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Psychology

Degree Types: PhD

The Doctoral Program in Psychology prepares students to be future leaders in scientific psychology through programs in five areas: clinical psychology; personality, development & health psychology; cognitive psychology; social psychology; and brain, behavior, & cognition.

Program faculty and graduate students conduct some of the most exciting and influential research being done in the psychological sciences today. Graduate students in our program receive rigorous training in methodology, statistics, and broad content areas in psychology.

Students take both general courses and those specific to their areas of interest. Students also engage in a series of research projects and assist with undergraduate teaching. Collaboration with faculty members within and outside the student’s area is very common. Many graduates seek academic careers.

Additional resources:

Program Statistics

Visit PhD Program Statistics for statistics such as program admissions, enrollment, student demographics and more.

Program Contact

Contact Shelley Powers
Graduate Program Coordinator
847-491-3494

Degree Requirements

The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.

Master's

The department offers no terminal master's degree, but students must earn a master's degree as one of the requirements for the PhD degree. To obtain the MA or MS degree, students take the courses required for the specialized field and complete a master's thesis.

PhD

Total Units Required: 27

Course Title
Core Courses
PSYCH 401-1Proseminar--Biological & Cognitive Bases of Behavior
PSYCH 401-2Proseminar--Social and Personality Basesof Behavior
Additional Courses
Additional course requirements differ for the five program areas. 1
1

 See Department Guide for more Information

Other PhD Requirements

  • Examinations: For admission to candidacy, written examination or paper.
  • Research/Projects: In addition to master's project and PhD dissertation, students are expected to engage in supervised research projects
  • PhD Dissertation: Result of independent research in specialized field
  • Final Evaluations: Oral examination on dissertation
  • Other: Teaching assignment (see department guide)

Last Updated: September 12, 2023