Department of Psychology
| Professors |
Sandra Barrueco; David A. Jobes; Marc M. Sebrechts; Barry M. Wagner |
| Professors Emeriti |
Diane B. Arnkoff; James Brennan; Carol R. Glass; James H. Howard Jr.; Martin A. Safer; Antanas Suziedelis; James E. Youniss |
| Associate Professors |
Nancy E. Adleman; Marcie Goeke-Morey; Brendan A. Rich, Chair |
| Assistant Professors |
Elise Cardinale, Kathryn Degnan, Abby Adler Mandel, Christina Sharkey |
| Research Associates |
Jennifer A. Crumlish |
| Lecturers |
Jessica Clark; Ashley Cornell; Aimee Duncan; Katrina Furth; Kristina Hardy; Seth Kiser; Rebecca Munoz; Michael Pillar; Catherine Rathman; Sanchita Sharma; Suzanne Smith; Alva Tang |
The Department of Psychology, one of the first established in the United States, was founded by Edward Pace upon his return in 1891 from study with Wilhelm Wundt in Leipzig. From early in its history, the department has combined education in both theoretical and applied aspects of psychology.
The department offers three programs at the doctoral level: clinical psychology, applied-experimental psychology and human development; and three at the master's level: psychological science, human factors, and a joint J.D./M.A. program.
Master of Arts Degree
The department offers an M.A. in psychological science, a specialized M.A. program in human factors, and a joint J.D./M.A. program.
Prerequisites and Admission Requirements
Students applying for admission to the M.A. degree programs must present a bachelor's degree from an accredited college. At least one course in general psychology or its equivalent is preferred, although not required. Additional coursework in basic areas of psychology is also desirable.
Information on application procedures, supplementary instructions, and links to application forms may be obtained via the departmental website. All application materials should be submitted online through The Catholic University of America’s Admissions website. All M.A. applications should include a two- to three-page typed personal statement describing relevant background and reasons for seeking an M.A. degree at CUA. M.A. applicants are also asked to submit a curriculum vitae (CV). The applicant should also request that the following be sent to graduate admissions: transcripts of undergraduate records and any other postsecondary studies; three letters of recommendation from officials or faculty members of institutions previously attended or from employment supervisors. Submission of results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is optional. Applicants are not required to take the psychology test of the GRE. Acceptance into the J.D./M.A. program is contingent upon acceptance into the Columbus School of Law at CUA. Please see each M.A. program’s admission website for application deadlines.
Applicants should note that admission to the M.A. program does not ensure admission to a Ph.D. program. After completion of the M.A. degree, students may apply to the Ph.D. area of their choice.
Programs
The Master of Arts degree is offered in psychological science, human factors, and psychology and law (J.D./M.A.). A formal thesis is required in the Human Factors Program. In the psychological science M.A. program, students have the option to complete a formal thesis, or they may select an in-depth topic paper. The J.D./M.A. program is a non-thesis degree that requires the completion of an in-depth topic paper.
Psychological Science M.A. Degree. The Master of Arts in Psychological Science is awarded upon completion of 31 semester hours of credit, passing of a comprehensive examination and completion of a topic paper or optional thesis. There are four required courses: Biological and Cognitive Aspects of Behavior; Social and Affective Aspects of Behavior, Research Methods in Psychology, and Statistical Methods I. The student must pass six additional courses from a variety of different areas in psychology. Students may complete a three-credit research apprenticeship and a three-credit independent readings course toward the requirement.
Joint J.D. (Law)-M.A. (Psychology). Students who have already been accepted to Catholic University's Columbus School of Law may apply for a joint program leading to simultaneous degrees in psychology and in law. The program requires 94 semester credit hours (72 in law, 22 in psychology), compared to 115 credits if the two degrees are pursued separately.
For further information on the Psychological Science M.A. program contact the Director, Dr. Brendan Rich, at richb@cua.edu. For further information on the Human Factors M.A. program, contact the Director, Dr. Nancy Adleman, at adleman@cua.edu.
Good Academic Standing
Any Master's student who receives (1) one grade of "F" in any course, (2) two "C" grades in any one semester, or (3) one "C" grade in each of two consecutive semesters will be subject to immediate academic review by a committee of the faculty. Upon hearing the committee's report and recommendations, the faculty may set specific conditions for the student to fulfill during a specified period of time in order to continue his or her good standing in the program. The committee may also recommend dismissal from the program.
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
Overall, the Ph.D. programs focus on general scientific psychology and methodology in the students’ first year. After the first semester, specialization begins with individualized research experiences and mentorship and continues to the doctoral dissertation. Research papers and other scholarly products are part of this training. The final years of study are devoted primarily to the student's specialty, including an internship for students in the clinical psychology program.
At the end of every year each student's course grades and general academic standing are reviewed. (Clinical psychology doctoral students are also reviewed at the end of their first semester.) Continuation of advanced studies toward the doctoral degree is contingent upon the successful completion of requirements set by the faculty and favorable review of the student's progress. The Clinical Psychology Student Handbook provides specific details about the degree requirements, sequence by year, evaluations, and additional information.
Prerequisites and Admission Requirements
Prospective applicants can find program information and admission requirements for each program on the department Website. Applicants must submit transcripts, a curriculum vitae, a two-to three-page personal statement describing relevant background and reasons for seeking a Ph.D. degree at CUA, and three recommendation letters. Results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and subject test in psychology are optional. The required letters of recommendation should be written by individuals familiar with the applicant's academic background and aptitude for graduate study. Applicants to the clinical program must also submit a Clinical Psychology Interest Form.
The application deadline for the Clinical Psychology Program is Dec. 1. The application deadline for the Applied Experimental and Human Development programs is February 1st for optimal scholarship consideration, although applications will be considered after that date. All application materials for the doctoral programs should be completed online.
Required Courses
Required courses for all Ph.D. students in the department are the following: Biological and Cognitive Aspects of Behavior; Social and Affective Aspects of Behavior; Research Methods in Psychology, Statistical Methods I and II, and Research Apprenticeship (three semesters). Additional hours of core electives also are required within each program. The remainder of the student's program is planned in consultation with an adviser.
For Clinical Ph.D. students, specific details about evaluation and criteria for good standing (including grades), probation, and dismissal are contained in the Clinical Psychology Student Handbook.
For Ph.D. students in the other doctoral programs, a grade of "C" or lower in any research apprenticeship or any practicum will result in the student being placed on probation for one semester. For all other courses, a student who receives a grade of "F" in any course or cumulatively receives two "C" grades will be placed on probation for one semester. In each case, the program faculty will identify specific criteria for return to good academic standing. If a student fails to return to and maintain good academic standing after two semesters on probation, he or she will be subject to dismissal from the program.
Completion of Degree Requirements
Coursework for the doctorate is usually completed within three or four years. The doctoral comprehensive examination is typically taken during the third year of study. Students can complete all doctoral degree requirements within five years. The university specifies limits in degree completion. Students in the clinical psychology doctoral program should also refer to their Clinical Psychology Student Handbook.
Programs
Three doctoral programs are offered: clinical psychology, applied-experimental psychology, and human development. In addition, the electives focus in Children, Families and Cultures provides interdisciplinary training in both normal and abnormal developmental processes within family and broader cultural contexts. Students wishing to train in that focus are admitted to either the clinical or human development programs. Program information is available on the department's Website, https://psychology.catholic.edu/.
A minimum of 53 semester hours of credit is required for the Ph.D., of which a maximum of 24 may be transferred from other institutions. However, Ph.D. degree training involves considerably more than the accumulation of credits. The development of research and applied skills is fostered by active participation in department activities, by individualized mentorship, and by experience in training placements.
Clinical Psychology. The program is based on the scientist-practitioner model and is accredited by the American Psychological Association (Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation: Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation American Psychological Association 750 11st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002 Phone: (202) 336-5979 / E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org. The program is described in detail online. Students receive supervised research and clinical experience at each level of graduate training to prepare them for careers in the research, teaching or professional aspects of clinical psychology. Research skills are taught through coursework, a three- semester research apprenticeship and the dissertation. Clinical skills are taught through courses and practica. Practicum experiences are provided on campus within the department, at the University's Counseling Center, and off campus in a variety of mental health facilities. One year of the program is devoted to a full- time internship.
The elective focus in Children, Families and Cultures involves both basic and applied research on children, couples and families. (More details are provided below in the Human Development section.) Training in both child and family therapies is offered to students, including a practicum that provides family therapy services to the community. Individual and cultural diversity are an essential ingredient of the theoretical, methodological, and intervention training and research.
Social Cognitive Affective Neuroscience (SCAN). The SCAN Program offers advanced training in applied-experimental psychology, cognitive science and cognitive neuroscience to prepare individuals for careers in academic, industrial, government, health-care, and other settings that require strong research, analytical and writing skills. Although students are admitted to pursue the Ph.D. degree through a 5-year curriculum, they are awarded the M.A. degree after completing at least 30 hours of coursework (including the core courses), an M.A. thesis, and oral defense. A major objective of the program is to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to understand, organize, and critique the scientific literature of the field, to develop and carry out original, scholarly research and to appreciate the translational implications of this work for practical problems.
Core Ph.D. courses are designed to provide a strong foundation for research. The foundations course sequence examines the basic science of psychology focusing on historical and biological foundations as well as on cognitive, social and affective areas including their neurological and developmental aspects. The two-semester sequence in statistics provides graduate-level training in the theory and application of statistics including the use of computer software for data analysis and modeling. The research methods course examines experimental, quasi-experimental and observational research designs as well as ethical standards and report preparation. A series of additional elective courses on advanced topics are taken to complete the formal pedagogical curriculum and required minimum of 53 credit hours. Course selection beyond the core curriculum is tailored to the individual needs and interests of each student. Students also have the option of electing certain courses offered in related departments at the University such as Social Work, Nursing and Biomedical Engineering as well as at CUA's sister institutions through the Washington Consortium of Universities.
Coursework is supplemented by "hands-on" research training throughout graduate study following an apprenticeship model. Within the first year, students identify a specialty related to the research interests of a program faculty member and receive research-intensive experience in that area. This experience includes carrying out a research project that is written up as a formal M.A. thesis and defended in an oral examination by the end of the second year. Program faculty members have research interests that span a wide range of issues, including cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience, cognitive aging, cognition and technology, social cognition and cognitive rehabilitation.
Developmental Psychology. This program offers advanced training in developmental psychology to prepare individuals for diverse career opportunities in universities, government, research centers, or businesses. Students gain a thorough knowledge of theory and basic and applied research with a focus on developmental processes. Students also gain mastery in the use of quantitative methods, qualitative methods, and statistics. A sequence of relevant statistics and methods courses is required of all students. In the course of their training, students participate in ongoing research projects and conduct independent empirical investigations on selected topics. Students are admitted to pursue the PhD, with the M.A. degree awarded after successful completion of at least 30 hours of coursework (including the core courses) and an empirical M.A. thesis with an oral thesis defense.
A hallmark of the Human Development Program is the elective focus in Children, Families and Cultures (CFC) in conjunction with the Clinical Psychology Program. This focus emphasizes both normal and abnormal processes in child and adolescent development and examines these processes in the context of family life as well as the broader cultural environments within which people live. Students in the CFC focus take courses focusing on the importance of family and cultural processes for theoretical, methodological and applied work. Students also work with faculty on research projects that situate development within family and/or cultural contexts Research foci include developmental processes (both typical and atypical), community, marriage and family, acculturation, and civic development. More information can be found on the department’s website.
Other Information Financial Support
For information concerning university scholarships and fellowships, contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance, The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. 20064. Applications completed by specified program deadlines (but no later than February 1) will be considered for University scholarships. A number of teaching assistantship positions are typically available to Ph.D. students. Research assistantship appointments are made by individual faculty. Additional information is also available in the Clinical Psychology Student Handbook.
Non-Degree Students
Applicants may apply for non-degree status, although some courses are open only to students in particular Ph.D. sequences. The Director of M.A. Programs should be consulted for advice on available courses.
Non-degree students who later wish to be considered for degree status must submit updated applications ordinarily required for admission; however, there is no guarantee of acceptance into degree programs. If admitted as a regular student in a degree program, a maximum of three courses successfully completed as a non-degree student may be applied toward an advanced degree.
Clinical Training Centers
The university includes an on-campus Counseling Center, which provides psychological services to the student body. It is also a training site for a clinical practicum and externships. These clinical experiences allow clinical Ph.D. students the opportunity to provide supervised personal, vocational, and educational counseling.
The clinical psychology doctoral program also has a range of on- and off-campus supervised training experiences for its students. Please see the Clinical Psychology Student Handbook for details.
Courses Offered
Consult Cardinal Station for additional information about courses and to determine course offerings by semester.