Program of Study

Required courses

In addition to general course requirements listed in the Graduate Bulletin and the Departmental General Requirements Document, the Developmental Program requires the following courses:

• Concepts and Methods in Development (PSY 60200)
• Cognitive Development (PSY 60250)
• Socioemotional Development (PSY 60260)
• Developmental Psychopathology (PSY 60282)

You will also complete the 2-semester Quantitative Methods (PSY 60100 and PSY 60101) sequence during your first year of study. We encourage you to also take either Psychological Measurement (PSY 60121) or additional Quantitative coursework. The course Concepts and Methods in Development meets the department requirement for a psychological measurement or advanced methods course. 

Individualized coursework

Beyond the required core courses, you may tailor your coursework to meet your individual research needs. You are expected to sign up for research credits (regular, thesis, and dissertation) each semester.

We encourage you to take additional quantitative courses during your time at Notre Dame.  A minor in Quantitative Psychology is available for students who want to pursue advanced training in the application of advanced psychometric, methodological, and state-of-the-art statistical procedures. The minor capitalizes on the expertise of Notre Dame’s outstanding quantitative faculty, and provides graduate students with a thorough basis of quantitative methods that will improve the quality of research in their substantive areas. 

You should also take elective seminars that complement or enhance your specializations. You are also encouraged to take the teaching seminar to prepare yourself for future roles as a teaching faculty member.

The Developmental Psychology Ph.D. program is structured so that all requirements for the degree can be completed in five years. This entails satisfying all the requirements listed in the Psychology General Requirements Document and the Graduate Bulletin.

Required research milestones

To complete the program within five years, we recommend the following sequence:

• First-Year Project — Completed at the end of the first year
• Master's Thesis — Proposed and defended during the second or third year
• Preliminary Exam — Completed during the third or fourth year
• Dissertation — Proposed and defended during the fourth or fifth year

Candidates in the program will earn their master's degree following the defense of the master's thesis. We do not have a terminal master's program.