Social, Personality and Developmental Psychology Program Requirements
The SPDP Cluster at Western University is oriented toward training graduate students in how to conduct high-quality empirical research. This research training concentrates on the psychological theories, principles, and research methods relevant to understanding developmental processes, individual differences and the behaviour of individuals and groups in social contexts.
Enrolling in graduate studies in the SPDP cluster at Western means being part of a research-intensive, supportive, and cooperative research group. Our primary goal is to train graduate students to become excellent researchers who, upon graduation, will obtain highly desirable positions in academic and non-academic settings in which psychological research skills are required. This research training mainly follows an apprenticeship model in which students develop strong skills in conducting high-quality empirical research, conceptual thinking, and scientific writing. In addition to the research conducted with their primary supervisor, students are encouraged to collaborate with at least one other faculty member during their graduate training to enable broad training in a variety of methodological approaches and research issues. Our students are also encouraged to take the initiative in planning and conducting their own research and to collaborate with fellow graduate students.
For students who are interested in pursuing their graduate studies in social, personality, and developmental psychology at Western, the departmental website includes helpful information future students.
Coursework Requirements
Students in the SPDP cluster must successfully complete certain graduate courses offered by the department and within Western University. The minimum number of credits is 2.0 for the M.Sc., and 3.0 for the Ph.D.
M.Sc. Students (2.0 credits)
- Students in the Master's program are required to take two half-courses chosen from the list of Fundamental Quantitative Methods Courses listed below.
- Two additional substantive half-courses (1.0 credits total); typically a broad course in relevant “theories” related to the student’s area of study and a broad course in relevant “methods” (to be approved by the supervisor and supervisory committee). Note that “relevance” will be determined by the student’s specific research focus (e.g., social psychology, personality psychology, developmental psychology).
Students may take more than the minimum number of courses over the two years of the M.Sc. program. The additional courses may possibly count towards Ph.D. course requirements.
SPDP Brownbag Seminar (M.Sc. Milestone)
The goal of this weekly seminar is to develop students’ research presentation skills, promote interaction between students within the research cluster cohort, and allow students to solicit and provide feedback to one another in different stages of the research process. The seminar will also include guest presentations throughout the seminar. Students are required to do one presentation each year and participate in one minor SPDP role, such as updating computers in the SPDP lab, coordinating lab booking access, and various committees to survey SPDP members on different matters, and assist in preparing events such as Interview Day in February. Students are required to participate during both years of their M.Sc. degree and will obtain a pass/fail for this milestone each year.
Ph.D. Students (2.0 credits)
- Students must take four substantive half-courses (minimum) to fulfill the requirements of the Ph.D. in SPDP, with at least two half courses taken by the end of their first Ph.D. year. At least one of the four courses should come from the list of Advanced Quantitative Courses listed below, and one additional course from within the SPDP cluster offerings (substitutions based on relevance to the student’s specific research focus may be permitted at the discretion of the supervisor/supervisory committee). The specific courses a student selects will be determined in conjunction with the supervisor and supervisory committee. Note that not all courses are offered every year.
- A weekly “brown-bag” seminar (Ph.D. Milestone). This seminar showcases graduate student research and occasional work from visiting scholars. Students are required to participate during each year of their Ph.D. degree, and will obtain a pass/fail for this milestone each year. Students will be required to present their own research (either research results or research proposals) at least twice during the course of the Ph.D.
SPDP Brownbag Seminar (Ph.D. milestone)
Selected Graduate Courses
Fundamental Quantitative Methods Courses:
Psychology 9040A/B Scientific Computing
Psychology 9041A/B Introduction to Data Management and Linear Modeling Using R
Psychology 9551A/B Experimental Design, Data Analysis, and Sample Size Calculation
Psychology 9552A/B Regression and Factor Analysis Methods
Advanced Quantitative Courses: (SPDP need at least one in PhD)
Psychology 9040A/B Scientific Computing (if not taken in Master's)
Psychology 9041A/B Introduction to Statistics Using R (if not taken in Master's)
Psychology 9542A/B Multilevel Modeling (MLM)
Psychology 9545A/B Psychometric Measurement Modeling
Psychology 9555A/B Structural Equation Modeling
Psychology 9556A/B Longitudinal Methods
SPDP Cluster Research Methods and Theory Related Courses: (SPDP need at least one in PhD)
Psychology 9701A/B Theories in Social, Personality and Social Developmental Psychology
Psychology 9702A/B Research Methods in SPDP
Psychology 9557A/B Personality Theory, Research and Measurement
Psychology 9560A/B Psychology Open and Reproducible Science
