East Carolina University
 
Department of Psychology


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Curriculum

The program* is a 105 semester hour, five-year post baccalaureate degree program. It consists of the following components:

Coursework
Courses focusing on the core doctoral competency areas of psychology: biological, social, cognitive and affective foundations, individual differences, developmental, and history and systems.

  • Courses focusing on research methods and statistical analysis of data

  • Courses focusing on Health Psychology

  • Courses specific to intervention and specialty health care

  • Courses specific to ethics and professional development

Research & Clinical Training

  • A series of research experiences culminating in an empirical dissertation

  • A series of supervised field experiences, practica, and/or externships


Internship
Completion of a one-year pre-doctoral internship meeting the requirements of the
Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC)

 

Curriculum

Psychology doctoral core (minimum 15 hours)


Biological foundations:

PSYC 8416 Psychopharmacology, PSYC 7412 Advanced behavioral
neuroscience, or PSYC 7413 Pediatric clinical neuropsychology     (3 s.h.)

Social foundations:

PSYC 6421 Social Psychology     (3 s.h.)


Cognitive and affective basis of behavior:

PSYC 6406 Developmental, PSYC 6428 Cognitive
psychology, PSYC 7427 Advanced principles of learning, or PSYC 6405 Educational Psychology     (3 s.h.)

Individual differences:

PSYC 6450 Advanced Psychopathology, PSYC 6452 Child
Psychopathology, or PSYC 6475 Theories of personality     (3 s.h.)
Human development:PSYC 6406 (3 s.h.)
History and systems: PSYC 6408 (3 s.h.)

Research methods and statistical analysis of data (minimum 27 hours)

Statistics and research design:

PSYC 6430 Statistics and research design and PSYC 7431
Advanced research design     (6 s.h.)
PSYC 7000 Thesis (6 hours); may be waived for post-MA students if approved by advisory committee     (6 s.h.)
PSYC 9000 Dissertation (12 hours)     (12 s.h.)

Health psychology core (minimum 15 hours)
PSYC 8002 Health psychology     (3 s.h.)
PSYC 8404 Pediatric school psychology     (3 s.h.)
PSYC 8994 Seminar in pediatric school psychology    (3 s.h.)
PSYC 7413 Clinical neuropsychology and PSYC 8416** Psychopharmacology
(**already counted in Psychology core minimum requirements) 6 s.h.
COHE 6000 Health care systems and problems or HLTH 6355 Alcohol, tobacco and other drug education and prevention or approved elective
 

Education foundations, interventions and practicum (minimum 33 hours)
Special education foundation:
SPED 6701 Assistive technology devices and services and 6702
Assessment, planning and implementation of assistive technology, or approved electives     (6 s.h.)

Intervention:

PSYC 6402 School consultation, PSYC 7442 Psychological and educational
interventions and PSYC 6467 Psychotherapeutic interventions with children and families      (9 s.h.)

Measurement and assessment:

PSYC 6409 School assessment I, PSYC 6410 School assessment II,
and PSYC 7411 School assessment III     (9 s.h.)

Practicum:

PSYC 7950 Practicum in therapeutic approaches with children, PSYC 7951 Practicum
in psychoeducational assessment, and PSYC 8460 Health psychology practicum     (9 s.h.)

Ethics and Professional development (9 hours)
PSYC 6465 Ethics and Professional Issues or PSYC 6404 Professional school psychology     (3 s.h.)
PSYC 800x Health psychology colloquium (1 hour, repeated at least 4 times)

Internship: PSYC 8990     (6 s.h.)

*The precise program to be followed will depend on the student's past educational experiences. Students entering with a master's degree may have already completed some of the required courses. In addition, in consultation with the student's advisory committee, additional required electives may be deemed critical to complete the program of study. These may involve additional coursework in statistics and research methods, or the completion of a certification offered at theUniversity, such as applied behavioral analysis, biofeedback, gerontology, or other individually developed cognate areas. As in other research-focused programs of doctoral study, students in this program may expect to enroll in more than the minimum required credit hours and should be aware that study opportunities that focus on particular areas are in addition to the basic program requirements. Additional study is individualized and depends on the student's background and graduate preparation as well as the employment role identified as a career focus.