The Graduate Field of Psychology:
Interdisciplinary, individually-designed graduate programs
What is a Graduate Field?
At Cornell, the administrative units that supervise graduate training are called "Fields", while undergraduate training is administered by departments. Graduate fields typically span several departments, reflecting the intrinsically interdisciplinary nature of graduate education. In the Graduate Field of Psychology, members can be found whose appointments are in Neurobiology and Behavior, Human Development, the Business School and communication, as well as the Psychology Department.There are approximately 25 members of Department of Psychology and an additional 20 in the Field of Psychology. There is much interaction with allied fields of Cognitive Studies, Human Development, Neurobiology and Behavior and the Program in Neuroscience There is also a deepening interaction between Cornell University in Ithaca and Cornell-Weill Medical School in Manhattan in clinical aspects of cognitive sciences.
The core of training: the Special Committee
In the first semester of arrival at Cornell, a student specifies the chair of their "Special Committee" which will supervise their graduate training throughout the graduate career. Although all graduate students are admitted to the Field of Psychology, and remain the responsibility of the Field, the intended choice of chair will have been part of the admissions decision, as that choice reflects each student's major research interest. Shortly thereafter, the graduate student will elect at least two additional members to represent two minor fields of study, and one additional member will be appointed by the Graduate Field of Psychology to represent the Field's educational concerns. While the chair of the special committee, and the appointed fourth member, must be in the Graduate Field of Psychology, the minor members may be from anywhere in the Graduate Faculty at Cornell. Having at least one committee member outside of the field is encouraged.The content of graduate education and research is set by each Special Committee
Each student's Special Committee will in consultation with the student set all the requirements of course of study and research direction individually. The Graduate Field of Psychology sets no course requirements whatever except demonstration of competence in statistics, and a breadth of knowledge in psychology appropriate to the student's career goals. This extraordinary freedom in constructing a graduate career allows unusual syntheses to be made across fields, and is maximally efficient in adapting requirements to the student's needs. It also places unusual responsibility on the student to promptly construct and consult with his or her committee for the best graduate education. Since most students in the Graduate Field of Psychology draw their financial support from the Field, or from individual fellowships, it is easy and common to change the chair, or any minor member, or combine the expertise of more than one research group into thesis research. A wide range of undergraduate survey courses, basic graduate proseminars and varying research seminars, opportunities to interact with visiting scientists, brown bags and discussion groups are available according to each student's needs and interests.The structure of graduate education is set by the Graduate Field
To get the Ph.D., a series of hurdles must be passed to demonstrate the student's expertise. Each student must pass an "Admission to Candidacy" oral exam administered by the special committee, and defend a thesis based on original research. In addition to these central requirements, oral presentation of research progress to the entire field is required at least three times during each student's career. Attendance at the weekly "General Research Seminar" and colloquia, as well as numerous workshops on professional concerns like grant writing is highly encouraged. This emphasis on research presentation to a diverse audience both insures students must regularly confront the significance of their work, and is one of the central factors in our extraordinarily good student placement.Funding the graduate career
All admitted students are guaranteed funding, including stipend and tuition for four years of graduate support, five years if two bona fide efforts are made to secure outside funding, successful or not. Two semesters of teaching experience, funded by teaching assistantships, is required, and other opportunities for training in different aspects of teaching are available. Support comes from Cornell fellowships, teaching assistantships, external fellowships funded by the National Science Foundation, Hughes and individual National Research Service Fellowships and the like, and rarely, research assistantships funded by individual investigators. The program can be completed in 4 years; 5 is the median.Professional careers after Cornell
While many current graduate programs note that many graduates go on to careers in industry and a variety of non-academic paths, our graduates principally choose and succeed to get first-rank academic positions. Considering graduates from '03 onward, we find them in Assistant Professorships at Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon and Ohio State, University of British Columbia and Queens University, a number of liberal arts colleges, and in postdoctoral and research associate positions in outstanding research universities.Psychology Department
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