Graduate Program (Ph.D Requirements) - OU Department of Psychology

Ph.D. Requirements

In order to complete the Ph.D. in psychology, a student must (in approximate chronological order):

Complete the Department's prescribed first year including a first-year research project;
Choose a major professor;
Complete a three-semester statistics sequence;
Complete the experimental psychology core and minor course work;
Participate in an Advisory Conference in order to plan the coursework beyond the core and statistics sequence;
Complete a master's thesis and oral defense;
Complete the General Examination;
Complete at least ninety hours of coursework beyond the bachelor's degree;
Complete a doctoral dissertation and final oral examination.

A continuing involvement in directed or independent research enrollment is expected to be a part of the student's program of doctoral study. The Department of Psychology has no foreign language requirements, but a student's Advisory Committee may recommend the development of competence in areas of study (e.g., computer science, mathematics, industrial engineering, marketing, philosophy of science, history of science, physiology) of potential benefit to the student's particular professional development and interests.

As a vital part of the graduate training program in psychology, all graduate students have the opportunity to be engaged in a training assignment each term. These assignments vary according to the needs and professional aspirations of the student. They are designed to supplement the more formal coursework by a variety of preprofessional activities such as assisting in research, teaching, etc., under faculty supervision. The training assignments increase in responsibility as the student progresses. The amount of time required of the student varies from ten to twenty hours per week, depending upon level of progress, the type of assignment, etc. The purpose of these assignments is to train the student in some of the types of activities that the student will ultimately be engaged in after the degree is received.

A student's progress toward the Ph.D. degree is evaluated annually. Additionally, first year students are evaluated after the first semester. The purposes of these evaluations are to provide feedback to the student and to assess the student's proficiency based on academic coursework, progress in research, and potential for significant contributions to the profession.

For more information about Ph.D. degree requirements for specific areas of specialization, please visit the Areas of Specialization section. You can also download the formal requirements.