Ph.D. in Psychology: Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Psychology plan of work
Guidelines for adequate student progress
This sample plan of work represents one path to degree completion and does not guarantee graduation by the proposed timeline subject to student performance and class availability. Students are advised to meet with their advisor to develop an individualized plan of work.
Important note: Students should only register for 10 credits per semester.
Year one: Fall
| Course # | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 7150 | Quant I | 4 |
| PSY #### | Department core or BCN core #1 | 3 |
| PSY 7991 | Current Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience | 1 |
| PSY 8999 | Master Thesis | 2 |
| Total | 10 | |
It is recommended that you take only two classes in your first semester to provide more time to get started with your research.
Year one: Winter
| Course # | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 8150 | Multivariate Analysis | 4 |
| PSY #### | Department core or concentration #1 | 3 |
| PSY #### | BCN core #1 or 2 | 3 |
| Total | 10 | |
Note: Due to a full 10 credit load this semester, students should not officially enroll in PSY 7991 if following these guidelines, however, we still expect them to attend the meetings.
Year one: Summer
| Course # | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 8999 | Master Thesis or PSY XXXX Meta-Analysis | 2 |
| Total | 2 | |
Note: Students should have an approved Ph.D. plan of work on file with the Graduate School before their first evaluation at the end of the winter semester (and before 40 credits are completed).
Year two: Fall
| Course # | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY #### | BCN core #2 or 3 | 3 |
| PSY #### | Department core or concentration #1 or 2 | 3 |
| PSY #### | Another BCN or concentration course or PSY 8999 Master Thesis | 3 |
| PSY 7991 | Current Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience | 1 |
| Total | 10 | |
Year two: Winter
| Course # | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY #### | BCN core # 3 or 4 | 3 |
| PSY #### | Concentration #2 | 3 |
| PSY 8999 | Master credits (if Meta-Analysis taken summer year one, if not PSY 8999 Master Thesis, one credit, AND PSY 7997 Research Problems, two credits) | 3 |
| PSY 7991 | Current Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience | 1 |
| Total | 10 | |
Year two: Summer
| Course # | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 7997 | Research Problems | 2 |
| Total | 2 | |
It is recommended that students have an approved master's thesis proposal by December of year two. Students should strive to defend the master's thesis (and fill out the Ph.D. candidacy form) by December of year three. This is important as you can then take dissertation credits and one course per term. That way you can take full advantage of taking 10 credits per term. Individual plans may vary, however, and departure from this recommended sequence needs to be approved by the student's advisor. Delay of progress towards dissertation may jeopardize the student's ability to take advantage of dissertation credits under departmental support. The Graduate School allows 7.5 dissertation credits plus one course (even if three or four credits brings you up to 10.5 or 11.5 credits.
Year three: Fall
| Course # | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY #### | Concentration #2 and/or BCN Core #4 | 3 |
| PSY 9991 | Dissertation credits | 7.5 |
| PSY 7991 | Current Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience (Note: Students can take an additional four credits with a dissertation block, i.e. up to 11.5 total) | 1 |
| Total | 11.5 | |
Dissertation research credits requirement: Students are able to register for the first block of dissertation credits in the semester that they expect to achieve Ph.D. candidacy status, which for psychology means defending the master's thesis and putting together a preliminary dissertation committee. Four consecutive semesters of candidate status are required, 7.5 credits each (PSY 9991, PSY 9992, PSY 9993, PSY 9994).
Year three: Winter
| Course # | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 9992 | Dissertation research credits | 7.5 |
| PSY 7991 | Current Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience | 1 |
| PSY #### | Remaining required courses (if needed/applicable) or PSY 7997 Research Problem | 2-3 |
| Total | 10.5-11.5 | |
Year three: Summer
| Course # | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 7997 | Research Problems | 2 |
| Total | 2 | |
Year four: Fall
| Course # | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 9993 | Dissertation research credits | |
| PSY 7991 | Current Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience | 1 |
| Remaining required courses (if needed/applicable) or PSY 7997 Research Problem | 3 | |
| Total | ||
Year four: Winter
| Course # | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 9994 | Dissertation research credits | 3 |
| PSY 7991 | Current Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience | 1 |
| Remaining required courses (if needed/applicable) or PSY 7997 Research Problem | 3 | |
| Total | ||
Year four: Summer
| Course # | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 7997 | Research Problems | 2 |
| Total | 2 | |
Students should strive to complete the major area paper by the beginning of classes of year four: This due date is contingent upon prior completion of the master's thesis or equivalency project.
Year five
| Course # | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 9995 | Dissertation Maintenance Status (full-time status, student responsible for paying registration fee plus one student service fee) | 0 |
| Total | 0 | |
Departmental expected progress
The milestones below represent the rate of student progress recommended by the psychology department. Students who meet these milestones will obtain their doctorate within five years. Students who do not meet these milestones will be at a lower priority for departmental funding, departmental awards and additional service assignments.
- Propose a master's thesis or master's equivalent project by December of the second year.
- Defend master's thesis or master's equivalent project by December of the third year.
- Pass qualifying exam (or defend a major area paper) by the start of classes in the fourth year.
- Propose dissertation by May of the fourth year.
- Complete dissertation by May of the fifth year.
Note that these are departmental milestones and individual timelines may differ for BCN students and their research. Your progress will be reviewed annually by your mentoring committee.
Failure to meet milestones will trigger the following procedures:
- The failure to make progress as established by the mentoring committee will be noted in the annual review.
- Following the annual review, students will meet with their advisor/mentoring committee to develop a remediation plan. The remediation plan will include things the student must do, within a certain timeframe, to remain in the program (e.g. meet weekly with an advisor, propose M.A. thesis within two months, etc.).
- The remediation plan will be submitted to the Graduate Committee for review.
- If a student fails to complete the requirements of the remediation plan, they may lose departmental funding or may be dismissed from the program.
Additional information
The Graduate Committee can recommend that a student no longer continues in the program for reasons other than failure to make progress recommended by the mentoring committee. If an area determines that a student is not making adequate progress for any reason (e.g. failure to secure a research advisor, failure to attend classes, meetings or professional activities, etc.), the area may ask the graduate committee to review the student's situation.
Note: The Graduate School requires that students graduate in seven years.
Ph.D. time limitation and extension policy: "Students have a seven-year time limit to complete all requirements for the Ph.D. A student whose Ph.D. time limit has expired is regarded by the Graduate School as automatically terminated from the program unless the department submits an appropriately justified request for a time extension and the Graduate School approves that request."