stanford psychology phd requirements

PSYCH-MA - Psychology (MA)

Program overview.

The purpose of the master’s program is to develop knowledge and skills in Psychology further and prepare students for a professional career or doctoral studies. This is achieved by completing courses in the primary field and related areas, and experience with independent work and specialization. The master’s program is available only to PhD students in Psychology and, under special circumstances, students enrolled in other graduate programs offered through the university.

Degree Eligibility

Current Stanford doctoral students can apply for a Master of Arts in Psychology during their PhD, JD, or MD program.

Graduate students already enrolled in the Psychology PhD program and who have completed (a) the first-year and second-year course requirements and (b) at least 45 units of Psychology courses may apply for conferral of the MA degree. This application should be discussed with the Student Services Manager.

Students currently enrolled in a Stanford PhD or professional program in another Department may be granted a Master of Arts in Psychology. In such cases, admission to the MA is considered by the faculty on a case-by-case basis. An admitted student must complete at least 45 units of Psychology courses and possibly other research or course requirements as determined by the faculty. Interested applicants should consult the Student Services Manager, Emily Fay ( [email protected] ).

All applicants must satisfy university residency requirements for the degree and are responsible for consulting with their primary departments or the Financial Aid Office about the effects of the proposed program on their current funding. 

The Department of Psychology does not offer a terminal master’s degree. Only currently enrolled Stanford doctoral students (PhD, MD, or JD) are eligible to apply for the MA in Psychology. 

Free Form Requisites

Completion of 45 units of graduate-level Psychology courses

A maximum of 18 units may be from lab courses, independent study, outside units, and practica (e.g., 222, 258, 269, 281, 297, 282, 290)

Successful completion of the First Year Project (FYP) or equivalent master’s thesis

Of the 45 units of Psychology courses, master’s students must complete 4 Core Courses and 2 Statistical Methods Courses as outlined below. These are the same Core Course and Quantitative Methods Course requirements the department sets for PhD students. 

Core Course Requirement

Students must take four core courses, each from a different area of the Psychology department: Affective Science, Cognitive Science, Developmental Psychology, Neuroscience, and Social Psychology, as listed below. All core courses must be taken for a letter grade for three units and passed with a B- or better grade. 

Consistent with the program’s goal of fostering breadth and engagement across all areas of the department, students are encouraged to take all five core courses spanning the five areas of the department. If a student takes five core courses, the units and grade of the fifth course are counted toward the student’s advanced units.

Students may be required by their advisors to take up to two additional graduate courses in their area of specialization. The additional courses are counted toward the advanced unit requirement described below in these cases. Students should consult with their advisor about any additional requirements in their area of specialization. 

Quantitative Methods Course Requirement

Students are required to take two of the following Quantitative Methods courses:

Quantitative methods courses must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a B- or better grade.

Policy and Process for Current Psychology PhD students

Graduate students already enrolled in the Psychology PhD program and have completed (a) the first-year and second-year course requirements and (b) at least 45 units of Psychology courses may apply for conferral of the MA degree. This application should be discussed with the Student Services Manager.

All applicants must satisfy university residency requirements for the degree and are responsible for consulting with their primary departments or the Financial Aid Office about the effects of the proposed program on their current funding.

Please note: The Department of Psychology does not offer terminal MA degrees for students not already pursuing another advanced degree at Stanford.

How to apply for the Psychology MA: Current Psychology PhD Students

Fill out the  application form  and obtain your advisor’s signature.

Submit the completed application form to the Psychology Student Services Manager, who will obtain the Department Chair’s signature.

Submit a request for the master’s degree via Axess using the Graduate Program Authorization Form. To find this form, navigate to the Student Tab, then Petitions and Forms under the Academics tab. Make sure to indicate that you are adding a master’s degree. There will be a checkbox to leave your current graduate program - do NOT check this box!

Enter your payment and select “Apply to Graduate” in Axess (select the master’s, not PhD).

Psychology’s Student Services Office will approve your request in Axess.

Policy and Procedures for External Students Requesting to Pursue a Master of Arts in Psychology

Graduate students from other Stanford departments/graduate programs may request the opportunity to pursue a Master of Arts in Psychology. They are eligible if:

They are PhD, JD, or MD students in another Stanford department/graduate program

They have secured a Psychology faculty sponsor who agrees to serve as their master’s research advisor.

Requirements

The requirements for the MA are the same for internal (Psychology PhD program) and external (non-Psychology PhD program) students. However, for external students, the MA coursework and thesis must be in addition to the coursework and milestone documents they are using toward their primary Ph.D. In other words, a student may not use the same course to count toward the unit or content requirements of both degrees; the student must choose which courses count for which degree. Students are still bound to the PhD course load cap of 10 units per quarter. Students may count the Psych MA course units toward the requirement to complete 135 units in residence for a PhD (a university requirement) but not toward specific Department/program-level PhD requirements.

If a student requests permission to waive a particular core or methods course requirement (e.g., PSYCH 252) due to overlapping course content with their PhD coursework, the student must petition the Psychology Graduate Program Committee. If this petition is granted, the student must still complete 45 units of Psychology coursework, of which a maximum of 18 can be labs/practica/research units. Waiving a course requirement means the student replaces the waived course with a different psychology course.

An external student’s master’s thesis cannot overlap with similar milestone documents that count toward their primary Ph.D. For an external student, a successful Master’s Thesis is a report on a research project in Psychology that is done during the first two years of their master’s studies. Typically, the thesis is written in the format of a scientific paper, including the following sections: (i) an introduction describing the background and theoretical context, (ii) a methods section describing the experimental paradigm,  (ii) results detailing experiment outcomes with the appropriate data analyses, statistical analyses, figures, and/or tables, (iv) discussion, and (v) references. Both the primary advisor in the Psychology department and a second reader (must be a Stanford Academic Council member) will read and give the student feedback on their Master’s Thesis, and the student must pass a 1-hour thesis defense at which the work is presented to the advisor and reader.

A successful external MA recipient goes through the following steps:

The potential student secures a Psychology faculty research mentor who supports the addition of the MA; have an initial meeting with the Student Services Manager to review the program and set expectations.

The potential student applies to the Student Services Manager. This application is composed of the following materials: Statement of Purpose, CV, and Letter of Support from primary advisor(s) in the home department.

The Student Service Manager collates and submits the application to the area faculty for review.

If the area faculty approves, the Student Services Manager confirms Department approval with the student and records the student’s commitment to pursue an MA. Note: The student does not formally add the Psych MA program plan in Axess at this time.

The student pursues the MA coursework and research under the consultation of the MA advisor. The Student Services Manager is available for logistical advising.

The student completes the coursework and submits an MA Thesis. The thesis is submitted via email to the Psychology MA advisor and secondary reader, cc’ing the Psychology Student Services Manager.

The MA Thesis is defended in a presentation to the primary advisor and second reader, and the thesis is reviewed and approved by both the primary advisor in Psychology and the second reader.

The student submits the MA form and formally matriculates, and the MA degree is available in the system for the student to confer.

How to apply for the Psychology MA: Current Stanford JD, MD, or PhD Students

Carefully review the  Psychology MA Policy and Process document .

Set up a meeting with the Student Services Manager (Emily Fay,  [email protected] ) to review the process.

Secure Psychology faculty MA advisor.

Apply for the Student Services Manager. The application consists of a Statement of Purpose, CV, and Letter of Support from the primary home department advisor(s). The psychology faculty will review this application.

If the Psychology faculty approves, the Psychology MA advisor will mentor you as you complete the MA requirements. The requirements include the 45 coursework units outlined above and a master’s thesis and master’s thesis defense. For complete details, refer to the  Psychology MA Policy and Process document . 

After completing the required MA coursework, thesis, and Thesis defense, complete the  application form  and obtain your advisor’s signature.

Submit a request for the Master’s Degree via Axess using the Graduate Program Authorization Form. To find this form, navigate to the Student Tab, then Petitions and Forms under the Academics tab. Make sure to indicate that you are adding a master’s degree. There will be a checkbox to leave your current graduate program - do NOT check this box! 

Enter your payment and select “Apply to Graduate” in Axess (choose the master’s, not PhD).

As with internal MA students, external MA students matriculate into the MA at the end of the program. This ensures that if a student opts not to complete the MA, we do not need to process a formal withdrawal or dismissal from the MA program.

The department does not provide funding for external MA students. If a faculty mentor wishes to engage an external MA student as an RA, the faculty must provide the funds.

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Marketing Requirements: Behavioral Track

I. preparation.

As preparation for the program requirements, some marketing students, depending on their previous preparation, find it useful to complete the courses below or the equivalent in the summer prior to the first year or during the first year. Questions concerning what constitutes adequate preparation should be directed to the doctoral liaison.

II. Course Requirements

All required courses must be taken for a grade (not pass/fail or credit/no credit).  Exceptions are made if the required course is offered pass/fail or credit/no credit only. Each course must be passed with a grade of P or B- or better. Substitutions of required courses (typically sought because a required course is not offered in the quarter of choice) require approval from the faculty liaison. Waiving a course requirement based on similar doctoral level course completed elsewhere requires the approval of the course instructor, faculty liaison, and the PhD Program Office.

III. Practicum

Students are required to sign up for either research or teaching practicum each quarter of enrollment. Below is a description of the practicum requirements for behavioral marketing students.

Year 1: Regularly attend and participate in the marketing seminar. Work with a different marketing faculty in autumn, winter, and spring quarters for initial research exposure.

Years 2 - 5: Regularly attend and participate in the marketing seminar. Continue research work with faculty of student’s choice.

IV. Summer Research Papers

The student will submit a Proposal Paper by the end of the fall quarter of the second year, and present this work in the winter quarter of the second year. The proposal paper should thoroughly review relevant literature and propose a new hypothesis. An excellent proposal paper will demonstrate both a good understanding of the topic area and what the student can potentially add to that topic area. Thoughtful conceptualization (e.g., identifying meaningful gaps in literature and leveraging those to develop the hypothesis) is key. Data is optional; no more than one study.

The student will submit an Empirical Paper by the end of the winter quarter of the third year, and present this work in the early spring quarter of the third year. The empirical paper should propose a new hypothesis and provide comprehensive empirical evidence for that hypothesis. An excellent empirical paper will demonstrate both the student’s expertise in the topic area and what the student will contribute to that topic area. This paper will be used as part of the materials to evaluate the student’s eligibility to advance to candidacy.

V. Field Exam

Students take the field exam in the summer after their second year. The students will receive two field exam assignments at the beginning of summer and will need to submit their responses by the end of the summer quarter: 

(1) Review and write a thoughtful critique on a paper.  The paper will be assigned when the field exam begins.

(2) Write a 25-30-page (double spaced, excluding citations) review paper. Identify a common theme or a core question that arises across multiple courses/domains/disciplines in our field. An excellent review paper will provide a comprehensive discussion of this theme or question, drawing from multiple literatures or research domains, and identify similarities, overlaps, differences, and/or conflicts to ask critical questions and draw meaningful insights and conclusions across domains (e.g., what you make of the similarities and differences you have noted, what new insights you can generate about them, what framework you would propose to integrate them, etc.) . Consider also what is missing. Are there gaps in the literature, promising avenues suggested by adjacent literatures, or unexplored mechanisms worthy of attention? In short, identify a big theme, idea, or question that emerges across different research areas and offer a critical discussion of it. Your reference list should be approximately 40-80 citations. You may discuss the potential topic and scope of your paper with faculty before you begin.

VI. Teaching Requirement

One quarter of course assistantship or teaching practicum. Requirement must be completed prior to graduation.

VII. Candidacy

Admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree is a judgment by the faculty of the student’s potential to successfully complete the requirements of the degree program. Students are required to advance to candidacy by September 1 before the start of their fourth year in the program.

VIII. University Oral Exams

The oral examination is a defense of the dissertation work in progress. The student orally presents and defends the thesis work in progress at a stage when it is one-half to two-thirds complete. The oral examination committee tests the student on the theory and methodology underlying the research, the areas of application and portions of the major field to which the research is relevant, and the significance of the dissertation research. Students are required to successfully complete the oral exams by September 1 before the start of their fifth year in the program.

IX. Dissertation

The doctoral dissertation is expected to be an original contribution to scholarship or scientific knowledge, to exemplify the highest standards of the discipline, and to be of lasting value to the intellectual community. The marketing faculty defer to the student’s Dissertation Reading Committee to provide general guidelines (e.g. number of chapters, length of dissertation) on the dissertation.

Typical Timeline

Years one & two.

• Field Requirements
• Directed Reading & Research
• Advancement to Candidacy
• Formulation of Research Topic
• Annual Evaluation
• Continued Research

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Home   /  Education   /  Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

Program description.

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is a vibrant, multidisciplinary department dedicated to advancing science and integrating this foremost mission with those of clinical innovation, educational excellence, community engagement and commitment, and professionalism and leadership development.

The Clinical Psychology Fellowship at Stanford serves as the culmination of training in psychology and is guided by the scientist-practitioner model. Residents are offered diverse clinical experiences in assessment and treatment utilizing evidence-based treatments, rich didactics based on current empirical literature, opportunities for scholarly inquiry, and supervision by Stanford faculty.

The mission of the Fellowship Program is to train highly skilled, ethical psychologists who contribute to the field of psychology through clinical work, research and/or education.

Program Goals and Competencies

The primary goal of the program is to provide advanced training in the areas of clinical service, integration of science and practice, professionalism and ethical decision-making. The program design is based on seven core competencies, including:

• Integration of Science and Practice
• Ethics and Legal Matters
• Individual and Cultural Diversity
• Theories and Methods of Diagnosis and Assessment
• Theories and Methods of Effective Psychotherapeutic Intervention
• Professional Conduct and Interpersonal Relationships
• Dissemination Beyond Clinical Care (research, supervision, and/or teaching)

On this Page

Additional Links and Resources

Clinical Psychology (Adult Program)

Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology Program

Postdoctoral Residency Admissions, Support, and Initial Placement Data

Training Overview

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences offers two training programs:

Norah Simpson, PhD Program Director

Janie hong, phd associate director.

Learn More about the Adult Program

Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology

Sharon williams, phd program director.

Learn More about the Child & Adolescent Program

Clinical Training

Fellows are trained in evaluation, assessment, and treatment. Fellows spend approximately 20 hours a week in direct patient care. The remaining fellowship hours are spent in supervision, didactics, and indirect patient care activities.

Didactics     

Stanford University is a rich learning environment and, as such, fellows participate in many didactic opportunities throughout the year. Below is a list of general didactics offered through the fellowship, followed by program specific didactics:

• Professional Issues Workshop
• Ethics and Legal Issues
• Grand Rounds in Psychiatry
• Seminar in Biostatistics

Adult Specific Didactics and Training Opportunities

• Professional Development Seminar
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Seminar
• Supervision Training Seminar
• Subspecialty Clinic Meetings
• Group Supervision
• Supervision Training Experience
• Professional peer-support meetings
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion-focused case consultation and meetings

Child Specific Didactics and Training Opportunities

• Psychology Seminar
• Specialty Clinic Meetings
• Autism Spectrum Update
• Diversity Forum

Supervision

Fellows receive a minimum of four hours of supervision each week, including a minimum of two hours of individual supervision. Supervision is primarily conducted by attending psychologists in the clinic or unit in which the fellow is seeing patients.

Fellowship Duration

The Clinical Psychology Fellowship is a one year position. It starts on September 1st of each year and ends on August 31st of the following year.

When available based on research funding, two-year clinical research fellowship positions are offered in both Adult and Child Psychology. At least 50% of time in the fellowship is dedicated to clinical service provision and training, with the remaining time (<50%) supported by research funding. These positions are associated with specific clinical research initiatives and identified on our website when they are available. They are part of the APA approved clinical psychology fellowship program, and typically also start on September 1st.

Adult Program Faculty

Child Program Faculty

Administrative Policies and Procedures

All Stanford postdocs must adhere to the University’s standards of academic integrity, honesty and behavior. The primary conduct codes are the University Code of Conduct and the Honor Code and Fundamental Standard.

All members of the Stanford community are expected to abide by the Stanford Nondiscrimination Policy and the School of Medicine’s Respectful Workplace Policy  .

For more information about Administrative Policies and Procedures please go to: http://postdocs.stanford.edu

Fellowship Start Date:  The postdoctoral fellowship year is anticipated to be 9/3/2024 - 8/31/25

Stipend:   $71,650 + generous benefits

Application Requirements and Process

All applicants must have completed:

• APA- or CPA-accredited graduate programs in clinical or counseling psychology
• APA- or CPA-accredited internship; and
• all requirements for their PhD or PsyD prior to the beginning of their appointment

Application Process

Please apply using the APPIC Psychology Postdoctoral Application system. You will need the following information when completing the online application:

• A cover letter specifying the position to which you are applying and your aims
• Three letters of recommendation
• If at the time of application your dissertation has not been completed, please submit a letter from your dissertation chair documenting the timeline for completion of the dissertation.

Stanford University School of Medicine is committed to fostering a diverse community in which all individuals are welcomed, respected, and supported to achieve their full potential. Our program emphasizes recruitment and acceptance of a diverse class of fellows. We invite applicants to share any information that would be helpful in their application to our program.

Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Stanford welcomes applications from all who would bring additional dimensions to the University’s research, teaching and clinical missions.

Applications are due by December 5, 2023.

All interviews will be virtual..

Adult Psychology Fellowship

Karen Saltzman                    [email protected]

Child Psychology Fellowship

Charlie Larson [email protected]

Accreditation and Approval

• The fellowship program is approved by the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC).
• The fellowship is accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation, 750 First St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, (202) 336-5979. Email: [email protected]

Doctoral Program

Stanford's Ph.D. program is among the world's best. Our graduate students receive their training in a lively community of philosophers engaged in a wide range of philosophical projects. Our Ph.D. program trains students in traditional core areas of philosophy and provides them with opportunities to explore many subfields such as the philosophy of literature, nineteenth-century German philosophy, and medieval philosophy.

Among other areas, we are exceptionally strong in Kant studies, the philosophy of action, ancient philosophy, logic, and the philosophy of science. We attract some of the best students from around the world and we turn them into accomplished philosophers ready to compete for the best jobs in a very tight job market.

The most up-to-date requirements are listed in   t he Bulletin .  

CHECK PHD REQUIREMENTS

From the 2020-2021 edition of Explore Degrees:

Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy

Prospective graduate students should see the  Office of Graduate Admissions  web site for information and application materials. 

The University's basic requirements for the Ph.D. degree including candidacy, residence, dissertation, and examination are discussed in the " Graduate Degrees " section of this bulletin.

University candidacy requirements, published in the " Candidacy " section of this bulletin, apply to all Ph.D. students. Admission to a doctoral degree program is preliminary to, and distinct from, admission to candidacy. Admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree is a judgment by the faculty in the department or school of the student's potential to successfully complete the requirements of the degree program. Students are expected to complete department qualifying procedures and apply for candidacy at the beginning of the seventh academic quarter, normally the Autumn Quarter of the student's third year.

Admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree is granted by the major department following a student's successful completion of qualifying procedures as determined by the department. Departmental policy determines procedures for subsequent attempts to become advanced to candidacy in the event that the student does not successfully complete the procedures. Failure to advance to candidacy results in the dismissal of the student from the doctoral program; see the " Guidelines for Dismissal of Graduate Students for Academic Reasons " section of this bulletin.

The requirements detailed here are department requirements. These requirements are meant to balance structure and flexibility in allowing students, in consultation with their  advisors , to take a path through the program that gives them a rigorous and broad philosophical education, with room to focus on areas of particular interest, and with an eye to completing the degree with an excellent dissertation and a solid preparation for a career in academic philosophy.

Normally, all courses used to satisfy the distribution requirements for the Philosophy Ph.D. are Stanford courses taken as part of a student's graduate program.  In special circumstances, a student may petition to use a very small number of graduate-level courses taken at other institutions to satisfy a distribution requirement.  To be approved for this purpose, the student’s work in such a graduate-level course would need to involve an appropriate subject matter and would need to be judged by the department to be at the level of an 'A' in a corresponding graduate-level course at Stanford.  

Courses used to satisfy any course requirement in Philosophy (except Teaching Methods and the summer Dissertation Development Seminar) must be passed with a letter grade of 'B-' or better (no satisfactory/no credit), except in the case of a course/seminar used to satisfy the third-year course/seminar requirement and taken for only 2 units. Such a reduced-unit third-year course/seminar must be taken credit/no credit. 

At the end of each year, the department reviews the progress of each student to determine whether the student is making satisfactory progress, and on that basis to make decisions about probationary status and termination from the program where appropriate.

Any student in one of the Ph.D. programs may apply for the M.A. when all University and department requirements have been met.

Proficiency Requirements

• First-year Ph.D. Proseminar : a one quarter, topically focused seminar offered in Autumn Quarter, and required of all first-year students.
• two courses in value theory including ethics, aesthetics, political philosophy, social philosophy, philosophy of law. At least one of the courses satisfying this distribution requirement must be in ethics or political philosophy.
• Two courses in language, mind, and action. One course satisfying this requirement must be drawn from the language related courses, and one from mind and action related courses.
• two courses in metaphysics and epistemology (including metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science). At least one of the courses satisfying this requirement must be drawn from either metaphysics or epistemology.
• Instructors indicate which courses may satisfy particular requirements. If a course potentially satisfies more than one requirement the student may use it for only one of those area requirements; no units may be double-counted. Students must develop broad competencies in all these areas. Those without strong backgrounds in these areas would normally satisfy these distribution requirements by taking more basic courses rather than highly specialized and focused courses. Students should consult with their advisor in making these course decisions, and be prepared to explain these decisions when reviewed for candidacy; see requirement 6 below.
• Logic requirement:  PHIL 150  Mathematical Logic or equivalent.
• History/logic requirement. One approved course each in ancient and modern philosophy, plus either another approved history of philosophy course or  PHIL 151  Metalogic.
• Students should normally take at least 64 graduate level units at Stanford during their first six quarters (in many cases students would take more units than that) and of those total units, at least 49 units of course work are to be in the Philosophy department. These courses must be numbered above 110, but not including Teaching Methods ( PHIL 239  Teaching Methods in Philosophy) or affiliated courses. Units of Individual Directed Reading are normally not to be counted toward this 49-unit requirement unless there is special permission from the student's advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies.
•  Prior to candidacy, at least 3 units of work must be taken with each of four Stanford faculty members.

Writing Requirement: Second Year Paper

The second year paper should demonstrate good scholarship and argumentative rigor, and be a polished piece of writing approximately 8000 words in length. The second year paper need not bear any specific relationship to the dissertation. It may be a version of a prospective dissertation chapter, but this is not required. The final version must be turned in on the last class of the Second Year Paper Development Seminar in Summer Quarter of the second year. Extensions of this deadline require the consent of the instructor of the Second Year Paper Development Seminar and the Director of Graduate Studies and are only granted in exceptional cases (e.g., documented illness, family crisis). The final paper is read by a committee of two faculty members and it is an important consideration in the department’s decision on the student’s candidacy. 

Teaching Assistancy

A minimum of five quarters of teaching assistancy are required for the Ph.D. Normally one of these quarters is as a teaching assistant for the Philosophy Department's Writing in the Major course,  PHIL 80  Mind, Matter, and Meaning. It is expected that students not teach in their first year and that they teach no more than two quarters in their second year. Students are required to take  PHIL 239  Teaching Methods in Philosophy during Spring Quarter of their first year and during Autumn Quarter of their second year. Teaching is an important part of students’ preparation to be professional philosophers.

Review at the End of the Second Year for Advancement to Candidacy

The faculty's review of each student includes a review of the student's record, an assessment of the second year paper, and an assessment of the student's preparation for work in her/his intended area of specialization, as well as recommendations of additional preparation, if necessary.

To continue in the Ph.D. program, each student must apply for candidacy at the beginning of the sixth academic quarter, normally the Spring Quarter of the student's second year. Students may be approved for or denied candidacy by the end of that quarter by the department. In some cases, where there are only one or two outstanding deficiencies, the department may defer the candidacy decision and require the student to re-apply for candidacy in a subsequent quarter. In such cases, definite conditions for the candidacy re-application must be specified, and the student must work with the advisor and the DGS to meet those conditions in a timely fashion. A failure to maintain timely progress in satisfying the specified conditions constitutes grounds for withholding travel and discretionary funds and for a denial of advancement to candidacy.

• Writing Seminar : In the Summer Quarter after the second year, students are required to attend the Second Year Paper Development Seminar. The seminar is intended to help students complete their second year papers. 
• Upon completion of the summer writing seminar, students must sign up for independent study credit,  PHIL 240  Individual Work for Graduate Students, with their respective advisors each quarter. A plan at the beginning, and a report at the end, of each quarter must be signed by both student and advisor and submitted to the graduate administrator for inclusion in the student's file. This is the process every quarter until the completion of the departmental oral.
• In Autumn and Winter quarters of the third year, students register in and satisfactorily complete  PHIL 301  Dissertation Development Proseminar. Students meet to present their work in progress and discuss their thesis project. Participation in these seminars is required.
• During the third and fourth years in the program, a student should complete at least three graduate-level courses/seminars, at least two of them in philosophy (a course outside philosophy can be approved by the advisor), and at least two of them in the third year. The three seminars can be taken credit/no-credit for reduced (2) units. Courses required for candidacy are not counted toward satisfaction of this requirement. This light load of courses allows students to deepen their philosophical training while keeping time free for thesis research.

Dissertation Work and Defense

The third and following years are devoted to dissertation work. The few requirements in this segment of the program are milestones to encourage students and advisors to ensure that the project is on track.

• Dissertation Proposal— By Spring Quarter of the third year, students should have selected a dissertation topic and committee. A proposal sketching the topic, status, and plan for the thesis project, as well as an annotated bibliography or literature review indicating familiarity with the relevant literature, must be received by the committee one week before the meeting on graduate student progress late in Spring Quarter. The dissertation proposal and the reading committee's report on it will constitute a substantial portion of the third year review.
• Departmental Oral— During Autumn Quarter of the fourth year, students take an oral examination based on at least 30 pages of written work, in addition to the proposal. The aim of the exam is to help the student arrive at an acceptable plan for the dissertation and to make sure that student, thesis topic, and advisors make a reasonable fit. It is an important chance for the student to clarify their goals and intentions with the entire committee present.
• Fourth-Year Colloquium— No later than Spring Quarter of the fourth year, students present a research paper in a 60-minute seminar open to the entire department. This paper should be on an aspect of the student's dissertation research. This is an opportunity for the student to make their work known to the wider department, and to explain their ideas to a general philosophical audience.
• University Oral Exam— Ph.D. students must submit a completed draft of the dissertation to the reading committee at least one month before the student expects to defend the thesis in the University oral exam. If the student is given consent to go forward, the University oral can take place approximately two weeks later. A portion of the exam consists of a student presentation based on the dissertation and is open to the public. A closed question period follows. If the draft is ready by Autumn Quarter of the fourth year, the student may request that the University oral count as the department oral.

Below are yearly lists of courses which the faculty have approved to fulfill distribution requirements in these areas: value theory (including ethics, aesthetics, political philosophy, social philosophy, philosophy of law); language; mind and action; metaphysics and epistemology (including metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science); logic; ancient philosophy; modern philosophy.

The most up-to-date requirements are listed in  t he Bulletin .  

Ph.D. Minor in Philosophy

To obtain a Ph.D. minor in Philosophy, students must follow these procedures:

• Consult with the Director of Graduate Study to establish eligibility, and select a suitable  advisor .
• 30 units of courses in the Department of Philosophy with a letter grade of 'B-' or better in each course. No more than 3 units of directed reading may be counted in the 30-unit requirement.
• Philosophy of science
• Ethics, value theory, and moral and political philosophy
• Metaphysics and epistemology
• Language, mind and action
• History of philosophy
• Two additional courses numbered over 199 to be taken in one of those (b) six areas.
• A faculty member from the Department of Philosophy (usually the student's advisor) serves on the student's doctoral oral examination committee and may request that up to one third of this examination be devoted to the minor subject.
• Paperwork for the minor must be submitted to the department office before beginning the program.

Interdisciplinary Study

The department supports interdisciplinary study. Courses in Stanford's other departments and programs may be counted towards the degree, and course requirements in Philosophy are designed to allow students considerable freedom in taking such courses. Dissertation committees may include members from other departments. Where special needs arise, the department is committed to making it possible for students to obtain a philosophical education and to meet their interdisciplinary goals. Students are advised to consult their advisors and the department's student services office for assistance.

Graduate Program in Cognitive Science

Philosophy participates with the departments of Computer Science, Linguistics, and Psychology in an interdisciplinary program in Cognitive Science. It is intended to provide an interdisciplinary education, as well as a deeper concentration in philosophy, and is open to doctoral students. Students who complete the requirements within Philosophy and the Cognitive Science requirements receive a special designation in Cognitive Science along with the Ph.D. in Philosophy. To receive this field designation, students must complete 30 units of approved courses, 18 of which must be taken in two disciplines outside of philosophy. The list of approved courses can be obtained from the Cognitive Science program located in the Department of Psychology.

Special Track in Philosophy and Symbolic Systems

Students interested in interdisciplinary work relating philosophy to artificial intelligence, cognitive science, computer science, linguistics, or logic may pursue a degree in this program.

Prerequisites—Admitted students should have covered the equivalent of the core of the undergraduate Symbolic Systems Program requirements as described in the " Symbolic Systems " section of the Stanford Bulletin, including courses in artificial intelligence (AI), cognitive science, linguistics, logic, and philosophy. The graduate program is designed with this background in mind. Students missing part of this background may need additional course work. In addition to the required course work listed in the bulletin, the Ph.D. requirements are the same as for the regular program, with the exception that one course in value theory and one course in history may be omitted.

Joint Program in Ancient Philosophy

This program is jointly administered by the Departments of Classics and Philosophy and is overseen by a joint committee composed of members of both departments:

•         Christopher Bobonich , Philosophy (Ancient Greek Philosophy, Ethics)
•         Alan Code , Philosophy, Philosophy (Ancient Greek Philosophy, Metaphysics)
•         Reviel Netz , Classics (History of Greek and Pre-Modern Mathematics)
•         Andrea Nightingale , Classics, (Greek and Roman Philosophy and Literature)
•        Josh Ober , Classics and Political Science (Greek Political Thought, Democratic Theory)

It provides students with the training, specialist skills, and knowledge needed for research and teaching in ancient philosophy while producing scholars who are fully trained as either philosophers with a strong specialization in ancient languages and philology, or classicists with a concentration in philosophy.

Students are admitted to the program by either department. Graduate students admitted by the Philosophy department receive their Ph.D. from the Philosophy department; those admitted by the Classics department receive their Ph.D. from the Classics department. For Philosophy graduate students, this program provides training in classical languages, literature, culture, and history. For Classics graduate students, this program provides training in the history of philosophy and in contemporary philosophy.

Each student in the program is advised by a committee consisting of one professor in each department.

Requirements for Philosophy Graduate Students: These are the same as the proficiency requirements for the Ph.D. in Philosophy.

One year of Greek is a requirement for admission to the program. If students have had a year of Latin, they are required to take 3 courses in second- or third-year Greek or Latin, at least one of which must be in Latin. If they have not had a year of Latin, they are then required to complete a year of Latin, and take two courses in second- or third-year Greek or Latin.

Students are also required to take at least three courses in ancient philosophy at the 200 level or above, one of which must be in the Classics department and two of which must be in the Philosophy department.

Ph.D. Subplan in History and Philosophy of Science

Graduate students in the Philosophy Ph.D. program may pursue a Ph.D. subplan in History and Philosophy of Science. The subplan is declared in Axess and subplan designations appear on the official transcript, but are not printed on the diploma.

1.  Attendance at the HPS colloquium series. 2.  Philosophy of Science courses.  Select one of the following:

• PHIL 263 Significant Figures in Philosophy of Science: Einstein
• PHIL 264: Central Topics in the Philosophy of Science: Theory and Evidence
• PHIL 264A: Central Topics in Philosophy of Science: Causation
• PHIL 265: Philosophy of Physics: Space and Time
• PHIL 265C: Philosophy of Physics: Probability and Relativity
• PHIL 266: Probability: Ten Great Ideas About Chance
• PHIL 267A:  Philosophy of Biology
• PHIL 267B: Philosophy, Biology, and Behavior

3.  One elective seminar in the history of science. 4.  One elective seminar (in addition to the course satisfying requirement 2) in philosophy of science.

The PhD program provide 5 years of  financial support . We also try to provide support for our sixth year students and beyond though we cannot guarantee such support. In addition to covering tuition, providing a stipend, and covering Stanford's health insurance, we provide additional funds for books, computer equipment, and conference travel expenses. Some of the financial support is provided through requiring you to teach; however, our teaching requirement is quite low and we believe that this is a significant advantage of our program.

Stanford Support Programs

Additional support, such as advances, medical and emergency grants for Grad Students are available through the Financial Aid Office. The University has created the following programs specifically for graduate students dealing with challenging financial situations.

Graduate Financial Aid  homepage :

https://financialaid.stanford.edu/grad/funding/

Cash Advance:  https://sfs.stanford.edu/gradcashadvance

Emergency grant-in-aid :  https://financialaid.stanford.edu/pdf/emergencygrant-in-aid.pdf, family grants:  https://financialaid.stanford.edu/pdf/gradfamilygrant2021.pdf, housing loans:  https://financialaid.stanford.edu/loans/other/gradhousing.html, program characteristics.

Our program is well known for its small size, streamlined teaching requirements, and low average time to degree.

The program regulations are designed to efficiently provide students with a broad base in their first two years. In the third year students transition to working on their dissertations. During the summer prior to the third year, students are required to attend a dissertation development seminar. This seminar introduces students to what is involved in writing a dissertation. During the third year the course load drops to just under one course per quarter.

The rest of the time is spent working closely with a faculty member, or a couple of faculty members, on the student's area of research interest. The goal of the third year is that this process of intensive research and one-on-one interaction will generate a topic and proposal for the dissertation. During the fourth and fifth year the student is not required to take any courses and he or she focusses exclusively on research and writing on the dissertation.

Stanford University

Being a part of  Stanford University  means that students have access to one of the premier education institutions in the world. Stanford is replete with top departments in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. In addition, our professional schools, such as the  Stanford Law School , are among the best. The range of research in a variety of areas, many of which touch on or relate to philosophical issues, is simply astounding. Students have the freedom to take courses across the university. Graduate students also regularly earn joint degrees with other programs.

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School of Humanities and Sciences

Be immersed in the theories and empirical studies of human behavior. 

What You'll Study

The mission of the undergraduate program in Psychology is to introduce students to the theories and empirical studies of human behavior. This includes the study of aging, achievement, child development, cognitive processes, conflict, culture, decision making, emotion, group behavior, health, identity, infancy, language, learning and memory, morality, motivation, personality, psychopathology, race, self, social perception, visual perception, and other related topics. The major provides students with knowledge and skills relevant to professional careers in technology, business, counseling, education, public policy, law, and medicine, as well as graduate studies in Psychology.

Degrees Offered

More information.

Learn more about Psychology in the Stanford Bulletin

• School of Humanities & Sciences
• Explore IntroSems related to this major

Exploratory Courses

Psych 1.

Introduction to Psychology

PSYCH 10

Introduction to Statistical Methods: Precalculus (STATS 60, STATS 160)

PSYCH 103F

Intergroup Communication Facilitation (CSRE 103F)

PSYCH 155

Introduction to Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity (CSRE 196C, ENGLISH 172D, SOC 146, TAPS 165)

Program Requirements

Migration, Ethnicity, Race, Nation Workshop

The following program requirements apply to students who entered the Ph.D program in 2010-11 or later; students admitted prior to 2010 should consult the department or the  Bulletin from their year of admission  for requirements specific to their cohort. Please review the department's Doctoral Program Handbook for more details on each requirement.

Students must complete the following department requirements for the Ph.D. degree in Sociology:

• Proseminar:  Students must enroll in  SOC 305  Graduate Proseminar in Autumn Quarter of the first year. The course provides an introduction and orientation to the field of sociology, and to the department and faculty.
• Colloquium:  The Sociology Colloquium is a semi-monthly seminar held throughout the academic year, in which distinguished scholars lecture about their cutting-edge research. This course,  SOC 396 , is required for all first and second years.
• Minimum sociology units in years 1 and 2:  Students are required to complete 45 units of course work in Sociology in the first academic year, then 15 units of Sociology course work in the second academic year.
• Theory:  Students are required to take two courses in sociological theory. The first course is macro-sociological theory:  SOC 370A  Sociological Theory: Social Structure, Inequality, and Conflict, and the second course:  SOC 372  Theoretical Analysis and Design, should be taken during the first year of the program. 
• Methodology:  Students are required to complete a four course series in methodology. The required methods sequence, to be taken are: SOC 380 Qualitative Methods,  SOC 381  Sociological Methodology I: Introduction,  SOC 382  Sociological Methodology II: Multivariate Regression,  SOC 383  Sociological Methodology III.
• Survey Courses:  Students must complete four broad survey courses to demonstrate command of a range of sociological literature.
• Workshops:  Beginning in year two, doctoral students are required to enroll in at least one workshop each quarter. 
• Qualifying Exam #1:  The first comprehensive examination is designed to ensure that students enter their second year with a firm reading knowledge of two substantive subfields. Students write two essays in response to questions provided by the examining committee. Students choose one of two questions to write on for each subfield. Examinations are offered in a variety of subject areas, and are based on comprehensive readings lists that are available at the beginning of each academic year.
• Qualifying Exam #2 : In their second year of residence, students must pass qualifying exam #2, which is a research paper that is intended to provide students with a more focused engagement in a specialized subfield or research area, and tests the student’s ability to work and think independently. Second year students are required to enroll in  SOC 385A  Research Practicum 1 and  SOC 385B  Research Practicum II  (both workshops assist in developing the front end of the research paper). Students must submit a one-page proposal to the reading committee that includes a brief statement of the problem; a preliminary research design; a data source and proof of reasonable access to it; and a short reading list. Students should produce a paper that makes an original contribution to sociological knowledge and that is ultimately publishable. That generally means writing a paper that includes data analysis; a full and focused analytic discussion of relevant theory and research; and frame the findings as a contribution to the literature. Students may also produce a paper with a primarily theoretical contribution so long as the prospects for eventual publication are clear to the committee. This paper may not also be employed to meet the Third Year Paper requirement, even in revised form.
• Third Year Paper:  In preparation for a career of writing scholarly papers, each student must complete a research paper in the third year of residency. This third-year paper may be on any sociological topic, and may address theoretical, empirical, or methodological issues. The paper is expected to reflect original work and be of publishable quality. Students select a committee of at least two Sociology faculty members to serve as third year paper readers.  
• Conference Presentation:  Students are required to present at least two papers at a major professional meeting (e.g., ASA), department workshops, or a combination of the two in their first five years of graduate study. 
• Dissertation Prospectus and Prospectus Defense:  In order to demonstrate the ability to conduct independent scholarly work, each student must prepare and defend dissertation prospectus by the end of May during the fourth year in residence.
• Doctoral Dissertation and Defense:  Each student must complete and defend a doctoral dissertation. At the choice of the student (and in consultation with his/her adviser), the dissertation requirement may be met either by (1) submitting a book-length document, or (2) submitting three independent papers. The papers may address the same topic, but should be written as stand-alone, single-authored papers in standard journal format (i.e., AJS or ASR). None of these papers may overlap substantially with one another, and none of them may be co-authored. (The main criterion in judging substantial overlap is whether any standard journal, such as AJS, would regard the papers as too similar to publish both.) The dissertation must be submitted to all committee members at least 30 days in advance of the defense date. The dissertation defense serves as the  Oral Examination required by the University . Assessment of satisfactory completion is determined by the student's doctoral committee members. All students are invited to present their dissertation findings at an informal department colloquium.

Students must complete a minimum of  three quarters of teaching apprenticeship in departmental courses, or in other courses by approval. Students working as either a teaching assistant (TA) under the supervision of a faculty member or as a teaching fellow (TF) fulfills this requirement. Students are required to take  SOC 300, Workshop: The Art & Joy of Teaching , in the first year. In addition, students are encouraged to take advantage of department and University teacher training programs. Students for whom English is a second language are expected to acquire sufficient facility in English to be an effective teacher.  It is recommended that students complete their teaching requirements early in their graduate program; the requirement must be completed by the end of the fourth year of residency.

As partial preparation for becoming an accomplished researcher, each student must complete three quarters of research experience, working under the supervision of one or more faculty members, including regular, emeritus, and affiliated faculty. The experience may involve paid (or unpaid) work as a Research Assistant (RA). With the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, research experience may be acquired by involvement in research projects outside the department. It is recommended that students complete their research requirements early in their graduate program; the requirement must be completed by the end of the fourth year of residency.

At any point during the degree program, evidence that a student is performing at a less than satisfactory level may be cause for a formal academic review of that student.

Information and Forms

There are two tracks within the Biology Ph.D. program:

• Cell, Molecular and Organismal Biology
• Ecology and Evolution

(Previously a part of the Department of Biology Hopkins Marine Station is now a part of the Oceans Department within  Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability )

Some requirements are the same across concentrations, and other requirements are concentration-specific. Please review the Ph.D. Handbook for specific details.

General Information and Forms

• Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures
• 2023-2024 Biology PhD Handbook
• CMOB Elective Course List 
• Registrar's Office Forms  (SUNet ID login required)

Teaching Assistant Evaluations (All years)

• TA Pre-Course Meeting Form  - Due within the first two weeks of starting each TA position
• TA Evaluation Form  - Due after each TA position

Special Circumstance Forms

• Graduation Extension Petition  (if applicable)
• Change of Advisor or Reading Committee Member Form  (if applicable)

First Year Forms

Forms for all first year students.

• Lab Rotation Evaulation  - Due after each rotation, if applicable
• NSF Application  - If eligible, Due October 18 (Life Sciences) or October 22 (Geosciences)
• Dissertation Lab Decision - Due May 1
• First Year Evaluation and Planning Form  - Due May 1
• IDP Meeting  - Due August 1

Additional Forms for EcoEvo & Hopkins Students

• First Year Advising Committee Form  - Due within the first 2 weeks of Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters
• Seminar/Talk Evaluation Form  - Due June 1
• First Year Paper Evaluation Form  - Due June 1

Second Year Forms

In second year you will complete the qualification exam (forms below) then advance to candidacy (forms at bottom),  forms for cmob students.

• 2nd Year Qualifying Exam Evaluation Form

 Forms for Eco/Evo Students

• Dissertation Proposal Paper - Due May 15 (electronic Submission)
• 2nd Year Qualifying Exam Evaluation Form -

 Forms for Hopkins Students

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More From Forbes

Stanford to again offer its groundbreaking online code in place course.

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More than 30,000 students worldwide have signed up for prior versions of Stanford University's free, ... [+] online Code In Place course. Now it's being offered once again.

Stanford University will once again offer its free, online Code In Place class, beginning April 22nd. It’s the fourth time around for the popular introduction-to-coding course, first introduced in 2020.

Registration for the course, which across its first three versions enrolled more than 30,000 students worldwide, will remain open through April 12.

Code in Place offers the basic content contained in the first half of Stanford’s CS106A, which teaches the fundamentals of computer programming using the Python language. With an enrollment of about 1,6000 students each year, CS106A has long been one of Stanford’s most popular courses.

Developed by a Stanford University team that included computer science faculty members Chris Piech and Mehran Sahami, and their colleagues Julie Zelenski, Ali Malik, Brahm Capoor, and Juliette Woodrow, the six-week course teaches Python fundamentals, including control flow, loops and conditionals, console programs with variables, graphics, lists and dictionaries.

Piech, an assistant professor of computer science, and Sahami, the Tencent Chair of Stanford’s computer science department, developed the initial version of the course with their colleagues in only two weeks, just after the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic. When the pandemic caused in-person teaching to be temporarily suspended, they redesigned CS 106A for a broad online audience.

Although it’s an online class available to thousands of students at a time, Code in Place is not a massive open-access online course (MOOC). The course developers were well aware of two of the main drawbacks of MOOCs — low rates of feedback on student work and high drop-out rates — so they designed their course to overcome those problems.

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The main solution they came up with was to offer weekly interactive learning sessions to small sections of 10 students apiece. By maintaining a low student-to-instructor ratio, the course allows students plenty of opportunities for interaction and human connection, features usually missing in most MOOCs.

In addition to the interactive learning sections, which are taught by volunteer teachers, the course features weekly lecture videos by Stanford faculty and four assignments along with a final project. Although the course is not offered for college credit, students who complete it are awarded a certificate of completion.

Where do these volunteer section leaders come from? They’re drawn from the ranks of retired teachers, industry programmers, college students studying computer science, and former Code in Place students. They receive training for their instructional duties from Stanford faculty, assisted by numerous teaching assistants and a couple of graduate students. To date, approximately 3,000 volunteers have served as section leaders.

“We’ve discovered that almost as many people want to teach computer science as want to learn,” Piech said in a previous university description of the course . “It’s inspiring how many are willing to devote countless hours volunteering for Code in Place.”

Another distinctive feature of the course is that it was intentionally designed for computer novices with no previous programming knowledge. In fact, a FAQ webpage describes the course requirements this way: “...you need to be able to turn on a computer. Or, honestly you probably only need to be able to recognize if a computer is on. It is helpful if you already know some basic arithmetic, eg, what is multiplication?”

Each version of the class has featured new enhancements. For example, in the third iteration of the course, instructors were able to “push a button” to make themselves available for just-in-time “office hours,” offering one-on-one, online tutoring for students who needed the extra help.

That kind of personal attention matters — enabling students to spend just 15 minutes with a TA led to a 10% improvement in course completion, according to a recent evaluation.

In addition, more AI tools for grading and providing feedback to students have been added to the course. For example, a tool called TalkAbout helps students discuss their work with one another. As a result of these improvements, Piech expects that about 60-70% of students will successfully complete the course this time.

Code in Place has led to other pedagogical discoveries as well, including the dispelling of some myths about computer coding — like you can be "too old" to learn to code. A recent course evaluation of 9,000 participants found that older students did better on average than younger ones. Every year of age (up to 65) increased the predicted amount of coursework the students completed. The oldest student to finish the class was 84 years young.

The success of Code in Place leads to an obvious question. Where should it go from here? Translating the course into more languages is one option, as is extending the model to other Stanford courses.

But Piech told me he hopes this is just the start of a broader project to give many more people the chance to teach. “I dream of a future of education where informal online teaching becomes a common capstone of learning a new skill, perhaps replacing exams. Teaching is more fun than an exam, it helps your community and, given how good AI is at doing your introductory work, high quality teaching may be a more trustworthy measure of ability,” he said.

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