Coursework and Milestones

Coursework

1. PSYC 201A: Statistical Computing and Inference from Data I, 6 Units (FA)
2. PSYC 201B: Quantitative Methods in Psychology II, 6 units (WI)
3. PSYC 203: Department Proseminar
4. PSYC 270ABC: 1st Year Project, 4 units (FA, WI, SP)
5. PSYC 280: Colloquium, 1 unit (FA, WI, SP)
6. PSYC 296 (pre-advancement): Research Practicum, up to 12 units (FA, WI, SP)
7. PSYC 500: TA Assignment, 4 units (Quarter of assignment)
8. Area Brown Bag. Students are required to sign up for the appropriate brownbag for their area (FA, WI, SP):
   1. Cognitive Area - PSYC 275
   2. CNS Area - PSYC 224
   3. Developmental Area - PSYC 242 
   4. Social Area - PSYC 274
9. Area Proseminars
   1. Area Promseminars are not required during the first year. But students can start taking them towards meeting the minimum requirement of completing at least 3 area proseminars by the end of the 2nd year. 
10. Approved Seminars
    1. Seminars are not required during the first year. But students can start taking them towards meeting the minimum requirement of completing at least 3 seminars by the end of the 3rd year. 
    2. A maximum of 1 non-Psychology approved seminar can count towards this requirement.
    3. 2 of your 3 seminars must be taken for a letter grade.

Language Requirement

• Foreign students with undergraduate degrees from non-English speaking colleges or universities must demonstrate satisfactory English language skills.
• Language competency is assessed by an oral interview (about 15 minutes) by a committee comprised of a representative from the department and a linguist.
• Students who do not have the requisite language skills must enroll in a language training course offered at no cost by the TA Development Program.
• The department requires that students pass the language screening evaluation by the end of their first year of the program.
• All of our foreign students to date have used the resources of the TA Development Program and have successfully passed the language screening evaluation.

Advisor, by end of fall quarter

• Students are accepted into the graduate program independent of an advisor. However, students are preliminarily paired with an advisor based on their and the faculty's expressed interest during the recruitment process. This pairing is not necessarily permanent and students (and advisors) have the freedom to alter this arrangement at any time.
• Students must declare their advisor to the Graduate Coordinator by the end of the fall quarter of their first year. 
  • For most students, this is the advisor they are preliminarily paired with upon entrance into the program.
  • However, if a student who wishes to change their advisor to a different faculty member, they must first receive the new faculty's agreement, and then both must email the Graduate Coordinator.
  • Additionally, contingent upon approval, students may elect to work with an advisor outside the Psychology Department. Should a student decide to work with an outside faculty member it will be the responsibility of that professor to provide support for the student. It will also be necessary for the student to have a Psychology faculty co-advisor who can keep abreast of the student's research progress.
• Should an advisor relationship end at any time, students have one quarter to secure an advisor to continue in the program.

Research Project

Description

• Submit and present a research paper on the research project completed for Psychology 270ABC. The paper should be comparable in style, length, and quality to papers published in the standard refereed journals of the student's research area.
• Papers should be prepared in APA-approved format, as if being submitted for publication to one of the society’s journals. In some cases, students may submit with an alternate format such as Journal of Neuroscience, Brain Research, JEAB, JPSP, Vision Research, or Perception and Psychophysics.

1st Year Paper Proposal Meeting, due by March 31st

• By the end of winter quarter, each student is required to arrange a preliminary meeting with his or her faculty advisor(s) and one additional faculty member of his or her choosing.
• The purpose of this meeting is to propose the idea for the first-year research project in order to receive guidance and feedback. Upon successful completion of the meeting, the first-year Docusign form should be signed by the faculty in attendance and a copy sent to the Grad Coordinator.

Final Paper

• The final research paper is due to the Graduate Coordinator 2 weeks before “Little APS."
• The paper will be read and evaluated by the student's research advisor and at least two other readers appointed by the Graduate Coordinator and the Graduate Affairs Committee, graded on a five-point scale (1-5, with 5 being the best possible score).
• Students' papers must average a 3 or greater to be considered passing.

"Little APS" (Oral Presentation)

• The research paper will also be presented orally at a research meeting (“Little APS”) at the end of the spring quarter.
• “Little APS” is currently held the Friday before finals in spring.
• Each first year student will have a maximum of ten minutes for his or her presentation, immediately followed by five minutes for questions.
• Any student who fails to present a first year paper at “Little APS” will automatically fail the first year requirements. Any request for an exception to this policy must be brought to the Graduate Advisor for approval at least one week prior to the date on which the paper is due (and at least three weeks prior to “Little APS” presentations).
• Attendance at this meeting is required of all graduate students and faculty.

Coursework

• PSYC 280: Colloquium, 1 unit (FA, WI, SP)
• PSYC 296 (pre-advancement): Research Practicum, up to 12 units (FA, WI, SP)
• PSYC 500: TA Assignment, 4 units (Quarter(s) of assignment)
• Area Brown Bag. Students are required to sign up for the appropriate brownbag for their area (FA, WI, SP):
  1. Cognitive Area - PSYC 275
  2. CNS Area - PSYC 224
  3. Developmental Area - PSYC 242
  4. Social Area - PSYC 274
• Area Proseminars
  1. At least 3 area proseminars must be completed by the end of the 2nd year  
• Approved Seminars
  1. Seminars are not required during the second year. But students can start taking them towards meeting the minimum requirement of completing at least 3 seminars by the end of the 3rd year. 
  2. A maximum of 1 non-Psychology approved seminar can count towards this requirement.
  3. 2 of your 3 seminars must be taken for a letter grade.

Qualifying Paper or Exam

• Each student, in collaboration with their faculty advisor, can decide if they would prefer to write a qualifying paper or take a qualifying exam.
• In both cases, the formation of the qualifying committee is the same.
  • The student is responsible for forming the Qualifying Committee, a departmental committee consisting of two or more faculty members from the Department of Psychology (one of whom is the student's advisor). The committee should be formed at least one month prior to the Qualifying Proposal. The student is also responsible for arranging the meeting time & place (email reservations-psyc@ucsd.edu to reserve a room) and submitting an advance copy of the proposal to committee members via email minimally two weeks in advance of the scheduled meeting. 
• However, the format of the proposal and defense will differ.
  • Qualifying Paper or Exam Proposal, due by October 1st
  • Qualifying Paper or Exam, due April 30th 

Data and Progress Update, due April 30th

Coursework

• PSYC 280: Colloquium, 1 unit (FA, WI, SP)
• PSYC 296 (pre-advancement): Research Practicum, up to 12 units (FA, WI, SP)
• PSYC 500: TA Assignment, 4 units (Quarter(s) of assignment)
• Area Brown Bag. Students are required to sign up for the appropriate brownbag for their area (FA, WI, SP):
  1. Cognitive Area - PSYC 275
  2. CNS Area - PSYC 224
  3. Developmental Area - PSYC 242
  4. Social Area - PSYC 274
• Approved Seminars
  • Must complete 3 approved seminars by the end of the 3rd year.
  • A maximum of 1 non-Psychology approved seminar can count towards this requirement.
  • 2 of your 3 seminars must be taken for a letter grade.

Data and Progress Update, due April 30th

Spring Evaluation, due mid-May

Constitution of Dissertation Committee

• Requires GEPA approval.
• Send to Graduate Coordinator at least 1 month prior to Dissertation Proposal/Advancement committee.

Dissertation Proposal

• Contact Graduate Coordinator prior to meeting (Deadline for all students: September 1 prior to the start of 4th Year.
• Dissertation committee must be formally approved by GEPA before dissertation proposal meeting can be scheduled. The approval process takes on average of one month.
  
  

Coursework

• PSYC 280: Colloquium, 1 unit (FA, WI, SP)
• PSYC 296 (pre-advancement): Research Practicum, up to 12 units (FA, WI, SP)
• PSYC 299 (post-advancement): Independent Research, up to 12 units (FA, WI, SP)
• Area Brown Bag. Students are required to sign up for the appropriate brownbag for their area (FA, WI, SP):
  1. Cognitive Area - PSYC 275
  2. CNS Area - PSYC 224
  3. Developmental Area - PSYC 242
  4. Social Area - PSYC 274
• PSYC 500: TA Assignment, 4 units (Quarter(s) of assignment)

Data and Progress Update, due April 30th

Coursework

• PSYC 280: Colloquium, 1 unit (FWS)
• PSYC 299 (post-advancement): Independent Research, up to 12 units (FWS)
• PSYC 500: TA Assignment, 4 units (Quarter(s) of assignment)
• Area Brown Bag. Students are required to sign up for the appropriate brownbag for their area (FA, WI, SP):
  1. Cognitive Area - PSYC 275
  2. CNS Area - PSYC 224
  3. Developmental Area - PSYC 242
  4. Social Area - PSYC 274

Data and Progress Update, due April 30th

Spring Evaluation, due mid-May

Dissertation Defense

• Contact Graduate Coordinator at least 1 month prior to dissertation defense
• Students who have failed to complete requirements and defend their dissertation by the end of their 8th year will be terminated from the program.