(PPSYC)
The departmental-level academic course plan for each student will be developed in consultation with and approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee, and varies depending on the area of specialization. The committee will include the student’s major advisor and at least two additional members of the graduate faculty such that the LSU Graduate School’s requirements of the LSU Graduate School for graduate committees are satisfied.
The degree is a thesis degree requiring a dissertation project. Forty-eight hours of credit at the graduate level must be earned including a maximum of 12 hours of credit for the dissertation project. The curricular requirements include:
- At least 24 hours at the 7000 level or above, exclusive of any type of independent studies credit except for special project credit earned.
- A primary area consisting of a minimum of 15 hours of earned credit in a specified field of study.
The student must pass a general exam consisting of a written exam and a comprehensive oral exam, at the discretion of the student’s advisory committee. The nature of the written and oral portions of the general exam is listed below in the area-specific curricula section for each area.
Core Courses Policy
For all students in the PhD program, satisfactory completion of the core courses is required to be qualified for advanced doctoral study. Satisfactory completion constitutes passing the required courses with a grade of “A” or “B” by the end of your second year in the program. Each course is generally offered once a year. If you feel you have a particularly strong background in one or more of the core areas, you may take the final exam in any course; you will have satisfied the core requirement if you earn a grade of “A” or “B.” You must secure a letter from the course instructor giving your exam grade for inclusion in your file, as evidence of satisfying this requirement.
Core Courses: Biological Basis of Behavior (PSYC 7034 ), Cognitive Basis of Behavior (PSYC 7030 ), Social Basis of Behavior (PSYC 7040 ), and History of Modern Psychology (PSYC 4008 ); and two of four courses: Intermediate Statistics (PSYC 4111 ), Advanced Statistics (PSYC 7111 ), Measurement of Behavior (PSYC 7020 ) or Methodology and Research (PSYC 7117 ). If you do not complete the courses with satisfactory grades within the first two years, you will be dismissed from the program. Any new student failing more than one core course on the first attempt will be dismissed from the program.