The Director of Doctoral Training, in colloboration with the faculty, assigns each student a faculty advisor who will assist the student in the development of a Doctoral plan of study. Doctoral students should plan to meet with their advisors at least three times during their first year to review Program requirements and discuss how career objectives and particular interests of the student might be developed within the resources of the faculty and course offerings.
Both the direct admit and MA-admit tracks have a number of prerequisite courses that need to be taken either prior to a student’s doctoral training or very early in their program. For the direct admit students, successful completion of the following courses or a similar level of proven competency is required:
• Introductory Psychology
• Developmental or Life-Span Psychology
• Statistics
• Personality Theory
For students entering with a Master’s degree, the following graduate prerequisites are required:
• Principles and Techniques of Counseling or equivalent
• Group Counseling or equivalent
• Introductory Statistics
• Psychopathology
During the students' first year, they should develop a comprehensive plan of
studies (Program of Studies) that will meet the special needs of the student
and the Ph.D. Program requirements. Changes in the Program of Studies must
be approved through submission of the Request for Course Substitution Form,
which must be signed by the advisor and the Director of Training.
Toward the end of each academic year, students should meet with their advisors
to discuss their progress. Each student is evaluated by faculty members who
have interacted with that student during the academic year. In addition, students
and their advisors should discuss goals for the next year and how the students
might reach these objectives.
The assignment of a faculty advisor is usually permanent. However, a change
in the Program advisor may be initiated either by the student or advisor with
the consent of the Director of Training.
During the third year, students should meet with advisors to discuss dissertation
interests and procedures. However, the Program advisor will not necessarily
be the director of the student’s Doctoral dissertation. The chairperson
of the student's dissertation committee will be determined by the needed relevant
faculty expertise in the student's topic area and by faculty availability. The advisor will be able to
direct the student to the appropriate faculty resources and the final Doctoral
committee will be established in consultation with the Lynch School Associate
Dean. The following individuals may be of additional help to you in your Doctoral
study:
JOSEPH O’KEEFE, S.J.
Dean, Lynch School
MAUREEN E. KENNY
Associate Dean, Lynch School
ARLINE RIORDAN
Associate Dean, Graduate Student Services
ELIZABETH SPARKS
Department Chair
JAMES MAHALIK
Director of Doctoral Training
Coordinator, Pre-Doctoral Internship
MARY WALSH
Coordinator, Advanced Practicum
TRANSFER OF CREDIT
See Doctoral Student Information (online) for details:
http://www.bc.edu/offices/stserv/academic/resources/policy/
ACADEMIC STANDING
See Doctoral Student Information (online) for details:
http://www.bc.edu/schools/lsoe/academics/phd_policies.html#standing
Except for extraordinary cases, the grade of "I" for any course should be resolved with a final grade within four months. Students with outstanding Incomplete grades beyond the four month period are not eligible for graduate assistantships.
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
See Doctoral Student Information (online) for details:
www.bc.edu/schools/lsoe/academics/policies/grievance.html
The grievance procedure that the Lynch School uses is constructed in accordance with best practices in competency-based doctoral training in professional psychology. The program maintains written records of previous grievances, in accordance with the Guidelines and Principles of the Committee on Accreditation (2005).
EXTENSION OF TIME/ LEAVE OF ABSENCE
See Doctoral Student Information (online) for details:
http://www.bc.edu/schools/lsoe/academics/phd_policies.html#leave