Georgia Tech School of Psychology. Graduate Student Handbook

Transcription

1 Georgia Tech School of Psychology Graduate Student Handbook July 2013

2 Table of Contents Table of Contents... 2 Overview... 5 Doctoral Degree... 5 Master s Degree... 5 Ph.D. Objectives... 5 Collaborative Arrangements... 6 FACILITIES... 6 ACADEMIC ADVISING... 9 Function... 9 Meetings Changing Advisors FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Graduate Assistantships Research Assistantships (GRA) Teaching Assistantships (GTAS) Instructor Positions Laboratory Instructors Course Instructor Other Positions within the School of Psychology Internships/Other Employment Financial Aid Tuition Waivers PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM GENERAL REQUIREMENTS The Master of Science in Psychology Doctoral Program Colloquia and Brown Bags Colloquia Brown Bags Graduate Credit Earned Elsewhere Credit by Examination Institute Criteria for Good Standing Graduate Course Offerings PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM CORE COURSE REQUIREMENTS General Psychology Core Requirements Professional Course Requirements Policy on grades lower than a B in a graduate level course SPECIFIC PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS Cognition & Brain Science Psychology Program Course Requirements Cognitive Aging Psychology Program Course Requirements Engineering Psychology Program Requirements Industrial/Organizational Psychology Program Course Requirements Quantitative Psychology Program Course Requirements

3 GENERAL MINOR REQUIREMENTS Specific Program Minor Requirements Industrial/Organizational Psychology Quantitative Psychology RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS General Requirements for Fulfilling the First-Year Research Project Psyc 7105 & Psyc 7106 First-Year Research Project Master s Thesis Research Requirements Doctoral Dissertation Research Requirements RESEARCH APPROVAL General Ethics Guidelines Research Approval: Human Subjects Introduction Policy Field Experiments Ethics Subject Pool Experimetrix Course Credit Voluntary Participation Debriefing Research Approval: Animal Subjects Introduction Facilities Faculty Supervision Zoo Atlanta Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center Small Animal Lab Ethics in Animal Care DOCTORAL PRELIMINARY EXAMINATIONS Introduction Prerequisites Preliminary and Ph.D. Committee Composition and Procedure Area Specific Information Cognitive Aging and Cognition and Brain Science Programs Establishing a Committee Content and Format of Examination Engineering Program Purposes and Goals Committee Structure Formal Committee and Student Meeting Methods for Determining Content Methods for Determining Format Time to Complete the Exam Grading System for Preliminary Exam Papers in Engineering Psychology

4 Process Prelims Paper Format Prelims Grading Prelims Feedback I/O Program Quantitative Program STUDENT PUBLICATIONS Introduction Review and Approval Financial Responsibility TAKING COURSES AT GEORGIA TECH Introduction Pre-Registration When to Register Where and How to Register Adding and Dropping Payment of Fees Course Load Registration Problems TAKING COURSES AT OTHER SCHOOLS How many courses can I cross-register for? Are there any other restrictions? Where can I take outside courses? How do I get started? How are the grades recorded? LEAVE OF ABSENCE POLICY INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS Introduction Important Issues GRIEVANCES Introduction First Step Procedure if First Step is Unsuccessful Sexual Harassment Problem Solving Approach

5 Overview The School of Psychology of the Georgia Institute of Technology offers programs of study leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy, with five areas of specialization: Cognition and Brain Science, Cognitive Aging Psychology, Engineering Psychology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and Quantitative Psychology. All five programs of study provide intensive exposure to the theoretical and methodological foundations of psychology with strong emphasis on quantitative skills. Each student is expected to show individual initiative in both research activities and academic study, supported by close facultystudent contact. Doctoral Degree The Doctoral program provides the student with specialized coursework and opportunities for research in Cognition and Brain Science, Cognitive Aging Psychology, Engineering Psychology Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or Quantitative Psychology. Each curriculum includes individualized study and research with a strong foundation in general experimental psychology as a basis for this specialization. The goal of the School of Psychology, reflected in the structure of the program described within this handbook, is to provide an academic environment in which the Ph.D. degree will be completed in a reasonable amount of time. Master s Degree The Master s degree, designed to require at least two calendar years, is intended to prepare the student for continuation of graduate work toward the Ph.D. The Master s degree is viewed as a significant educational achievement and is not automatically awarded en route to the Ph.D. However, except for unusual circumstances the School of Psychology does not admit students for a terminal master s degree. Ph.D. Objectives Objectives of the Doctoral program require that students: 1. Demonstrate understanding and use of psychological principles and techniques at an advanced level. Such use will be based upon a comprehensive knowledge of general psychology from a core set of courses including biopsychology, cognitive psychology, development psychology, experimental analysis of behavior, human abilities, personality, sensation and perception, and social psychology; 2. Read, review, and critique psychological literature and write research reports at a level of expertise commensurate with that represented in current research journals; 3. Demonstrate an ability to explain, use and apply statistical principles and techniques at a level allowing them to design and assist others in designing psychological experiments; 5

6 4. Prepare and use a comprehensive, analytic review of the literature on a psychological problem; 5. Present psychological material verbally to professional audiences and demonstrate effective skills in classroom instruction; 6. Display a high degree of competence in an area of specialization as demonstrated by performance on a doctoral preliminary examination; 7. Demonstrate competence in a minor field. A minor field should be chosen to supplement a student's training in his or her specialty in a manner consistent with his/her occupational goals. Competence is defined as knowledge of the terminology specific to the minor field and knowledge of the major concepts, principles and methodologies of that field relevant to the goals of the student. Each student is required to complete a minimum of 9 semester hours of coursework outside of their specialty. 8. Plan and execute research on a significant psychological problem; and 9. Demonstrate awareness of current professional problems in psychology (e.g., ethical problems). Collaborative Arrangements The School of Psychology is affiliated with a number of research facilities in the Atlanta area. Included are Zoo Atlanta, the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Laboratories, Georgia Mental Health Institute, the University of Georgia Gerontology Center, Wesley Woods Geriatric Hospital, and Emory Hospital s FMRI unit. Coursework in areas not represented in the Georgia Tech curriculum is available at other institutions in the Atlanta area through the University System, a consortium of Atlanta-area colleges and universities. Students may simply register for those courses at Georgia Tech. Information on cross-registration procedures is available in the Registrar's office. Students have access to these courses for graduate credit. FACILITIES The School of Psychology is housed in the J.S. Coon Building. The School has laboratory facilities and equipment for the study of human behavior. Essentially, all laboratories are equipped with microcomputers and associated peripherals. Also available are sound-deadened chambers, digital psychoacoustic equipment, physiographs, equipment for studying visual and auditory processing, video and audio recording equipment. The School maintains excellent research and educational interactions within the College of Science as well as with other scientific and technological disciplines on campus such as The Graphics, Visualization, and Usability Center (GVU), The Georgia Tech Research Institute 6

7 (GTRI), Center for Applied Cognitive Research in Aging (CACRA), and Cognitive Science. In recent years, joint courses and research projects have involved students in industrial engineering (human factors and applied measurement), management (organizational behavior), architecture (environmental design), and computing (artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and humancomputer interaction). In addition, the School of Psychology is affiliated with a number of research facilities in the Atlanta area. Included are Georgia State University, Zoo Atlanta, the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Laboratories, Georgia Mental Health Institute, the University of Georgia Gerontology Center, Emory University Hospital, and Wesley Woods Geriatric Center. There are many facilities on and off campus available for use by graduate students. Some of these facilities and the policies governing their use are described below. Computer Resources The School of Psychology has a large computer lab with 33 computers. The lab is used for class instruction, graduate and undergraduate students. Access to the lab is restricted when classes are being taught. For undergraduates; access is restricted to office hours, which are Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Graduate students have access 24 hours a day seven days a week, except when a class is in session. Access is granted to each student via their Buzzcard. Additionally, there is one small computer lab available for studying behavior. This lab is shared among all faculty and graduate students and is "by reservation only." These computers have word processing, spreadsheet, statistical packages, and eprime installed. They also have Ethernet connections which allow access to the prism system for or more extensive computer work as well as to the Internet. There are also microcomputers located within the various laboratories. Use of these machines is determined by the rules of the particular faculty member who supervises the laboratory. The computer coordinator should be contacted for access to all computer facilities or with any problems with them. Library Resources The Georgia Tech Library and Information Center has a collection in Psychology emphasizing experimental, industrial and organizational, aging, lifespan development, and cognitive neuropsychology. Special cooperative arrangements with libraries at other local university campuses supplement the resources available on campus. Tech students may borrow books from Emory, Georgia State University, and the University of Georgia by showing a current Tech ID or obtaining an interlibrary use card at the Reference Desk to check out books at other statewide academic libraries. The Interlibrary Loan office can provide photocopies of journal articles and loan books, theses, and other materials. PsychInfo is available through World Wide Web to the Georgia Tech community (password protected). In addition, PsycFirst, the latest three years of 7

8 PsycInfo, is one of the 100+ GALILEO databases available over the Library's home page. For more information, please consult the Library's home page: Laboratories Use of labs is limited to psychology students and their participants for required coursework and approved research. No visitors (except participants) will be permitted in the laboratory areas without the permission of a member of the faculty. All keys and research space will be issued by the Chair of the School of Psychology. Students should understand that the School currently has a severe shortage of assignable space, meaning that efficiency in the shared use of space is a necessity. Students are responsible for keeping their research areas clean, secure, and neat at all times. Offices Offices, desks, and chairs for graduate students are assigned by the Graduate Coordinator. Every attempt will be made to assign space to all graduate students requesting it. Space limitations, however, restrict the available space for graduate student offices. Copying Machines A Scantron reader, collator, and paper cutter are available for use by teaching assistants and research assistants. They are located in the main office of the Psychology Building. Note: Use of these machines is permitted only after a student has received instruction on operation of the equipment by a member of the office staff. Two copying machines in the main office are to be used for official business of School of Psychology only. Other Equipment Equipment such as overhead projectors can be checked out through the psychology office. All damaged and broken equipment must be reported to the senior administrative secretary so that it may be repaired and returned to service. No equipment is to be moved from the Psychology Building without the permission of the senior administrative secretary. All equipment and keys must be checked in immediately after the completion of the experiment or class presentation. No equipment is to be modified in any way. Security All graduate students should make every effort to ensure that the laboratory and office facilities of the School are secure at all times. Doors should be locked when leaving any room. Police should be called ( ) whenever anyone suspicious is seen in any of the facilities. 8

9 Facilities outside the School of Psychology A variety of facilities outside the department are available. See the various campus publications, such as the Georgia Tech Graduate Student Handbook published by the Graduate Senate for detailed information on these facilities. Some examples are listed below. Computer Clusters (all types, throughout campus) Copying facilities * Library copy center * Printing & Photographic Center Libraries * Georgia Tech * Georgia State * Emory * University of Georgia Campus Recreation Center (CRC) Student Health Center ACADEMIC ADVISING Each first-year student will be assigned to an academic advisor by the Graduate Coordinator. Assignments will be made before a student arrives at Georgia Tech or as soon as possible after a student s arrival. The academic advisor is the Psychology faculty member who will serve to provide guidance in academic and related areas during a graduate student s academic career at Georgia Tech. The academic advisor is often also the student s research advisor (and may later act as Chair of the student s Master s or Ph.D. Committee), however this is not always the case. Each student must have an academic advisor throughout his or her tenure in the program. An academic advisor is required for admittance into the Ph.D. program. Function The academic advisor s function is to determine how to meet the goals and needs of the individual student most effectively and to provide guidance on graduate study, including: 1. course work 2. choice and structure of minor area 3. internships and other professional activities 4. resolution of problems with coursework as the student progresses through the program. The academic advisor must sign the student s pre-registration card prior to registration each semester. Finally, because they will be acquainted with the student s interests, goals, coursework 9

10 and research, the academic advisor will play a part in the year-end evaluation of the student and will receive the student s annual report. Meetings After the advisor has been assigned, the student should request a meeting with his or her advisor. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate meeting with the advisor. During this meeting the student and advisor should begin to plan the first year project. Near the end of first semester students should arrange a meeting with their advisor to talk about the results of the first semester s first year project and outline the plan for the spring semester. Prior to the end of the year evaluation deadline, the student should arrange a meeting with his or her advisor in order to review the student s progress. After the end of the year evaluations are completed by the faculty, each student should arrange a meeting with his or her advisor to discuss the results of the evaluation. Changing Advisors Any graduate student can change his or her research advisor at any time and for any reason. Because successful completion of any graduate program requires a good working relationship between the student and faculty mentor, together with a match of interests, it is important that each graduate student be matched correctly with a research advisor. The student must realize that changing advisors should be done in a timely fashion because of research requirements. Changes can be made by first gaining approval for the transition from both the current and future advisors. The student should then notify the Graduate Coordinator of the change. Every effort will be made to fulfill the student s request for an advisor change. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Graduate Assistantships Research Assistantships (GRA) Availability: Currently, research assistantships are available with faculty members who have their own research grants or some other type of funding requiring research assistants. The number, availability, and duration of these positions vary each semester. Expectations: Research assistantships are typically awarded on a half time basis (20 hours per week). The supervising professor is responsible for determining a list of duties and responsibilities, and monitoring and training research assistants. It is against Georgia Tech policy for graduate students to be paid for more than 20 hrs per week. Teaching Assistantships (GTAS) Availability: Currently, departmental teaching assistantships are awarded by the School of Psychology to first year students and, if needed, to advanced graduate students. The number of teaching assistantships available to senior students each academic year is dependent upon the 10

11 planned course curriculum and on the end of year evaluations. It should be noted that very few teaching assistantships are available during the summer term. Expectations: A teaching assistantship involves performing the duties listed below for between one and three professors. Exact duties to be performed may vary according to the needs of the individual professor to whom the teaching assistant is assigned. For instance: 1. Constructing and grading course examinations and quizzes 2. Assuming classes in absence of the professor 3. Maintaining teaching materials and data 4. Library, photocopying, and reference work 5. Assisting in instruction related research and demonstrations Instructor Positions Laboratory Instructors Availability: The number of laboratory instructors available is dependent upon the planned course curriculum. Expectations: Laboratory instructors teach an undergraduate laboratory portion of a course, with a faculty member teaching the lecture portion. In order to teach a lab it is recommended that a student have taken PSYC 7701 (Teaching Practicum), but need not have received a Master's degree. Course Instructor Availability: Advanced students who have completed both the Master's degree and the Teaching Practicum course may be given responsibility for teaching an entire class as an Instructor. The course taught usually will be a General Psychology course or one of the service courses taught by the School. The service courses include Abnormal Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Engineering Psychology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Personality, and Social Psychology. Other Positions within the School of Psychology Availability: Employment is also available through the School of Psychology for special needs, such as laboratory technician or departmental administrative assistant. For more information consult the Associate Chair. Internships/Other Employment The School of Psychology at Georgia Tech has established relationships with corporations and agencies in the metropolitan Atlanta area. These agencies have provided graduate students at Tech with valuable experience in a number of areas. All internships must be approved by the School. Students who are interested in obtaining internships or outside employment should 11

12 consult with their area faculty. Students on internship are expected to be enrolled as full-time students, and registered for special project hours with a faculty member who will serve as an oncampus supervisor for the internship. Some of the organizations that the School of Psychology has established internships with in the past include: Georgia Tech Research Institute (Eng.) Zoo Atlanta (Exp.) Yerkes Primate Center (Exp.) Bell South (I/O & Eng.) Coca-Cola (I/O) Office of Minority Education (OMED) (I/O) Center for Teaching and Learning (CETL) (I/O) Lockheed (Eng.) Spelman and Oglethorpe Universities (MS degree required) IBM (Eng.) NCR (Eng.) AT&T (Eng.) United Parcel Service (I/O) *Note: The Engineering and I/O Psychology programs consider it unacceptable for first year graduate students to work more than half time and to work outside of the School of Psychology. The faculty of these programs must approve any deviations of students within their program from this policy. Within I/O, all internships must be approved by the student's major advisor and the area coordinator. This is required so that the area has a record of all student placements and so that the area can help students effectively deal with/learn from their internship experiences. Financial Aid Tuition Waivers GRAs/GTAs: Assistantships automatically include a waiver of tuition costs, with the exception of the student and health fees. However, this policy may change in the future. PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Below are the requirements for both the Master of Science in Psychology and the Ph.D. degrees. It should be noted that the Master s degree is earned en route to the Ph.D. Thus, the requirements for the Master s degree are subsumed in those listed for the Ph.D. degree. The Master of Science in Psychology 12

13 The Master of Science in Psychology prepares the student for continuation of graduate work toward the Ph.D. and/or for the employment in business, industry, government, or education. Most students require a minimum of two calendar years to complete the master s degree. Students must complete and pass, with a grade of B or better, the required courses listed below (32 approved credit hours), and a research thesis as partial fulfillment of the Master s Degree requirement. In addition, each area may have specific core course requirements. The three required quantitative core courses (Research Methods, Statistics I and Statistics II) Two of the four required psychology core courses must be taken and passed. Psyc 7105 First Year Research Project I Psyc 7106 First Year Research Project II PSYC 7000 Master s Thesis (9 credit hours - minimum) Doctoral Program The Doctoral Program in Psychology provides the student with an opportunity for advanced study in Cognition and Brain Science, Cognitive Aging, Engineering, Industrial/Organizational, or Quantitative Psychology. Each of the curricula consists of additional courses and programs of individual study and research beyond the core curriculum. Overall, the program will provide all students with a strong background in general experimental psychology, quantitative methodology, and the student s area of specialization. As indicated above, the Ph.D. Degree program consists of completion of four categories of course requirements: quantitative core courses, general psychology core courses, professional course requirements, and specific program requirements. The institute additionally mandates that 9 credit hours be earned in a "minor" field that differs from the discipline of psychology of the Ph.D. investigation (see Minor Requirements). Finally, in addition to the course work, the student must successfully complete a Master s thesis, the School s comprehensive (also called the preliminary examination) examination, and an independent research project that culminates in the Ph.D. thesis. Except for the minor, all School and area course and research requirements must be completed before taking the comprehensive exam. To summarize again, these include: The three required quantitative program core courses (Research Methods, Statistics I and II) The four core courses The two required professional courses Colloquia and Brown Bags Colloquia Periodically, scholars from visiting universities are regularly invited as guest speakers to the School of Psychology. All students within the School of Psychology are expected to attend department-wide colloquia that are scheduled throughout the academic year. The departmentwide colloquia typically meet on Wednesday afternoon, at 3 p.m., or as announced, so as not to conflict with scheduled courses. Colloquia meeting times will be posted in the main office, and may also be announced over . Although topic areas may not be directly related to your area of study, this medium is provided to add breadth and variety to your training. 13

14 Brown Bags In addition to departmental colloquia, all students are expected to participate in program area brown-bag seminars (informal research discussions) and informal meetings within their specialty areas. Occasionally, these will involve interdisciplinary contact with members of other academic departments or off-campus agencies. Check with the Area Coordinators for more information on the Cognitive Aging, Cognitive, Engineering, I/O, and Quantitative Brown Bags. Students in specific areas may be required to enroll in 1 hr Brown Bag courses for pass/fail grades. Graduate Credit Earned Elsewhere First-year graduate students with previous graduate credit not acquired at Georgia Tech may wish to obtain transfer credit for that work. Graduate courses taken either as an undergraduate or graduate student (in the United States or Canada) that were not used for credit toward another degree may be considered for transfer credit. Students who wish to be considered for transfer credit should obtain transcripts and syllabi for the appropriate courses. In consultation with their advisors, they will determine whether the courses are germane to their program of study. After approval by the graduate coordinator, the form will be submitted to the registrar for incorporation into the students' permanent records. Basic Requirements A student may transfer a maximum of 6 semester hours of course work. The courses for which transfer credit is sought must be graduate level courses taken at an accredited institution in the United States or Canada and not used for credit toward another degree. The student must supply a current transcript for this evaluation. Procedures The steps which must be followed in all cases are: 1. The student must confer with the graduate advisor to ascertain whether the courses to be transferred are a logical part of the student's graduate program. 2. If the courses are appropriate, the student will deliver to the school that teaches such courses a copy of the current transcript, necessary descriptive materials including catalog descriptions, and textbooks used for evaluation. The graduate coordinator will determine the equivalent Georgia Tech course and the number of credit hours accepted. The graduate coordinator will send the form directly to the registrar with a copy of the student's Approved Program of Study attached. Transferring More Than 6 Hours If the student wishes to transfer more than six hours, a petition must be submitted to the graduate committee including statements of possible justification for the granting of such a petition, transfer credit forms, and the recommendation of the student's school director. 14

15 Credit by Examination Testing out of a course is an alternative to obtaining transfer credit. If a student has taken a course corresponding to a course taught by the School of Psychology, and is confident of his/her knowledge of that particular area of psychology, the student is encouraged to petition the Graduate Coordinator to allow him/her to test out of the course. This procedure is as follows: 1. The student should petition to the Graduate Coordinator by providing him/her with a course syllabus, course readings, grade in course, instructor, and institution. 2. The Graduate Coordinator may contact the Professor who taught the course at the other institution in order to evaluate whether or not the course material is comparable to the course offered in the School of Psychology. 3. The Graduate Coordinator will contact the Professor who taught/teaches the class in the School of Psychology in order to receive final approval. 4. The student will be notified of the final decision. 5. If the decision is positive, and the student has completed the appropriate forms and paid the appropriate fees, the student will be given an examination covering the course material. Waivers Students who have earned credit for graduate level courses at another institution and if those courses are required for the School of Psychology, then the student may request a waiver of that requirement. This would also include thesis credit for a MS degree at another institution. Procedure: Consult with your advisor about the specific courses and or thesis Advisor sends to graduate coordinator requesting waivers for specific courses or thesis Student provides graduate coordinator with a copy of the syllabus for each course the student is requesting a waiver or a copy of the thesis Graduate coordinator provides syllabus to the appropriate faculty member in the School to determine if the courses are similar. For a thesis, the graduate coordinator reads the thesis and makes a similar decision. Student and advisor are notified of the decision. Institute Criteria for Good Standing Each student within the School of Psychology must maintain at least a 3.0 overall GPA measured on a 4.0 scale. If a student s cumulative GPA drops below 3.0, (s)he will be placed on probation for two academic semesters. During this time (s)he will be expected to raise this GPA to the minimum criterion level of 3.0. Failure to raise a deficient GPA within this time period will constitute grounds for termination from the graduate program. For any one semester, if the GPA 15

16 is at or below 2.0, the student may be placed on probation or dropped regardless of the overall GPA. Graduate Course Offerings Consult the Georgia Tech catalog for a listing of the graduate courses offered by the School of Psychology. A listing of courses tentatively scheduled to be offered each semester is available in the Psychology office. Graduate seminars vary from semester to semester. Other courses may be taught on an as-needed basis. Course listings for each semester are published by the Institute in the OSCAR (On-line Student Computer Assisted Registration). The OSCAR is available before the pre-registration period each semester for the next semester's courses. A calendar on the registration website provides the pre-registration schedule. 16

17 PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM CORE COURSE REQUIREMENTS Required graduate psychology courses fall into the following categories: General Psychology Core Requirements Each student must complete four core courses out of the eight designated core courses in the specified predominant content areas of Psychology. This requirement is designed to ensure that graduates of the Georgia Tech Psychology program possess a sufficient breadth of knowledge to make significant contributions to his/her field of specialization. Courses falling under the general psychology core requirements may be taken at any time during the student s graduate residency, subject to the following two constraints. 1. All of the required core courses must be completed prior to preliminary examinations. Two courses must be completed for the Master s degree, and two additional courses must be completed for the Ph.D. degree. 2. The student s individual program may contain specific requirements or preferences with respect to selection of core courses. Each student should consult the coordinator of his/her particular program and/or academic advisor to determine if these constraints apply. Typically, the general psychology core requirement courses are taken during the first two years of graduate residency. The core courses are: PSYC 6011 Cognitive Psychology (3 credit hours) Survey course on human cognition including pattern recognition, attention, memory, categorization, problem solving, consciousness, decision making, intention, and the relation between mind and brain PSYC 6012 Social Psychology (3 credit hours) Fundamental theory and research in social behavior including social perception/cognition, attitude formation and change, social influences, and group processes PSYC 6013 Biopsychology (3 credit hours) Neurophysiological, endocrinological, and biochemical bases of sensory and motor functioning, motivation, learning, memory, and behavior dysfunction PSYC 6014 Sensation and Perception (3 credit hours) This course examines how sensations and perceptions of the outside world are processed by humans, including physiological, psychophysical, ecological, and computational perspectives 17

18 PSYC 6015 Developmental Psychology (3 credit hours) Overview of concepts, assumptions, methods, theories, and research in human development across the life span including cognitive, emotional, and social behavior. PSYC 6016 Experimental Analysis of Behavior (3 credit hours) Conceptual, methodological, and theoretical issues in the experimental analysis of behavior with special emphasis on classical and operant conditioning as foundations for complex behavior PSYC 6017 Human Abilities (3 credit hours) Introduction to differential psychology providing an overview of differences in humans. Topics such as abilities, temperament, and group differences (e.g., gender) are addressed PSYC 6021 Personality (3 credit hours) Introduction to major approaches to personality theory. Professional Course Requirements All students pursuing the doctoral degree in psychology at Georgia Tech are required to complete two professional courses. These are designed to prepare the student for managing the complexities of the business and academic environments. The professional core courses are described below: PSYC 7701 Teaching Practicum (with a grade of B or better) Supervised college teaching including techniques, course and curriculum design, evaluation. Students will prepare and present lectures with direct observations and videotaping for discussion. This course should be completed before preliminary exams. PSYC 7700 Professional Problems Discussion of issues faced by professional psychologists in the areas of teaching, research, and professional practice. Ethical issues in all of these areas are emphasized. NOTE: This course may be taken at any time after completion of the master s degree and before dissertation defense. Policy on grades lower than a B in a graduate level course: For Research Methods, Statistics I, and Statistics II: A grade of B or better is required. Any student who earns a grade lower than a B is required to retake the course. For Core Courses: If the student is using the course to fulfill the core course requirement, then a grade of B or better is required. If the student earns a grade lower than a B then the student must retake the same course and earn a grade of B or better. 18

19 If the student does not want the course to count towards the core course requirement, then the student does not need to retake the course. If the student retakes the course there will be no change in the overall GPA. Teaching Practicum and Professional Problems Courses: These courses are taken on a Pass/Fail basis. A grade of Fail in either requires that the student retake the course. Minor courses: 9 hours minimum - must be enrolled for a letter grade and must earn a grade of B or better (GT policy). School of Psychology - only one course may be at the 4000 level. No courses below 4000 (Psyc handbook) Areas may propose additional policies for specific area requirements. Point of clarification: MS requirements from registrar s web site ( The student, in conference with the faculty advisor, should prepare a program of study for the master's degree as a guide for planning an academic schedule. In some cases, the student's school may require that the proposed program be submitted to the chair of that school for approval. The program of study must be completed satisfactorily within six consecutive calendar years and must include, at a minimum, thirty approved credit hours distributed as follows: With thesis: 1. Minimum course credit hours in major field (a basic field of knowledge, not a department of specialization): Minimum course credit hours at 6000 to 9000 level: Minimum course credit hours for degree: Minimum Thesis hours (7000): 6 5. Total credit hours: 30 Other than thesis hours, the student may use only 3 hours under the pass/fail designatio in the approved program of study. As a rule, a course may not be counted n toward mo re than one degree. 19

20 Undergraduate courses required for graduation in the discipline (designated degree) or discipline-of-origin (undesignated degree) at Georgia Tech may not be applied toward a master's degree. See Graduate Course Option for special exceptions in certain schools. School of Psychology Translation: Program of study Two core courses (6hrs) Research Methods (3hrs) Statistics I and II (10 hrs) First Year Project I and II (6hrs) Total course credit hours 25 hrs Thesis 9 hours minimum Total 34 hrs Grade point averages: It is expected that a graduate student will obtain at least a B in all courses attempted. Georgia Tech s policy is that a student must have at least a 2.7 GPA for graduating with an MS degree and a 3.0 for a Ph.D. degree. If a student receives 2 or more grades less than a B, especially in a given semester, it will influence their end-of-the-year evaluation. SPECIFIC PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS Cognition & Brain Science Psychology Program Course Requirements In addition to the general program requirements, each student is expected to be actively involved with her/his area of specialization throughout her/his graduate career. This involvement includes topical seminars, survey courses, and research activities. Students are expected to enroll for a minimum of three research credit hours during each semester of their tenure in the graduate program in psychology. These credits may be thesis hours or independent study credits. In general, there are no specific additional course requirements for Cognitive Brain Science Psychology students. However, students are expected to take topical seminars in their focus area whenever offered. Additional course requirements may be set by the various focus areas. PSYC 6040 Topics in Cognition & Brain Science (Every Semester) PSYC 8080 Seminar in Cognition & Brain Science 20