistantships. There is not a separate application for financial aid. Doctoral students are eligible for university fellowships that are awarded on a competitive basis.
Requirements for the Master's of Science in Psychology
The program requires 21 months of full-time study, during which 40 semester hour credits must be completed with an overall GPA of 3.0 or better. An oral defense of a research-based thesis is required.
All students must:
1. Complete an area paper in their field of specialization. The paper involves a literature review in a specific area and concludes with suggestions for future research. It should lead to a master's thesis proposal.
2. Complete a research-based thesis and pass an oral defense of the thesis administered by the student's supervisory committee.
3. Complete Psyc 640 Experimental Methods.
4. Successfully complete two Psyc core courses selected from two of the following three areas:
(a) 660 Sensation and Perception, 665 Psychobiology, or 686 Neuropsychology;
(b) 661 Memory and Knowledge, or 664 Attention and Thinking;
(c) 668 Personality, or 670 Experimental Social Psychology.
Experimental track students must:
1. Pass a methodology exam on research design and statistics.
2. Demonstrate competence in a “skill” area related to their main interest area.
3. Complete one clinical course.
4. Complete a third core course so that one core course is taken from each core area.
Behavior therapy track students must:
1. Complete a sequence in behavior therapy (Psyc 755-756).
2. Complete four required courses:
Psyc 750 Introduction to Clinical Issues and Practices
Psyc 770 Advanced Psychological Assessment
Psyc 761 Applied Research Methods
Psyc 672 Advanced Psychopathology,
or Psyc 673 Child Psychopathology and /Therapy
3. Complete one approved elective.
4. Complete three semester credits of practicum during the first year and four semester credits of practicum during each semester of the second year.
Year I-Fall
755 Behavior Therapy and Assessment I
770 Advanced Psychological Assessment or 761 Applied Research Methods Core Course
790 Graduate Seminar
750 Introduction to Clinical Issues and Practices
Core Course or Elective
Spring
640 Experimental Methods
756 Behavior Therapy and Assessment II
672* Advanced Psychopathology or 673* Child Psychopathology and Therapy
790 Graduate Seminar
795 Field Experience
Summer
Area paper, outline thesis
Year 2-Fall
770 Advanced Psychological Assessment
or 761 Applied Research Methods (both are required)
Practicum, thesis
Core Course or Elective**
Spring
Elective**
Practicum, thesis
*Only one of these two courses (672, 673) is required.
**Only one elective is needed and may be taken in any semester.
Elective Options (must be 600 or 700 level)
681 Health Psychology
782 Emotions
672 Advanced Psychopathology
or 673 Child Psychopathology/Therapy; other core courses; courses in Department of Child Development and Family Science, and/or other departments
Required Clinical Classes
Psyc 750, 755, 756, 761, 770, (672 or 673)
Requirements for Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology:
1. Complete a master's degree in Psychology. This may be done at NDSU or elsewhere.
2. Complete at least 90 hours of graduate credit, including those completed for
the master's degree; 60 or more of these credits must be earned at NDSU. At least 30 credit hours must be in approved didactic courses, and at least 18 of these must be at the 700 level.
3. Complete quantitative and research methods courses (Psyc640 and 762, plus 761 for Health/Social track).
4. Complete core courses in specialty track:
- Health & Social Psychology - four courses: Psyc 733, 771, 782, 787
- Visual & Cognitive Neuroscience - three courses from Psyc 718, 720, 727, 731,760, 764).
5. Complete two (for Health/Social students) or one (for Visual/Cognitive students) breadth courses at the graduate level from area outside specialty track. (Can include approved courses from other departments).
6. Complete Psyc 790 (graduate seminar and colloquium series) each semester.
7. Participate in a continued program of research apprenticeship with at least one faculty member and, accordingly, enroll in Psyc 793 each semester for 1-5 credits.
8. Teach one undergraduate course under the supervision of a faculty member, after completion of Hum 702, Introduction to College Teaching in the Humanities and Social Sciences, or Biol 705/Educ705, Teaching College Science.
9. Complete a major area paper to serve as the comprehensive exam for Ph.D. candidacy. The area paper will be a comprehensive literature review of the student's area of research and will include an oral defense.
10. Complete the dissertation. The student will defend a written proposal before a faculty committee, conduct an original research project, and complete a comprehensive written report on the project. The student will complete a final oral defense before the same committee.
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Courses Offered
640 Experimental Methods 3
Intermediate experimental design and data analysis with emphasis on the analysis of variance. Laboratory includes data analysis on the computer.
653 Organizational Psychology 3
Survey of topics related to application of psychology to organizational settings. Emphasis on theoretical bases of the individual (motivation or satisfaction) and social (leadership or work group) factors involved in work behavior.
660 Sensation and Perception 3
Explores physical, anatomical, and physiological bases of sensation and perception and their psychophysical measurement. Laboratory experiments complement lectures and demonstrate various experimental techniques and sensory phenomena. 2 lectures and equivalent of 2-hour laboratory.
661 Memory and Knowledge 3
Examination of current behavioral and neuropsychological research and theory in the area of memory and knowledge representation. Various cognitive phenomena are demonstrated and relevant design issues are highlighted via laboratory experiments.
663 Experimental Development Psychology 3
Examination of historical and contemporary theory and research in social and cognitive development. Topics include attachment, adolescent risk-taking, theories of intelligence, and meta-cognition. Laboratory experiences illustrate methods of investigating psychological development.
664 Attention and Thinking 3
Examines current behavioral and neuropsychological research and theory in the area of attention and thought processes. Laboratory experiments will demonstrate various attentional phenomena and highlight relevant design issues.
665 Psychobiology 3
Fundamental anatomy (structure) and physiology (function) of the nervous system. Physiological bases of behavior. 2 lectures and equivalent of 2-hour laboratory.
668 Personality 3
Study of complex human behavior with attention to historically significant theories and current empirical issues. Laboratory experiences illustrate methods of investigating individual differences.
670 Experimental Social Psychology 3
Examination of historical and contemporary theory and research in social psychology. Study of the relationship between the individual and social context. 2 lectures and equivalent of 2-hour laboratory.
671 The Psychology of Aging 3
Survey of cognitive and psychosocial development in adulthood and old age, including psychopathologies of old age. Contemporary research findings are emphasized.
672 Advanced Psychopathology 3
In-depth coverage of recent research on diagnosis, etiology, and maintenance of behavior disorders emphasizing the interaction of biological, behavioral, and social factors.
673 Child Psychopathology and Therapy 3
Overview of the etiology and treatment of behavior disorders in children and adolescents. Emphasis on recent research findings and behavioral intervention strategies.
674 Behavior Analysis in Developmental Disabilities 3
Overview of developmental disabilities with emphasis on mental retardation. Application of behavior analysis procedures for skills training, functional assessment and treatment of problem behaviors, and staff management. Students participate in assessment and treatment projects.
680 History and Systems 3
Historical development of scientific psychology. Emphasis on the development of various systems of psychology in America .
681 Health Psychology 3
Application of behavioral procedures to the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of medical disorders. Emphasis on contemporary research findings.
686 Neuropsychology 3
Introduction to human neuropsychology with emphasis on the neural basis of motor, perceptual, cognitive, emotive, and language behavior. Topics include normal and pathological conditions from clinical and experimental perspectives.
688 Human/Computer Interaction 3
See Computer Science for description.
718 Visual Neuroscience 3
A detailed survey of current ideas, methods, and perspectives in visual neuroscience.
720 Cognitive Neuroscience 3
Examines prominent theories, research approaches, and experimental findings in the field of cognitive neuroscience.
727 Advanced Topics in Visual Perception 3
Integrated overview of the field of vision research. Addresses recent developments in the study of the phenomenology, psychophysics, and neural substrates of human visual sensation and perception.
731 Fundamental Processes in Cognition 3
Explores the underlying architecture of the human cognitive system: how it takes in, processes, stores, and retrieves information.
732 Applied Cognitive Processes 3
Explores the ways cognitive principles operate in ecologically valid (real-world) situations.
733 Judgment and Decision Making 3
Explores issues and topics related to judgment and decision making.
735 Neural Networks 3
See Computer Science for description.
750 Introduction to Clinical Issues and Practices 1
Instruction and practice in clinical interview techniques and discussion of clinical issues including ethics, laws, and crisis intervention.
755 Behavior Therapy and Assessment I 4
Introduction to the nature and characteristics of behavioral assessment and behavior therapy. Laboratory includes behavioral interviewing and training in assessment and treatment procedures.
756 Behavior Therapy and Assessment II 4
In-depth coverage of behavioral assessment and treatment approaches, emphasis on their empirical status. Laboratory includes instruction with practice in implementation of these procedures. Prereq: Psyc 755.
760 Research Methods in Visual and Cognitive Neuroscience 3
This course provided both theoretical and practical training in methodological skills essential for the conduct of high-quality research in the field of visual cognitive neuroscience. May be repeated for credit with a change in topic given in subtitle.
761 Applied Research Methods 3
Experimental methodology and design skills useful in clinical research, including N=1 designs, experimental, and quasi-experimental designs. Laboratory includes reports on recent research articles, presentations on specific content areas, and development of a detailed research proposal.
762 Advanced Research Methods and Analysis 3
Advanced experimental design and data analysis. Emphasis on regression models as applied to psychological data and designs. Includes analysis on the computer. Lecture and laboratory. Prereq: Psyc 640.
764 Advanced Topics in Attention 3
Examines prominent theories of attention and empirical evidence in support of those theories. Included topics focus on the role of attention in thought, perception, and action.
770 Advanced Psychological Assessment 3
Comprehensive approach to assessment in clinical psychology. Includes administration, interpretation, and report writing. Primary focus on Wechsler intelligence scales and personality testing by objective and projectile methods.
771 Social/Health Psychology Research 3
Covers research designs frequently utilized in conducting social psychology related research with particular emphasis on health psychology.
782 Emotions 3
Focused on basic questions about defining emotions, differences in experiencing or expressing emotions, and relatedness to cognition. Includes emotions and psychotherapy, emotions in a social context, and the impact of emotional expressions versus repression on health. Prereq: Departmental approval.
787 Advanced Social Psychology and Health 3
Covers theory and research from social psychology that have implications for health behavior. Emphasizes theories of attitudes and behavior applied to such topics as regimen adherence, self-protective health behavior, and disease prevention. Prereq: Psyc 670 and 681 or departmental approval.
The following variable credit courses are also offered:
790 Graduate Seminar 1-3
793 Individual Study/Tutorial 1-5
794 Practicum/Internship 1-8
795 Field Experience 1-15
696/796 Special Topics 1-3
797 Master's Paper 1-3
798 Master's Thesis 1-10
799 Doctoral Dissertation 1-15
