Ph.D. students in the Department are required to complete at least 19 credits within the prescribed period of study (excluding the 12 dissertation credits). (Please refer to the Department’s Program Regulations.)

File location: File Download / Ph.D. Program / Regulations and Related Forms for Ph.D. Students.

The credit requirements are as follows:

(I) Common Required Courses: 10 credits

1. Seminar in Psychology (I), (II), (III), and (IV): 4 credits in total.

2. Experimental Design (3 credits) or Research Method in Behavior Science (3 credits).

3. Independent Study: 3 credits.

4. If a student has already completed the required courses listed above, the student may, with the approval of the thesis advisor, take other courses to fulfill the remaining required credits.

(II) Elective Courses: 9 credits

Ph.D. students shall take the following elective courses with the approval of the thesis advisor, and the thesis advisor shall determine the field/category of each course.

1. Methodology courses: at least 2 credits.

2. Specialization-area courses: at least 3 credits.

3. Interdisciplinary courses: at least 2 credits.

4. Advanced Teaching Practicum (I): 1 credit, and Advanced Teaching Practicum (II): 1 credit.

(III) Make-up Course Requirement

Students who have not previously completed the following four courses are required to take them as make-up undergraduate courses in the Department:

• Statistics in Psychology and Education (I) (3 credits)

• Statistics in Psychology and Education (II) (3 credits)

• Methods of Psychological Experiment (I) (3 credits)

• Methods of Psychological Experiment (II) (3 credits)

Students who wish to apply for an exemption from these make-up requirements should submit the application in accordance with regulations after the first day of the semester of admission.

(IV) Teaching Practicum Requirement (Prior to Thesis Submission for Review)

Before submitting the dissertation for review, Ph.D. students are required to complete:

• Teaching Practicum (I) or Teaching Practicum (II) at least two times in total; and

• Advanced Teaching Practicum (I) and Advanced Teaching Practicum (II) at least once each (i.e., at least four courses in total).

(V) Credit Transfer

Credit transfer shall be processed in accordance with University regulations and is subject to approval by the course instructor and the Department Chair.

(VI) University-Level Graduate General Education (Prior to Thesis Submission for Review)

Before submitting the dissertation for review, students must complete the University-required graduate general education requirements, including:

• Academic Ethics: at least 6 hours;

• Chinese and English academic writing competency: at least 1 hour; and

• Communication and presentation competency: at least 1 hour.

(VII) Dissertation Requirement

One doctoral dissertation is required. All Ph.D. students shall complete the dissertation submission and review procedures.

Qualifying Examination (Qualification Review)

Ph.D. students may apply for the Qualifying Examination only after completing the Department-required 19 graduation credits.

1. The Qualifying Examination should, in principle, be completed within three years after enrollment. The maximum period shall not exceed five years, and the application must be submitted within four years after enrollment.

2. The Qualifying Examination consists of a written examination and an oral examination.

3. To apply, students must complete the “Application Form for the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination, Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University” and submit it to the Department Office.

Written Examination

The written examination includes three subjects:

1. Methodology

2. A subject designated by the thesis advisor

3. One elective subject chosen by the student

The oral examination may be conducted only after the written examination has been passed.

Oral Examination

To apply for the oral examination, students must submit:

1. One international conference paper presentation, with supporting documents (e.g., travel record or proof of presentation); and

2. A research proposal.

Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Oral Defense

Students are required to submit the application for the doctoral dissertation proposal oral defense within six years after enrollment.

Ph.D. Degree Examination

(I) Eligibility Requirements

1. The applicant must be a doctoral degree candidate.

2. At least six months must have elapsed since the approval date of the doctoral dissertation proposal oral defense.

3. The applicant must have at least one paper indexed in TSSCI, SSCI, or SCI.

4. The applicant must deliver a public oral presentation of research findings to the Department faculty and students.

(II) English Proficiency Requirement

Applicants must meet the Department’s English proficiency requirement: English proficiency equivalent to CEFR B2 level.

(III) Application Procedure

Applicants must complete the “Application Form for the Ph.D. Degree Examination, Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University” and submit it to the Department Office. The degree examination may be applied for only after the application has been reviewed and approved by the Department. (For details, please refer to the Notes for the Ph.D. Degree Examination.)