Biological and Health Psychology Program PhD Requirements
These are the minimum requirements for the PhD from the Biological and Health Psychology Program.
The Biological and Health Psychology Program subsumes two academic tracks, one in Biological and Health Psychology alone, and the other in consortium with the Clinical Psychology Program.
Except as noted, Clinical/Health Psychology Program students satisfy the same degree requirements as nonclinical Biological and Health Psychology Program students, in addition to completing requirements of the Clinical Psychology Program.
General Information
- Graduate training is only offered for the PhD. There is no terminal master's degree.
- Graduate training occurs on a full-time, three-term, year-round basis. Most courses are 3 credits and one term in duration.
- A mentorship model of training is employed, in which students work closely with their faculty advisors. It is possible to change advisors at any time and often students work with other faculty in addition to their advisor.
- Students are encouraged to examine the research interests and recent publications of faculty with whom they might be interested in working. Click here for faculty list. Graduate applicants are asked to designate potential faculty mentors, and these selections are considered seriously in the application review process.
- An individualized curriculum is established for each student. This curriculum is established, approved, and monitored by a two-member advisory committee composed of program faculty.
Curriculum
- The Health Fundamentals course is a one term small group seminar required of first or second year graduate students enrolled in the Biological and Health Psychology program. The goal of the course is to introduce students to the major tools that underlie contemporary research in health psychology, with a focus on a) biological and psychophysiological systems of relevance to the field (e.g., fear and stress systems, energy homeostasis, genetics), b) the epidemiology and pathophysiology of major health problems, and c) the psychosocial models that link these systems and problems (emotion and personality, risk perception and health cognition, social environmental factors, sociodemographic factors and health).
- In addition, all students must fulfill coursework in: (1) research methods in biological and health psychology; (2) statistical analysis; and (3) a two-course sequence in systems physiology (including functional anatomy and physiology of the central nervous system). These requirements may be satisfied by a variety of course options, based on recommendations of the student's advisory committee.
- Students must also complete at least 14 credits (approximately 5 courses; for clinical/health students, at least 8 credits or approximately 3 courses) relating to the program’s several fields of research concentration. Examples of such courses include: Human Cardiovascular Psychophysiology, Psychoneuroimmunology, Health Judgment and Decision Making, Behavioral Medicine Interventions, and The Process of Addiction.
- All students participate in a Program Research Seminar, which is scheduled through the fall and spring terms. This seminar serves to bring together graduate students, faculty, and postdoctoral fellows, providing a forum for presentation and discussion of conceptual and methodological issues bridging the various specialty areas of biological and health psychology. The program research seminar also serves as a forum for professional development in areas such as grant writing, publishing and presenting research, reviewing papers, and developing a program of research.
Research Milestones
- Master's Thesis: The master's thesis is an empirical study that is proposed and defended to a faculty committee.
- Specialty Paper and Examination: The specialty paper is a review of scientific literature involving a topic of central importance to the student's field of study. The paper is defended before a faculty committee. Passing the specialty examination demonstrates that the student has acquired mastery of the theories, research methods, and content defining a set of related problems in health psychology and can articulate issues central to these problems.
- Dissertation: The dissertation is an independent empirical study that is proposed and defended to a faculty committee.
Teaching Requirement
- Students are required to teach at least one course during their graduate career.