Social Psychology, Ph.D.

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The Interdisciplinary Social Psychology Ph.D. Program integrates psychological and sociological scholarship in the study of processes and structures to investigate personal and social life. Several areas of emphasis are available including:

social psychology and health,
social psychology and law/justice,
personal and social relationships,
social psychology of organizations;
public policy and politics;
developmental social psychology; and
gender, culture, and diversity.

We also have a unique emphasis in the intersection of the social psychologies of health and law/justice. Contextual issues (such as culture, gender, religion, and biopsychosocial development) are integrated. The program emphasizes training in theoretical foundations, as well as quantitative and qualitative methodologies in basic and applied research. Faculty have expertise in psychological and sociological research and their intersection.

This interdisciplinary program has support and participation from the College of Liberal Arts, College of Science, the School of Community Health Sciences, the College of Education, and the College of Business. Faculty from Sociology, Psychology, Criminal Justice, Community Health Sciences, Human Development and Family Studies, Communication Studies, and Managerial Sciences are active in the program. Students also participate in scholarly activities with the Grant Sawyer Center for Justice Studies, National Judicial College, Center for Research Design and Analysis, Nevada Cooperative Extension, Sanford Center for Aging, Washoe County School District, and Renown Regional Medical Center. The program’s quality and unique integrative nature have earned it membership in the Western Regional Graduate Program.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

deal competently and critically with literature and research in the field of social psychology.
summarize books and/or articles on a specific topic, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and identify gaps that suggest directions for future research.
generate hypotheses, design, execute, and analyze empirical social science research, using methods appropriate to the research question, research topic or type of data.
choose the appropriate method for their own research endeavors, having been exposed to quantitative, experimental and qualitative approaches to social research.
conduct successful, meaningful research and to have engaging careers in both academic and applied settings.
communicate effectively social psychological theory and research findings both orally and in written form.
demonstrate knowledge of general and important concepts, theories and research findings in various arenas of social psychology; the ability to integrate and analyze ideas and findings, especially as they pertain to the student’s stated research interest.
embark on a career in academia or an applied field, dependent on the student’s preference and specialization.
develop their skills as a teacher and instructor.

Contact Information

Markus Kemmelmeier, Professor/Director, Interdisciplinary Social Psychology PhD Program
(775) 784-1878

Mack Social Science, 344
markusk@unr.edu

http://www.unr.edu/social-psychology

Graduate Handbook *

Admission Requirements

Students interested in this program must have a background in both psychology and sociology, with a minimum of 18 credits in one of the two fields and the equivalent of 6 credits in the other. Students can be admitted without sufficient background in the second field, but such a deficit must be made up early during their graduate study. Guidance in the selection of appropriate courses for fulfilling a deficit includes consultation with the student’s adviser and the Program Director. Students must also have completed courses in research methods and statistics prior to admission (minimum of 3 credits in each). The General GRE Exam is recommended, but not required; no GRE Subject Tests are required. Details on application components and deadlines can be found on the Interdisciplinary Social Psychology Program website.

I. Program Requirements

The curriculum of the Program extends over a minimum of 4 years. Time to completion for most students is between 4 and 6 years.

Program requirements include:

First year core curriculum of prescribed courses in theory, methods and statistics
Written qualifying examination at the end of the first year
A second-year research project
Advanced seminars in social psychological content areas, methods, statistics
Written and oral comprehensive examination prior to candidacy
Dissertation

Students may apply for the optional Masters of Arts in Social Psychology en route to the Ph.D., which requires 30 units. (All 30 units also apply toward the Ph.D. if all 30 were completed at UNR. Up to 24 units may apply if those units include transfer units, provided transfer units are an exact match on courses taught within the program.) Courses are chosen with guidance from the student’s advisor and the Program Director.

A. Required Courses (25 units)

PSY 706 - Intermediate Statistics I with R Lab (4 units)
PSY 707 - Intermediate Statistics II (3 units)
PSY 724 - Applied Research Methodology II (3 units)
SOC 718 - Research Methods in Social Psychology (3 units)
SOC 722 - Attitudes: Structures, Function and Change (3 units)
SOC 737 - Survey Research Methods (3 units) OR
CHS 745 - Advanced Survey Methods in Public Health (3 units)
SOC 739 - Advanced Social Psychology I (3 units)
SOC 740 - Advanced Social Psychology II (3 units)

B. Qualifying Examination (1 unit)

Please contact the program director for course approval.

SPSY 794 - Qualifying Examination (1 unit)

C. Graduate Research (6 units)

Please contact your graduate advisor for course approval.

CHS 792 - Independent Projects in Public Health (1 to 3 units)
CRJ 702 - Graduate Research (1 to 9 units)
HDFS 752 - Graduate Research (1 to 5 units)
PSY 752 - Graduate Research (1 to 6 units)
SOC 702 - Graduate Research (1 to 5 units)
SPSY 702 - Graduate Research (1 to 5 units)

D. Comprehensive Examination (1 unit)

Please contact your graduate advisor for course approval.

CRJ 795 - Comprehensive Examination (1 to 2 units)
HDFS 795 - Comprehensive Examination (3 units)
PSY 795 - Comprehensive Examination (1 to 3 units)
SOC 795 - Comprehensive Examination (1 to 3 units)
SPSY 795 - Comprehensive Examination (1 to 3 units)

E. Dissertation (23 units)

Please contact your graduate advisor for course approval.

CHS 799 - Dissertation (1 to 24 units)
CRJ 799 - Dissertation (1 to 24 units)
PSY 799 - Dissertation (1 to 24 units)
SOC 799 - Dissertation (1 to 24 units)
SPSY 799 - Dissertation (1 to 24 units)

F. Additional 600/700 Courses (18 units)

Please contact your graduate advisor for course approval.

SOC 708 - Qualitative Research Methods (3 units)
CRJ 669 - Psychology and the Legal System (3 units)
CRJ 723 - Special Topics in Social Psychology of Law (1 to 3 units)
PSY 734 - Social Psychology of Gender (3 units)
PSY 746 - Social Psychology and Law (3 units)
PSY 761 - Contemporary Issues in Psychology (3 units)
PSY 764 - Special Topics in Social Psychology (3 units)
SOC 653 - Gender and Society (3 units)
SOC 657 - Society and Health (3 units)
SOC 658 - Sociology of Mental Health (3 units)
SOC 663 - Social Psychology of Education (3 units)
SOC 680 - Sociology of Families (3 units)
SOC 701 - Individual Reading (1 to 5 units)
SOC 725 - Socialization (3 units)
SOC 726 - Interpersonal Transactions (3 units)
SOC 727 - Group Behavior (3 units)
SOC 728 - Collective Behavior and Mass Society (3 units)
SOC 731 - Advanced Design and Data Analysis (3 units)
SOC 732 - Social Psychology and Culture (3 units)
SOC 733 - Social Cognition (3 units)
SOC 734 - Social Psychology of Gender (3 units)
SOC 735 - Social Norms and Deviance (3 units)
SOC 746 - Social Psychology and Law (3 units)
SOC 764 - Special Topics in Social Psychology (3 units)
SPSY 701 - Individual Reading (3 units)
SPSY 703 - A Social Psychological Perspective on Juvenile Law (3 units)
SPSY 738 - Structural Equation Modeling (3 units)
SPSY 741 - Judgment and Decision Making (3 units)
SPSY 764 - Special Topics in Social Psychology (3 units)
SRJS 729 - Jury Decision-Making (3 units)
SRJS 775 - Legal Regulation of Sex, Pregnancy and Family (3 units)

II. Total Units

The Ph.D. degree requires a minimum of 74 credits beyond the B.A. or B.S. degree.

This total includes

1 credit of written qualifying examination,
1 credit of a written and oral comprehensive examination,
49 credits of coursework (including up to 9 credits of graduate research), and
a minimum of 23 credits of dissertation.

Students with deficits or completing the M.A. en route will earn more than the minimum 74 credits. They select these courses upon consultation with their adviser and the Program Director.

Notes

Graduate Research and Teaching Assistantships

Graduate research and teaching assistantships are available. Most students obtain financial support from one of these sources. A limited number of summer research assistantship positions are also available. Students are also encouraged to seek support through pre-doctoral fellowship applications.

Graduate Handbook

* Curriculum requirements in the catalog supersede the Graduate handbook.