Behavioral Science Ph.D. Program

Learning Outcomes

Goal 1: To provide a rigorous base of both broad knowledge and specialized expertise in psychology.

  • Demonstrate broad knowledge in at least four core areas of behavioral science (600 level courses).
  • Demonstrate expertise in a specialized topic (e.g.: focus area).

Goal 2: To provide a rigorous base of both broad knowledge and specialized expertise in methodological and data analytic and skills.

  • Perform statistical tests.
  • Use statistical packages for data management and analysis.
  • Interpret statistics in psychological literature.
  • Select and apply appropriate methods to ask and answer research questions.

Goal 3: To produce graduates with strong research and communication skills.

  • Review and synthesize complex and original literature in appropriate format.
  • Use web search engines to conduct literature searches
  • Present and discuss work orally.
  • Demonstrate ability to share knowledge in appropriate written formats.

Goal 4: To produce graduates who continually strive for multicultural competence.

  • Demonstrate awareness of multiple perspectives.
  • Apply multicultural perspectives in a practicum, teaching, research or service activity.
  • Analyze and discuss research validity from a multicultural perspective.
  • Demonstrate cognizance of potential biases by self-reflection and other perspective taking.

Goal 5: To prepare graduates for successful functioning in diverse professional roles, including academic research/teaching, industry, and as evaluation specialists in public service and policy settings.

  • Apply ethical principles in professional activities (conduct ethical research and teaching).
  • Demonstrate competence developing effective working relationships with individuals, groups, and multidisciplinary teams.
  • Demonstrate scholarly productivity: present at conferences, publish, and apply for internal and external research funding.
  • Engage in planning, problem solving, task completion relative to one’s professional development.