PhD in Applied Experimental Psychology

The applied-experimental psychology program at CUA offers advanced training in applied-experimental psychology and applied-cognitive science to prepare individuals for career opportunities in industry, government, and universities. The M.A. and Ph.D. degrees are offered. A major objective of both programs is to train students to carry out original, scholarly research and to understand how basic research can be usefully applied to the solution of practical problems. The program strongly emphasizes research skills and the examination of research questions related to real-world practical problems. Students are given a careful grounding in statistics and research methodology in applied-experimental psychology. Courses in basic and applied-experimental psychology, human factors, and cognitive science, complete the formal academic curriculum. Course work is supplemented by hands-on research training. Within the first year, students identify a specialty related to the research interests of a program faculty member and receive research-intensive experience in that area. Faculty research has been supported in recent years by government agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Office of Naval Research, and NASA, as well as by private foundations. The Applied-Experimental Psychology program also maintains close ties to other research institutions within and outside the University (e.g., Army Research Institute, NIH, Naval Research Lab), thus providing students with excellent opportunities for interdisciplinary research experience.