Graduate Coursework Requirements 

Psychology Ph.D. students complete coursework alongside their research training. Students should develop their course plan in consultation with their faculty advisor. 

For guidance on when program requirements are typically completed, see the Graduate Study Plan. 

Statistical Core 

Students complete

• PSYC 211 – Data Analytic Methods 1
• PSYC 212 – Data Analytic Methods 2
• One of the following: 
  • PSYC 213 – Experimental Design and Analysis of Variance
  • PSYC 214 – Advanced Data Analytic Methods
  • PSYC 215 – Qualitative Data Analytic Methods

Behavioral Neuroscience students: Complete two courses selected from PSYC 211, 212, 213, 214, or 215 in consultation with your faculty advisor.

Area Core Coursework

Students complete the required core coursework for their primary area of study.

Behavioral Neuroscience

• PSYC 200A – Fundamentals of Neuroscience: Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms
• PSYC 200B – Fundamentals of Neuroscience: Neural Circuits and Systems
• PSYC 200C – Fundamentals of Neuroscience: Neural Control of Behavior

Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience 

Students complete:

• Three courses selected from PSYC 203A, 203B, and/or 203C
• AND PSYC 233 – Research Methods in Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience

The PSYC 203 series includes:

• PSYC 203A – Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience: Perception, Attention, and/or Action
• PSYC 203B – Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience: Attention, Memory, and/or Learning
• PSYC 203C – Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience: Memory, Learning, Language, and/or Decision Making

PSYC 203A, 203B, and 203C are repeatable. Students may therefore complete any combination of three offerings from the 203 series. For example: 

• PSYC 203A, PSYC 203B, and PSYC 203C
• PSYC 203A twice and PSYC 203B once
• PSYC 203B twice and PSYC 203C once
• Three different offerings of the same PSYC 203 course

Students should select their PSYC 203 coursework in consultation with their faculty advisor. 

Developmental Psychology 

• PSYC 207A – Theories in Developmental Psychology
• PSYC 207B – Social Development
• PSYC 207C – Processes of Cognitive Development
• PSYC 208 – Research Methods in Development

Social/Personality Psychology

• PSYC 225 – Theories and Concepts of Social Psychology
• PSYC 226 – Theories and Concepts of Personality Psychology
• PSYC 227 – Research Methods in Social and Personality Psychology

Customized Concentration 

Students may request a customized concentration that allows them to develop a major area of study in consultation with an advisory committee. 

The advisory committee consists of: 

• The student’s primary faculty advisor
• Two additional faculty members

Students pursuing a customized concentration select four core courses from the other Psychology areas, with approval from the advisory committee and Graduate Advisor.

Further Studies Requirement 

Students complete a five-course Further Studies requirement before completing the qualifying examination and advancing to Ph.D. candidacy. 

Further Studies courses: 

• Are selected in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor
• Must be 3- or 4-unit graduate courses or seminars
• May be used to provide additional breadth and/or depth beyond the student’s area core
• Must include at least one Psychology core course outside the student’s primary area of specialization

The student’s faculty advisor and Graduate Advisor must approve the courses used to satisfy this requirement. 

Previous Graduate Coursework

Students who completed graduate-level coursework before entering the UCR Psychology Ph.D. program may request approval to apply eligible coursework toward the Further Studies requirement, subject to program limits. 

Looking for a year-by-year roadmap?

See the Graduate Study Plan for a sample timeline for completing coursework, research requirements, and major program milestones.