I. Program Objectives

The program aims to cultivate high-level research-oriented psychology specialists with a solid foundation in psychological theory and extensive practical experience, as well as balanced development in moral, intellectual, and physical aspects.

II. Research Areas

1. Basic Psychology

2. Developmental and Educational Psychology

III. Duration and Credits

The duration of study for PhD students is 3-6 years, with a standard period of 4 years.

IV. Training Methods

1. PhD training primarily focuses on scientific research, emphasizing the development of innovative capabilities. The coursework is designed to broaden academic horizons and cultivate the ability to identify, analyze, and solve problems.

2. A combination of individual mentorship and group-based guidance will be implemented. A doctoral advisory group will be established, consisting of a supervisor and a co-supervisor. The supervisor is the primary person responsible for PhD training, playing a leading role, while the co-supervisor assists throughout the process. The collective guidance fosters an academic environment where PhD students can enhance their innovative capabilities through exposure to diverse perspectives.

3. Within one month of enrollment, PhD students should determine their research direction and field under the guidance of their supervisor, formulate personal research and study plans, and have them reviewed by the advisory group before submitting them to the school for record-keeping.

4. The program plans to invite domestic and international experts to deliver lectures (either online or offline) and may arrange for students to attend courses or engage in academic exchanges at renowned institutions. The program encourages the mutual recognition of credits and joint training with prestigious universities and research institutions both in China and abroad.

V. Coursework

1. Credit Requirements

PhD international students are required to complete a total of 18 credits, including public courses offered by the International School of Chinese Studies.

2. Curriculum Structure

VI. Dissertation

The dissertation is a crucial component of doctoral training, essential for developing research and writing skills. Doctoral students may proceed to the dissertation writing stage after completing all required coursework and necessary components. Under the guidance of their supervisor, students are expected to select a frontier topic within their discipline and conduct their research according to the established plan. The dissertation research process consists of three stages: initial review, mid-term review, and final review, strictly adhering to the relevant requirements outlined in the "Northeast Normal University Implementation Regulations for Doctoral Dissertation Review."

The dissertation process includes a personal research plan, proposal, mid-term assessment, pre-defense, preliminary review, final review, and defense.

Initial Review: This phase focuses on the research proposal, examining the topic selection and research design of the dissertation. Students should determine their dissertation topic within their first year and obtain approval from the Doctoral Supervisory Committee. The proposal defense generally takes place at the beginning of the third semester. The Doctoral Supervisory Committee organizes the defense and forms a review panel. The student presents their proposal to the panel, and if approved, they may proceed with writing according to their research plan. If the proposal is not approved, the student must apply for another review, with a minimum two-month interval between the two reviews.

Mid-Term Review: The mid-term assessment is conducted in the fourth semester and takes place annually. All students must participate in the first mid-term review held for their cohort, having completed all required coursework credits beforehand. If a student cannot attend due to special circumstances, they must submit a written request, approved by their supervisor and the department, to postpone the assessment. The result for postponed assessments will be recorded as a "deferred pass."

Pre-Defense: Before the external review of the dissertation, students must pass the pre-defense, held at least two months before the external review. The Doctoral Supervisory Committee organizes the pre-defense, forming a pre-defense panel. The panel evaluates the dissertation and decides whether it is "qualified" or "unqualified." If only minor revisions are needed, and the dissertation can be revised before the external review, the dissertation is considered qualified. If major revisions are required or cannot be completed before the external review, the dissertation is considered unqualified. Qualified students must complete the required revisions before the external review. Unqualified students must wait at least six months before applying for a second pre-defense.

Preliminary Review: After passing the pre-defense and obtaining their supervisor’s approval, students proceed to the preliminary review stage. Dissertations must be submitted to the graduate secretary by the end of January or July each year. The secretary reviews the submissions and commissions a third-party platform to conduct the preliminary review. Each dissertation is reviewed by three experts. For detailed procedures, refer to the "College of Psychology Doctoral Dissertation Preliminary Review Implementation Measures (Trial)."

Final Review: The final review is based primarily on the dissertation defense, which assesses the overall quality of the doctoral dissertation. Students must submit an application for the pre-defense two months before the defense. Once the pre-defense is passed, and the Academic Degree Evaluation Subcommittee of the College approves, students may proceed with the formal defense.

To qualify for the final defense, doctoral students must have published:

At least one article as the first author in an SSCI, SCI journal, or core Chinese journals such as Acta Psychologica Sinica, Educational Research, or Social Sciences in China;

Alternatively, they may publish two CSSCI psychology-related journal articles (one of which can have the supervisor as the first author and the student as the second author, with their affiliation listed as Northeast Normal University);

Or they may publish three CSSCI journal articles, with at least one in a psychology-related journal (one of which can have the supervisor as the first author and the student as the second author, with their affiliation listed as Northeast Normal University).

For articles with multiple first authors, the contribution is calculated as 1/N. Articles in Guangming Daily (theory section, over 2000 words) and China Education Daily (theory articles, over 4000 words) are considered equivalent to CSSCI-level papers.

VII. Graduation and Degree Conferral

PhD students who complete the required coursework and obtain the necessary credits within the specified period are eligible for graduation. Those who meet the degree conferral standards of the university and pass the dissertation defense will be awarded a Doctor of Education degree.

School of Psychology

June 27, 2024