Our research option emphasizes independent research and scholarship, and prepares students for research careers. Research programs are planned and initiated as soon as students enter the M.A. program, and constitute the major occupation of students during each year in both the master's and doctoral programs. The master's degree requires a minimum of one year of full-time study and involves -- in addition to the thesis -- course work in psychological theory and advanced statistics, seminars in the student's area of research specialization (Behavioural Neuroscience, Clinical and Health Research, Cognitive Science, or Human Development and Developmental Processes), and directed teaching in our undergraduate program. The doctoral program involves similar advanced training: independent research; supervised reading, research and course work in subject matter and methods in the area of research specialization; program-wide research and methods seminars; and teaching experience. Doctoral studies require a minimum of two years of full-time study.
Students are provided the resources to conduct research throughout their graduate education. All new students are accepted into our program by a faculty member who is willing to provide supervision and financial support. Thus, each student is associated with a research team comprised of faculty and graduate students. Research teams within the department are organized around four areas of research specialization (Behavioural Neuroscience, Clinical and Health Research, Cognitive Science, or Human Development and Developmental Processes) and pursue a variety of topics, including (but not limited to) appetitive motivation and drug dependence, problems in human development, cognitive and perceptual processes, and anxiety disorders.
Because entering students have often had previous research experience and participate in advanced research in our program, students who complete the Ph.D. degree achieve a high level of research specialization and expertise. As a result of the high quality of our students' research, most students have opportunities to present their research findings at national and/or international scientific conferences. There are several sources of funding within the Department for student travel to scientific conferences. Also, students are expected to publish articles on their research in scientific journals.
Because students are expected to devote a great deal of their time to their research, the amount of required course work in the research option is limited. Elective coursework is organized around the four areas of department research specialization (Behavioural Neuroscience, Clinical and Health Research, Cognitive Science, and Human Development and Developmental Processes), in each of which research seminars and special topic seminars are offered yearly. Thus, students have ample opportunity to interact with their supervisor and other faculty and students of their research teams.
For detailed information on course requirements and program sequence, please see the Psychology section of Concordia's graduate calendar.
Page Title: Research Option - Concordia University - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Page URL:http://www-psychology.concordia.ca/graduateprograms/programoptions/research...index.php
Date Printed: Wed May 30, 2012
