Degree Requirements

MA/PhD Degree Requirements

The Community Psychology MA/PhD is a combined degree. The MA is non-terminal and, therefore, only students intending to confer the PhD are admitted.

MA Course Requirements

The MA portion of the combined degree program requires a minimum of 48 quarter hours beyond the completion of a bachelor’s degree, including four quarter hours of thesis research.

Core Courses

Statistics and Methodology Courses

Elective Courses

Two elective courses required. Electives can be any graduate-level psychology course, or any graduate-level non-psychology course, with permission from the faculty advisor or program director.

Research Course

Master’s Thesis Research

Complete a thesis on a topic approved by the department. It is expected that the student's proposal for the master's thesis will be approved by November 15 of the second year in the program. The student's final thesis is due by February 1 of third year in program.

Master’s Thesis Examination

The examination may be, but is not necessarily limited to, a defense of the student’s thesis.

Doctoral Candidacy Examination (Comprehensive Examination or Project)

Although an applicant is accepted into the Community Psychology MA/PhD Program, formal acceptance and admission to doctoral candidacy depends upon the student's satisfactory progress in meeting the various demands of graduate education and professional training.

The student is expected to take doctoral comprehensive examinations in the area of community psychology in the spring of the third year in the program. These examinations cannot be taken until the student has successfully completed and defended the master's thesis. Another option is to conduct a comprehensive project rather than take an exam. The project involves the submission of an empirical paper, review paper, or grant application. The project proposal is due by May 1 of the third year (or within three months of completing the master’s thesis). The final comprehensive project is due by May 1 of the fourth year (or within one year of proposal acceptance).

Admission to Doctoral Candidacy

Formally given to the student with satisfactory coursework performance who has successfully completed the master’s thesis and passed the Doctoral Candidacy Examination; the candidate has no more than five years from this date to complete the PhD requirements or dismissal from the program will ensue.

Students denied candidacy will be required to withdraw from the program or withdraw after completion of the MA.

PhD Course Requirements

The PhD portion of the combined degree requires a minimum of 28 quarter hours beyond the completion of the master’s degree, including four quarter hours of dissertation research. The following requirements must be completed to confer the PhD. If a student meets the requirements for years 1-3 (72 course credits and 4 dissertation credits) and is able to graduate as early as at the end of the 3rd year, the remaining 0 credit courses are no longer required.

Core Courses

Statistics and Methodology

Elective Courses

Two elective courses required to complete the minimum number of credit hours. Electives can be any graduate-level psychology course, or any graduate-level non-psychology course, with permission from the faculty advisor or program director.​

Additional Courses

Research Course

Field Work and Practicum

All students develop two applied community-based fieldwork projects. They develop relationships with community organizations, design a project based on mutual interests, and receive individual and group supervision to implement the project they design. Metropolitan Chicago has a large population of community sites to draw upon as resources for assisting in placing students in practica and job-related sites.​

Dissertation

The student should form a dissertation committee and begin work on the dissertation proposal during the third or fourth year. The dissertation proposal should be accepted by November 15 of the fifth year. The final dissertation defense should be completed by May 1 of the sixth year in program.

Oral Examination

Student is to defend his or her dissertation and to show competence in the general field of psychology and in the area of specialization.

Time Limitation

• No more than four years between admission to the MA/PhD program and admission to doctoral candidacy.
• No less than eight months and no more than five years between admission to doctoral candidacy and the final doctoral oral examination; or dismissal from the program will ensue.

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