Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD-PSY)
Prepare for leadership roles in psychology with the 100% online Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD-PSY) degree program at Berkshire. As a student, you’ll hone your critical thinking skills and expand your knowledge base to evaluate individual, social, organizational, and global problems. You’ll also learn and practice research methods as you make the transition from doctoral student to independent scholar in your field.
In NU’s online PhD in Psychology, you’ll be prepared to excel in your profession with applied learning in case studies, scenarios, vignettes, and real-life situations. You’ll gain a wealth of experience from your paired mentoring professors in NU’s PhD-PSY program.
Course Sequence
PSY-7101 – Foundations for Doctoral Study in Psychology
Students in this course will be prepared for success in the psychology doctoral program at the University. Students are introduced to relevant academic communities, professional standards, and doctoral-level expectations. Essential skills needed to pursue a doctoral degree in psychology are emphasized, including critical thinking, comprehending complex scholarly texts and research articles, and effective written communications. Students will identify and begin to explore potential research topics for use in their doctoral studies and complete the course with a roadmap to navigate their way to degree completion.
PSY-7102 – Scholarly Writing and Professional Communication in Psychology
This course focuses on scholarly and academic writing with an overarching goal of critically analyzing and thoughtfully synthesizing research findings while adhering to APA style and the principles of Academic Integrity. The emphases in this course are on how to (a) conduct effective literature searches; (b) critically review and summarize research studies; (c) write comprehensive, critical, and synthesized reviews of research literature; (d) formulate ideas and convey them in an ethical fashion; and (e) use feedback to revise and improve one’s work.
PSY-7103 – Research Methods
This doctoral-level course focuses on the fundamentals of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches to psychological research. Students gain an understanding of the strengths and limitations of each approach, and how these methods apply to a research topic. The concepts of critical evaluating, published research, research ethics, and developing a research proposal will also be explored and practiced. In addition, it provides a foundation for subsequent research courses in preparation for successfully completing a dissertation at the University.
PSY-7104 – Statistics I
This course provides an introductory exploration of statistics for the graduate student. It includes instruction on the calculation, use, and interpretation of descriptive statistics, and introduces inferential statistical analysis. The emphasis of this course is on providing a working knowledge of basic statistical concepts to help the student understand statistical methodology used in psychology, and also more generally, developing a working knowledge of statistical usage in everyday life.
PSY-7105 – Tests and Measurements
This doctoral course in tests and measurements provides the student conceptual as well as practical guidelines in test and scale construction. This course will expose the students to concepts and theories including: the nature of psychological constructs and concepts, measurements and measurement error, item construction and analysis, Classical Test Theory, and the different approaches to establishing instrument reliability and validity. Students will have the opportunity to apply the skills and concepts to a construct relevant to their own research interests.
OR – PSY-7116 – Tests and Measurements in Industrial/Organizational Psychology
This doctoral-level course will introduce the student to psychological test construction, administration and interpretation as well as current research in the area. Commonly used tests to assess cognition and personality will be studied.
PSY 7500 Advanced Quantitative Methods
In this course you will examine the principles of quantitative research methodologies. Specifically, you will take a deep dive into the different types of quantitative research methodologies, when to use each, strengths/weaknesses, associated reliability/validity issues, and sampling methods. You will learn how to identify appropriate statistical analyses based on research questions and data considerations, as well as use SPSS to run, analyze, and interpret statistical results. You will explore how to examine, analyze, and interpret psychometric properties for existing instruments/measures in psychological research. Additionally, you will examine feasibility issues and ethical principles related to quantitative research methodologies. Scholarly writing and appropriate use of scholarly literature will be reinforced throughout this course.
PSY 7501 Advanced Qualitative Methods
In this doctoral-level course, you will be immersed in the intricacies of qualitative research methods tailored for the psychology field. You will be introduced to a spectrum of methodological approaches and the foundational philosophical premises guiding them. Central to the course is hands-on application: you’ll gain the skills to adeptly navigate the stages of problem formulation, method selection, data collection, analysis, and interpretation. We place a strong emphasis on the ethical dimensions of research, ensuring you are well-versed in the ethical considerations intrinsic to qualitative studies. Moreover, we encourage you to adopt a critical lens when assessing study design, execution, and data interpretation. Research is not just about data; it is about sharing discoveries. This course ensures you develop advanced communication skills for disseminating your findings across diverse platforms. Plus, you’ll have opportunities to craft and present comprehensive qualitative research proposals. By the course’s conclusion, you’ll not only be proficient in methodologies but also gain a deeper appreciation for the depth and transformative potential of qualitative research in psychology.
PSY-7112 – Research Design Planning
This course focuses on how to conduct effective literature searches, specifically in preparation for the dissertation, develop a plan for writing comprehensive, critical, and synthesized reviews of research literature, and critically review and write about underlying theoretical frameworks that lay the foundation for future research. The overarching goal of this course is for students to conduct an extensive search of the peer-reviewed empirical and theoretical literature in their topic area and identify potential areas of inquiry for their dissertation.
CMP-9701P – Pre-Candidacy Prospectus
The Pre-Candidacy Prospectus is intended to ensure students have mastered knowledge of their discipline prior to candidacy status and demonstrated the ability to design empirical research as an investigator before moving on to the dissertation research coursework. Students will demonstrate the ability to synthesize empirical, peer-reviewed research to support all assignments in this course. The Pre-Candidacy Prospectus is completed only after all foundation, specialization, and research courses have been completed.
DIS-9901A – Components of the Dissertation
Students in this course will be required to complete Chapter 1 of their dissertation proposal including a review of literature with substantiating evidence of the problem, the research purpose and questions, the intended methodological design and approach, and the significance of the study. A completed, committee approved (against the minimum rubric standards) Chapter 1 is required to pass this course successfully. Students who do not receive approval of Chapter 1 to minimum standards will be able to take up to three supplementary 8-week courses to finalize and gain approval of Chapter 1.
DIS-9902A – The Dissertation Proposal
Students in this course will be required to work on completing Chapters 1-3 of their dissertation proposal and receive committee approval for the Dissertation Proposal (DP) in order to pass the class. Chapter 2 consists of the literature review. Chapter 3 covers the research methodology method and design and to includes population, sample, measurement instruments, data collection and analysis, limitations, and ethical considerations. In this course, a completed, committee-approved Chapters 2 and 3 are required and, by the end of the course, a final approved dissertation proposal (against the minimum rubric standards). Students who do not receive approval of the dissertation proposal will be able to take up to three supplementary 8-week courses to finalize and gain approval of these requirements.
DIS-9903A – Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Data Collection
Students in this course will be required to prepare, submit, and obtain approval of their IRB application, collect data, and submit a final study closure form to the IRB. Students still in data collection at the end of the 12-week course will be able to take up to three supplementary 8-week courses to complete data collection and file an IRB study closure form.
DIS-9904A – The Dissertation Manuscript and Defense
In this dissertation course students work on completing Chapters 4 and 5 and the final Dissertation Manuscript. Specifically, students will complete their data analysis, prepare their study results, and present their findings in an Oral Defense and a completed manuscript. A completed, Committee approved (against the minimum rubric standards) Dissertation Manuscript and successful Oral Defense are required to complete the course and graduate. Students who do not receive approval for either or both their Dissertation Manuscript or defense can take up to three supplementary 8-week courses to finalize and gain approval of either or both items as needed.
Degree and Course Requirements
The PhD in Psychology degree requires a minimum of 60 credit hours at the graduate level beyond the master’s degree.
The University may accept a maximum of 12 semester credit hours in transfer toward the doctoral degree for graduate coursework completed at an accredited college or university while enrolled in a doctoral program with a grade of “B” or better.
The PhD degree programs in psychology have the following graduation requirements:
A minimum of 48 credit hours of graduate instruction must be completed through NU
Grade Point Average of 3.0 (letter grade of “B”) or higher
Satisfactory completion of the Pre-Candidacy Prospectus course
University approval of dissertation manuscript and successful completion of the dissertation defense
Submission of the approved final dissertation manuscript to the University Registrar, including the original unbound dissertation manuscript and an electronic copy
Official documents on file for basis of admission: a conferred master’s degree from an accredited academic institution
Official transcripts on file for all transfer credit hours accepted by the University
All financial obligations must be met before the student will be issued their complimentary diploma and/or degree posted transcript
Program Learning Outcomes
As a graduate of Berkshire’s Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD-PSY) degree program, you’ll be able to:
Appraise theories and principles in psychology to inform professional contexts
Evaluate research methods and data analysis in psychology
Select psychological principles and research for application to personal, social, and organizational issues
Evaluate ethical principles of psychology in academic and professional issues
Critique diversity issues in professional contexts
Design clear and effective communication for fellow professionals and the public
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