Students specializing in Experimental Psychology are expected to become involved in research activities as soon as possible following entry into the Program. A continual high level of involvement in research is expected throughout graduate training. Students are encouraged to inquire into the research activities of our faculty so that a research advisor may be selected. This advisor will serve as a student's primary research supervisor; however, we encourage students to broaden their backgrounds by participating in research activities in conjunction with other faculty.

Our goal is to educate experimental psychologists who will successfully compete for academic and industrial positions and who will contribute meaningful research in their chosen field.

We recommend the following minimal requirements for the graduate degrees:

The Master's Degree

1. The core courses in the Department.
2. The basic methods courses in research design and analysis, analysis of variance and correlational analysis (8 credits).
3. Completion of at least two experimental seminars (6 credits).
4. Master's thesis (minimum 6 thesis credits) (involves proposal approval and final defense).
5. Minimum of 30 graduate credit hours.
6. Master's committee will make a formal recommendation to the Area Director, following the Master's oral defense, as to approval of the candidate for the doctoral program. Experimental faculty will review the committee's recommendation.

The Doctorate (in addition to the Master's requirements)

1. Completion of at least four additional seminars in the Experimental Program or joint Ph.D. Program. Of the six seminars that are the required minimum, at least four must be given by different members of the Experimental faculty.
2. Completion of at least three more methods courses.
3. A minor area (at least two graduate level courses in an approved area of concentration).
4. Completion of comprehensive exams or special paper.
5. Dissertation (minimum of 12 dissertation credits).

Explanation of Terms

Seminars. The Experimental area will offer at least two seminars in each semester of the academic year. It is expected that high quality papers be required of the students as one of the products of each seminar. It is suggested (but not required) that each student be enrolled in at least one seminar per semester after the first year in graduate school.

Minor. A minor is required under Departmental and Graduate School regulations. In Psychology it consists of at least two graduate level courses (outside of the Experimental area) which can be seen to support the goals of the student's training. Students are strongly urged to consider developing a minor in an area that clearly adds strength to their programs, (e.g., computer science, engineering, biochemistry, linguistics, etc.). In the interdisciplinary program in Speech, Hearing and Language, the required courses in Communication Sciences and Disorders will constitute fulfillment of the minor. Approval of minor programs is a responsibility of the student's committee with review by the Graduate Program Committee. Approval should be sought by the end of the second year in graduate school.

Comprehensive Examinations. The written examinations will consist of four three-hour sessions. One session will be devoted to methods. Three sessions will be devoted to the student's specialty area. The specialty area may be chosen from a list of areas developed by the faculty. Appropriate minimal reading lists will be developed for each area to help guide the formation of each student's final reading list. The reading lists will consist of the basic (classic) readings in each area and a suggestion of the appropriate journals and materials to be covered in the current literature.

Possible Alternative. An alternative to the special examinations will be the preparation and submission of an appropriate paper in the student's specialty area to the Psychological Bulletin or Psychological Review. The topic must be approved by the student's committee (or an ad hoc committee appointed by the Experimental faculty). The work must be single- authored. (This does not mean, of course, that it should not be criticized by faculty and colleagues or that one does not take advantage of suggestions. It will presumably be prepared the way a scholar's work is normally prepared before being submitted for publication.) The manuscript must be submitted to the journal to be reviewed in the usual manner. Publication of the paper is not required for this paper to substitute successfully for the examination, but a paper that is not accepted must be independently evaluated by the Experimental faculty as to its acceptability as an alternative to the Special Examination.

Possible Specialty Areas for Comprehensive Examinations

• Animal Learning; Human Learning; Bio-Psychology;
• Sensory Processes; Memory; Perception;
• Cognition; Language; Speech and Hearing;
• Applied Exper.; Developmental; Communication Sciences and Disorders

Other Recommendations

Students are expected to be involved in research from the onset of their enrollment in the Program. Students are expected to give papers at regional meetings and to work toward publication of their work in order to establish a "track record" for themselves and increase their opportunities for employment.