Psychological Sciences and Human Development (Graduate Field)
Field Description
Psychology is one of the most exciting disciplines in higher education. It is one of the rare sciences to combine deep theory, sophisticated experimental methods, and powerful modeling techniques with an immense range of applications to human welfare. Indeed, Psychology is a far reaching “hub science” that connects many areas of scholarship (including cognitive science, human development, and neuroscience). Psychology is also interdisciplinary, with scholarship that blends ranging foci within Psychology with each other and with areas outside of Psychology, like biology, economics, medicine, philosophy, and sociology.
The Graduate Field associated with the Department of Psychology at Cornell is the Field of Psychological Sciences and Human Development (PSYHD). Graduate study in the PSYHD Field aims to train the next generation of leaders by preparing students for productive research careers or careers in related areas. Graduate study is focused on four broadly defined core areas of special interest for which the Department has dominant strengths:
- Cognition
- Development
- Neuroscience
- Social Psychology
The PSYHD field includes faculty members from within the Department of Psychology and faculty members from other departments that have complimentary research interests and expertise related to these four areas.
Research training in all areas of graduate training in the PSYHD field is lab-driven, and it is closely directed by faculty supervisors and an advisory committee. This model trains students in the background knowledge and research skills that are necessary for future careers in academic departments of psychology, and for positions in a range of other institutions in which psychological research is central, including state and federal agencies, foundations, and corporations. Ultimately, the goal of the PSYHD Field is to educate students to become researchers, teachers, and scholars who will contribute to the future of psychology as a scientific discipline in academic, research-oriented, or translational science settings.
Expectations for the PhD Graduate Program
Doctoral graduate students are expected to:
- demonstrate mastery of knowledge within the sub-discipline in one of the Psychological Sciences and Human Development PhD programs that are offered
- contribute significant, original research to our understanding of within the sub-discipline
- make an ongoing and substantial contribution to the discipline.
Students will demonstrate accomplishments in research, by advancing their research skills through strong design, mastery of techniques, and proficiency of statistical methods. Students will demonstrate a clear understanding of ethics and responsible conduct of research, exhibit good citizenship in the academic community, and embrace teaching service and leadership.
For more information and details, please visit the PhD program website.
Expectations for the MA Graduate Program
The Masters (MA) degrees offered in PSYHD are each a one-year program. The goal of the one-year master’s program is to provide an opportunity for qualified students to gain additional research experience and increase credentials for application to a PhD or other advanced degree program where knowledge of Human Development may be helpful.