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2025-2026 GRADUATE CATALOG {Editing in Progress}
Psychology - Experimental Psychology, (PhD)
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There are two broad research areas within the MS/PhD degree program in Experimental Psychology: Behavioral Neuroscience and Cognitive Psychology.
In the Experimental PhD program, the MS is preparatory to continuation in the program. To be advanced to doctoral study, a student must have satisfactorily completed all requirements for the MS (including a thesis that is empirical and psychological) at The University of Memphis, or have completed an equivalent degree, with empirical thesis, from another institution. Students possessing a master’s degree without a thesis will be required to complete a thesis before being advanced to doctoral study.
Across the Experimental MS/PhD degree program, the general training objectives are: (1) understanding of theoretical principles and practices of psychology; (2) development of expertise in experimental design, data analysis, and oral and written presentation of research results; and (3) being competitive for professional positions in psychology.
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Admission Standards and Procedures
Applications for the Experimental MS/PhD degree program are reviewed once each year for admission in the following Fall semester. Applications for Spring admission are not considered. All application information must have been received by December 1 for an applicant to be considered for admission as a completed application does not guarantee admission. The following items are required for admission: - A completed application form accessed at https://apply.memphis.edu/portal/graduate_application. As part of the application, list psychology-related courses taken with grades, academic honors and awards, psychology-related publications and presentations, and psychology-related research and work experiences.
- An official transcript of all undergraduate and graduate coursework must be sent. An undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0/4.0 is required for admission without special permission.
- A minimum of 18 semester hours in undergraduate psychology courses, including courses in Psychological Statistics and Research Methods. Students lacking some or all of these prerequisite courses, but presenting an exceptional undergraduate record, may nevertheless be admitted. However, students may be asked to remove such deficiencies before or during their first academic year.
- Letters of recommendation from at least three persons familiar with the applicant’s academic background and aptitude for graduate work in psychology, specifying in detail the applicant’s capabilities for graduate study and for future performance as a psychologist.
- A personal statement of approximately 1500 words that should address the following: your relevant background, research experiences, special qualifications/training, and career/professional goals. It should also address how your interests match up with the interests of the faculty with whom you would like to work and your own experiences, efforts, and involvement with a multicultural and diverse public.
- A willingness to be interviewed in person or by teleconferencing by members of the department faculty, should that be requested.
GRE scores are not required and should not be submitted. Further information about the Experimental PhD program can be found at: https://www.memphis.edu/psychology/graduate/index.php Credit Hours
A minimum of 33 semester hours of graduate credit beyond the bachelor’s degree is required for the MS degree in Psychology, and a minimum of 80 semester hours of graduate credit beyond the bachelor’s degree is required for the PhD degree in Experimental Psychology. All work for graduate credit must be approved by, and must be completed at a level of performance satisfactory to, the graduate faculty of the department. Students also may take coursework for degree credit outside the department with program approval.
Transfer Credit
Students with graduate credits earned at another institution, upon matriculation at The University of Memphis, may petition to have these credits applied toward the total number of hours required to earn their degree at The University of Memphis and to use transfer credits as substitutes for specific courses required for the degree. Decisions about such substitutions are made by the psychology department Graduate Coordinator. Enrollment
Experimental MS/ PhD degree candidates who are not considered “late-stage” are expected to carry 6-9 credits per semester and to devote full time during their enrollment to pursuit of degree-related activities. Late-stage doctoral students may enroll for a minimum of 1 dissertation hour per semester. Comprehensive Course Requirements
All Experimental PhD students are required to complete:
PSYC 7301/PSYC 8301, and PSYC 7302/PSYC 8302 during the first two years. With permission of the Major Professor and Graduate Coordinator, students may substitute PSYC 7303/PSYC 8303 for PSYC 7302/PSYC 8302 as their required course. Also, during the fall semester of the first year, all Experimental PhD students must attend a weekly colloquium series to acquaint them with issues of research, professional ethics, and professional opportunities in the department and in the discipline. All Experimental PhD students must also complete:
Two additional statistics/quantitative/methodology course from the following list (or a substituted course approved by the student’s major professor and the Graduate Coordinator): Experimental PhD Students in Behavioral Neuroscience must also complete:
At least one course in each of the following areas (or a substituted course approved by the student’s major professor and the Graduate Coordinator). Experimental PhD Students in Cognitive Psychology must also complete:
All four of the courses listed below: Research
All Experimental MS/PhD degree students are expected to be active in research collaboratively with members of the department faculty each semester they are enrolled. Master’s Thesis and Comprehensive Examination:
Each Experimental PhD student is expected to complete an independent research project, culminating in a master’s thesis. The thesis is intended to be a demonstration of the student’s ability to plan, organize, conduct, and report a research/scholarly project. Students should familiarize themselves with the Thesis/Dissertation Preparation Guide before beginning to write. Only 3 hours of thesis credit (PSYC 7996) can count toward the degree. Upon completion of the thesis, the student takes an oral examination that assesses not only mastery of the thesis topic but also broader awareness of the theoretical and empirical issues in contemporary psychology. This oral examination serves as the MS comprehensive examination. Second Milestone Project
After completing the requirements of the master’s thesis, all PhD students will complete a second milestone, usually in the third year of graduate work. Students in the Experimental Psychology PhD program can satisfy this requirement (PSYC 8620) with (a) a Specialty Examination;(b) a Major Area Paper (MAP); (c) a grant proposal with the student as Principal Investigator submitted for review; or (d) an empirical manuscript submitted for publication. All alternatives require a committee with three faculty members, a proposal defense, and a final defense. Dissertation and Final Examination
The dissertation is viewed as the capstone of the student’s academic training, reflecting the student’s capacity for independent research. Dissertation credit hours (PSYC 9000) must be taken for a minimum of 6 hours and can be taken for a maximum of 9 credit hours. Students should familiarize themselves with the Thesis/Dissertation Preparation Guide before beginning to write. Upon completion of an independent written dissertation research project acceptable to the faculty, each student will take a final oral examination oriented toward, but not exclusively on, the student’s dissertation research and major area of specialization. |
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