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University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Graduate Studies Bulletin 2008-2009

Policies and Courses

Psychology

[edit] Description

For a brief description of the program, application requirements and contact information, view the graduate program summary.

Department Chair: David J. Hansen, Ph.D.

The department offers doctoral programs in six program areas of psychology (biopsychology, clinical, cognitive, developmental, law and psychology, and social-personality). Students are admitted into one of these six programs.

Those admitted to graduate standing must have completed an undergraduate major in psychology, or its equivalent, including a laboratory course in experimental psychology. An undergraduate course in statistics is required. Students with otherwise superior undergraduate credentials who do not meet admission requirements may be admitted as either provisional or unclassified students while removing deficiencies.

In deciding on admissions, the primary considerations are the undergraduate transcript, the student’s GPA, scores on the Graduate Record Examination, letters of recommendation, and relevant background experiences and skills.

Students admitted into their program will be presented with opportunities to acquire teaching, research and/or service skills, and expertise in psychology.

The PhD program in clinical psychology requires successful completion of a one-year, full-time clinical internship. The internship must be taken at a facility approved by the clinical faculty.

[edit] Law/Psychology Studies

Advisory Committee: Professor Wiener (chair)
Department of Psychology: Professors Bornstein, Flowers, Spaulding, Tomkins, Wilcox; Associate Professor Scalora
College of Law: Professors Gardner, Lawson, Schopp, Willborn; Assistant Professor Poser

Departments Participating: College of Law and the Department of Psychology at Lincoln

Under the dual sponsorship of the Department of Psychology and the College of Law at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the Law/ Psychology Program is intended to train scholars who are engaged in basic and applied research and writing on social issues and problems in the law, the legal system, and the legal process. Law/psychology training is available in each of the major subfields of psychology.

One track leads to both the JD degree in law and the PhD degree in psychology, with specialization in nonclinical subfields. Students typically work six years in the program, with a seventh year likely if the student chooses to complete an internship in community psychology or mental health administration. Eighteen hours of course work (12 hours of didactic course work; 6 hours of interdisciplinary research) apply toward both degrees. Students interested in legal problems affecting mental health services may elect to specialize in mental health policy and administration.

Those who wish to concentrate their efforts primarily in the discipline and methods of psychology but who wish to apply those efforts at least partially to legal and policy issues may find the PhD/MLS (master of legal studies) track more conducive to their purposes. This option directs primary investment of time and energy to the PhD in psychology, but it also provides the opportunity to develop a sufficient command of the relevant legal background to enable the student to pursue psychological research in a manner that increases its relevance to legal and policy issues. The MLS is a law degree that requires the equivalent of one year of full-time legal study and provides the opportunity to study legal topics relevant to the individual’s primary field of study. For further information about the MLS, .

For students who wish to be legal practitioners but who desire to obtain a strong background in psychology or social science methods, a joint JD/MA program is available. Under this option, 15 hours of course work (9 hours of didactic course work; 6 hours of interdisciplinary research) of the required 36 apply toward both degrees. Persons already holding the JD degree may also seek a terminal MA degree under this program as part of the Law/Psychology Program’s post-doctoral fellowship tracks. Although it is non-degree, post-doctoral training is also available for persons holding the PhD degree in psychology.

Finally, the Law/Psychology Program offers a specialty program in community-clinical psychology with emphasis on forensic psychology. The latter program leads to the PhD degree only, but it includes psycholegal course work, research, and clinical experiences. Students in other subfields of psychology also may construct specialty programs (e.g., developmental psychology and the law).

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