Psychology Program Core Course Requirements

Required graduate psychology courses fall into the following categories:

Quantitative Core Requirements

The core sequence of basic statistical content courses is required of all students. This sequence should be taken in the first year of residency in the program. The quantitative sequence emphasizes basic statistical concepts and their application to significant issues in Psychology. Any student wishing to pursue a more stringent mathematical approach toward research may do so through the advanced quantitative sequence. The quantitative core consists of three courses:

• PSYC 6018 Principles of Research Design (3 credit hours)

Introduction to basic principles and practices of empirical research in psychology. Covers both experimental and correlational methods and design

• PSYC 6019 Statistical Analysis of Psychological Data I (5 credit hours)

Introductory treatment of descriptive and inferential statistics as applied to psychological research

• PSYC 6020 Statistical Analysis of Psychological Data II (5 credit hours)

Introductory treatment of inferential statistics, especially the general linear model, as applied to psychological research after completion of the quantitative core.

General Psychology Core Requirements

In addition to the core sequence of required quantitative course work, each student must complete four core courses out of the eight designated core courses in the specified predominant content areas of Psychology. This requirement is designed to ensure that graduates of the Georgia Tech Psychology program possess a sufficient breadth of knowledge to make significant contributions to his/her field of specialization. Courses falling under the general psychology core requirements may be taken at any time during the student’s graduate residency, subject to the following two constraints.

1. All of the required core courses must be completed prior to preliminary examinations. Two courses (one from each group) must be completed for the Master’s degree, and an additional course from each group must be completed for the Ph.D. degree.

2. The student’s individual program may contain specific requirements or preferences with respect to selection of core courses.

Each student should consult the coordinator of his/her particular program and/or academic advisor to determine if these constraints apply. Typically, the general psychology core requirement courses are taken during the first two years of graduate residency. The core courses are:

Group A

• PSYC 6011 Cognitive Psychology (3 credit hours) Survey course on human cognition including pattern recognition, attention, memory, categorization, problem solving, consciousness, decision making, intention, and the relation between mind and brain

• PSYC 6012 Social Psychology (3 credit hours) Fundamental theory and research in social behavior including social perception/cognition, attitude formation and change, social influences, and group processes

• PSYC 6013 Biopsychology (3 credit hours) Neurophysiological, endocrinological, and biochemical bases of sensory and motor functioning, motivation, learning, memory, and behavior dysfunction

---

Group B

• PSYC 6014 Sensation and Perception (3 credit hours) This course examines how sensations and perceptions of the outside world are processed by humans, including physiological, psychophysical, ecological, and computational perspectives

• PSYC 6015 Developmental Psychology (3 credit hours) Overview of concepts, assumptions, methods, theories, and research in human development across the life span including cognitive, emotional, and social behavior.

• PSYC 6016 Experimental Analysis of Behavior (3 credit hours) Conceptual, methodological, and theoretical issues in the experimental analysis of behavior with special emphasis on classical and operant conditioning as foundations for complex behavior

• PSYC 6017 Human Abilities (3 credit hours) Introduction to differential psychology providing an overview of differences in humans. Topics such as abilities, temperament, and group differences (e.g., gender) are addressed

• PSYC 6021 Personality (3 credit hours) Introduction to major approaches to personality theory.

Professional Course Requirements

All students pursuing the doctoral degree in psychology at Georgia Tech are required to complete two professional courses. These are designed to prepare the student for managing the complexities of the business and academic environments. The professional core courses are described below:

• PSYC 7701 Teaching Practicum (with a grade of ‘B’ or better) Supervised college teaching including techniques, course and curriculum design, evaluation. Students will prepare and present lectures with direct observations and videotaping for discussion. This course should be completed before preliminary exams.

• PSYC 7700 Professional Problems

Discussion of issues faced by professional psychologists in the areas of teaching, research, and professional practice. Ethical issues in all of these areas are emphasized. NOTE: This course may be taken at any time after completion of the master’s degree and before dissertation defense.