Students in the Ph.D. in Psychology and Peace Studies normally take a minimum of 72 credit hours in psychology and peace studies, of which a minimum of 18 graded hours are in peace studies.
Other requirements include proficiency in English and one other language; an empirical master’s thesis; a manuscript of appropriate quality to submit to a scholarly
publication; a written comprehensive examination in developmental psychology (or other mutually agreed upon field in the department); a written comprehensive examination in peace studies; research and teaching assistantships in psychology and peace studies; and a dissertation of original research.
Some courses not listed below might be substituted, depending on the student’s professional goals and the availability of courses.
Semester 1 [12 credit hours]
International Peace Research: Origins, Methodologies, Results
Quantitative Methods I
Theories of Development
Directed Readings (to integrate psychology and peace research, orchestrated by faculty in, and as part of, the two preceding courses) or Contemporary Conflict and Peace Processes
Semester 2 [9 credit hours]
Conflict Transformation and Strategic Peacebuilding
Quantitative Methods II Conflict in Families
Summer 1
Study language if needed or take foreign language exam
Semester 3 [9 credit hours]
Global Politics of Peacebuilding
Culture and Religion in Peacebuilding
Developmental Psychopathology and Family Process
Semester 4 [9 credit hours]
Political Economy of War and Peace
Socio-emotional Development
Elective Course or Research Credit
Presentation at scholarly meeting
Take foreign language exam
Summer 2
Preparation for comprehensive exam in developmental psychology
Semester 5 [9 credit hours]
Research Methods (Psychology)
Elective course (Psychology)
Advanced Statistics Class (Psychology)
Preparation for and completion of comprehensive exam in developmental psychology
Semester 6 [9 credit hours]
Elective course, which could be advanced statistics or qualitative research methods or another advanced course (Psychology)
Research Credits (Psychology)
Preparation for Peace Studies comprehensive exam
Perform teaching assistantship in Psychology
Summer 3
Peace Studies comprehensive exam
Manuscript submitted to scholarly publication
Semester 7 [3 credit hours]
Elective course, directed readings, or research credits
Preparation and approval of dissertation proposal
Perform teaching assistantship in Peace Studies
Semester 8 [6 credit hours]
Dissertation research and writing
Application for external funding for research
Semester 9 [6 credit hours]
Dissertation research and writing
Semester 10
Completion and defense of dissertation Preparation of Job Placement Dossier
