The Graduate Student Handbook contains important policies and information, helpful links, and other resources to guide you through your time as a graduate student in the WVU Department of Psychology.
APPROVED October 28th, 2025
Our Mission
The mission of the PhD program in Psychology at West Virginia University aligns with our land-grant institution's commitment to education, healthcare, and societal progress. We aim to produce scientists who push the boundaries of psychological research, educators who effectively communicate and disseminate psychological principles, and clinicians who apply psychological approaches to address individual and societal challenges. Our commitment also includes a focus on diversity and inclusion, and an engagement with our community, to lead transformation within West Virginia and beyond.
Preface
Please provide suggestions for changes or additions to the Handbook to the current Graduate Training Committee. We revise the Handbook on an ongoing basis, and we appreciate your help in this process.
The original version of the Handbook resulted from work by Jon Krapfl, Professor of Psychology at WVU (1973-1981). The 2007 version of the Graduate Handbook was dedicated with admiration and affection to Hayne W. Reese, Centennial Professor of Psychology at West Virginia University from 1970 to 2000. The material covered by this handbook was shaped in large part by Professor Reese’s academic values and his intellectual leadership in the Department of Psychology from before the inception of the first edition of the handbook in the 1970s to his retirement in 2000.
In 2021, a collaboration between the Department Chair, Director of Graduate Training, and several graduate students resulted in a significantly revised version of the Handbook.
Changes to the Document:
- 07/1/22: Links updated
- 10/2/22: Asst DGT info updated
- 10/31/22: Plan of Study information removed
- 11/9/22: Added Arrival on Campus policy
- 01/30/23: Modified Award Section
- 02/16/23: Removed gendered pronouns
- 03/7/23: Modified Employment Beyond Assistantship section
- 03/23/23: Changed Alternate Assignment to OGEL’s MOD policy & updated language about awards
- 05/8/23: Modified Section IV (thesis and dissertation) based on changes approved in 4/18/23 faculty meeting
- 09/14/23: Modified Section III.D (course and thesis waivers) to reflect required deadlines
- 09/14/23: Added Secondary Mentorship Program (Section I.C.5)
- 09/20/23: Links updated
- 10/10/23: Updated committee member requirements for thesis and dissertation (Section IV.A.)
- 9/18/24: Incorporated the guidance document information into the handbook; created a checklist for proposals and defenses; updated language regarding the “3-week” vs “15-day” period for document pre-approval; added information regarding the 5-year post candidacy rule
- 10/2/24: Updated language for dismissal
- 10/16/24: Updated language for employment beyond assistantship (i.e. overloads) and removed exceptions for 25-pages limit for proposals
- 2/11/25: Timeline for GTA evaluations added, language surrounding probation policy updated, course waiver policy adjusted to align with new transfer credit policy
- 8/15/25: Updated timeline for proposals, clarified language surrounding remote defenses, adjust language on tuition and fees, updated awards, updated DEI section, fixed broken links
- 10/28/25: clarified language surrounding who can chair thesis/dissertation committees, updated policy on extra teaching experiences, updated policy on responsibilities for submitting proposal documents to Assistant DGT, updated policy on auditing student files prior to advanced to candidacy
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
- I.A. Special Notes
- I.B. Overview of the Graduate Programs
- I.C. Balancing Multiple Roles
- I.D. Registration and Financial Considerations
- I.E. Graduate Student Role within Junior Colleague Model
II. Advising Committee
- II.A. Introduction
- II.B. Advising Committee
- II.C. Arrival on Campus
III. Department and Program Requirements
- III.A. University Requirements
- III.B. Master’s Degree
- III.C. Doctoral Degree
- III.D. Course Transfer Credit and Thesis Waivers
- III.E. Course Grades
- III.F. Graduation
IV. Procedures for the Thesis and Dissertation
- IV.A. Forming a Committee
- IV.B. Proposal Meeting
- IV.C. Final Examination (Defense Meeting)
- IV.D. General Information and Guidelines on Completing Thesis and Dissertation Research
V. Student Evaluation
- V.A. Annual Evaluations
- V.B. Process and Outcome of the Annual Evaluations
- V.C. Probation and Funding Termination Dates for Major Academic Milestones
- V.D. Probation
- V.E. Student Dismissal and Resignation
- V.F. Awards
VI. Ethical Issues and Grievances
- VI.A.1. Academic Appeals
- VI.A.2. Nonacademic Professional Appeals
- VI.B.1. Discrimination
- VI.E.4. Sexual Harassment & Sexual Assault
Appendix
- I.A. Proposal and Defense Checklist