Handbook for Graduate Studies in Psychology

Handbook for Graduate Studies in Psychology (Non-Clinical) 1

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Faculty Title Robert Bartsch, Ph.D. Interim Associate Dean, Associate Professor, Social Psychology Phone (281) 283- Office Email Admin Asst x3400 B1529 Bartsch@uhcl.edu Terri Culbert (x3314) Kim Case, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Women's Studies & Social Psychology x3338 B2617 Caseki@uhcl.edu Terri Culbert (x3314) Howard Eisner, Ph.D. Associate Dean-Retired, Aging B1529 Eisner@uhcl.edu Kathleen Law (x3402) Jennifer Fritz, Ph.D. Applied Behavior Analysis x3427 B1508 FritzJ@uhcl.edu Virginia Randall (x3353) Sharon Hall, Ph.D. Stephanie Hart, Ph.D. Division Chair, Associate Professor, Social/Development Associate Professor, Cognitive Psychology x3436 B1508 Hall@uhcl.edu Virginia Randall (x3353) x3423 B1508 HartST@uhcl.edu Virginia Randall (x3353) Beth Hentges, Ph.D. Amanda Johnston, Ph.D Neneh Kowai-Bell, Ph.D. Sarah Lechago, Ph.D. Dorothea Lerman, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Women's Studies, Developmental Social Psychology Social Psychology Learning, Applied Behavior Analysis Professor, Applied Behavior Analysis x3308 B2617 Hentges@uhcl.edu Terri Culbert (x3314) x3393 B1508 Johnston@uhcl.edu Virginia Randall (x3353) x3413 B2617 Kowaibell@uhcl.edu Terri Culbert (x3314) X3331 B2617 Lechago@uhcl.edu Terri Culbert (x3314) x3437 B1508 Lerman@uhcl.edu Virginia Randall (x3353) Xiaodong Ma, Ph.D. Developmental (Aging) X3363 B1508 Maxioa@uhcl.edu Virginia Randall (x3353) David Malin, Ph.D. Professor, Neuro-Psychology x3339 B2617 Malin@uhcl.edu Terri Culbert (x3314) Scott McIntyre, Ph.D. Alex Milam, Ph.D. Industrial-Organizational Industrial-Organizational x3428 B1508 Mcintyre@uhcl.edu Virginia Randall (x3353) x3332 B1508 MilamA@uhcl.edu Virginia Randall (x3353) S. Camille Peres, Ph.D. Cognitive/Human Factors x3412 B2617 PeresSC@uhcl.edu Terri Culbert (x3314) Chris Ward, Ph.D. Behavioral Neuroscience x3303 3 B2617 WardChris@uhcl.edu Terri Culbert (x3314)

University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) Founded in 1974, the University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) is an upper-level and graduate university serving approximately 7,500 students. Located midway between Houston and Galveston, Texas, UHCL is adjacent to NASA s Johnson Space Center and the Armand Bayou Nature Center. UHCL is one of four institutions with distinct identities and missions forming the University of Houston System (UHS). The universities are governed by the UHS Board of Regents and Chancellor Khator. Administrative responsibility for UHCL is vested in its president, William A. Staples. A statutorily created council composed of the presidents of the region s nine community colleges advises UHCL s president and reflects its upper-level programmatic orientation toward these institutions. The 45 members of the UHCL Development and Advisory Council serve as citizen and corporate advisors on current issues impacting the advancement of the university and as volunteers in helping UHCL acquire private resources. The university offers 31 undergraduate and 42 graduate majors in four school including Business and Public Administration, Education, Human Sciences and Humanities, and Natural and Applied Sciences. The school of Human Sciences and Humanities (HSH) enrolls approximately 1,900 undergraduate and graduate students. Course Requirements for all General Psychology students Prerequisites 1) Must have taken Introductory Psychology. 2) 4 courses from the following 8 areas in Psychology completed with a grade of B- or better in each course: a. Systems and Theories in Psychology b. Theories of Personality c. Child Psychology (Developmental Psychology) d. Social Psychology e. Abnormal Psychology f. Learning g. Brain and Behavior (BioPsychology; Physiological Psychology) Courses: 18 hours Psyc 6036/6037 Research Design & Statistics I and II 6 hours Take 4 out of the following 5: Psyc 6832 Advanced Cognitive Psychology Psyc 5031 Human Growth & Development Psyc 5235 Learning Principles Psyc 5532 Advanced Social Psychology Psyc 6134 Biological Basis of Behavior 3 hours 3 hours 3 hours 3 hours 3 hours 4

Capstone experience- Finishing your degree Master s Options: 6 hours for thesis/project, 12 hours for internship Option 1: Thesis Psyc 6939 Master s Thesis Option 2: Project Psyc 6839 Master s Project Option 3: Internship Psyc 5135 Prof. Issues in Human Services Psyc 5134 Interviewing and Assessment Psyc 6739 Graduate Internship 6 hours 6 hours 3 hours (all interns) 3 hours (social service agency interns) 6 hours Specialization Courses: 12 hours In concert with your advisor pick a set of courses to provide a specific disciplinary focus within Psychology. Recommended Course Sequence It is recommended that students take Psyc 6036/6037, Research Design & Statistics I and II, in the first full Fall and Spring at UHCL. This course is a two semester long course that is only offered during the Fall and Spring, there will be no new sections in the Spring or Summer. The other core courses can be completed in any sequence. All are offered regularly during the Fall, Spring, and Summer. For students taking the Internship option, Psyc 5135, Professional Issues in Human Services 9required for all students doing an internship), and Psyc 5134, Interviewing and Assessment (not required for teaching internships), should be completed prior to the internship. To accomplish this, both courses should be taken before the student s final two semesters. The internships require considerable advanced training. Please see the internship coordinator one full semester before you would like to begin. 5

Bio/NeuroPsyc Specializations in General Psychology and Recommended Courses o Psyc 6336 Behavioral Neuroscience Research Methods o Psyc 6335 Behavioral Pharmacology Research Methods o Psyc 5432 Psychoactive Drugs o Biol 5635 Neuroscience Cognitive/Human Factors o For information or the application for the Applied Cognitive Sub-plan see: http://www.uhcl.edu/appliedcognitive or email Dr. Camille Peres at peressc@uhcl.edu. Developmental o Psyc 5437 Aging o Psyc 5931 Development of Gender and Racial Identity o Psyc 5931 Media s Impact on Development o Psyc 5032 Family Psychology o Psyc 5131 Psychopathology of Childhood Women s Studies Social I/O o Psyc 5533 Psychology of Gender, Race, and Sexuality o Crcl 5131 Gender, Culture & Power o Psyc 5931 Racial and Gender Identity o Psyc 5732 Seminar in Feminist Theory o Psyc 5337 Violence Against Women o Psyc 5831 Gender & Cultural Perspectives in Therapy o Soci 5136 Women and the Law o Hlth 5334 Women's Health Issues o Hist 5430 Studies in Women's History o Psyc 5931 Social Issues Methods and Data Analysis o Psyc 5533 Psychology of Gender, Race, and Sexuality o Psyc 5931 Racial and Gender Identity o Soci 5333 Minorities and Majorities o For information or the application for the Applied Social Issues Sub-plan, email Dr. Kim Case at caseki@uhcl.edu. o Psyc 5330 Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology o Psyc 5332 Organizational Psychology o Psyc 5331 Personnel Psychology 6

Students Applying to Professional Psychology Programs at UHCL Some students start out in the General Psychology Master s Program with the intention of applying to one of UHCL s 3 Professional Psychology Programs. While some of the Professional Psychology Program courses are closed to General Psychology students, many are open, and if taken as part of the General Psychology Master s plan can be applied if the student is accepted into one of the Professional Psychology Programs. The following are the suggested and available courses for students planning to apply to one of the 3 Professional Psychology Programs: Clinical School Psyc 6036/6037 Research & Statistics I and II Psyc 5031 Human Growth & Development Psyc 5235 Learning Principles Psyc 6134 Biological Basis of Behavior Psyc 6531 Psychopathology or Psyc 5131 Psychopath/Childhood Psyc 5736 Behavioral Medicine Psyc 5233 Introduction to Family Therapy Psyc 5434 Art Therapy Psyc 5335 Life Work Planning SocioCultural Elective (See Catalog for Options) Psyc 6036/6037 Research & Statistics I and II Psyc 5031 Human Growth & Development Psyc 5235 Learning Principles Psyc 6134 Biological Basis of Behavior Psyc 5131 Psychopath/Childhood Psyc 6134 Biological Basis of Behavior Psyc 5233 Introduction to Family Therapy Psyc 6238 Applied Behavior Analysis Family Therapy Psyc 5031 Human Growth & Development Psyc 5235 Learning Psyc 5233 Introduction to Family Therapy Psyc 6531 Psychopathology Soci 5333 Minorities and Majorities Psyc 5433 Substance Abuse: Causes and Treatments Students Applying to the or the Applied Cognitive Psychology Sub-plan, the Applied Social Issues Sub-plan at UHCL or the Applied Behavior Analysis Master s The Applied Cognitive Psychology (ACP) Sub-plan, the Applied Social Issues Sub-plan (ASI), and the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Master s program require separate applications. Interested students should consult with Dr. Dorothea Lerman (ABA) or Dr. Camille Peres (ACP) respectively. 7

Careers in Psychology (with a Master s) There are many possible career options with a Master s degree in General Psychology. However, it is important to keep in mind that this degree does not prepare or qualify students to do clinical work. Students interested in becoming clinicians or licensed professional counselors or certified Behavior Analysts should apply for one of the Professional Psychology or Behavior Analysis programs at UHCL or another University. Many people who obtain master s degrees in General Psychology obtain employment in areas not traditionally or strictly Psychology related. However, since Psychology is a very relevant discipline they are able to apply their degree. The American Psychological Association provides information on employment with a Master s degree in Psychology at http://www.apa.org/students/student1.html and in several publications. Some common career paths for those remaining in Psychology include: Doctoral Programs--interested students should o Should focus on training in research methods o Should probably complete the thesis option o Consider doing an independent study with one of the faculty to gain research experience Research Assistant/Associate--interested students should o Should focus on training in research methods o Should probably complete the thesis option o Consider doing an independent study with one of the faculty to gain research experience Human Services--interested students should o Should focus on training in applied area of interest; e.g. Women s Studies if interested in working in a setting relating to women. o Should complete the internship option, working in a human services setting. Must take both Interviewing and Assessment and Ethics courses. o NOTE : This option does not qualify for LPC licensure. The LPC licensure requires clinical training that can only be obtained by completing a Professional Psychology program. Community College Teaching--interested students should o Should focus on courses in area of teaching, i.e. Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, etc. o Should include experience in courses commonly taught at Community College Take all 5 core courses and Psychopathology o Should complete the internship option, with a teaching internship Must take Ethics, but not Interviewing and Assessment In choosing specialization electives students should consider which path they are likely to pursue. 8

Internships The Graduate Non-Clinical Internship Program at the University of Houston-Clear Lake works closely with students to help them integrate their academic experiences with work in the larger community. An appropriate internship experience is the capstone of your graduate degree program. It can be pivotal in the transition from being a student to being a working professional. Students, in consultation with the internship coordinator, may choose a site at which to complete an internship. To help stimulate your thinking, a list of sites students have chosen in the past is available on the website as well as in a binder in the office (B-2617). Internship requires 500 hours of your time for non-teaching or two full semesters (Fall/Spring or Spring/Fall) for teaching internships. Requirements: Acceptance into the graduate non-clinical internship is by application. All the required forms are available on the website. Apply the semester before you want to begin the internship deadlines are posted on the website 24 graduate credit hours GPA > 3.0 Taken all prerequisites : Professional Issues and Ethics (Psyc 5135); Interviewing and Assessment (Psyc 5134) for non-teaching internships Internship Coordinator: Gaye Cummins Contact: Cummins@uhcl.edu Website: http://hsh.uhcl.edu/gncip Check out the website for more detailed information. Email the internship coordinator at anytime during your graduate studies. 9

Thesis/Project Checklist The focus of theses and projects are slightly different, although both are independent student projects designed to reflect mastery of the graduate level material. Theses are student research projects involving hypotheses, data collection and analysis as well as a thorough review of the relevant literature. Projects involve a sustained real-world use of the information and technical skills acquired during graduate training. Projects generally involve the student in doing some applied task and reporting on the results and experiences that follow. The HSH Academic Advising Office has more information on theses and projects. Theses and Projects generally take longer to complete than students predict. Thesis/Project work is selfmotivated, which is very different from the rest of your academic experience. Since there are no scheduled meeting times, and no definite due dates, it is easy to put thesis/project work on the backburner. The best way to avoid this is to set-up some kind of schedule or plan. In other words, make-up your own due dates. Always keep in mind that the faculty on your committee want to help you, but your thesis/project is yours. If you turn something into them 1 week before it is due, it probably will not be done in time. Faculty will not put their other work on hold to read and comment on your thesis/project. Always discuss timeline and due dates with your committee, but a good rule of thumb is about 2 weeks for faculty to read and comment on your work. These and projects almost always take longer than students expect. The thesis or project time frame is anywhere from 1-2 years, depending on your motivation and available time. Step 1: Think about a topic In order to find a full-time faculty member to chair the thesis/project, you must first have some idea of your topic. The topic does not need to be completely nailed down, some of that will occur with your advisor, but you should have a fairly good idea. Step 2: Find a committee chair The committee chair must be a full-time faculty member with some background in the area you are interested in. Faculty members are not required to supervise theses, so you will need to make an appointment and ask if they are willing. Talk with your faculty advisor to figure out who would be a good match for your topic. Step 3: Decide on a topic Once a full-time faculty member has agreed to work with you, the two of you must nail down your topic. For projects this will entail formalizing what the project is going to entail as well as expectations for the final product. For theses, you and the faculty member must decide on hypotheses and research methods. In order to accomplish this task you will have to start examining the literature on your topic. Step 4: The Proposal The proposal is meant to reveal any problems or flaws in your project. The more explicit you are in your proposal the more faculty can help you early in the process. An initial draft of your proposal is useful before selecting a second reader. This initial draft will help you and you committee chair to focus your topic. It is also useful for the faculty member you ask to be a second reader. Step 5: Find a second reader In consultation with your committee chair you should select a second reader who brings a different perspective to your topic. The second reader is typically in the same discipline as the committee chair, 10

but that is not a requirement. The key is to find someone who provides a different, but related, area of expertise. Step 6:The Proposal Revisited After you find the second reader, both the committee chair and the second reader will review the project proposal, and suggest revisions and improvements. You will end up revising the proposal several times. It is not uncommon to revise a proposal many, many times. Once the committee chair and second reader have given their approval, you submit the proposal to the Associate Dean. Check with the HSH Advising office for the Master s Project/Thesis Proposal form and relevant due dates. Step 7: Complete Project or Thesis Once the project proposal has been approved, you are expected to pursue the project independently, submitting reports periodically to the project committee for suggestions and review. Keep in mind that you will most likely go through multiple revisions. The final draft of your thesis/project should be given to the chair of the committee at least 6 weeks before any applicable University deadlines. Step 8: Final Product Once you and the faculty members of your committee are satisfied with the project/thesis, you must submit it to the Dean s office for approval. You will also have to submit the project/thesis to the library for a format check. Make sure to check the deadline for submission of the project/thesis to the Dean s office, it is several weeks before the end of the semester. Once the project/thesis has been approved you submit the three copies to the library for binding. You are now done. More details and forms for projects/theses can be obtained in the HSH advising office. 11