Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology

The PhD program in psychology is concentrated in 4 fields: cognitive and behavioural neurosciences, developmental psychology, social psychology and community psychology.

Cognitive and Behavioural Neurosciences 
The objective is to train students to become independent research investigators in the field of neuroscience. An apprenticeship model provides students with an opportunity to acquire advanced academic knowledge in the biological basis of cognition and behaviour.  Human and animal psychological issues are addressed by exploring the interaction between cognition, behaviour and the nervous system.  Commonalities between humans and animals relating to cognitive, learning, and motivational processes and behaviour are explored to determine the role of the inner workings of the brain.  Students will develop basic and/or applied research skills in neuroscience. The PhD dissertation requires original research that contributes significant new knowledge to the field. Graduates are trained for positions in university, hospital, community, industry or government settings.

Community Psychology
The scientist-practitioner model of training forms the basis of the PhD program in the field of community psychology. The objectives are for doctoral students to develop: 1) critical thinking, knowledge, and ethical sensitivity in relation to social systems analysis and intervention, community research and evaluation, and human service policy, programs, and practice, and 2) skills for catalyzing social action and social policy initiatives related to community psychology, for conducting community research and evaluation, and for providing education and training both in university settings and in the community. Unlike the MA program, the PhD program is geared to prepare graduates as scholars in universities, as policy researchers/analysts in governmental and non-governmental settings, as community researchers and program evaluators, and as managers of human service organizations.

Developmental Psychology
The objective is to train students to become independent research investigators in the field of developmental psychology. An apprenticeship model provides students with an opportunity to acquire advanced academic knowledge in developmental psychology. Students will develop basic and/or applied research skills, including conducting experimental, observational, and applied research in cognitive development, language and reading development and in social and personality development. They will explore developmental issues related to educational and forensic psychology with research investigating some of the following areas: language, memory, and moral development, as well as learning and transitions across the lifespan. This research involves the use of both traditional (i.e., surveys, interviews, observations, behavioural testing) and innovative methods (such as narrative and discourse analyses, intermodal preferential looking, and large longitudinal datasets to study growth curves and causal models). The PhD dissertation requires original research that contributes significant new knowledge to the field. Graduates are trained for positions in university, hospital, community, industry or government settings.

Social Psychology
The objective is to train students to become independent research investigators in the field of social psychology. An apprenticeship model provides students with an opportunity to acquire advanced academic knowledge in social psychology. Students will develop basic and/or applied research skills on social cognition, the self, intergroup relations, social interactions, personality, political attitudes and behaviour, and life transitions. Spanning several levels of analysis (social, cognitive, physiological), this research examines individuals, dyads and larger groups using innovative methodologies (such as online reaction-time measures, experience sampling and longitudinal self-reports, physiological measurement, surveys, questionnaires, and direct observation). The PhD dissertation requires original research that contributes significant new knowledge to the field. This research has clear practical implications within personal, organizational, social, political, and therapeutic contexts. Graduates are trained for positions in university, hospital, community, industry or government settings.

Additional Information
 
Admission Requirements

Admission is contingent upon successful completion of a masters degree program. If a student applies with a MA or MSc degree from another university, she/he may be admitted to the PhD program; some make-up course work may be required depending on the courses completed at the masters level.

 
Program Requirements

Training at the doctoral level in all four fields is based on a research apprenticeship model, in which students work closely with faculty supervisors conducting research.

Doctoral students are encouraged to teach a course as part of their program experience.

Course Requirements - Cognitive and Behavioural Neurosciences

  • One of PS660 - Principles of Cognition, or PS663 - Principles of Neuroscience. Students will take whichever course they did not take previously. Those students entering the program without a WLU MSc will take the course most suited to their research interests (in consultation with Psychology Graduate Coordinator); 
  • PS856 - Research Seminar in Neuroscience. All PhD candidates are required to participate in the research seminar. The seminars will have a component devoted to training in teaching. The seminars are taken in the fall and winter terms for the duration of the student's enrollment in PhD program. Students are marked on a pass/fail basis in the last year in the program (receiving an incomplete until that point);
  • PS891 - Comprehensive Research Experience I. During the first two years of the PhD program, all students must complete a comprehensive research experience under the supervision of a faculty member other than their advisor;
  • Two additional courses to be selected from:  PS892 - Comprehensive Research Experience II (which can take the role of : a research project, including a written report, or a review paper) under the supervision of a faculty member other than their advisor ,  PS860 - Seminar in Cognition, PS861 - Seminar in Comparative Cognition, PS862 - Seminar in Perception, PS863 - Seminar in Behavioural Neuroscience, PS864 - Seminar in the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, PS865 - Seminar in Cognitive Neuroscience;
  • PS899 - Dissertation.

Course Requirements - Community Psychology

  • PS801 - Multi-level Modeling;
  • PS802 - Program Evaluation;
  • PS805 - Qualitative Research Methods;
  • PS880 - Theories and Ethics of Social Analysis and Intervention;
  • PS886 - Community-Based Participatory Research Theory;
  • PS887 - Application of Social Science Theories to Community Issues;
  • PS891 - Comprehensive Research Experience I During the first two years of the PhD program, all students must complete a comprehensive research experience.
  • One additional course from either : (i)  PS892 - Comprehensive Research Experience II (which can take the role of a research project, including a written report, or a review paper) under the supervision of a faculty member other than their advisor , or (ii) an elective content course from another field in the PhD program, or from other graduate course offerings at WLU. 
  • PS899 - Dissertation.

Course Requirements - Developmental Psychology

  • The following two courses (as offered): PS874 - Advanced Seminar in Social Developmental Psychology, PS875 - Advanced Seminar in Cognitive Developmental Psychology. These two courses will alternate every other year, usually taught by one faculty member in his/her area of specialization; 
  • PS800 - Advanced Multivariate Methods or PS801 - Multi-level Modeling; 
  • PS891 - Comprehensive Research Experience I. During the first two years of the PhD program, all students must complete a comprehensive research experience under the supervision of a faculty member other than their advisor.
  • One additional course from either: (i)  PS892 - Comprehensive Research Experience II (which can take the role of : a research project, including a written report, or a review paper) under the supervision of a faculty member other than their advisor , or (ii) an elective content course from another field in the PhD program, or from other graduate course offerings at WLU. Electives may include but are not restricted to: PS860 - Seminar in Cognition, PS861 - Seminar in Comparative Cognition, PS862 - Seminar in Perception, PS863 - Seminar in Behavioural Neuroscience, PS864 - Seminar in the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, PS870 - Specialized Research and Methods in Social Psychology I: Attitudes and Social Cognition, or PS871 - Specialized Research and Methods in Social Psychology II: Interpersonal Relationships and Group Processes. The course should provide for greater breadth of perspective in the student's dissertation area; 
  • PS876 - Research Seminar in Developmental Psychology I, PS877 - Research Seminar in Developmental Psychology II, and PS878 - Research Seminar in Developmental Psychology III. All PhD candidates are required to participate in these research seminars. The seminars will have a component devoted to training in teaching. The seminars are taken in each of the first 3 years (I, II and III in each of year 1, 2 and 3 respectively) of the PhD program and are marked on a pass/fail basis; 
  • PS899 - Dissertation.

Course Requirements - Social Psychology

  • The following two courses (as offered): PS870 - Specialized Research and Methods in Social Psychology I: Attitudes and Social Cognition, PS871 - Specialized Research and Methods in Social Psychology II: Interpersonal Relationships and Group Processes. These two courses will alternate every other year, usually taught by one faculty member in his/her area of specialization;
  • PS800 - Advanced Multivariate Methods or PS801 - Multi-level Modeling; 
  • PS891 - Comprehensive Research Experience I. During the first two years of the PhD program, all students must complete a comprehensive research experience under the supervision of a faculty member other than their advisor.
  • One additional course from either : (i)  PS892 - Comprehensive Research Experience II (which can take the role of : a research project, including a written report, or a review paper) under the supervision of a faculty member other than their advisor , or (ii) an elective content course from another field in the PhD program, or from other graduate course offerings at WLU. Electives may include but are not restricted to: PS860 - Seminar in Cognition, PS861 - Seminar in Comparative Cognition, PS862 - Seminar in Perception, PS863 - Seminar in Behavioural Neuroscience, PS864 - Seminar in the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, PS874 - Advanced Seminar in Social Developmental Psychology, and PS875 - Advanced Seminar in Cognitive Developmental Psychology. course should provide for greater breadth of perspective in the student's dissertation area;
  • PS846 - Research Seminar in Social Psychology I, PS847 - Research Seminar in Social Psychology II, and PS848 - Research Seminar in Social Psychology III. All PhD candidates are required to participate in these research seminars. The seminars will have a component devoted to training in teaching. The seminars are taken in each of the first 3 years (I, II and III in each of year 1, 2 and 3 respectively) of the PhD program and are marked on a pass/fail basis;
  • PS899 - Dissertation.

PhD Dissertation Requirements

The university regulations regarding the requirements for submitting a doctoral dissertation and scheduling the oral examination will apply.