Psychology as a scientific discipline aims to describe, understand, and predict the behavior of living organisms. In doing so, psychology embraces the many factors that influence behavior—from sensory experience to complex cognition, from the role of genetics to that of social and cultural environments, from the processes that explain behavior in early childhood to those that operate in older ages, and from typical development to pathological conditions. The Department of Psychology at Berkeley reflects the diversity of our discipline's mission covering six key areas of research: Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience; Clinical Science; Cognition; Cognitive Neuroscience; Developmental, and Social-Personality Psychology. Our program learning goals focus on honing methodological, statistical and critical thinking skills relevant to all areas of Psychology research, enabling students with sufficient breadth to retain perspective in the field of psychology and sufficient depth to permit successful independent and significant research.
The major academic objectives of the PhD program are for students to:
Develop an understanding of the different theoretical and empirical frameworks that have defined and shaped the field
Develop an understanding of the central questions and issues in contemporary psychology
Develop expertise in one or more relevant research methodologies
Build expertise in formulating testable hypotheses and designing appropriate studies
Hone ability to critically evaluate scientific research
Develop expertise in statistics and advanced data analytic approaches
Develop an awareness of the importance of science to humanity while recognizing its limits (i.e., some scientific knowledge is culture-specific and may not be applicable to the human condition universally)
Develop competence as a teacher of undergraduates and mentor to graduate students
Students select one of the following concentrations:
Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience: The Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience area encompasses faculty and students united by a common interest in the neurobiological/physiological bases of behavior, including but not limited to circadian and seasonal rhythms, decision-making, sex differentiation and behavior, energy balance, birdsong and animal communication, animal spatial orientation and navigation, gene-environment interactions, selective attention and visual perception, social behavior, attachment, developmental processes, physiological substrates of emotion and stress, and motivation. The methodologies currently employed by faculty and students cover the entire spectrum from the behavioral study of animals and humans to computational, cellular, molecular and neuroimaging analyses.
Clinical Science: Graduate students in Clinical Science combine rigorous research with hands-on clinical experience. In addition, students take courses that cover general areas of psychological science as well as more specialized areas based on a student’s interests. Most students will spend four to six years in residence at Berkeley plus one year at a Clinical Internship site, at or near the completion of the dissertation. Degrees are awarded after completion of the internship, even if the dissertation is completed earlier. The faculty advisor/mentor plays an important role in a student’s training. At the beginning of Year 1, each student is matched with a faculty advisor, usually one of the core Clinical Science Program Faculty, who supervises the student's research. In subsequent years, the student is free to continue working with that person or to seek a new research advisor. In addition to research supervision, the advisor works with the student in planning a program that fits that student's interests, while at the same time meeting program requirements. If a student is conducting research under the supervision of someone other than a core Clinical Science Program Faculty member (e.g., a faculty member in another area of the Psychology Department), then a core Clinical Science Program Faculty member is assigned to advise that student in matters related program requirements.
Cognition: The Cognition Program brings together faculty and students engaged in behavioral and computational investigations of fundamental cognitive processes, including learning, memory, categorization, reasoning, language, and perception. Our interdisciplinary approach borrows methods and insights from the cognitive sciences and other areas within the department.
Cognitive Neuroscience: Programs in Cognitive Neuroscience focus on neuroimaging and neuropsychological approaches to human behavior. Functional neuroimaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and intracranial EEG (iEEG) are used to study the neural bases of human behavior. Neuropsychological methods assess varieties of psychological dysfunction associated with brain damage or disease. Areas of specialty within this track include Sensory and Perceptual Processes, Attention and Working Memory, Learning and Memory, Emotion, and Motor Control.
Developmental: Our research goal is to understand how the organism and its capabilities develop throughout the lifespan. Our interdisciplinary approach is multi-species, multi-system, and multidisciplinary in nature. We study change over time in cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and neural processes. Our explanations include both neural accounts of the plasticity that is observed in the developing brain and other systems, and computational and psychological accounts of development. The bi-directionality of these processes is emphasized, with the organism's genetically program development being influenced by its physical and social environments and in turn influencing those environments. Thus, our research is situated at the interface between the fields of developmental psychology, computational modeling, psycholinguistics, cognitive psychology, developmental cognitive neuroscience, social psychology, cultural psychology, and clinical psychology. Our research examines numerous areas of development, plasticity, and change including sensory processes, cognitive capacities, language, reasoning, everyday knowledge of the world, emotions, and social relationships. We examine both typical and atypical development, each providing rich insights for better understanding the other and suggesting new approaches for effective treatments and preventive interventions.
Social-Personality Psychology: The social-personality program is devoted to training graduate students for careers in research and teaching. The program faculty and several affiliates conduct research and provide intensive training in six core areas of the field: (1) Self and identity; (2) Social cognition; (3) Emotion, emotion regulation, and affective neuroscience; (4) Personality processes and adult development; (5) Interpersonal, intergroup, and intercultural processes; and (6) Power, hierarchy, and social class. In addition to training in these core areas, the program encourages graduate students to develop their own research interests and build an independent research program. The program is characterized by considerable breadth and diversity. It provides students with special research opportunities, such as access to unique longitudinal databases, multi-method approaches (self-report, observational, archival, life-data, physiological), and biological perspectives on social behavior (e.g., evolutionary, neuroimaging).
Thank you for considering UC Berkeley for graduate study! UC Berkeley offers more than 120 graduate programs representing the breadth and depth of interdisciplinary scholarship. The Graduate Division hosts a complete list of graduate academic programs, departments, degrees offered, and application deadlines can be found on the Graduate Division website.
Prospective students must submit an online application to be considered for admission, in addition to any supplemental materials specific to the program for which they are applying. The online application and steps to take to apply can be found on the Graduate Division website.
Admission Requirements
The minimum graduate admission requirements are:
A bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution;
A satisfactory scholastic average, usually a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 scale; and
Enough undergraduate training to do graduate work in your chosen field.
For a list of requirements to complete your graduate application, please see the Graduate Division’s Admissions Requirements page. It is also important to check with the program or department of interest, as they may have additional requirements specific to their program of study and degree. Department contact information can be found here.
The Department of Psychology invites applications from students who are primarily interested in research. Applicants for the Psychology PhD are required to specify the area to which they wish to apply: Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience; Clinical Science; Cognition; Cognitive Neuroscience; Developmental; and Social-Personality. Applicants are required to name at least one faculty member with whom they wish to work.
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an institution of acceptable standing, and may hold a master in psychology or another field. Previous concentration in psychology is not required. The department does not have an application for a terminal master’s degree: PhD only.
Doctoral Degree Requirements
Normative Time Requirements
Normative Time in the Program
Normative time in the Department of Psychology for doctoral degree completion is 10 semesters, and normative time in candidacy is 4 semesters. (See departmental website for details.)
Step I: Students take courses, narrow down their interests to particular areas of specialization, and begin research projects. This takes approximately 1 year.
Step II: Students complete the majority of course requirements and prepare for their written and oral Qualifying Examination. This takes approximately 1-2 years.
Step III: Students undertake research for the PhD dissertation under a 3-4 person committee in charge of their research and dissertation. Students do original research and write up the dissertation based on their results. On completion of course requirements and approval of the dissertation by the committee, students are awarded the doctorate. This takes approximately 2-3 years.
Terms offered: Fall 2023
This course is intended to introduce a collection of core “advanced” methodologies common in the psychological sciences. Specifically, the course is focused on 3 core quantitative methodological topics: 1) latent variable and structural equation modeling, 2) multilevel modeling, and 3) psychometrics (e.g., item response theory). Data analytic examples and assignments will all be from applied psychological research examples. Students are also encouraged to incorporate their own data as well. Intro to Advanced Methods in Psychological Science: Read More [+]
Objectives & Outcomes
Course Objectives: Achieve proficiency with R and relevant packages for latent variable, multilevel, and psychometric modeling. Successfully conduct and interpret several types of structural equation models, multilevel models, and item response theory models. Understand how repeated measures (and by extension, random effects) are handled by structural equation models versus multilevel models. Understand the theoretical rationales for latent variable modeling, psychometric theory, and multilevel modeling.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Prerequisites include Psych 205 or equivalent graduate introductory data analysis course and at minimum, a basic proficiency with R. Analyses in this course will be primarily conducted using R, and little to no course time will be devoted to teaching basic data management/data wrangling techniques in R; as such, this skill will already be expected
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Spring 2024, Spring 2023
This course serves both as a refresher for undergraduate statistics and as a preparation for more advanced courses. This course will cover fundamental principles of statistical thinking including probability theory, distributions, modeling, parameter fitting, error estimation, statistical significance and cross-validation. In addition, the course will cover all statistical tests that are part of the generalized mixed effect models: n-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), multiple regression, analysis of covariance, logistic regression, between subjects, within subjects, mixed designs and designs with random factors. Students will also be introduced to statistical programming using the computer language R. Data Analysis: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week
Terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2019, Spring 2017
This course is intended to provide an introduction to the principles and practice of structural equation modeling, including matrix algebra, LISREL notation, measurement models and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), path models, and structural models. In addition, we will cover multiple ways to handle longitudinal data (e.g., latent growth and simplex models) and advanced topics such as mediation and latent variable interactions. Data analytic examples and assignments will come from psychological research applications. Students will be strongly encouraged to incorporate their own data as well. Structural Equation Modeling: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Psychology 205
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2021, Spring 2020
The course will cover the historical background and development of person-specific analyses as well statistical and theoretical arguments for conducting idiographic research. It will discuss time series data, what it is, and how it differs from cross-sectional and longitudinal data; topics such as including temporal features like trends, cycles, and events, lagged and contemporaneous data structures, sampling frequency and time scale, autocorrelation and cross-correlation; and study design, data acquisition, data pre-processing, and a variety of analytic approaches. Topics will include P-technique Factor Analysis, Vector Autoregression, the GIMME model, Network Analysis, Regression, Machine Learning, and Guassian Finite Mixture Modeling. Person-Specific Data Analysis: Read More [+]
Objectives & Outcomes
Course Objectives: Describe methods for study design and data collection. Introduce students to behavioral time series data. Provide the theoretical and statistical motivations for idiographic research and person-specific analysis.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Students are expected to have relative mastery of the general linear model and linear regression
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Fall 2021
The objective of this course is to provide with the skills to use computational techniques to model behavioral data. Computational modeling is becoming an essential tool to study cognition, and neuroscience. The course will cover all the steps needed to fit computational models to data in a rigorous way. It will provide both theoretical knowledge, as well as hands-on experience (matlab or python), and will include a computational modeling project. In-class examples will focus on reinforcement learning and decision theory models, but the skills are more widely applicable. Methods in Computational Modeling for Cognitive Science: Read More [+]
Objectives & Outcomes
Course Objectives: Develop a strong understanding of the theory of computational model fitting Develop hands-on skills in fitting computational models to behavioral data
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Students enrolling in the class should be comfortable programming in either matlab or python
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2022
This course provides students with hands-on experience with Bayesian models of cognitive science. The course has three parts: (i) probability and Bayesian statistics, (ii) Bayesian models of psychophysics and decision making, and (iii) Bayesian models of higher-level cognition. Students are expected to bring experience in basic statistics and probability, but will be taught the required math in the first part of the course. The bulk of the course applies Bayesian models to understand cognitive and neural processes, with hands-on modeling assignments. Bayesian Models of Cognition: Read More [+]
Objectives & Outcomes
Course Objectives: Be able to use Bayesian techniques to analyze data (e.g. regression). Develop a conceptual understanding of Bayesian data analysis. Implement Bayesian models of higher-level cognitive processes. Understand applications of Bayesian tools to cognitive science.
Student Learning Outcomes: A final project that uses Bayesian tools to explain an interesting cognitive phenomenon.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Psych 205
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2019
A survey of the field of biological psychology. Areas covered are (a) cognitive neuroscience; (b) biological bases of behavior; (c) sensation and perception (d) learning and memory, (e) thought and language. Proseminar: Cognition, Brain, and Behavior: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Not yet offered
A survey of the field of biological psychology. Areas covered are (a) cognitive neuroscience; (b) biological bases of behavior; (c) sensation and perception (d) learning and memory, (e) thought and language. Proseminar: Cognition, Brain, and Behavior: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2016, Fall 2015, Fall 2014
This is a hands-on course teaching the principles of functional MRI (fMRI) data analysis. We will teach you how to work with data and code to get a deeper understanding of how fMRI methods work, how they can fail, how to fix them, and how to develop new methods. We will cover the basic concepts in neuroimaging analysis, and how they relate to the wider world of statistics, engineering and computer science. At the same time we will teach you techniques of data analysis that will make your work easier to organize, understand, explain and share. At the end of the course we expect you to be able to analyze fMRI data using Python and keep track of your work with version control using git. Functional MRI Methods: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2019, Spring 2018, Spring 2016, Fall 2013
Students will examine problem solving in children and adults, from a predominantly cognitive science perspective, beginning with an examination of thinking involved in diverse problem types. Students will then analyze the literature concerning cognitive issues that transcend problem types, including representation, "understanding," access and availability of knowledge, access to one's own cognitive processing, categorization, the architecture of knowledge, and the control of cognition. Proseminar: Problem Solving and Understanding: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Psychology/Graduate
Grading: Letter grade.
Formerly known as: Education C229A, Psychology C220D
Terms offered: Spring 2015, Fall 2014, Spring 2014
Reports and discussions of original research in the area of cognitive psychology. Not all participants must report in any given semester, but all are expected to attend and to enter into the discussions. Required course for all students in the cognition, brain, and behavior graduate program. Cognition, Brain, and Behavior Colloquium: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1.5 hours of colloquium per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Psychology/Graduate
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Spring 2024
Reports and discussions of original research in the area of cognitive psychology, by guest speakers, UCB faculty, and graduate students. Topics change depending on the speaker. Not all participants must report in any given semester, but all are expected to attend and to enter into the discussions. Required course for all students in the cognition area graduate program. Cognition Colloquium: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1.5 hours of colloquium per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Psychology/Graduate
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Spring 2024
Reports and discussions of original research in the area of cognitive neuroscience by guest speakers, UCB faculty, and graduate students. Topics will vary depending on the speaker. Not all participants must report in any given semester, but all are expected to attend and to enter into the discussions. Required course for all students in the cognitive neuroscience area graduate program. Cognitive Neuroscience Colloquium: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1.5 hours of colloquium per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Psychology/Graduate
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Terms offered: Fall 2020, Fall 2019, Fall 2018
This course is a review of the history and theory of the field of clinical psychology. The course covers adult and child psychopathology, ethnic minority mental health, culture, and community influences. Proseminar: Clinical Psychology: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Required of all 1st-year Clinical Science Program graduate students
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2021, Fall 2012
The course is part of a series required of all Clinical Science students. The sequence (230ABCD) introduces core issues in developmental and adult psychopathology, cultural issues, research methods, and intervention principles. It brings together varied disciplines and perspectives such as neuroscience, social science, public health, cultural perspectives, and the importance of humanization and human rights. The 230A course focuses on developmental psychopathology, basic psychometric principles, integration of heritable and psychosocial risk (including adverse childhood experiences), neurodevelopmental and mental disorders and dimensions of childhood and adolescence, stigmatization of mental disorders, and intervention implications. Proseminar: Developmental Psychopathology: Read More [+]
Objectives & Outcomes
Course Objectives: Develop knowledge in translational research, which requires knowledge of foundational mechanistic processes, as well as moving productively from discovery to application (in assessment, intervention, and prevention) and back to discovery. Develop skills in research methods, grant writing, and academic writing. Provide an opportunity for integration of theory, research, and clinical application. Provide exposure to knowledge in emerging fields and methodologies.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Doctoral student status within the Clinical Science area of Psychology. Permission of Instructor for other graduate students or registered post-bac students in Psychology
Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for PSYCH 230A after completing PSYCH 230A. A deficient grade in PSYCH 230A may be removed by taking PSYCH 230A.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of seminar per week
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2022, Spring 2006
The course is part of a series required of all Clinical Science students. The sequence (230ABCD) introduces core issues in developmental and adult psychopathology, cultural issues, research methods, and intervention principles. It brings together varied disciplines and perspectives such as neuroscience, social science, public health, cultural perspectives, and the importance of humanization and human rights. The 230B course focuses on bench-to-bedside translation, implementation science, sleep and circadian disorders and cognitive approaches to anxiety and depression. Grant writing mini-workshops will also be included. Proseminar: Clinical Psychological Science: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Doctoral student status within the Clinical Science area of Psychology. Permission of Instructor for other graduate students or registered post-bac students in Psychology
Credit Restrictions: Students will receive no credit for PSYCH 230B after completing PSYCH 230B. A deficient grade in PSYCH 230B may be removed by taking PSYCH 230B.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of seminar per week
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2022
PSY230C is the third course of the PSY230 sequence (Clinical Science PCSAS Core Seminar Series). The purpose of 230C is to introduce students to core themes in scientific research on how context, culture, and diversity-related factors shape the prevalence, presentation, and development of psychopathology in diverse populations. We will also discuss how scientific knowledge on context, culture, and diversity-related issues in psychopathology informs the development, adaptation, and dissemination of evidence-based mental health interventions/services to diverse populations. Proseminar: Context, Culture, and Diversity Issues in Clinical Science: Read More [+]
Objectives & Outcomes
Course Objectives: Develop knowledge on core research and theory on socio-cultural disparity in mental health and mental health services Develop knowledge on core theoretical framework and key research findings on unique risk and protective factors for mental health issues in special populations: immigrant and refugee populations, members of the LGBTQ community, and people of color Develop knowledge on core theoretical models and concepts for studying cultural and contextual influences on psychopathology, ethical issues and key methodological challenges in conducting clinical research with diverse populations, and cultural competence and cultural humility in mental health care Develop knowledge on core theories, research methods, and key findings on family, school, and neighborhood influences on the development of psychopathology, and development and evaluation of family-based, school-based, and community-based mental health interventions Gain experience in writing a literature review paper or a research proposal.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: As an advanced elective for the undergraduate minor, all prerequisites must be completed by the time the student is enrolled in this course
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of seminar per week
Terms offered: Spring 2015, Fall 2014
This course examines how psychology, neuroscience, pharmacology, and medicine come together to understand psychiatric and neurological disorders, and through this understanding, develop and deliver evidence-based treatments. Class format consists of attending patient care clinics, lectures, paper reviews and class discussions. Clinical Neuroscience: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Open only to Clinical Science Program graduate students or with the consent of instructor
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0-3 hours of seminar and 3-0 hours of clinic per week
Terms offered: Spring 2023, Fall 2018, Spring 2000
The overall goal of the course is to enhance your critical thinking and your knowledge of the historical views in clinical psychology. One of the concerns about United States psychology theory and research historically has been a focus on Eurocentric ideas and contributions. Accordingly, several weeks of this class will be focused on enriching your understanding of some key perspectives on diversity in psychology. History, Systems, and Diversity in Psychology: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: This class is required of clinical science graduate students
Credit Restrictions: This class is required of clinical science graduate students. Students from other programs and other departments will be able to take part if space is available.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1 hour of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Spring 2020, Spring 2018
This course covers assessment of intellectual and cognitive functioning and selected measures of emotional and personality functioning in adults. It also covers ethical and cultural issues associated with psychological assessment, case formulation, integrative report writing, and the principles of psychological measurement (including reliability, validity, norms, and standardized scores).
Terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Spring 2019
This course covers the psychological assessment of children, with a focus on cognitive, emotional, and diagnostic assessment. Content will include placing these issues in a developmental context, report writing, culture, ethical issues, and psychometric principles. Clinical Assessment: Theory, Application, and Practicum: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: First year status as graduate student in clinical psychology or enrollment in limited training in clinical psychology
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2020, Fall 2018
Central features of cognitive behavior therapy; basics of several cognitive-behavioral theories; evidence of efficacy and effectiveness of methods; methods for assessing, conceptualizing and treating patients; theories, methods, and efficacy evidence for several disorders, primarily anxiety and affective disorders. Theories of Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2020, Fall 2016, Fall 2014
Strategies of research in clinical issues; clinical methods of gathering and interpreting data; case examples from the research in progress of participants in the seminar. Clinical Research: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Spring 2024
A Specialty Clinic is offered to graduate students in the Clinical Science program. Each course combines didactics and hands-on clinical work. Students in the course work with the instructor to develop the topic of interest by reviewing the empirical literature, defining and developing an intervention/consultation, defining a clinical population, marketing and delivering the intervention/consultation, and evaluating the effectiveness of the intervention/consultation. A number of readings are included in the course, and class discussion is a central part of the course. Written products are also a part of the course, either in the form of a presentation or publication of findings from the clinic. A Specialty Clinic also includes its own Case Conference and supervisors to handle supervision of the clinical cases. Specialty Clinic: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Open only to Clinical Science Program graduate students
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of clinic per week
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022
This course is an introduction to clinical methods in preparation for the clinical practicum in the Psychology Clinic during the second and third years of the clinical graduate program. Topics covered include clinical policies and procedures, legal and ethical issues, risk management, standards of care, HIPAA, and consultations. Intervention: Introduction to Clinical Methods: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Limited to first-year clinical psychology students or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022
This semester course focuses on introducing graduate students to the ethical, conceptual, and practical issues related to the practice of evidence-based supervision with focused discussion and a practicum/experiential component focused on supervising a peer. Using a problem-based learning approach, the course has three primary components: review of theoretical models and empirical literature, direct supervision and supervision of supervision, and ongoing supervision and discussion surrounding supervision issues and problem-based learning. Introduction to Clinical Supervision: Read More [+]
Objectives & Outcomes
Course Objectives: Gain competence in learning supervision models, understanding supervisee competencies, evaluating supervisees, providing formative feedback, troubleshooting issues that arise during the training of novice clinicians in learning foundational clinical skills Integrate the empirical literature and scientific understandings of cultural adaptation into applied clinical supervision Learn how to present clinical cases and develop appropriate questions and recommendations for consultation with families, healthcare professionals and others Learn how to utilize supervision of supervision and provide supervision to others, including models of evaluating supervision practices Understand APA and California legal and ethical codes about supervision and gain experience conducting clinical supervision ethically.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Only those students who have successfully completed the following courses (at least 1 semester of each) are allowed to take this course. • PSYC 237H • PSYC 237E • PSYC 236 • PSYC 237G
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1 hour of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Psychology/Graduate
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Spring 2024
Reports and discussions of original research in the area of clinical psychology. Not all participants need report in any given semester, but all are expected to attend and to enter into the discussions. Required course for all students in the clinical graduate program. Clinical Seminar: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1.5 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Psychology/Graduate
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2022, Spring 2020
Survey of the biology of the nervous system and behavior; the cellular interactions during development in animals and humans, including neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, cell death and synapse elimination; and the genetic and experiential determinants of neural development. Exploration of the origins and development of knowledge from infancy through childhood; the development of children's concepts across multiple domains including physics, biology, math, and psychology. Survey of facts and theories of language acquisition; focus on what learners acquire and the role of input in the process; review of phonology, syntax, and morphology. Proseminar: Biological, Cognitive, and Language Development: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2021, Fall 2019
Survey of current research and theory on the origins and maintenance of normal and pathological socioemotional development in infancy. Exploration of biological, psychological, familial, and cultural factors affecting social and emotional development through childhood and adolescence. Focus of the course includes how normal or pathological trajectories are maintained in some children, while others shift into or out of clinically diagnosable disorders. Proseminar: Emotional, Social, and Psychopathological Development: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Spring 2024
Reports and discussions of original research in the area of developmental psychology. Not all participants need report in any given semester, but all are expected to attend and to enter into the discussions. Required course for all students in the developmental graduate program. Developmental Colloquium: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1.5 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Psychology/Graduate
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Terms offered: Fall 2020, Fall 2018, Fall 2017
Introduces the perspectives and research programs of the personality faculty to graduate students having an interest in their field. Each week, attention is directed to the work of a different faculty member associated with the personality program. Perspectives in Personality: Overview: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2021, Spring 2019, Spring 2018
Considers historical trends and current discussions regarding such topics as (1) the concept of disposition; (2) person by environment transactions; (3) observational assessment of persons; (4) personality systematics; (5) personality development and concepts of structure, and (6) formulations of personality system-social system interactions. Perspectives in Personality: Trends and Issues: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2021, Spring 2019
Methods of personality measurement and assessment, with particular attention to the qualities, attributes, talents and dispositions considered in the everyday evaluations people make of self and others. Principles and Pragmatics of Personality Measurement: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Spring 2024
Reports and discussions of original research in the area of personality psychology. Not all participants need report in any given semester, but all are expected to attend and to enter into the discussions. Required course for all students in the personality graduate program. Personality Seminar: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing and consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1.5 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Psychology/Graduate
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2022
Extensive coverage of theoretical and research literature in social and personality psychology. Topics include history and systems, attitudes and attitude change, interpersonal processes, motivation, social interaction, small groups, and organizational behavior, personality measurement, and personality processes. Required course for all students in the social-personality graduate program. Proseminar Course in Social and Personality Psychology: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Spring 2023, Spring 2017
Extensive coverage of theoretical and research literature in social and personality psychology. Topics include history and systems, attitudes and attitude change, interpersonal processes, motivation, social interaction, small groups, and organizational behavior, personality measurement, and personality processes. Required course for all students in the social-personality graduate program. Proseminar Course in Social and Personality Psychology: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Fall 2024, Spring 2024
Reports and discussion of original research in the area of social psychology. Not all participants need report in any given semester, but all are expected to attend and to enter into the discussions. Required for all students in the social graduate program. Social Seminar: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1.5 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Psychology/Graduate
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022
This course provides both a broad review of the field of psychology and an introduction to the faculty of this department. Faculty from various program areas will present biographical information and discuss their particular research programs, as well as summarizing current developments in their areas. The course will also cover topics in professional development (e.g., scientific writing, convention presentations, journal review processes, professional and scientific ethics, and special issues facing women and minority psychologists). Required of all first-year students in the graduate program. Introduction to the Profession of Psychology: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of lecture per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Psychology/Graduate
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Terms offered: Spring 2025, Spring 2024, Spring 2023
This course will focus on various issues related to professional development. Topics may include planning a research program, preparing for qualifying exams, choosing a dissertation committee, identifying career options, presenting work at conferences and in journals, preparing grant proposals, preparing for job interviews, juggling professional and personal life, and recognizing obstacles in career development. The seminar participants will select actual topics at the beginning of the term, and all will be expected to participate in the discussions. All participants will present their research at a departmental poster session at the end of the term. Required of all second-year students. Second-Year Seminar on Professional Development: Read More [+]
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Psychology/Graduate
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022
This course will provide training in a variety of teaching techniques, will review relevant pedagogical issues, and will assist graduate students in mastering their initial teaching experiences. Teaching Psychology: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Psychology/Professional course for teachers or prospective teachers
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Terms offered: Spring 2014, Spring 2013, Spring 2012
Individual study in consultation with the major field adviser, intended to provide opportunity for qualified students to prepare themselves for the various examinations required of candidates for the Ph.D. May not be used for unit or residence requirements for the doctoral degree. Individual Study for Doctoral Students: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0 hours of independent study per week
Summer: 6 weeks - 1-5 hours of independent study per week 8 weeks - 1-4 hours of independent study per week
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