The Cognitive psychology program seeks students with the intellectual potential, motivation and quantitative aptitude to engage in productive scholarship in a basic or applied area of interest. Interdisciplinary training is also available in child language, aging and cognition, and quantitative methods. The training program emphasizes the development of a broad based foundation in theory, research methods, technical skills, and quantitative analysis for application in a variety of basic and applied research settings. The Department of Psychology uses a student-faculty contract system to ensure mastery of content and methodology at the doctoral level and to permit accommodation to each student's interests. Each student develops an agreement with the faculty that includes a statement of goals, how those goals are to be achieved, and the methods by which achievements are to be evaluated.
Progress is reviewed on an agreed-upon schedule.
Modification of the contract, which can occur for any of a number of rea5ons, is a matter simply of discussion and agreement between the student and the faculty. The student and advisor together will develop a contract and recruit two additional faculty members who together with the advisor constitute the student's advisory committee. At least two of the three members must be members of the CPGP faculty for acceptance. The student will meet with his or her advisory committee as needed but definitely at the end of the first year and periodically thereafter to review progress toward fulfilling the contract. The student is free to seek a change in the contract, a different advisor, or a different advisory committee at any time.