Cognitive/Experimental Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions:

1. How can I get financial assistance for graduate school?

Various forms of graduate financial assistance are available to students in the psychology department. These are described in the Psychology Department Handbook and the UGA Graduate Bulletin.

The assistance is competitive and awards are made on the basis of past accomplishments as well as future promise. Some aspects of your performance that are considered in making decisions include graduate GPA, GRE scores, publication and presentation record, and teaching evaluations.

2. How are assistantships awarded?

During the Spring semester of each year the Cognitive/Experimental Program faculty meet to award department assistantships. Prior to the faculty meeting, you will be invited to submit a vita or other summary of your accomplishments to date (include presentations, publications, courses taught, GPA, GRE scores, etc). The faculty will discuss each student's accomplishments and prepare a rank order of all students based on the discussion. As assistantships become available at a later date they will be awarded according to the original rank order.

3. What is a University-wide assistantship? How do I get one?

The University of Georgia awards a limited number of research assistantships to graduate students across the university. These assistantships are described in the Graduate Bulletin. Our department can nominate graduate students for these assistantships, but the funding decisions are made by a University committee. During the Spring semester the Cognitive/Experimental Faculty meets to nominate candidates for the University-wide assistantships. Selection at the program level is based on the faculty's determination of which students would be most likely to be successful at the University level competition. If you are nominated by the C/E faculty, you will be asked to prepare a vita and to solicit letters of recommendation from faculty members to support your application.

4. How do I devise a program of study?

It is your responsibility to devise a program of study that will meet your educational needs and satisfy the various departmental and university requirements. To design your program, follow the guidelines of the Cognitive/Experimental Program (listed in this document), the guidelines of the Psychology Department (listed in the Psychology Graduate Student Handbook), and the UGA Graduate School (listed in the UGA Graduate Bulletin). Your major professor will assist you in designing a program of study. If you have any questions that are not addressed in the above resources, ask the Cognitive/Experimental Program Chair.

5. I arrived at this graduate program with a Masters degree from another institution. What modifications to the program of study will be made for me?

Students arriving at UGA with a Masters degree from another institution will negotiate a program of study with their major professor and in turn with their DAC. Typically, some course work at the Masters level will be required before the student is ready to begin the examination process of the Doctoral program. After the student and major professor have designed a program of study, it must be approved by the Cognitive/Experimental Program Chair.

6. How do I change major professors?

Upon your matriculation to the Cognitive/Experimental Program you will be paired with a major professor whose research interests best match your stated interests in your application for admission. As you progress through the program, you may find that your research interests are changing, and it may become necessary for you to consider changing your major professor. This is strictly a professional decision that should be made considering the best interests of your education.

7. How do I change the membership of my Advisory Committee?

The composition of your Masters Advisory Committee must be determined by your second semester in residence. The composition of your Doctoral Advisory Committee must be determined by your third semester in residence. As you progress through the program, you may find that your research interests are changing, and that changes in the composition of your Advisory Committees would better serve your educational needs. To make these changes, negotiate the transition with the members you wish to delete and those you wish to add. Then file the appropriate change forms with the Graduate Coordinator.

8. Will I have an opportunity to teach as a graduate student?

If you are awarded a departmental graduate assistantship you may be assigned teaching responsibilities. Typically, graduate students with a BA or BS degree assume responsibilities assisting instructors with various undergraduate courses. Graduate students with the MS degree are often assigned responsibility for an entire course. If you have not been awarded a departmental assistantship and would like to teach you may volunteer to assist a professor with teaching an undergraduate course.

There are also opportunities for graduate students in Psychology to teach at nearby satellite campuses and technical schools.

9. What kinds of jobs will I be able to get when I finish the Cognitive/Experimental Program?

A lot depends upon the type of training you receive within the program. The primary training in the Cognitive/Experimental Program emphasizes preparation for a research and teaching career at a college or university. In order to secure a position at a research university, you will have to have a strong record of research accomplishments as a graduate student, and it is important that you direct your efforts toward this goal early in your graduate students career if a university research and teaching career is your primary interest. If you are more interested in teaching in a small college or a less research-oriented university, you should make sure that you get plenty of experience teaching while at UGA. If you are not able to get a teaching or research position immediately out of graduate school, another avenue would be to pursue a postdoctoral traineeship that will enhance your training and give you time to strengthen your credentials. You should be aware that postdoctoral traineeships typically pay only about $22,000 a year, although the additional training can ultimately increase your marketability and salary potential.

There are many other types of jobs you could qualify for, depending upon the training you receive at UGA. If you have a strong quantitative background, you may be able to secure a job in industry conducting applied research. If this is your goal, you should take additional courses in the Applied Program so that you have some background and training in industrial and organizational settings. You also will have the skills to apply for a range of jobs that involve administering rather than conducting science programs. These jobs are found in federal organizations like the NIH as well as private foundations. Professional organizations like the American Psychological Association also have openings. Finally, many researchers in medical schools often have need for psychologists that have strong statistical and design training to help them design experiments and administer grants. In general, if you want to broaden your employability, it is a good idea to take some focused courses in another program. Quantitative and computer skills are always useful in a very broad range of settings and expertise in this area will give you a lot more flexibility.

10. What is the role of research in my career as a graduate student?

Essentially, as a student in the Cognitive/Experimental Program, you are being trained to be a researcher and specialist in some aspect of cognitive/experimental psychology. All of your training is directed towards the development of critical thinking skills as it relates to conducting or evaluating research. If the idea of doing research does not enthuse you, you probably do not belong in the Cognitive/Experimental Program.

It is not uncommon for students to focus all of their efforts on taking courses and getting excellent grades, and then learning that because they have such limited research credentials, many job opportunities in academia are not open to them. Be aware that most universities do not even ask to see your transcript until you are hired (if at all)! Prospective employers are much more interested in your research credentials, your teaching evaluations, what courses you have taught and are prepared to teach, and detailed letters of recommendations from your professors than they are in your grades.

It is expected that you will get good grades in graduate school. It is your research expertise, and sometimes your skills in the classroom and in communicating, that will play a critical role in your success in the field of cognitive/experimental psychology. You need to get good grades to stay in the program and receive support, but this is not sufficient to set you apart. You are here to learn how to be a researcher and the record you accumulate in the program needs to reflect this. If you are uncertain if your progress has been adequate, please discuss this with your advisor, and if you continue to feel insecure, you should talk with the program chair or other faculty members who can help you evaluate your situation.

One final hint is to make sure that you acquire strong oral and written communication skills during the course of your training. Ask for critiques of your presentations as well as your written work, because it is your ability to present yourself as a researcher at a colloquium and in interviews that may determine whether or not you are offered a particular job. When you are interviewing, you can assume that all of the candidates have excellent credentials, and interpersonal and oral communication skills will often determine which of the candidates interviewed gets the job.