Ph.D. in Psychology

Department of Psychology Academic Policies

Departmental Academic Standards

In addition to the University requirement that all students admitted into graduate programs must maintain an overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in all upper-division and graduate courses, the Department of Psychology requires in all graduate programs students who attempt a course or courses and receive two grades of C or lower in Psychology courses be dismissed from the program. Students who earn a grade of C or lower in a course must retake the course the next time it is offered and earn a grade of B or better.

Language

The University of Texas at El Paso’s location on the U.S.-Mexico border provides a nearly unique opportunity to investigate how language use, specifically proficiency in English and/or Spanish, affects cognitive processes. To investigate the importance of English/Spanish proficiency, it is essential that people comprehend and speak both languages. The psychology faculty, therefore, view language as an important and often necessary methodological tool for conducting research and strongly encourages and promotes proficiency in both languages.

Transfer Students with Graduate Credit

Students accepted into the PhD program with graduate credit from The University of Texas at El Paso (including the Psychology Department) or from another university must satisfy the same requirements as those beginning their PhD graduate training in Psychology at UTEP without previously earned graduate credits. The student can petition the Graduate Program Committee to accept a maximum of 24 hours of graduate credit (excluding thesis hours) completed at UTEP or at another institution. Approved credits will appear as Advanced Standing Credit on the Preliminary Plan of Study. Students who have taken PSYC 5301 (Research Applications) from UTEP prior to admission to the PhD program can request that a maximum of three (3) credit hours for this course be included in the 24 hours that can be counted toward their PhD degree, as long as those hours were not used to meet requirements for a previous or separate degree.  A doctoral student who wishes to apply more than six (6) transfer credits toward a master's degree at UTEP must obtain prior approval from the department's Graduate Program Director.
The student must make a written request to the Graduate Program Director for Advanced Standing Credit. It is the student’s responsibility to provide all evidence and material necessary for the Graduate Program Director to review the request. Advanced Standing Credits are subject to final approval from the Graduate School. Transfer students can be considered for Department of Psychology Evaluation of Advancement to Dissertation only after they complete two academic semesters and all relevant requirements.

General Requirements for Graduate Programs

Admissions Requirements

Because all of our graduate programs focus on research and require extensive one-on-one contact between faculty and student, we can accept only a limited number of students each year. Admission is competitive, and admission recommendations are made by a committee that carefully reviews each applicant’s academic history, performance, and interests. To be admitted, one must have a bachelor’s degree (or the equivalent for non-U.S. students) from an accredited university. Students who are still working on their bachelor’s degree and who will complete it before starting graduate work are given full consideration. Individuals who do not have a degree in Psychology are also given full consideration, but admission might be conditional on the student’s satisfactorily completing a few undergraduate Psychology courses.

We accept students once a year. New students are admitted to begin during the fall semester only. Applications for admission are due January 15. Interested applicants should send the materials indicated below to

UTEP Graduate School
Administration Building, Room 223
601 West Schuster
El Paso, Texas 79968

• A UTEP graduate school application (an online application can be found at the graduate school’s Web page).
• Transcripts according to the requirements of the Graduate School.
• Official GRE General Test scores from ETS (GRE scores taken within the last five years are required of all applicants, regardless of whether they have a graduate degree in another discipline.)
• A two- to three-page personal statement outlining experiences, skill, and training. In addition, the applicant should state his or her career goals and how this specific program will benefit professional development.
• Three letters of recommendation.
• Official TOEFL scores for international students who do not have a degree at an accredited U.S. institution.

Before being admitted into any graduate program, either MA or PhD, the applicant’s undergraduate preparation must include a course in Psychological Statistics and 12 hours of upper-division courses in Psychology, including a course in Experimental Psychology.

Concentrations

• Health Psychology
• Legal Psychology
• Social, Cognitive, & Neurosciences