On completion of this core, there is considerable flexibility, with various electives both from general psychology and from more specialized clinical topics, such as advanced psychopathology, neuropsychology, and health psychology. A course in the teaching of psychology is a requirement for all doctoral students, followed by the actual teaching of a course to undergraduates. After completion of the requirements for the Master's degree, clinical students form a guidance committee of three faculty and together select six areas for in-depth study. The prelims have both a written and an oral component. After passing prelims, the student is formally admitted to doctoral candidacy and then begins work on dissertation research.
Students take most of their elective courses in the third and fourth years.
Popular minor areas are neuroscience, statistics, developmental psychobiology, cognition and information processing, and conditioning and learning. The basic program of formal academic work can be completed in four years. Some students come into the program with a Master's degree already completed. Many students do take five or even six years. This is not discouraged as long as the student is productive in research and acquiring advanced clinical competencies.