Peter Bex, PhD
Professor and Chair
617.373.3076
617.373.8714 (fax)
The doctoral program in the Department of Psychology offers a research-intensive environment within a supportive community of faculty and students. Its areas of research specialization include behavioral neuroscience, cognition/cognitive neuroscience, perception, and social/personality—with crosscutting themes in health, affective science, and life span development.
During the program, students complete a series of topical seminars and courses in quantitative analysis while gaining research skills through working closely with their advisors. They are also expected to develop their own research program, beginning with their master's thesis and culminating in their dissertation. Students' professional development is supported by attending colloquia, serving as teaching assistants, and modest annual stipends for research/travel.
Psychology Courses
PSYC 5010. Human Cognitive Processes. (4 Hours)
Offers a graduate-level introduction to cognitive psychology. Covers such topics as attention, memory, and reasoning—cognitive processes that partially operate invisibly, “behind the scenes” of everyday experience. Examines central questions within the field of cognitive psychology and the unique challenges associated with investigating them. Considers applications of findings in human cognition to other areas, including artificial intelligence.
PSYC 5100. Proseminar in Psycholinguistics. (3 Hours)
Serves as first-level graduate course in psycholinguistics, focusing on theoretical, experimental, and methodological issues. Includes faculty lectures, student presentations, and discussions. Requires permission of instructor for students who are not enrolled in the PhD program in psychology. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 5110. Proseminar in Cognition. (3 Hours)
Serves as first-level graduate course in cognition, focusing on theoretical, experimental, and methodological issues. Includes faculty lectures, student presentations, and discussion. Requires permission of instructor for students who are not enrolled in the PhD program in psychology. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 5120. Proseminar in Sensation. (3 Hours)
Serves as first-level graduate course in sensation, focusing on theoretical, experimental, and methodological issues. Includes faculty lectures, student presentations, and discussion. Requires permission of instructor for students who are not enrolled in the PhD program in psychology. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 5130. Proseminar in Perception. (3 Hours)
Serves as first-level graduate course in perception, focusing on theoretical, experimental, and methodological issues. Includes faculty lectures, student presentations, and discussion. Requires permission of instructor for students who are not enrolled in the PhD program in psychology. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 5140. Proseminar in Biology of Behavior. (3 Hours)
Serves as first-level graduate course in the biological basis of behavior, focusing on theoretical, experimental, and methodological issues. Includes faculty lectures, student presentations, and discussion. Requires permission of instructor for students who are not enrolled in the PhD program in psychology. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 5150. Proseminar in Clinical Neuroscience. (3 Hours)
Serves as first-level graduate course in clinical neuroscience, focusing on theoretical, experimental, and methodological issues. Includes faculty lectures, student presentations, and discussion. Requires permission of instructor for students who are not enrolled in the PhD program in psychology. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 5160. Proseminar in Personality. (3 Hours)
Serves as first-level graduate course in personality, focusing on theoretical, experimental, and methodological issues. Includes faculty lectures, student presentations, and discussion. Requires permission of instructor for students who are not enrolled in the PhD program in psychology. May be repeated up to four times.
PSYC 5170. Proseminar in Social Psychology. (3 Hours)
Serves as first-level graduate course in social psychology, focusing on theoretical, experimental, and methodological issues. Includes faculty lectures, student presentations, and discussion. Requires permission of instructor for students who are not enrolled in the PhD program in psychology. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 5180. Quantitative Methods 1. (3 Hours)
Presents first course in a two-course sequence that surveys a variety of quantitative methods used in experimental psychology. Requires permission of instructor for students who are not enrolled in the PhD program in psychology.
PSYC 5181. Quantitative Methods 2. (3 Hours)
Continues PSYC 5180. Presents second course in a two-course sequence that surveys a variety of quantitative methods used in experimental psychology. Requires permission of instructor for students who are not enrolled in the PhD program in psychology.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 5180 with a minimum grade of C- or PSYC 5180 with a minimum grade of D-
PSYC 6962. Elective. (1-4 Hours)
Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 7210. Seminar in Cognition. (3 Hours)
Offers a graduate-level seminar in cognition, diving into the work of scientists actively engaged in the study of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Readings guide presentations, discussions, and debates. Surveys and debates historical foundations of cognition and cognitive processes. Covers topics about foundational and cutting-edge techniques applied in cognitive research.
PSYC 7240. Seminar in Biology of Behavior. (3 Hours)
Addresses current theoretical and empirical issues in the biological basis of behavior. Specific topics vary by semester. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 7250. Seminar in Clinical Neuroscience. (3 Hours)
Addresses current theoretical and empirical issues in clinical neuroscience. Specific topics vary by semester. May be repeated thrice.
PSYC 7270. Seminar in Social Psychology. (3 Hours)
Addresses current theoretical and empirical issues in social psychology. Specific topics vary by semester. May be repeated three times.
PSYC 7300. Advanced Quantitative Analysis. (3 Hours)
Covers selected advanced methods of quantitative analysis used in experimental psychology. Specific topics vary by semester. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 7301. Research Methodologies Psychology. (3 Hours)
Introduces students to a range of conceptual and methodological issues in the conduct of experimental psychology research by department faculty members. Specific course content depends on which faculty members conduct the course in a given semester. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 7302. Ethics and Professional Issues. (3 Hours)
Identifies and investigates ethical issues (such as privacy, fairness, social responsibility, or animal use) that research psychologists face in acquiring and using scientific knowledge. Also addresses broader professional issues relevant to pursuing a career as a research psychologist in an academic, government, or industrial setting.
PSYC 7986. Research. (0 Hours)
Offers students an opportunity to conduct full-time research under faculty supervision.
PSYC 7990. Thesis. (3 Hours)
Conducts theoretical and experimental research for the master’s degree. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 7996. Thesis Continuation - Half-Time. (0 Hours)
Continues research for the master’s degree.
PSYC 8400. Research Lab. (1 Hour)
Offers laboratory work in experimental psychology. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 8401. Research Project. (3 Hours)
Conducts research project in selected area of experimental psychology. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 8402. Special Topics in Psychology. (3 Hours)
Offers in-depth analysis of critical topics in psychology. Specific topics vary by semester. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 9000. PhD Candidacy Achieved. (0 Hours)
Indicates successful completion of the doctoral comprehensive exam.
PSYC 9986. Research. (0 Hours)
Offers the student the opportunity to conduct doctoral research. May be repeated without limit.
PSYC 9990. Dissertation Term 1. (0 Hours)
Conducts theoretical and experimental research for the PhD degree.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 9000 with a minimum grade of S
PSYC 9991. Dissertation Term 2. (0 Hours)
Offers dissertation supervision by members of the department.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 9990 with a minimum grade of S
PSYC 9996. Dissertation Continuation. (0 Hours)
Continues research for the PhD degree.
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 9991 with a minimum grade of S or Dissertation Check with a score of REQ