Quantitative Requirements

Area Requirements

In addition to the Departmental course requirements, the Areas may add requirements. Following are the current requirements.

Statistics and General Methodology: In the first year, all Quantitative students must successfully complete (or waive) the Department's two quarter statistics sequence. Students waiving these two courses must replace them with other quantitative courses. Please note that all credit requirements of the Graduate School apply and if fewer credits are taken for replacement courses of PSYCH 522, 523, 524 and 525, those credits need to be made up elsewhere.

The Area Course Requirements: Within the quantitative area, additional coursework will largely focus on statistical, mathematical and/or other methodological topics. These courses should be selected to support the student's research emphases. For example, a student focusing on psychometrics might take measurement, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation models, and )other similar courses. A student focused on computation might choose courses on programming, optimization and Bayesian statistics.

In addition to statistical, mathematical, computational and/or other methodologically focused coursework, Quantitative area course requirements will also typically include two substantively focused courses (e.g., theories of addiction, social determinants of health, cognitive development). This substantively focused coursework is designed to help students develop substantive expertise that provides a context for their quantitative research. Faculty with expertise in the particular substantive areas may be ideal co-advisors and/or committee members. As with the quantitative courses, these substantively focused courses may be drawn from across the University.

Given these requirements, most quantitative students should expect to take no less than 12-18 credits of quantitative coursework beyond the requirements in #2 and no less than 8-12 credits in substantively oriented courses.

In rare circumstances and with advisor and co-advisor approval, a quantitative student may forgo the substantive oriented coursework in order to focus on mathematical and theoretical quantitative research. These students should expect to take no less than 20-25 course credits.

All Quantitative students are expected to discuss their course plans with their advisors and committee, and at their discretion, other relevant faculty (e.g., other Quantitative faculty or Center for Statistics and the Social Sciences faculty). These discussions should begin early (first quarter of study) and continue as needed.

Seminars and Advanced Seminars: In addition to any departmental seminars and presentations, Quantitative students are strongly encouraged to attend CSSS seminars, as well as watch for relevant seminars in Statistics, Biostatistics, CSDE and elsewhere on campus.

All Quantitative students are strongly encouraged to participate in additional Seminars and Advanced Seminars, both within and outside their Area, throughout their graduate careers.

Please visit the UW Psychology Graduate Programs page for more information.