Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Experimental Psychology

About

Saint Louis University’s multifaceted, full-time Ph.D. program in experimental psychology prepares students for academic teaching, research, and data analysis, as well as careers in cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, and social psychology. Thirty credits of coursework are required for the master’s degree, which counts toward the 56 credits required for the Ph.D. Students entering the SLU program with a master's degree may present course syllabi or other documentation from previous courses to the experimental psychology graduate program director to request substitutions for specific requirements. The experimental psychology program includes three concentration areas: cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology and social psychology. During each term, students will actively participate in a research vertical team, including individual lab groups, concentration groups and/or full program groups. Through discussions, presentations and other activities, this team will help students stay involved in research and other professional development activities during the program. Areas of research includes for the PhD program; Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Psychology, and Social Psychology. Graduates will be able to demonstrate competency in the conceptualization, design, conducting, analysis and reporting of psychological research. Graduates will be able to demonstrate broad professional knowledge in the field of experimental psychology and more specialized knowledge in their area of concentration (i.e., cognitive neuroscience, developmental and social psychology) and in their topic of research expertise. Graduates will be able to demonstrate an understanding of diversity and ethics issues as they apply to psychological research, teaching and professional development as experimental psychologists. 

Career Path 

Graduate career path includes Research Director (Cognitive/Behavioral Sciences), Curriculum Developer (Psychology/Research Programs), Principal Investigator (Behavioral Science Lab),Scientific Journal Editor (Experimental Psychology Focus), Academic Advisor (Graduate-Level Psychology),Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Interdisciplinary Research Coordinator, Cognitive Neuroscientist, Learning & Memory Researcher, Decision-Making Scientist, Human Factors Research Scientist, Perception & Attention Researcher, Clinical Trials Researcher (Behavioral), Behavioral Neuroscience Researcher, Health Outcomes Research Scientist, Psychometrics Specialist, Pain & Sensory Processing Researcher, Experimental Social Psychologist, Sleep & Circadian Rhythm Scientist, Rehabilitation Program Researcher, Neuropsychology Researcher.