FAQ FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

Why Consider Graduate Study in Psychology at UIC? 
The UIC Psychology Department is an active and thriving department and the faculty see it as their mission to train the next generation of researchers, teachers and practitioners in psychology. UIC is a top-ranked research university, and the members of the faculty are engaged researchers, dedicated to the mentoring of graduate students. The department attracts students of diverse backgrounds. UIC is located on a landscaped campus a short distance from the center of Chicago.

What is required for my application to be considered? 
If you expect to earn a BA or BSc degree, the psychology faculty look forward to considering your application.

What are the criteria used by the faculty to evaluate my application? 
The evaluation is based on all available information, including, but not limited to, the relevance of undergraduate course work, grades, GRE scores, research experience, writing samples, letters of recommendation, fit between applicant and faculty with respect to interest and the quality of the student's Personal Statement. No single piece of information is decisive by itself.

What are the steps in the application process? 
The faculty begin reviewing applications right after the December submission date. Complete applications, including letters of recommendation, will be given priority. Faculty sometimes contact students by phone or via email, or arrange for a personal interview. Early in the spring semester, typically the first half of February, the faculty invite the most qualified applicants to a Visiting Day. The day provides general information about the department, one-on-one conversations with faculty, social interactions with students in the program, and other events. In late February or early April, students receive letters informing them whether they have been accepted into the program.

What are the chances that I will be accepted into the program? 
Both the number of applicants and the number of faculty who are looking to recruit students vary greatly from year to year. The department typically admits 30-40 applicants and expects approximately 20 of them to accept.

How can I support myself while in the program? Do I have to pay tuition? 
All students who are accepted into the program are guaranteed support as Teaching Assistants. Faculty who have research grants also offer students Research Assistantships. The University waves the tuition fee for graduate studies for both Teaching and Research Assistants. The Ph. D. program is designed for full time rather than part time study.

Where will I live? Do I need a car? 
Graduate students rent apartments in different neighborhoods that are connected to the campus with subway lines as well as bus lines. Public transportation makes it unecessary to own a car. In fact, some faculty do not own a car.

What is the campus like? 
UIC has a landscaped campus area, closed to car traffic, just south and bit west of the center of the city. There are green outdoor areas as well as coffee shops and several lunch places, both on and off campus. The Department of Psychology is housed in the Behavioral Sciences Building, which has its own cafeteria and is located a few of hundred yards from bus and subway stations.

What is the student body like? 
UIC draws students from all over the country. The student body is one of the most diverse in the nation.

Who will advise me and help me complete the program? 
When a student is accepted into the program, a faculty member (professor) is appointed as the student's academic advisor. The relation between student and advisor can vary as a function of personal style, type of research and other factors, but regardless of such minor variations, the advisor is your mentor throughout your years in the program. He or she will guide, teach, and support you. Students and faculty interact through one-on-one meetings, lab group meetings, weekly program gatherings (called 'Brown Bag' presentations), and in a variety of informal contexts. It is expected that student and advisor will conduct research together. Students typically exit the program with publications co-authored with their advisors as well as other faculty. In addition, the Graduate Student Coordinator and the Director of Graduate Studies are available to help and advise.

What resources will be available to me? 
Departmental resources available to students include shared offices for the graduate students, a subject pool, shared laboratory spaces, a copying facility where students have their own copy account, and various IT resources such as computer projectors. Individual faculty also maintain laboratory spaces that can include more advanced equipment such as eye tracking machinery. This varies from laboratory to laboratory.

If I am accepted into the program, what is my course of study? 
The path of a student through the program varies somewhat from program to program and is adapted to the student's interests, but all students begin by taking courses that cover central topics in their chosen specialty (Behavioral Neuroscience, Cognitive, Clinical, Community, or Social Psychology). Students also take courses in statistics. During the first year, most students conduct a modest study, the first year project, and report their results to the other members of their program. In their second year, students work on your M.A. thesis project and finish up most of the required coursework. In the third year, students take elective courses, write up your MA thesis for publication, and study for the Preliminary (a.k.a. Comprehensive) Examination. When you pass the latter, you become a candidate for the Ph.D. In the remainder of your time in the program you finish your elective coursework, write for publication and focus on your dissertation project.

Will I be involved in research? 
The purpose of the program is to train students to conduct cutting edge research in psychology. Although your course work and your duties as TA or RA are important, the faculty regard your research as the core of the training. As you move through the program, you conduct a first-year study, a Masters project and a dissertation project. In addition, students work on the research projects conducted by their advisors as well as by other faculty. Students are expected to publish research articles. The nature of the research varies, but the faculty tend to conduct both basic and applied research..

What teaching credentials will I have after completing the program? 
All students serve as Teaching Assistants. The assistantship offers an opportunity to observe a faculty member teach a course and to learn presentation skills and class management skills in a hands-on fashion. In addition, the department encourages students to take the Teaching Practicum, which consists of one semester of training in how to teach psychology, and one semester of teaching a class under supervision by a faculty member. Upon completion of the Practicum, you can teach an additional course as instructor of record. In addition, faculty typically recruit undergraduate students to help out with research studies. In this context, graduate students have the opportunity to practice mentoring younger students.

How long will it take me to complete the program? 
Most students complete the program in six years, but the time varies. Some students who already had a relevant MA degree at the time they were accepted have completed the program in three years, but other students take longer than six years. The faculty regard five or six years as the ideal time to complete the program but recognize the need to respond flexibly to the needs of individual students.

What kind of positions will I be qualified to apply for after completing the program? 
Your training will prepare you for a wide variety of positions. Recent graduates have accepted positions in research universities, liberal arts colleges, research centers, industry, government, and private businesses.