Psychology, Ph.D.

Return to: Department of Psychology  

A minimum of 95 post baccalaureate hours, the majority of which must be taken at Georgia State University, are required for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Credit for up to 30 hours is possible for students with master’s degrees from other institutions with the approval of the departmental Graduate Program Committee and the Office of Graduate Services of the College of Arts and Sciences. Upon petition, 6 hours of work may be taken at other institutions. Students meeting particular program area requirements frequently find it necessary to take more than the minimum of 95 hours of credit.

Additional requirements include:

1. A master’s degree based on a written thesis.
2. A minimum of one year’s full-time residence.
3. Sixty-two credit hours of coursework beyond the master’s degree.
4. At least nine hours of PSYC 9980 - Readings for General Examination .
5. A minimum of twenty hours of PSYC 9999 - Doctoral Dissertation Research .
6. A general examination, which consists of both written and oral parts, to be taken after the student has completed the coursework required by the program.
7. A dissertation.
8. A dissertation defense.
9. Clinical and Community Psychology students: additional hours of clinical/practical training (PSYC 9950A , PSYC 9950B , PSYC 9950C , PSYC 9950D , PSYC 9950E , PSYC 9950M , PSYC 9960C , PSYC 9970C ).
10. Clinical Psychology students: one year of internship at a site approved by the American Psychological Association.
11. Graduate assistants are required to enroll for a minimum of 18 credit hours each semester. These credit hours will consist of courses required for the prescribed program of study, as well as additional hours of general exam readings (PSYC 9980 ), thesis/dissertation research (PSYC 8999  and PSYC 9999 ), pedagogy courses, if applicable (PSYC 9900T , PSYC 9960A , and PSYC 9960B ), and advanced readings/research (PSYC 9910  and PSYC 9920 ).