Psychology Doctoral Students
Graduate Officer
Contact Associate Professor David White, the graduate officer, at dwhite@wlu.ca or 519.884.0710 x3876.
Refer also to the program requirements.
Our Program
Check out the program requirements and course offerings pages to learn more about your program.
The PhD program in psychology is concentrated in four fields: cognitive and behavioural neurosciences, developmental psychology, social psychology and community psychology.
Cognitive and Behavioural Neurosciences
The objective is to train students to become independent research investigators in the field of neuroscience. An apprenticeship model provides students with an opportunity to acquire advanced academic knowledge in the biological basis of cognition and behaviour. Human and animal psychological issues are addressed by exploring the interaction between cognition, behaviour and the nervous system. Commonalities between humans and animals relating to cognitive, learning, and motivational processes and behaviour are explored to determine the role of the inner workings of the brain. Students will develop basic and/or applied research skills in neuroscience. The PhD dissertation requires original research that contributes significant new knowledge to the field. Graduates are trained for positions in university, hospital, community, industry or government settings.
Community Psychology
The scientist-practitioner model of training forms the basis of the PhD program in the field of community psychology. The objectives are for doctoral students to develop: 1) critical thinking, knowledge, and ethical sensitivity in relation to social systems analysis and intervention, community research and evaluation, and human service policy, programs, and practice, and 2) skills for catalyzing social action and social policy initiatives related to community psychology, for conducting community research and evaluation, and for providing education and training both in university settings and in the community. Unlike the MA program, the PhD program is geared to prepare graduates as scholars in universities, as policy researchers/analysts in governmental and non-governmental settings, as community researchers and program evaluators, and as managers of human service organizations.
Developmental Psychology
The objective is to train students to become independent research investigators in the field of developmental psychology. An apprenticeship model provides students with an opportunity to acquire advanced academic knowledge in developmental psychology. Students will develop basic and/or applied research skills, including conducting experimental, observational, and applied research in cognitive development, language and reading development and in social and personality development. They will explore developmental issues related to educational and forensic psychology with research investigating some of the following areas: language, memory, and moral development, as well as learning and transitions across the lifespan. This research involves the use of both traditional (i.e., surveys, interviews, observations, behavioural testing) and innovative methods (such as narrative and discourse analyses, intermodal preferential looking, and large longitudinal datasets to study growth curves and causal models). The PhD dissertation requires original research that contributes significant new knowledge to the field. Graduates are trained for positions in university, hospital, community, industry or government settings.
Social Psychology
The objective is to train students to become independent research investigators in the field of social psychology. An apprenticeship model provides students with an opportunity to acquire advanced academic knowledge in social psychology. Students will develop basic and/or applied research skills on social cognition, the self, intergroup relations, social interactions, personality, political attitudes and behaviour, and life transitions. Spanning several levels of analysis (social, cognitive, physiological), this research examines individuals, dyads and larger groups using innovative methodologies (such as online reaction-time measures, experience sampling and longitudinal self-reports, physiological measurement, surveys, questionnaires, and direct observation). The PhD dissertation requires original research that contributes significant new knowledge to the field. This research has clear practical implications within personal, organizational, social, political, and therapeutic contexts. Graduates are trained for positions in university, hospital, community, industry or government settings.