Each incoming student is admitted with a primary advisor, who is the key person in the student’s education. In our department, the advisor is a mentor to the student, providing much of the training through close collaboration. The advisor guides the student in setting up an empirical research program, which includes data collection, analysis and interpretation, and writing of articles. The advisor’s role, and the expected advisor-advisee relationship, is spelled out in more detail elsewhere in this handbook. Each student must have an advisor at all times in order to stay enrolled in the program. Students can switch advisors, but only if they find another faculty member willing to serve in that role.

First and Second Year Plan

During your first semester here, you will want to work out a tentative plan for your first two years. This plan should specify which courses you will take, and, especially important, what your Second Year Research Project will be. This plan can be revised, but by May 15 of your first year, as explained below, the plan is formalized. In drawing up your plan, bear in mind that the formal requirements of the program are the minimum. You will serve yourself well by striving to establish yourself as an independent scholar and researcher as soon as possible.

Student Progress Form (Form #1)

By May 15 of Year 1, students submit the Student Progress Form by email attachment to the Graduate Program Staff in the main office. Keep this form on your computer and simply update it whenever a requirement is completed.

Preliminary Advisory Committee (Form #2)

During your first year, you will need to create a Preliminary Advisory Committee. The committee is comprised of your primary and secondary advisors, plus one additional faculty member. By May 15th of year 1, you must hand the Advisory Committee Form in to the main office. The form will contain the signature of each of the three faculty members who have agreed to serve on this committee. However, the committee should be selected earlier, for the committee needs to receive your research plan outline in the early spring.

First and Second Year Plan Approval (Form #3)

Students get all three members of their Preliminary Advisory Committee to sign the First and Second Year Plan Approval Form, which is then submitted to the Graduate Program Assistant by May 15 of year 1. This form lists all courses the student has taken and still plans to take in the first two years, as well as the topic of the Second Year Research Project. Committee signature indicates that the course plan is approved, and that a 2-3 page outline plan of the Research Project has been reviewed and approved by the student’s committee.

Second Year Research Project (MA Thesis) Approval Form (Form #4)

The Second Year Research Project Approval Form must be signed by the members of the Preliminary Advisory Committee and submitted by March 31 of Year 2 for a May graduation date.

Course Requirements

Students must complete 30 credits by the end of their second year as part of the requirements for a masters degree. Students typically take 18 credits during their first year and 12 credits in the second year. Courses are usually worth 3 credits each.

In year one, the student usually takes one or two area seminars, two statistics courses, two research workshops and two (non-credit) professional development workshops. In year two, the student takes any remaining area seminars, two research workshops and two independent study or additional courses agreed upon with your advisor. Students should fit remedial courses into the 30 credits.

Doctoral students are required to take an additional breadth seminar (outside of student’s area) and a history of psychology course. These classes are usually taken in the third year.

Year One Checklist

• PS606 Experimental Design and Statistics
• 500-level in student’s area
• 500-level in student’s area
• Research Workshop I
• Research Workshop II
• Second statistics course
• Professional Development Workshop (0 credits)

Year Two Checklist

• Research Workshop I
• Research Workshop II
• Course to be determined with your advisor
• Course to be determined with your advisor

Additional Courses

The department may ask a student to take an additional course if there is a deficiency in his or her background that is considered to impede graduate training and/or professional success. These requirements will be discussed with the student and the Graduate Student Evaluation Committee during the first term of the student’s entrance into the program.

Students may elect to take additional courses, either within the department or in other related departments, in consultation with their advisors. Also, students may elect to take a history of psychology course, usually taken in Year 3, in the first two years. Students may take additional electives in the department or in other departments at Boston College, or they may cross-register for courses at universities that form part of the consortium, with special permission of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

Consortium Schools: Boston University, Brandeis University

While students are welcome to take courses beyond those required, your primary professional goal is to conduct research and submit papers for presentation at conferences and publication in appropriate journals.

Early Completion of First Two Years' Requirements

If a Ph.D. student completes the requirements of the first two years early, he or she is free to start on requirements for Years 3-4.

Late Completion of Requirements

Students are expected to complete the requirements listed within the allotted two years. If circumstances arise such that a student needs more than two years to complete the requirements, an extension may be granted by the Graduate Student Evaluation Committee on the recommendation of the Preliminary Advisory Committee. Continued reliance on extensions could affect whether doctoral students are invited to continue on to the Ph.D.

Students Entering with a Master’s Degree in Psychology

Students accepted into the program who have a Master’s in Psychology in their area of concentration in our program, who have completed course work in this area, and have written an empirical Master’s thesis, are typically accepted as third year students. Some students entering with a Master’s may be asked to take one or more of the required courses from Years 1-2, depending on the student’s background. These decisions will be made upon admission by Graduate Student Evaluation Committee in consultation with the student’s advisor.

Second Year Research Project (Masters Thesis)

The primary focus of the first and second year is the Second Year Research Project.This project is an empirical study, designed in consultation with the advisor. The work must be carried out by the student while in the graduate program at BC. The literature review, design, execution, data analysis, and written presentation should be of publishable quality, although publication depends upon whether a single or multiple-study paper makes the most sense for your topic. A list of possible journals to consider is provided in Appendix 3; again, your advisor is likely to provide the best advice on the appropriate journal.

Proposal

Students should meet regularly with their advisors to plan their projects. Start work on this project as soon as possible, certainly sometime during the first semester here. Before initiating the actual data collection, and you submit a 2-3 page outline plan to the three members of your advisory committee (optimally before winter break); the committee members must approve this plan by May 15 of Year 1 by signing the First and Second Year Approval Form described above. Once approved, the committee cannot require that the student alter the plan, though of course the student may wish to make alterations and receive approval by the committee. The committee should be kept informed throughout the project and receive regular updates.

Research Approval by Institutional Review Board (IRB)

All research projects involving animal or human subjects must be approved by the Boston College Institutional Review Board (IRB).

You have to take an ethics course administered by the IRB. It is very important that you keep your certificate when you pass because you will likely be asked to provide proof of course completion for other grants and projects in which you may be involved at a later date.

Final Draft to Committee

The Research Project must be completed and presented to the Preliminary Advisory Committee by March 15 of Year 2 (after the advisor has read and approved that it go forth to the rest of the committee). This will allow time for revisions so that the final approval of the project will occur by March 31 of Year 2.

Defense

A formal presentation and defense of the research is given either to the preliminary advisory committee or at the student’s Research Workshop. If the latter, the student should arrange to have all members of their Preliminary Advisory Committee present. This should occur after the committee has approved the final draft, but before March 31 of Year 2 (for a May graduation date).

Presentation at Graduate Research Day

We encourage students to present their Research Project at Graduate Research Day (held in the spring of each year).

Masters Degree

Students in either the MA or Ph.D. program who have completed the MA requirements may obtain a MA degree. For those students who wish to graduate with an MA in spring, the BC deadline for turning in signed and approved thesis is around April 1.

Requirements

• Satisfactory completion of the first two years of course work.
• Completion of 30 graduate course credits.
• Completion of the Second Year Research Project Approval Form [Form 4]
• Signed MA Degree Option Form turned in to the GSAS office by April 1

Students completing the Master's Degree should apply to Candace Hetzner, Associate Dean of GSAS.

External Funding

All graduate students are required to seek pre-doctoral funding during the first and second year of graduate school. For first year students, application to NSF can be useful to organize your research plans. Consult your advisor early. The application is lengthy and due on November 1. For second year students, application to an external agency is a requirement only if you did not receive funding on your first year application. Ryan Desrosiers in the Dean’s office is available for pre-award support as well as support for locating funding opportunities.

Fundsource provides a search engine for a large number of agencies. You can also Google for foundations with funding in your area of interest (e.g. for developmental psychology, use "Foundation & Research & Child Development” as keywords.)

Key Deadlines Years One and Two

At the end of the second year, students are either invited to continue on in the program or are asked to leave, with a Master’s degree if possible. This evaluation is based on the second year research project, other research, the student’s writing, and performance in required courses.

Year One

December 1

2-3 page outline of Research Project to Advisor

May 15

Student Progress Form (Form 1)
Formalize Preliminary Advisory Committee (Form 2)
First & Second Year Plan approved by Committee (Form 3)

Year Two

March 15

Final draft of Second Year Research Project to Committee with advisor’s prior approval

March 31

Defense and Final Approval of Second Year Research Project (Form 4)

May 15

Student Progress Form (Form 1)