Psychology

The M.A. degree requires nine graduate courses (36 units). This course work must include Psychology 250A, 250B, 250C (or a course substitute for 250C approved by the department), 251A, 251B, 251C, and three of the four core courses required for the doctoral degree. Up to four units of 596 may be applied toward the 36 unit requirement. In addition, the Psychology 251C research project must be completed. 250A, 250B, 250C (or substitute), 251C, and the three core courses must be taken for a letter grade. 251A, 251B, and 596 are S/U grading. Courses in the 300 or 400 series may not be applied. Any undergraduate deficiencies must be cleared before the M.A. degree is awarded. Students who have earned a previous Master's Degree in Psychology are not permitted to earn a duplicate Master's Degree in Psychology at UCLA.

Teaching Experience

All students will be introduced to teaching through an introductory teaching assistant position during one quarter of the first year of matriculation in the degree program. All students are required to take Psychology 495A in the first quarter they serve as a teaching assistant (in the first year of matriculation in the degree program), and 495B in the second quarter they serve as a teaching assistant (no later than end of fourth year prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy).

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students must complete a research project which demonstrates their knowledge of relevant scientific literature and their ability to design and conduct a research project and write a complete research report. Students must enroll in Psychology 251A, 251B, and 251C consecutively, beginning in the winter quarter of the first year and concluding in the fall quarter of the second year.

Thesis Plan

None.

Time-to-Degree

Students typically receive the master's degree by the end of their fourth quarter in residence.

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Advising

Upon admission to graduate status, each student is assigned an adviser on the basis of the student's interests as indicated in the application. Students are required to meet with their adviser to receive approval of their enrollment plan in their first quarter and are strongly encouraged to consult with their adviser about course work throughout the program. Students who would like to change advisers may request to do so. Students are evaluated annually while satisfying general core course requirements, a period of time expected to span over six quarters. The evaluations are conducted by the graduate advising supervisor. Students who are not making satisfactory progress in the program are notified in writing.

In addition, each spring quarter, areas are required to conduct a comprehensive review of all graduate students in their program. Each student receives from the area a written evaluation letter. Each fall quarter, students in their fourth and sixth year in the program complete progress reports, which are reviewed by their adviser, the area chair, and the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Students are required to obtain a thorough background in research methodology and psychological theory by completing requirements for both a major and a minor field. Major specialized training is available in the following eight areas of psychology: Behavioral Neuroscience; Clinical; Cognitive; Developmental; Health; Learning and Behavior; Quantitative; and Social Psychology. In addition, students admitted in either the Behavioral Neuroscience or Cognitive Areas may take the program in Cognitive Neuroscience. The course requirements for the Cognitive Neuroscience program serve as a combined major and minor. Students who select this option remain in their area of admission for administrative purposes. Students admitted in the Cognitive Area may take the program in Computational Cognition. The course requirements for Computational Cognition serve as a combined major and minor. Student who select this option remain in the Cognitive Area for administrative purposes. Minor areas of study are described below under “Course Requirements.”

Foreign Language Requirement

None.

Course Requirements

Students should refer to the Psychology Graduate Student Handbook available on the departmental web site for additional information on courses that can be applied toward the program requirements listed below.

General Core Course Requirements

All doctoral students must complete the core program of 10 courses, which includes a research sequence (Psychology 251A, 251B, 251C), a statistics sequence (Psychology 250A, 250B, 250C, or a course substitute for 250C approved by the Department), and four additional core courses. Two core courses are selected from the student's major area, and two core courses are selected from two different areas outside the student's major area. Core courses can be applied toward major or minor area requirements but not both. Psychology 250A and 250B must be completed in the first year. Psychology 251A, 251B, and 251C must be completed by the end of the fall quarter of the second year. The four additional core courses must be completed within the first six quarters in residence. Students must complete each of the core courses (250A, 250B, 250C, 251C, and the four additional core courses) with a letter grade of B or better.

Students must enroll in one independent study course each quarter, beginning with Psychology 251A in the winter quarter of the first year. Students may select from the following independent study courses, depending on their stage in the program: Psychology 251A, 251B, 251C, 596, 597, 599. Beginning in the second year, students must take at least 4 units of Psychology 596, 597, or 599 each year.

In addition to the core program of 10 courses, students must complete course requirements for one major area and for one minor area, as listed below. An exception is made for students majoring in Cognitive Neuroscience and Computational Cognition, which have combined major and minor requirements. Courses applied toward the major area must be passed with a letter grade of B- or better, unless the course is only offered with S/U grading. Courses applied toward the minor area must be passed with a letter grade of B- or better, unless the course is only offered with S/U grading. The same course cannot count toward both a student's major and minor requirements.

Major Area Course Requirements

Behavioral Neuroscience. Neuroscience M203 and either Neuroscience M202 or Psychology M117A are required. Students interested in molecular biology generally take Neuroscience M203 and minor in neuroscience (see "Minor Area Course Requirements" below). Students must also take eight units from the Psychology 205 series (which are core courses for this major), three quarters of Psychology 212, and two behavioral neuroscience seminars.

Clinical. Psychology 270A, 270B, and 270C (which are core courses for this major), 271A, 271B, 271C, 271D, 273A, 273B, 273C, 277A, 277B, 289A, 289B, 289C, and two advanced clinical courses are required. Psychology 287 may not be applied toward fulfillment of the advanced clinical course. Students who wish to apply Psychology 298 courses toward this requirement must obtain departmental consent.

Prior to the clinical internship, and in consultation with program faculty, students are required to take courses that enable them to meet the 'Broad and General Preparation' coverage (prior to January 1, 2017) or the ‘Discipline-Specific Knowledge’ required for program accreditation by the American Psychological Association.

Practicum and Internship Requirements for Clinical Students: At least 400 hours of approved, supervised, pre-internship practicum (Psychology 401) are required, of which 150 hours must involve direct clinical service and 75 hours must be formal scheduled supervision. These hours are usually completed during the second through fourth years. All advanced students working with clients must enroll in Psychology 401 (one to four units). All students must take a second‐year practicum in the Psychology Clinic as well as a practicum in the third and/or fourth years at approved practicum sites outside of the Department or within the Psychology Clinic.

All clinical training must be approved by the Director of Clinical Training (DCT) while students are enrolled in the program. Students are discouraged from making independent arrangements for clinical training and are prohibited from providing direct clinical services in clinical settings not expressly approved by the DCT, including private practice psychological assistantships.

The equivalent of one-year's full-time supervised internship (Psychology 451) in an acceptable setting approved by the faculty is required. This is usually taken in the fifth or sixth year. Students must enroll in at least 12 units of course work while on internship, including at least eight units in Psychology 451. Students should contact the Department for further information on internship, enrollment, and registration requirements.

Cognitive. Two courses from Psychology 261-264 (which are core courses for this major), Psychology 260A and 260B, and two additional cognitive area courses are required.

Cognitive Neuroscience. The following course requirements satisfy both major and minor area requirements in cognitive neuroscience: Eight units from the Psychology 205 series, or four units from the Psychology 205 series and the four-unit Neuroscience 205 course (which are core courses for the behavioral neuroscience major); one cognitive area core course (Psychology 261-264); and one additional core course in an area outside of Behavioral Neuroscience and Cognitive. Students must also take Neuroscience M203, three quarters of Psychology 212, Psychology 260A and 260B, and five additional courses.

Computational Cognition. The following course requirements satisfy both major and minor area requirements for cognitive area students who elect the major area track in computational cognition: Two courses from Psychology 261-264 (which are core courses for the cognitive major), Psychology 260A and 260B, Statistics 200A, three courses in computational methods, and one cognitive area course.

Developmental. Two courses from Psychology 240A, 240B, or 240C (which are core courses for this major) and two additional developmental area courses are required. Psychology 241 must be taken every quarter.

Health Psychology. Psychology 215A and 215B (which are core courses for this major), Psychology 218, six quarters of Psychology 219, and two additional health psychology courses are required. One quarter of Psychology 219 must be taken simultaneously with Psychology 215A.

Learning and Behavior. Two courses from Psychology 200A, 200B, or 200C (which are core courses for this major) and two additional courses are required. Enrollment in Psychology 201 is required each quarter the course is offered.

Quantitative. Psychology 250C and 255A (which are core courses for this major), two additional quantitative area courses, and five additional courses from Psychology, Education, Statistics, or Biostatistics are required. Six quarters of Psychology 249 must be completed.

Social. Psychology 220A and 220B (which are core courses for this major) and two additional social area courses are required. In addition, during the first year, students must enroll in Psychology 226B during the winter quarter and one additional Psychology 226 in fall or spring quarter. During the second and third years, students must enroll in three additional quarters of Psychology 226.

Minor Area Course Requirements

Students are required to minor in any of the areas listed below. Students may also petition for individualized minors.

The minor is normally satisfied by taking three to four specified courses as indicated below. The following is a list of courses required to complete the standard departmental minors.

Behavioral Neuroscience. Four units of Psychology 205 and eight additional units of behavioral neuroscience and/or neuroscience courses.

Cognitive. Three cognitive courses, two of which must be from Psychology 259 through 266.

Computational Cognition. Two courses in computational methods and one course in statistics.

Culture, Brain, and Development. Psychology M247, one course in culture, one course in development, and one course on the brain.

Developmental. Two courses from Psychology 240A, 240B, or 240C, and one additional developmental area course.

Diversity Science. Psychology 295 and two additional courses.

Health Psychology. Psychology 215A, two quarters of 219, and two additional health psychology courses.

Human-Computer Interaction. Psychology 298 (Introduction to User Interface Design) and two additional courses in Psychology, Information Studies and/or Design | Media Arts.

Learning and Behavior. Two courses from Psychology 200A, 200B, or 200C, and one additional learning and behavior area course.

Neuroscience. Neuroscience M201 and six additional neuroscience units.

Political Psychology. Psychology M228A or M228B and two additional courses.

Quantitative. Three quantitative area courses. One quarter of Psychology 249 must be completed.

Social. Psychology 220A, 220B, and one additional social area course.

Teaching Experience

All students will be introduced to teaching through an introductory teaching assistant position during one quarter of the first year of matriculation in the degree program. All students are required to take Psychology 495A in the first quarter they serve as a teaching assistant (in the first year of matriculation in the degree program), and 495B in the second quarter they serve as a teaching assistant (no later than end of fourth year prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy).

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution.

The qualifying examination consists of two parts: a Comprehensive Examination (C-Exam) administered by the major area, and the University Oral Qualifying Exam. The C-Exam administered by the major area examines in breadth the student's knowledge of the major field. For information about each major area’s examination, refer to the Graduate Student Handbook. All Ph.D. requirements besides the dissertation, including the C-Exam administered by the major area, must be completed before students are allowed to take the University Oral Qualifying Examination, which must be taken by the end of the fourth year in residence.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student's ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

Time-to-Degree

The normative time-to-degree for doctoral requirements is six years (18 quarters). Students are required to complete various stages of the program as follows:

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Termination of Graduate Study and Appeal of Termination

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their Department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification if the student receives two grades of B-, one grade lower than B- in the core program, or does not meet the time requirements for completion of the core program. Such cases are considered by the Graduate Studies Committee. If a recommendation for academic disqualification is approved by the Department Chair, the recommendation is sent to the Graduate Division by the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies.

Area committees may also recommend that a student be academically disqualified. Grounds for a recommendation for academic disqualification include: a pattern of unsatisfactory performance in other course work; and failure of a qualifying examination. A recommendation for academic disqualification also may be initiated by the Graduate Studies Committee for insufficient progress toward the Ph.D. degree, as evidenced by a failure to obtain the degree within six calendar years following matriculation. If approved by the Department Chair, a recommendation for academic disqualification is sent to the Graduate Division by the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies.

Students are informed in writing by the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies when actions concerning them are under consideration by the Graduate Studies Committee. A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification to the Department Chair.

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