boston college morrissey college of arts and sciences graduate program psychology

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1 boston college morrissey college of arts and sciences graduate program psychology 1

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3 the graduate program in psychology Psychology the scientific study of thought, feeling and behavior in humans and other animal species is one of the most exciting areas of study today. The study of the relationship of mind, brain and behavior is at the frontier of science, and discoveries in the field of psychology have profound effects on other domains e.g., philosophy, economics, law, education and public policy. At Boston College, we are ethusiastic about where we are now and where we re headed in the future. We have a thriving department with numerous world-class investigators. In the last 10 years, we have hired 11 new faculty members at the assistant professor level. This tremendous growth has created a truly unparalleled level of excitement among our faculty and graduate students. Our department conducts research in all of the core areas of psychology: cognitive neuroscience, behavioral neuroscience, developmental psychology and social psychology. We also have a quantitative (mathematical psychology) area that strengthens the other research areas and provides our graduate students with the advanced statistical training that has come to be expected in the field. Across areas, our department has a singular focus on neuroscience, which is in line with President Obama s 2013 BRAIN Initiative to revolutionize our understanding of the human brain. Our faculty and graduate students are highly productive. Last year, our department published more than 50 research papers, with graduate students serving as first author on the large majority. Our graduate students also regularly present at national conferences. Given this level of research productivity, it is not surprising that our national rankings have dramatically improved over the last decade. Each spring, we hold a Graduate Student Research Day, which is an excellent forum for students to practice giving presentations, discuss new ideas and get feedback on their recent work. Many of our graduate students are supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and other prestigious foundations. More advanced graduate students can also elect to teach their own courses, an invaluable experience that provides an edge when they go into the job market. Indeed, our graduate students have excellent research and teaching skills and routinely secure coveted post-doctoral and faculty positions. To appreciate the exciting and productive environment of our department, we encourage you to visit our website and come to campus. We would be happy to arrange individual meetings with our faculty and current graduate students so you can see our thriving department for yourself. contents Program Overview 2 Faculty 3 Courses 8 Outcomes 8 Academic Resources 9 Student Life & Campus Resources 10 Admission & Financial Information 12 1

4 program overview We offer both M.A. and Ph.D. graduate training programs in the five core areas of psychology: Behavioral Neuroscience, Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Psychology, Quantitative Psychology and Social Psychology. The department seeks students whose interests fall within or bridge these areas. All students collaborate closely with a faculty advisor. programs of study Ph.D. Program Our doctoral program is aimed at students who intend to become research psychologists, participating in the basic search for knowledge about human beings. The focus throughout the stay at Boston College is on original research. The Psychology Department matriculates a small class of new doctoral students each September; our program s size ensures individualized attention. Plan of Study First Year Each student is accepted to work with a primary advisor. By the end of the first semester, the student, along with his/her advisor, selects two additional faculty members to serve on a thesis committee. The Ph.D. student s initial task is the production of a second-year research project. Work on this task begins immediately. A topic is selected, background reading carried out, a research program designed and piloted; a proposal is then submitted to the student s committee. The proposal is defended orally in front of the committee. Second Year In the second year, any further pilot work needed is carried out, IRB approval is obtained, the data gathered and analyzed, and the second-year research project written and defended. The thesis reports original empirical research initiated and conducted while in our program. Although the project is carried out in close collaboration with the advisor, the student should be the major contributor to the thesis, thus qualifying the student for senior authorship on the thesis when it is submitted for publication. Third, Fourth and Fifth Year The second period in the graduate program is characterized by a shift to more independent work and an even more intensive focus on research. The third year focuses on two requirements that the student works on simultaneously: the third year literature review and the dissertation proposal. The fourth year focuses on dissertation research. The student s principal job is carrying out research and building a CV. The program is designed to be completed within five years. CourSe requirements The required coursework is determined by the intended area of research. Please visit our website at bc.edu/ psychology for specific information pertaining to required coursework for your area of research. Neuroscience Concentration: Brain Mechanisms of Behavior and Cognition Graduate students are able to receive a Ph.D. in Psychology with a concentration in Neuroscience. The goal of the neuroscience concentration is to promote research training in the basic neural processes and brain mechanisms that regulate behavior, cognition and emotion. This concentration offers flexible programs of study and is appropriate for students with interests in behavioral and cognitive neuroscience. The concentration is housed within the Psychology Department, but may include courses taught in the Biology Department. Graduate StatiStiCS minor Graduate students in psychology and other departments may complete a minor in statistics through completion of courses in the mathematics and other departments. M.A. Program The master s program is designed for students who intend to become psychologists, but are not ready to commit to a four- to five-year doctoral program. This is a two-year, full-time, research-oriented graduate program that features an empirical thesis, coursework and a close relationship with a faculty advisor. Master s students complete the same course of study as the first two years of the Ph.D. program. 2

5 faculty profiles Plan of Study First Year Each student is accepted to work with a primary advisor. By the end of the first semester, the student along with his/her advisor, selects two additional faculty members to serve on a thesis committee. The student s primary task is the production of a secondyear research project (master s thesis). Work on this task begins immediately. A topic is selected, background reading carried out, a research program designed and piloted and a two- to three-page plan is submitted to the student s three-person master s committee. Second Year An oral defense of the completed thesis must be held in front of the three-person master s committee and approved by March 31 of the second year. The thesis reports original empirical research initiated and conducted while in our M.A. program. Although the project is carried out in close collaboration with the advisor, the student should be the major contributor to the thesis, thus qualifying for senior authorship on the thesis when it is submitted for publication. CourSe requirements The required coursework is determined by the intended concentration. Please visit our website for specific information pertaining to requirements for your area of concentration. behavioral neuroscience john christianson Ph.D. 2006, University of New Hampshire john.christianson.2@bc.edu The focus of John Christianson s research is to determine how stress interacts with the neural systems that permit individuals to adapt to potentially dangerous and changing environments. The current emphasis is on the neural mechanisms that underly safety learning. The laboratory employs a multidisciplinary approach to study brain circuits and behavior including sophisticated behavioral paradigms, electrophysiology and optogenetics. The overall goal is to provide new insight into the organization of the brain and behavior and improve treatment for psychological illness. Christianson, J.P.; Jovanovic, T.; Kazama, A.; Fernando, A.; Ostroff, L.; Sanga, S. (2012). Inhibition of fear by learned safety signals: minisymposium review. Journal of Neuroscience, 32(41), Christianson, J.P.; Jennings, J.H.; Ragole, T.; Flyer, J.; Benison, A.; Barth, D.; Watkins, L.R.; Maier, S.F. (2011). Safety signals mitigate the consequences of uncontrollable stress via a circuit involving the sensory insular cortex and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Biological Psychiatry, 70(5), Christianson, J.P.; Benison, A.M.; Jennings, J.H.; Sandsmark, E.K.; Amat, J.; Kaufman, R.D.; Barratta, M.V.; Paul, E.D.; Campeau, S.; Watkins, L.R.; Barth D.S; Maier, S.F. (2008). The sensory insular cortex mediates the stress-buffering effects of safety signals but not behavioral control. Journal of Neuroscience, 28(50), michael mcdannald Ph.D. 2008, Johns Hopkins University michael.mcdannald@bc.edu Michael McDannald s research is aimed at uncovering the neural circuits that support the prediction of important events such as danger and reward. To uncover these neural circuits the laboratory combines Pavlovian conditioning procedures from the learning theory tradition with single-unit recording, optogenetic stimulation, neurotoxic lesions and neural inactivation procedures. The goal is to describe neural circuits that support prediction and how dysfunction of these circuits contributes to disorder of anxiety and addiction. McDannald, M.A.; Jones, J.L.; Takahashi, Y.; Schoenbaum, G. (2014). Learning theory: a driving force in understanding orbitofrontal function. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 108, McDannald, M.A.; Whitt, J.P.; Calhoon, G.G; Piantadosi, P.T.; Karlsson, R.M.; O Donell, P.; Schoenbaum, G. (2011). Impaired reality testing in an animal model of schizophrenia. Biological Psychiatry, 70(12), McDannald, M.A.; Lucantonio, F.; Burke, K.A; Niv, Y.; Schoenbaum, G. (2011). Ventral striatum and orbitofrontal cortex are both required for model-based, but not model-free, reinforcement learning. Journal of Neuroscience, 31(7),

6 faculty profiles gorica d. petrovich Ph.D. 1997, University of Southern California Gorica Petrovich s research explores the neurobiology of the motivational and emotional control of feeding behavior. She is particularly interested in interactions between the forebrain and the hypothalamus in the control of food intake and how basic hunger mechanisms can be influenced by learning and stress. She accomplishes the research goals through the use of advanced neuroanatomical, molecular and behavioral techniques in animal models. Her research demonstrates that the brain network formed by the amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex and lateral hypothalamus mediates control of food consumption by learned motivational cues. Petrovich, G.D. (2011). Forebrain circuits and control of feeding by learned cues. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 95, (Epub 2010). Petrovich, G.D.; Ross, C.A.; Mody, P; Holland, P.C.; Gallagher, M. (2009). Central but not basolateral amygdala is critical for control of feeding by aversive conditioned cues. Journal of Neuroscience, 29, Petrovich, G.D.; Ross, C.A.; Holland, P.C.; Gallagher, M. (2007). Medial prefrontal cortex is necessary for an appetitive contextual conditioned stimulus to promote eating in sated rats. Journal of Neuroscience, 27, alexa h. veenema Ph.D. 2003, University of Groningen, The Netherlands alexa.veenema@bc.edu Alexa Veenema examines the neural basis of social behaviors including juvenile play-fighting, adult aggression, social recognition and social anxiety. She is particularly interested in the role of early life stress in modulating these behaviors and in the neural circuits underlying the maturation of social behaviors. She is using rats and mice to explore the underlying brain systems with a focus on the neuropeptides vasopressin and oxytocin among others. Her research ultimately aims to shed light on normal and abnormal human social functioning as observed in autism spectrum disorder, borderline personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder and schizophrenia. Lukas, M.; Bredewold, R.; Landgraf, R.; Neumann, I.D.; Veenema, A.H. (2011). Early life stress impairs social recognition due to a blunted response of vasopressin release within the septum of adult male rats. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 36(6), Veenema, A.H.; Beiderbeck, D.I.; Lukas, M.; Neumann, I.D. (2010). Distinct correlations of vasopressin release within the lateral septum and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis with the display of intermale aggression. Hormones and Behavior, 58(2), Veenema, A.H. (2009). Early life stress, the development of aggression and neurobiological correlates: What can we learn from animal models? Front Neuroendocrinol, 30, Veenema, A.H.; Blume, A.; Niederle, D.; Buwalda, B.; Neumann, I.D. (2006). Effects of early life stress on adult male aggression and hypothalamic vasopressin and serotonin. European Journal of Neuroscience, 24, cognitive neuroscience hiram brownell Ph.D. 1978, Johns Hopkins University hiram.brownell@bc.edu Hiram Brownell s work examines selective deficits in linguistic and cognitive ability associated with injury to the brain and remediation of those deficits. Griffin, R.; Friedman, O.; Ween, J.; Winner, E.; Happé, F.; Brownell, H. (2006). Theory of mind and the right cerebral hemisphere: Refining the scope of impairment. Laterality,11, Lundgren, K.; Brownell, H. (2011). Remediation of theory of mind impairments in brain-injured adults. In J. Guendouzi, F. Loncke; M. J. Williams (eds.), The Handbook of Psycho- Linguistic and Cognitive Processes: Perspectives in Communication Disorders. Psychology Press. Lundgren, K.; Brownell, H.; Cayer-Meade, C.; Miliione, J.; Kearns, K. (2011). Treating metaphor interpretation deficits subsequent to right hemisphere brain damage: Preliminary results. Aphasiology, 25(4), elizabeth kensinger Ph.D. 2003, Massachusetts Institute of Technology elizabeth.kensinger@bc.edu Elizabeth Kensinger s research combines behavioral and brain imaging techniques to examine how emotion affects the processes that are used to remember information. She is interested in understanding these cognitive and neural processes in young adults and in identifying how these processes change across the adult lifespan. Kensinger, E.A. (2009). Emotional Memory across the Adult Lifespan. Psychology Press. Kensinger, E.A. (2009). How emotion affects older adults memories for event details. Memory, 17, Kensinger, E.A. (2007). How negative emotion affects memory accuracy: Behavioral and neuroimaging evidence. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16,

7 sean macevoy Ph.D. 2003, Brown University Sean MacEvoy studies the mechanisms of human visual perception, using both using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fmri) and psychophysics. He is particularly interested in the neural processes underlying object perception and recognition in complex environments, the integration of what and where: information in temporal lobe visual areas and the functional organization of visual cortex. MacEvoy, S.P.; Epstein, R.A. (2009). Decoding the representation of multiple simultaneous objects in human occipitotemporal cortex. Current Biology, 19, MacEvoy, S.P; Tucker, T.R.; Fitzpatrick, D. (2009). A precise form of divisive normalization supports population coding in primary visual cortex. Nature Neuroscience, 12, MacEvoy, S.P.; Epstein, R.A. (2007). Position selectivity in scene- and object-responsive occipitotemporal regions. Journal of Neurophysiology, 98, scott slotnick Ph.D. 1998, University of California, Berkeley scott.stotnick@bc.edu Scott Slotnick s research program aims to understand the nature of visual memory (i.e., memory for visual items or events). Drawing on the foundation of research in visual perception, he employs cognitive modeling (based on behavioral measures), event-related potentials (ERPs), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fmri). His research indicates that memory retrieval is a continuous process that is constructive in nature, where features or components from disparate cortical regions bind together to form a unified memory. Slotnick, S.D.; Moo, L.R.; Kraut, M.A.; Lesser, R.P.; Hart, J. (2002). Interactions between thalamic and cortical rhythms during semantic memory recall in human. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 99, Slotnick, S.D.; Schacter, D.L. (2004). A sensory signature that distinguishes true from false memories. Nature Neuroscience, 7, Supplement. Slotnick, S.D.; Dodson, C.S. (2005). Support for a continuous (single-process) model of recognition memory and source memory. Memory & Cognition, 33, joseph tecce Ph.D. 1961, Catholic University tecce@bc.edu Joseph Tecce studies the role of attention in the understanding of stress-health associations and in the achievement of stress reduction by cognitive-behavioral methods. He also investigates the use of eyeblinks as an indicator of emotional arousal and the control of computer functions by eye movements. Tecce, J.J.; Pok, L.J.; Consiglio, M.R.; O Neil, J.L. (2005). Attention impairment in electrooculographic control of computer functions. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 55, Tecce, J.J. (1992). Psychology, physiological and experimental [a review of eyeblink research ]. In McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science & Technology (6th edition). McGraw-Hill. Tecce, J.J. (1991). Dopamine and CNV: Studies of drugs, disease, and nutrition. Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology (Suppl. 42), See also Sara Cordes, Ellen Winner and Liane Young. developmental psychology sara cordes Ph.D. 2005, Rutgers University sara.cordes.1@bc.edu Sara Cordes studies cognitive development. Her primary research focus is on understanding how infants, children and adults keep track of basic quantities such as number, time and amount and how these abilities relate to early counting abilities and mathematics achievement in the classroom. using primarily looking-time measures with infants and psychophysical tasks with children and adults, her work investigates the impact of contextual, linguistic and social factors on these preverbal representations of quantity. Cordes, S.; Brannon, E.M. (2008). Quantitative competencies in infancy. Developmental Science, 11(6), Cordes, S.; Brannon, E.M. (2008). Discrimination of continuous quantities in 6-month old infants: using number is just easier. Child Development, 79(2), Cordes, S.; Gelman, R.; Gallistel, C.R.; Whalen, J. (2001). Variability signatures distinguish verbal from nonverbal counting for both large and small numbers. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 8(4), joshua hartshorne Ph.D. 2012, Harvard University joshua.hartshorne@bc.edu Joshua Hartshorne studies the relationship between language and intuitive theories of the world, with a particular focus on how children use their intuitive theories to bootstrap language acquisition. He is particularly interested in using new and emerging methodologies, such as viral quizzes, crowdsourcing and Bayesian modeling to make progress on previously intractable problems. Hartshorne, J. K.; Germine, L. T. (2015). When does cognitive functioning peak? The asynchronous rise and fall of different cognitive abilities across the lifespan. Psychological Science, 26(4),

8 faculty profiles Hartshorne, J.K.; Pogue, A.; Snedeker, J. (2015). Love is hard to understand: The relationship between transitivity and caused events in the acquisition of emotion verbs. Journal of Child Language, 42, Hartshorne, J.K.; Nappa, R.; Snedeker, J. (2015). Development of the first-mention bias. Journal of Child Language, 42(2), katherine mcauliffe Ph.D. 2013, Harvard University Katherine McAuliffe s work focuses on the development and evolution of cooperation. Her primary research investigates how children develop an understanding of the norms governing cooperation and a willingness to enforce them. Her work on children is situated within a broader cross-cultural and comparative context that seeks to understand how and why the cognition supporting cooperation evolved. McAuliffe, K.; Jordan, J.J.; Warneken, F. (2015). Costly thirdparty punishment in young children. Cognition, 134, McAuliffe, K.; Blake, P.R.; Warneken, F. (2014). Children reject inequity out of spite. Biology Letters, 10, McAuliffe, K. & Thornton, A The psychology of cooperation in animals: an ecological approach. Journal of Zoology, 295, michael moore Ph.D. 1978, Harvard University moorem@bc.edu Michael Moore studies parent-child interactions, cognitive and emotional development, memory organization and automatic processing. His current research interests focus on children s participation in organized sports and their understanding of the rules of the game. karen rosen Ph.D. 1984, Harvard University rosenk@bc.edu Karen Rosen s work focuses on social and emotional development during infancy and early childhood. Her research on parenting and early attachment relationships has included both mothers and fathers. She has studied questions about the effects of these early attachments on emotion regulation, on sibling relationships and on the development of problem behaviors. Rosen, K.S; Burke, P. (1999). Multiple attachment relationships within the family: Mothers and fathers with two young children. Developmental Psychology, 35, Rosen, K.; Rothbaum, F. (2003). Parent-child attachment and its implications for child development. In J.J. Ponzetti (ed.), International Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family Relations (2nd edition). Macmillan. Rothbaum, F; Rosen, K; ujiie, T.; uchida, N. (2002). Family systems theory, attachment theory, and culture. Family Process, 41, ellen winner Ph.D. 1978, Harvard University winner@bc.edu Ellen Winner s work focuses on cognition and emotion in the arts. She studies typical and atypical development in the arts, and the relationship between artistic learning and other forms of cognition. Hawley, A.; Winner, E. (2011). Seeing the mind behind the art: We can distinguish abstract expressionist paintings from highly similar paintings by children, chimps, monkeys, and elephants. Psychological Science, 22, 4. Drake, J.E.; Redash, A.; Coleman, K.; Haimson, J.; Winner, E. (2010). Autistic local processing bias also found in children gifted in drawing. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40, Goldstein, T.R.; Winner, E. (2012). Imagining others: Enhancing empathy and theory of mind. Journal of Cognition and Development, 13, See also James A. Russell. quantitative psychology ehri ryu Ph.D. 2008, Arizona State University ehri.ryu.1@bc.edu Ehri Ryu s research interests include multilevel modeling, structural equation modeling, and analysis of longitudinal data. She is particularly interested in the assessment of goodness of model fit in multilevel structural equation modeling, different approaches to analyzing multivariate multilevel data, and modeling longitudinal relationships between multiple variables. Ryu, E.; West, S.G. (2009). Level-specific evaluation of model fit in multilevel structural equation modeling. Structural Equation Modeling, 16, Ryu, E.; West, S.G.; Sousa, K.H. (2009). Combining mediation and moderation: Testing relationships between symptom status, functional health, and quality of life in HIV patients. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 44, Ryu, E.; West, S.G.; Sousa, K.H. (2012). Distinguishing between-person and within-person relationships in longitudinal health research: Arthritis and quality of life. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 43,

9 hao wu Ph.D. 2010, The Ohio State University Hao Wu s research interest lies in the evaluation of statistical models in psychology. Relying on tools such as classical asymptotic theories, Bayesian statistics and information theoretic methodologies, he is particularly interested in issues such as how to compare multiple statistical models, how to account for the fact that models are not exactly true in reality, and how to handle nonlinear relations or non-normal distributions. Wu, H.; Myung, I.J.; Batchelder, W.H. (2010a). Minimum description length model selection of multinomial processing tree models. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 17, Wu, H.; Myung, I.J.; Batchelder, W.H. (2010). On the complexity of multinomial processing tree models. Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 54, See also Hiram Brownell, Sean Macevoy and Scott Slotnick. social psychology donnah canavan Ph.D. 1969, Columbia University canavang@bc.edu Donnah Canavan s research interests focus on the development of individual differences, including narcissism, psychological separateness and three orientations to achievement (fear of success, conventional success and healthy success). Her recent studies of the effects of shared affect and enthusiasm have led to a series of studies on a new concept she calls social energy. Canavan, D. (1991). Fear of success. In R.C. Curtis (ed.), Self-Defeating Behaviors: Experimental Research, Clinical Impressions, and Practical Implications. Plenum Press. Canavan, D. (2001). Social Energy: The Consequences of Shared Affect. Symposium at New England Psychological Association Conference, Danbury, Connecticut. Canavan, D. (2002). Success and Beauty: The Motive to Contribute and the Motive to Win. Presidential Address at the 2002 New England Psychological Association Conference. Rivier College, Nashua, New Hampshire. Russell, J.A. (2003). Core affect and the psychological construction of emotion. Psychological Review, 110, Russell, J.A.; Bachorowski, J.A.; Fernandez Dols, J.M. (2003). Facial and vocal expression of emotion. Annual Review of Psychology, 54, Widen, S.C.; Russell, J.A. (2008). Young children s understanding of other s emotions. In M. Lewis, J.M. Haviland-Jones and L.F. Barrett (eds.), Handbook of Emotions. Guilford. Russell, J.A.; Carroll, J.M. (1999). On the bipolarity of positive and negative affect. Psychological Bulletin, 125, liane young Ph.D. 2008, Harvard University liane.young@bc.edu Liane Young studies the cognitive and neural basis of human moral judgment. Her current research focuses on the role of theory of mind and emotions in moral judgment and moral behavior, as well as cultural and individual differences in moral cognition. She is also interested in conceptions of the self and free will. Her research employs methods of social psychology and cognitive neuroscience, including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fmri), examination of patient populations with selective cognitive deficits and modulating activity in specific brain regions using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Young, L.; Phillips, J. (2011). The paradox of moral focus. Cognition, 119, Young, L.; Bechara, A.; Tranel, D.; Damasio, H.; Hauser, M.; Damasio, A. (2010). Damage to prefrontal cortex impairs judgment of harmful intent. Neuron, 65, Young, L.; Camprodon, J.; Hauser, M.; Pascual-Leone, A.; Saxe, R. (2010). Disruption of the right temporo-parietal junction with TMS reduces the role of beliefs in moral judgments. PNAS, 107(15), james a. russell Ph.D. 1974, University of California, Los Angeles james.russell@bc.edu James A. Russell s work focuses on emotion. He studies the expression and recognition of emotion through faces, children s understanding of emotion, the structure of emotional experience, cultural influences on emotion and the distinction between mood and emotion and scientific taxonomies of each. 7

10 courses outcomes The combined and varied interests of the faculty, as indicated in the faculty profiles, ensure that the department offers a wide variety of graduate course electives. While the number and content of the graduate electives varies from year to year, the following list is illustrative of the range of courses offered. fall 2015 Current topics in moral Psychology neural Systems and Stress Cellular Perspectives on motivated Behavior History of Psychology missing data analysis Scientific Writing SPrinG 2016 multiple regression Controversies in Cognitive neuroscience Structural equation modeling advanced affective neuroscience Brain Systems: motivation and emotion young Veenema mcdannald Weidman ryu russell ryu Slotnick ryu kensinger Petrovich Recent Theses/ Dissertations Maria Therese Gendron, relativity in the Perception of emotion across Cultures Angelina Justine Hawley Dolan, two Sides of the Same mind: How our Beliefs about the artist s moral mind influence the Way We respond to the artistic mind Brendan David Murray, Psychology memory for associative integrations depends on emotion and age Preston P. Thakral, the role of Human motion Processing Complex, mt+, during Sustained Perception and attention Jennifer E. Drake, Predictors of local and Global Processing in autistic and typical development Thalia R. Goldstein, the effects of acting training on theory of mind, empathy, and emotion regulation Caren Walker, Biological vs. artificial life: Challenges to Children s essentialist Beliefs university of massachusetts university of Virginia yale university yale university School of medicine tenure-track PlaCementS Brooklyn College California State university, Sacramento elon university manhattanville College Pace university university of otago, new Zealand university of Waterloo university of Wisconsin, eau Claire Washington and lee university non-academic PlaCementS Bae Systems Capacities.com digital research, inc. Gillette advanced technologies Center mpr associates Zeldis research associates Recent Placement the Psychology department takes an active role in attempting to place its students in attractive post-doctoral, tenure track and nonacademic positions. our recent students placements have included: PoSt-doCtoral PlaCementS Boston Children s Hospital the Broad institute the martinos Center at mass. General Hospital Princeton university rutgers university Center for Cognitive Science Stanford university tufts university university of California, davis 8

11 morrissey college of arts & sciences The oldest and largest of the university s eight schools and colleges, the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences offers graduate programs in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, leading to the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Arts and Master of Science. In addition, numerous dual-degree options are offered in cooperation with the Carroll School of Management, the Boston College Law School, the Lynch School of Education and the Graduate School of Social Work. With approximately 1,000 students and 400 fulltime faculty, the Graduate School is small enough to know you as a person, but large enough to serve you and prepare you for a rewarding life and satisfying career. Academic Resources PSyCHoloGy Colloquium SerieS We host a diverse colloquium series that brings outstanding visiting scientists to the department for formal and informal interactions with all of the members of the department Josh knobe, yale university Geoffrey Schoenbaum, university of maryland Jessica Black, Boston College School of Social Work 2014 Hillary anger elfenben, Washington university robert rauschenberger, exponent William Seeley, Bates College david miele, Boston College lynch School of education Jonathan Phillips, yale university ronnie Janoff-Bulman, university of massachusetts, amherst laurie Santos, yale university Paul Harris, Harvard university ani Patel, tufts university 2013 Howard eichenbaum, Harvard university yaoda Xu, Harvard university ken Paller, northwestern university Glenn Schellenberg, university of toronto BoSton area ConSortium The Boston Area Consortium allows graduate students to cross-register for courses at Boston university, Brandeis university and Tufts university. BoSton ColleGe libraries The university is home to eight libraries, containing 2.87 million volumes; more than 700 manuscript collections, including music, photos, art and artifacts; 440,000 e-books; and more than 600 electronic databases. O Neill Library, Boston College s main library, offers subject-specialist librarians to help with research, to set up alerts to new publications in areas of interest and to answer any research- and libraryrelated questions. the BoSton library ConSortium The Boston Library Consortium allows Boston College students access to millions of volumes and other services at 19 area institutions in addition to the world-class resources available through the Boston College Library System. the Graduate ConSortium in Women S StudieS The Graduate Consortium in Women s Studies (GCWS) brings together scholars and teachers at nine degreegranting institutions in the Boston area: Boston College, Boston university, Brandeis university, Harvard university, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern university, Simmons College, Tufts university and the university of Massachusetts Boston. The GCWS is devoted to graduate teaching and research in Women s Studies and to advancing interdisciplinary Women s Studies scholarship. Students can engage in the community and cross-disciplinary study promoted by the GCWS in myriad ways. Through courses, attending events and organizing conferences, these initiatives provide a learning environment unlike any other. 9

12 student life & campus resources Boston College is located on the edge of one of the world s most vibrant cities. Just six miles from downtown Boston an exciting and dynamic place to live and learn Boston College is an easy car or T ride away from a booming center for trade, finance, research and education. Home to some of New England s most prestigious cultural landmarks, including the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston Symphony Hall and the Freedom Trail, Boston provides a rich environment for those passionate about art, music and history. For sports fans, Boston hosts a number of the country s greatest sports teams: the Celtics, Patriots, Bruins and, of course, Fenway Park s beloved Red Sox. Found within a short drive from Boston are some of New England s best recreational sites, from the excellent skiing in New Hampshire to the pristine beaches of Cape Cod. Boston also offers a wide range of family-friendly attractions, including the Children s Museum, New England Aquarium, Franklin Park Zoo and the Museum of Science. There are roughly 50 universities located in the Boston area, and the large student population adds to the city s intellectually rich and diverse community. Events, lectures and reading groups hosted by worldrenowned scholars abound on area campuses, providing abundant opportunities to meet and network with other graduate students and faculty throughout the Boston area. The University Boston College is a Jesuit university with more than 14,000 students, 758 full-time faculty and more than 165,000 active alumni. Since its founding in 1863, the university has known extraordinary growth and change. From its beginnings as a small Jesuit college intended to provide higher education for Boston s largely immigrant Catholic population, Boston College has grown into a national institution of higher learning that is consistently ranked among the top universities in the nation: Boston College is ranked 31st among national universities by U.S. News & World Report. Today, Boston College attracts scholars from all 50 states and over 80 countries, and confers more than 4,000 degrees annually in more than 50 fields through its eight schools and colleges. Its faculty members are committed to both teaching and research and have set new marks for research grants in each of the last 10 years. The university is committed to academic excellence. As part of its most recent strategic plan, Boston College is in the process of adding 100 new faculty positions, expanding faculty and graduate research, increasing student financial aid and widening opportunities in key undergraduate and graduate programs. The university is comprised of the following colleges and schools: Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Carroll School of Management, Connell School of Nursing, Lynch School of Education, Woods College of Advancing Studies, Boston College Law School, Graduate School of Social Work and School of Theology and Ministry. General Resources HouSinG While on-campus housing is not available for graduate students, most students live in nearby apartments. The Office of Residential Life maintains an extensive database with available rental listings, roommates and helpful local real estate agents. The best time to look for fall semester housing is June through the end of August. For spring semester housing, the best time to look is late November through the beginning of the second semester. Additionally, some graduate students may live on campus as resident assistants. Interested students should contact the Office of Residential Life. 10

13 JoHn Courtney murray, S.J., Graduate Student Center One of only a handful of graduate student centers around the country, the Murray Graduate Student Center is dedicated to the support and enrichment of graduate student life at Boston College. Its primary purpose is to build a sense of community among the entire graduate student population and cultivate a sense of belonging to the university as a whole. Its amenities include study rooms, a computer lab, two smart televisions, kitchen, deck and patio space, complimentary coffee and tea, and more. Throughout the year, the center hosts programs organized by the Office of Graduate Student Life and graduate student groups. The Murray Graduate Student Center also maintains an active job board (available electronically), listing academic and non-academic opportunities for employment both on and off campus. mcmullen museum of art Serving as a dynamic educational resource for the national and international community, the McMullen Museum of Art showcases interdisciplinary exhibitions that ask innovative questions and break new ground in the display and scholarship of the works on view. The McMullen regularly offers exhibition-related programs, including musical and theatrical performances, films, gallery talks, symposia, lectures, readings and receptions that draw students, faculty, alumni and friends together for stimulating dialogue. Located on the main campus, the McMullen Museum is free to all visitors. ConnorS family learning Center Working closely with the Graduate School, the Connors Family Learning Center sponsors seminars, workshops and discussions for graduate teaching assistants and teaching fellows on strategies for improving teaching effectiveness and student learning. Each fall, the Learning Center and the Graduate School hold a oneand-a-half day Fall Teaching Orientation workshop designed to help students prepare for teaching. The center also hosts ongoing seminars on college teaching, higher learning and academic life; assists graduate students in developing teaching portfolios; and provides class visits and teaching consultations, upon request. Through these and other activities, the Connors Family Learning Center plays an important role in enhancing the quality of academic life at Boston College. flynn recreation ComPleX The 144,000-square-foot Flynn Recreation Complex houses a running track; tennis, basketball, volleyball, squash and racquetball courts; an aquatics center with pool and dive well; saunas and more. Its 10,000-squarefoot Fitness Center offers over 100 pieces of cardio equipment, a full complement of strength training equipment and free weights, an air-conditioned spin studio and three air-conditioned group fitness studios. During the academic year, BC Rec holds more than 80 group fitness classes per week in a variety of disciplines, including Zumba, spin, yoga, strength training, Pilates and more. BoSton ColleGe Career Center The Boston College Career Center works with graduate students at each step of their career development. Services include self-assessment, career counseling, various career development workshops, resume and cover letter critiques, and practice interviews. In addition to extensive workshop offerings, Career Center staff members are available throughout the year for one-onone advising about any aspect of the career path. The Career Resource Library offers a wealth of resources, including books, periodicals and online databases. 11

14 admission & financial information Admission Requirements The application deadline for fall admission is December 15 for the Ph.D. program and February 1 for the M.A. program. Please visit bc.edu/gsas for detailed information on how to apply. application requirements include: Application Form: Application Fee: Abstract of Courses Form: Official Transcripts: GRE General Test: GRE Subject Test: Three Letters of Recommendation: Submitted online, via the GSaS website. $75, non-refundable. a concise overview of background and related courses completed in an intended field or proposed area of study. demonstrating coursework completed/degree conferral from all post-secondary institutions attended. official score report required for all applicants. official score report from either the Psychology or Biology exam strongly recommended for all applicants. from professors or supervisors. it is highly advisable that at least one letter be from an academic source. Statement of Purpose: a brief (1-2 page) discussion of an applicant s preparation, motivation and goals for their proposed course of study. Proof of English Proficiency: (International only) official toefl/ielts score reports accepted. Financial Assistance department funding Doctoral Our Ph.D. students are fully funded, including a stipend and tuition scholarship. Ph.D. students serve as either research assistants or teaching assistants during the course of the program. Master s unlike many M.A. programs, we offer financial assistance to qualified applicants. All M.A. students receive a 15-credit tuition scholarship per year (standard course load). M.A. students may also receive financial support by serving as teaching assistants. In addition, M.A. students may discuss, with their advisor, the possibility of a research assistantship, especially over the summer months, for additional financial support. federal financial aid Graduate students can apply for federal financial aid using the FAFSA. The loans that may be available to graduate students are the Federal Direct unsubsidized Stafford Loan and Perkins Loan, based on eligibility. If additional funds are needed, student may apply for a Grad Plus Loan. For more information, see the Graduate Financial Aid website at bc.edu/gradaid or contact the Graduate Financial Aid Office at or office of SPonSored research The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) assists both faculty and graduate students in finding sources of external funding for their projects and provides advice in the development of proposals. OSP maintains a reference library of publications from both public and private sectors listing funding sources for sponsored projects. In the recent past, graduate students have received research support from prominent agencies, corporations and organizations such as the Fulbright Commission, the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the American Political Science Association, the American Chemical Society and the American Association of university Women. 12

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16 header boston college morrissey college of arts and sciences Department of Psychology McGuinn Hall Commonwealth Avenue Chestnut Hill, MA bc.edu/psychology 14