Contents
- Introduction ↓
- Objectives ↓
- Nisonger Center: University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UEDD) ↓
- General Requirements ↓
- Coursework ↓
- Field Experience ↓
- Internship ↓
- LEND Fellowship ↓
- Master's Thesis ↓
- Candidacy Examination ↓
- Dissertation ↓
- Advisors ↓
- IDD Program Meetings ↓
- Annual Progress Reviews ↓
- Reasonable Progress ↓
- Committees ↓
- IDD Faculty Members ↓
- Appendix A: IDD Psychology Candidacy Examination ↓
- Appendix B: Example Timeline of Student Activities ↓
- Appendix C: Courses Meeting Licensure Requirements ↓
Introduction
The Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Psychology Graduate Program, which we will also call the “IDD Program,” provides training in psychology practice and scientific research in the area of IDD and leads to a PhD degree in IDD Psychology. The science of psychology applies to individuals with IDD just as to people without disabilities, although IDD psychology is a specialization in its own right. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities includes disorders such as intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, and other related neurodevelopmental disorders that originate during the developmental period.
This manual describes rules and guidelines that apply to all students of the IDD Program. They are not a substitute but an addendum to two other documents, the Graduate School Handbook set forth by the Graduate School of The Ohio State University and the Summary of Rules Concerning Graduate Students in Psychology of the Department of Psychology. Students are expected to be familiar with all three documents.
Objectives
Students who graduate from this program will be well equipped to pursue a career in IDD psychology as a researcher, administrator, or clinician. They will have conducted research presented results at professional conferences, and published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. They will be particularly knowledgeable in diagnosing and treating behavioral health needs of children and adults with IDD. Graduates of this program will be proficient in related areas such as measurement/test development, neuroscience, quantitative methods, and applied developmental interventions. Program graduates will have research skills to extend the boundaries and application of this knowledge and are well positioned for successful scientific clinical psychology careers in the field.
Nisonger Center: University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UEDD)
Much of the student’s work in IDD Psychology will take place in the Nisonger Center, a federally recognized University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), which is part of the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center on the Ohio State University main campus. The Nisonger Center is one of 67 UCEDDs nationwide, which−among other responsibilities−are mandated to conduct applied research and provide interdisciplinary training in intellectual and developmental disabilities. Most IDD Program faculty offices, research space, service programs, and student offices are at the Nisonger Center, which is located in McCampbell Hall at 1581 Dodd Drive. Most IDD courses are offered on the main OSU campus, especially through the Department of Psychology.
General Requirements
The emphasis of the IDD Program is on training in scientific clinical psychology. Therefore, this is a doctoral program where the Master’s of Science degree is earned but is not considered a terminal degree. All students complete a research-based master’s thesis and dissertation. Students take a series of courses in statistics, research methods, psychological assessment and treatment, ethics, and breadth courses. Students also participate in Topics in Developmental Disabilities and complete the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) fellowship training program. Finally, all students engage in practicum and field experiences throughout their training and complete a year-long internship. This manual describes required elements of the IDD psychology program. Students are encouraged to work with their IDD faculty advisor to tailor their training program to their interests and long-term career goals.
Coursework
The following coursework is required for students in the IDD psychology program. Students are expected to complete all coursework before their candidacy exams (end of third year). Exceptions may be considered if students are unable to complete required courses by this time due to scheduling conflicts or required courses not being offered when needed. However, students are expected to consider expected course offering frequency (especially for IDD specific courses) and to choose their schedule in consultation with their advisor to ensure timely course completion.
As course offerings change over time and there are many relevant courses available both inside and outside the psychology department, students may petition the IDD faculty to count coursework not currently on this list to meet their requirements in the areas of (1) biological bases of behavior, (2) social bases of behavior, (3) cognitive-affective bases of behavior, and (4) human development. In this petition, students should include, (1) a copy of the syllabus for the proposed class, and (2) a statement regarding how the class meets the requirements laid out by the National Register regarding foundational coursework areas. The request will be reviewed by the IDD psychology faculty and approved or denied. Approved courses may be considered for addition to the approved coursework list for future students.
Statistics Courses
During the first year, students take a series of two statistics courses: Statistical Methods in Psychology I (Psych 6810) and Statistical Methods in Psychology II (Psych 6811). Students take a third statistics course of their choosing. It is recommended that students take Mediation and Moderation (Psych 6822), Covariance Structure Modeling (Psych 7821), or Analysis of Repeated Measures and Longitudinal Data (Psych 7823), although other options are available and may be a good fit for some students depending on their research interests.
Research Methods
IDD students are required to take Research Design and Methods in Clinical Psychology (Psych 6861). This course entails a discussion of conceptual and methodological issues related to the ongoing work of graduate students and faculty.
Psychological Assessment Courses
The following courses are required of all IDD students: Psych 6863 (Psychometrics) and Psych 7858 (Seminar in the Assessment of Developmental Disabilities).
Biological Bases of Behavior
All students are required to take to take Psych 5613H (Biological Psychiatry). This neuroscience course discusses the neurobiological basis of various psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and major depressive disorder.
Human Development
By definition, individuals with IDD experience atypical development. For the vast majority of individuals, these differences occur in cognitive, social, or language development. Therefore some knowledge of typical development is essential for students specializing in the IDD program. Students are required to take a course in human development from the following list: Psych 7845 (Cognitive Development), Psych 7847 (Language Development), Psych 5832 (Lifespan Sociomoral Development), or Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) 7765 (Advanced Child Development.
History and Systems
Students are required to take Historical Development of Psychology (Psych 6809) or History of Psychology (Psych 5505).
Psychopathology
Emotional and psychiatric disorders are vastly more common in persons with IDD than in the general population. Therefore, future psychologists in the IDD field need a solid grounding in psychopathology. Students are required to take Psych 6853 (Lifespan Developmental Psychopathology I) and Psych 6854 (Lifespan Developmental Psychopathology II).
Social Bases of Behavior
Students are required to take one course in the area of social psychology and may choose to take any one of the following: Psych 6870 (Basic Principles of Social Psychology), Psych 7871 (Social Cognition), Psych 7872 (Social Motivation), or Psych 7873 (Attitudes and Persuasion).
Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior
Students are required to take one course in the area of cognitive psychology and may choose to take any one of the following: Psych 7847 (Language Development), Psych 7845 (Cognitive Development), Psych 5089 (Cognitive Aging, Neurodegeneration, and Neuroplasticity), Psych 5614 (Cognitive Neuroscience), or Psych 7708 (Psychology of Judgement and Decision Making).
IDD-Specific Courses
The IDD faculty members teach a number of courses specific to developmental disabilities. The following courses are required for all students in the IDD Program:
- Ethics and Professional Issues in Psychology (Psych 6850)
This course is designed to address ethical principles and dilemmas encountered in professional practice and research. Topics addressed include professional competence, human relations, privacy and confidentiality, advertising and other public statements, record keeping and fees, education and training, research and publication, assessment, and therapy. The course elicits discussion and debate on ethical principles and case examples will be drawn from the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities. Contact: Susan Havercamp, PhD.
- Developmental Disabilities: An Interdisciplinary Perspective (Psych 7717)
This course is designed to provide students with a background in developmental disabilities across the life span from a variety of perspectives and disciplines. Participants are introduced to pertinent philosophical, ethical, legal, and practice issues concerning individuals with developmental disabilities. Contact: Luc Lecavalier, PhD.
- Autism Spectrum Disorders (Psych 7718)
The goal of this course is to teach the analytical skills necessary to comprehend and formulate an interdisciplinary framework relating to major scientific and theoretical perspectives in autism spectrum disorders. Contact: Paula Rabidoux, PhD.
- Seminar in the Assessment of Developmental Disabilities (Psych 7858)
The speakers present general information on widely-used measures in the field of intellectual disability covering the following areas: cognitive development, adaptive behavior, achievement, autism spectrum disorder, rating scales, language assessment, and disorders seen in IDD. Contact: Luc Lecavalier, PhD.
- Empirically-supported treatments for people with DD (Psych 5652)
This course focuses on the basic principles and procedures of applied behavior analysis, cognitive behavioral therapies, developmental interventions, and other evidence-based interventions commonly used for people with IDD. It also discusses how to select and monitor efficacy of interventions for both skill development and amelioration of behavioral and mental health problems in this population. Contact: Katie Walton, PhD.
- Topics in Developmental Disabilities (Psych 7899)
The purpose of this course is to provide IDD students with an overview of applied research and policy initiatives conducted by OSU-affiliated faculty and visiting scholars in the field. The goals of this course are for students to think critically about contemporary research and policy work in their field and to engage professionally with investigators. IDD students are expected to register for and participate in this course for a minimum of 6 semesters. Contact Katie Walton, PhD, or Luc Lecavalier, PhD
Required Coursework Summary
- Statistical Methods in Psychology I (PSYCH 6810)
- Statistical Methods in Psychology II (PSYCH 6811)
- Research Design and Methods in Clinical Psychology (PSYCH 6861)
- Psychometrics (PSYCH 6863)
- One additional statistics course from the list below (2 if completing Quantitative Psychology Concentration)
- Introduction to Bayesian Statistics for Psychological Data (PSYCH 6820)
- Statistical Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional Process Analysis (PSYCH 6822)
- Fundamentals of Factor Analysis (PSYCH 7820)
- Covariance Structure Models (PSYCH 7821)
- Fundamentals of Item Response Theory (PSYCH 7822)
- Analysis of Repeated Measures and Longitudinal Data (PSYCH 7823)
- Historical Developmental of Psychology (PSYCH 6809 or PSYCH 5505)
- Lifespan Developmental Psychopathology I (PSYCH 6853)
- Lifespan Developmental Psychopathology II (PSYCH 6854)
- One course in Biological Bases of Behavior
- Psychobiology (PSYCH 5613H)
- One course in Human Development
- Lifespan Sociomoral Development (PSYCH 5832)
- Language Development (PSYCH 7847)
- Cognitive Development (PSYCH 7845)
- Advanced Child Development (HDFS 7765)
- Attachment Across the Lifespan (PSYCH 7695)
- One course in Social Bases of Behavior
- Basic Principles of Social Psychology (PSYCH 6870)
- Social Cognition (PSYCH 7871)
- Social Motivation (PSYCH 7872)
- Attitudes and Persuasion (PSYCH 7873)
- One course in Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior
- Language Development (PSYCH 7847)
- Cognitive Development (PSYCH 7845)
- Cognitive Aging, Neurodegeneration, and Neuroplasticity (PSYCH 5089)
- Cognitive Neuroscience (PSYCH 5614)
- Psychology and Judgement and Decision Making (PSYCH 7708)
- Ethics and Professional Issues in Psychology of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (PSYCH 6850)
- Seminar in the Assessment of Developmental Disabilities (PSYCH 7858)
- Empirically Supported Treatments for Children with Developmental Disabilities (PSYCH 6652)
- Developmental Disabilities: an Interdisciplinary Perspective (PSYCH 7717)
- Autism Spectrum Disorders (PSYCH 7718)
- Topics in Developmental Disabilities (PSYCH 7899)—biweekly speaker series repeated up to 6 semesters
- Practicum I/DD Psychology (PSYCH 7840) OR Supervised Field Experience in Psychology (PSYCH 7189) (Total of 18 credit hours)
- Internship in Intellectual and Developmental Disability Psychology (PSYCH 8192)
6193 individual studies credit and optional course work is to be discussed with the student’s advisor.
Field Experience
A total of 18 Psych 7840 (Practicum I/DD Psychology) or Psych 7189 (Supervised Field Experience in Psychology) credit hours of field work are required (offered at Nisonger Center, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, or elsewhere Generally speaking, 3 credit hours equate to about one full day of clinical work per week.
Introductory Practicum (2nd Year)
All students complete their introductory practicum placement in the Nisonger Center LEND diagnostic clinics, including Interdisciplinary Developmental Clinic, School-Age Autism and Developmental Clinic, and Transition Clinic. Students in these clinics receive direct training and supervision in clinical interviewing, administration and interpretation and psychological and developmental tests (e.g., Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2nd Edition, Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Mullen Scales of Early Learning, Child and Adult Wechsler Intelligence Scales, variety of parent- and teacher-report behavioral and emotional checklists, etc.), delivering feedback to families regarding diagnosis, interdisciplinary teaming, and integrated report writing.
Advanced Practicum Placements (3rd-5th Year)
Students complete advanced practicum placements during their 3rd and 4th years in the program, with some students continuing in practicum during their 5th year (if they are not yet on internship). Advanced practicum placements are designed to build students’ clinical skills in a variety of areas of assessment and intervention with IDD populations. Students have opportunities to work with both child and adult populations in different placements. The program has established connections with a variety of practicum placements inside and outside of the Nisonger Center and is continually looking to expand our practicum options. If student are interested in pursuing a new externship placement, they are encouraged to work with IDD faculty and the new site to determine whether the activities and supervision at this site are suitable. Advanced practicum students are typically expected to spend about 20 hours/week in their practicum placement, including a minimum of 5 hours/week of direct client contact. Some students completing less intensive placements may choose to work with more than one practicum site simultaneously. All practicum placements are overseen by supervised licensed clinical psychologists. In some placements, students may also receive a portion of their supervision from other licensed professionals such as social workers or board certified behavior analysts.
In December/January, the IDD faculty will reach out to training contacts at advanced practicum sites to determine how many students the sites are able to accommodate for the coming year. The potentially available placements will then be communicated to students needing advanced practicum placements by the end of January (for placements the following fall). Students are responsible for contacting sites, arranging interviews, and securing advanced practicum placements.
Recent Advanced Practicum Placements Include:
- Nationwide Children’s Hospital Child Development Center
- Nationwide Children’s Hospital Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Haugland Learning Center
- I am Boundless, Inc.
- Nisonger Early Learning Program
- Nisonger Social Programs
Of the 18 credit hours required, the IDD Program strongly recommends that at least one-third be of an interdisciplinary nature. Interdisciplinary refers to work supervised by a licensed psychologist but with exposure to other professional disciplines.
Internship
All students are required to complete 1,800 internship hours in an applied setting serving children or adults with IDD (Psych 8192: Internship in Intellectual and Developmental Disability Psychology). Students work together with IDD faculty to identify appropriate internship placements.
Currently, students in the IDD Psychology program are not eligible to enter the APPIC internship match. Therefore, we support students in arranging internships with a variety of high-quality community sites serving children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, both in Columbus and around the country.
Internships for our students:
- Take place in clinical programs serving children and/or adults with IDD
- May include a combination of assessment, therapy, and some research activities
- Include increasingly advanced and independent practice activities, with greater breadth and depth than those experienced during practicum
- Include supervision from licensed psychologists such that students are likely to meet requirements for licensure in the state of Ohio
- Are either one year, full-time placements or two year, half-time placements
- Are typically paid and include benefits (e.g., insurance)
Recent students (within the last 10 years) have completed internship placements with:
- Nisonger Center Behavior Support Services (two year, half-time) (Columbus, OH)
- Nationwide Children’s Hospital Child Development Center (Columbus, OH)
- Nationwide Children’s Hospital Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (Columbus, OH)
- Haugland Learning Center (Columbus, OH)
- I Am Boundless (Columbus, OH)
- Kennedy Krieger Institute (Baltimore, MD)
Students should work together with their advisor and Dr. Andrea Witwer, Director of Training, in the year prior to their internship placement to identify and apply to internships at appropriate sties.
LEND Fellowship
In addition to their coursework and fieldwork, IDD Psychology students will all complete LEND fellowship training as a part of their graduate work. The purpose of the LEND Program is to develop leaders who are skilled in their own disciplines and have learned skills and competencies promoted by Maternal and Child Health Program. Graduates of the LEND program demonstrate the ability to work with colleagues in interdisciplinary systems of health care which are comprehensive, coordinated, family-centered and culturally sensitive. They anticipate, manage and guide change in knowledge and health care systems to advance and improve the lives of individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families.
Psychology trainees will be expected to complete the LEND training requirements over the course of their graduate career with the majority of the training completed in the first two years. This includes:
- Attending a weekly leadership seminar (Year 1),
- Participation in leadership projects (Year 1)
- Family/community experiences (Completed across Years 1 and 2)
- Service learning (Completed across Years 1 and 2)
- Rotation through LEND interdisciplinary training clinics (Year 2). This first field placement described above.
Master's Thesis
Students are required to complete a master’s thesis on a topic generally related to applied psychological issues in IDD. Prior to completing work on the thesis, the student must submit a formal research proposal to faculty members of his or her committee. The M.S. proposal should consist of a brief overview of the relevant literature, a detailed method section in which the proposed experimental design is described, and a discussion of the study hypotheses and the data analyses that will be used.
Timeline
The student’s master’s thesis proposal is expected to be submitted to the committee by the beginning of the second year. It is expected that the Master's thesis will be completed before the start of the student's third calendar year in the Program (i.e., end of the summer semester of the student’s second year).
Committee
The Master's Examination Committee comprises three faculty members. At least two of the three, including the student's advisor, who acts as the chairperson, must hold graduate faculty rank in Psychology. At least one must be a member of the IDD Program Faculty. One committee member does not have to be from the Department of Psychology, but must hold graduate faculty rank (“M” or “P” status). Students are expected to turn in a complete draft of their thesis to committee members at least 2 weeks before the examination.
Defense
A two-hour Master’s thesis defense will be held, during which the student will present a twenty minute summary of their thesis, followed by questions from committee members. Students are strongly encouraged to publish their research findings. Semester-specific deadlines for completion of the defense and submission of the final document can be found at: https://gradsch.osu.edu/calendar/graduation.
Application to Graduate
A student must submit an application to graduate no later than the third Friday of the semester (or third Friday of summer term) in which graduation is expected. Students must submit an application to graduate when they complete their master’s, even though they intend to continue to the PhD. Applications must be submitted through GRADFORMS at http://gradforms.osu.edu. The application is valid only for the term submitted; if the student decides to delay graduation, they must submit a new application to graduate in the appropriate semester. If a student is unsure whether they will complete their thesis during the term, they should submit an application to graduate; the application can be canceled without penalty if the student later decides not to graduate in that semester. Additional information about submitting your application to graduate can be found here.
Submission of Thesis Document
Following the defense, students must submit their final approved thesis document to the graduate school by 8:00am on the day of the deadline listed by the graduate school for that semester. Details about how to prepare and submit the thesis document can be found here. Templates and instructions for document preparation can be found here.
Original Data Collection
Students are required to collect data for at least one research project (either the Master’s thesis or the Dissertation).
Students Entering the IDD psychology program with a Completed Master’s Degree
A student who enters the Program with an empirically-based Master's thesis completed in a Master's degree program in psychology or a closely-related discipline can ask for exemption for conducting a thesis at Ohio State. An IDD psychology faculty subcommittee will review the student's thesis to determine whether the research project is commensurate with theses conducted in our program. Typically, the student will be required to form a master’s committee and complete a defense of the previously completed thesis. A non-empirical Master's thesis does not exempt a student from the obligation to conduct an empirical thesis at OSU. Entering the program with a master’s degree may or may not speed a student’s total time to degree completion, given other program requirements (i.e., coursework, practicum, internship).
Candidacy Examination
The Candidacy Examination is required by the Graduate School in order for a student to be advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. The Candidacy Examination is a broad test of the student's knowledge in the field. It is designed to prove that the student has achieved a level of scholarship necessary to conduct and evaluate research. Students have two options for completion of the candidacy exam: a review paper option or an exam option. Regardless of the option chosen, the written exam is followed by a two-hour oral examination that may include the materials from the written portion, as well and questions in other substantive areas within psychology.
Written Portion
For the written section of the Candidacy Examination, the student has two options, the review-paper option, or the essay option.
Review option
For the review paper option, two comprehensive reviews must be prepared that integrate a relevant area of the literature. In scope, format, and style the papers should be similar to articles in Psychological Bulletin or Psychological Review. Ideally, one paper must addresses a theoretical topic (e.g., on etiological theories or methodological issues), and the other addresses an applied topic (e.g., assessment, treatment). The purpose is to conceptualize the current situation of a given research area used for IDD psychology. Manuscripts should have between 30 and 50 pages of text (including references, tables, and figures), and must be prepared in APA format.
Under the guidance of the advisor, the candidate prepares several alternative topics for review papers. The Candidacy Committee meets with the candidate to approve the two topics of choice. Between the time of topic assignment by the Committee and submission of the papers, at least three but no more than 12 months should have passed.
Essay option
The essay-type option consists of written answers to eight questions, which are based on a comprehensive program-wide reading list developed by IDD faculty. The selection procedure for questions for the examination is described in more detail in Appendix A.
Oral Portion
The oral section is conducted by the student's examination committee and is chaired by the advisor. Following submission of the written document, a two hour oral examination will be held. The student should be prepared to discuss the materials from the written portion and, in addition, should be prepared to respond to questions in other substantive areas within psychology. The examination committee may include department members from outside the IDD Program.
Committee
Preparation for the Candidacy Examination begins with a meeting between the candidate and his or her Candidacy Examination Committee to discuss content and format of the exam. The Candidacy Examination Committee comprises at least four faculty members, including the student’s advisor. At least two must hold at least “P” status in the Department of Psychology and at least two members must be from the IDD area.
Evaluation
The student’s candidacy examination is graded on a pass/fail basis, and the candidacy committee also makes a formal recommendation regarding the student’s admission to continue to the PhD degree.
Timeline
Students are expected to complete their candidacy exam by the end of their third year in the program.
Dissertation
Students are required to complete a dissertation on a topic generally related to applied psychological issues in IDD. The research proposal must be formally approved by the student’s dissertation committee before data collection can begin. Following approval of the proposal, students collect data and complete their dissertation document, which they present and defend in front of their committee.
Research Proposal
The research proposal must be formally approved by the student’s Dissertation Committee before data collection can begin. Students are required to collect data for at least one research project (either the Master’s thesis or the Dissertation). The dissertation topic will generally be related to psychological issues in IDD. The dissertation proposal should include a review of the relevant literature, a statement of hypotheses and rationale, a detailed method section, and a data analysis section. Obviously, the total length of the proposal can vary depending on the study, but most are between 20 and 30 pages (double spaced), not including references and appendices. A proposal meeting is then held with the student and his or her committee. The committee has to formally approve the dissertation as outlined in the dissertation proposal. Significant changes from the initial proposal (e.g., changes in design or sample size) must be approved by members of the committee.
Timeline
Students are expected to complete their dissertation within two years of passing their candidacy examinations. Per graduate school rules, students must complete their dissertation within 5 years of passing the candidacy exam, or their doctoral candidacy will be cancelled (https://gradsch.osu.edu/handbook/7-7-doctoral-candidacy).
Committee
The Dissertation Committee is composed of the student’s advisor, who must be a Status P faculty member, and at least two other Graduate Faculty members who must have graduate faculty rank (either Status P or M), and a faculty member representing the Graduate School (this member is assigned by the graduate school). A minimum of three members of this committee must be from the Department of Psychology, and at least two of the three must be from the IDD psychology area. There is no upper limit to the number of committee members.
Defense
The dissertation defense involves (1) approval of the written document by the committee, and (2) an oral defense of the document, which typically lasts approximately 2 hours (a 20-minute presentation followed by question-and-answer period).
Committee members must be in possession of the document for a minimum of two weeks before they can approve it. Students are to obtain document approval from each Committee member (as indicated by the signature of each Committee member on the University form provided for that purpose). Should any committee member judge the document to be inadequate, s/he may make suggestions for change to the document. Once the document is approved by all committee members, the defense can be scheduled. This typically happens approximately 2 weeks later. In other words, students should plan to submit their document to committee a minimum of 4 weeks before they hope to defend.
During the defense, students should be prepared to give a 20-minute presentation on their dissertation before the question period.
Semester-specific deadlines for completion of the defense and submission of the final document can be found here. A format check of the written document is required and must be completed at least two weeks prior to the oral defense.
Students are strongly encouraged to publish their research findings.
Application to Graduate
A student must submit an application to graduate no later than the third Friday of the semester (or third Friday of summer term) in which graduation is expected. Students must submit an application to graduate when they complete their master’s, even though they intend to continue to the PhD. Applications must be submitted through GRADFORMS at http://gradforms.osu.edu. The application if valid only for the term submitted; if the student decides to delay graduation, they must submit a new application to graduate in the appropriate semester. If a student is unsure whether they will complete their thesis during the term, they should submit an application to graduate; the application can be canceled without penalty if the student later decides not to graduate in that semester. Additional information about submitting your application to graduate can be found at: https://gradsch.osu.edu/handbook/7-12-doctoral-application-to-graduate-phd.
Submission of Dissertation Document
Following the defense, students must submit their final approved dissertation document to the graduate school by 8:00am on the day of the deadline listed by the graduate school for that semester. Details about how to prepare and submit the document can be found here. Templates and instructions for document preparation can be found here.
Original Data Collection
Students are required to collect data for at least one research project (either the Master’s thesis or the Dissertation).
Advisors
Linking a student with a faculty advisor is normally an informal process of mutual agreement between a student and faculty member. To balance advisor responsibilities among the IDD Program Faculty, the student's choice must be approved by the IDD Program Area Coordinator. In addition to serving as mentor to the student, the primary advisor helps to monitor the student’s progress throughout the Program and gives the student casual and formal progress evaluations.
Ordinarily, students remain with the same advisors for the entire program. However, shifting interests or other circumstances may make a change desirable. Ordinarily, this is best arranged either at the end of the first academic year, or following completion of the Master's thesis or Candidacy Examination. A student who wishes to change advisors should consult with the Program Coordinator.
IDD Program Meetings
The IDD Program Faculty and one IDD graduate student representative typically meets once a semester to discuss matters related to the Program. A student representative is selected by IDD graduate students at the beginning of each Autumn semester to represent student concerns at the IDD Program meetings and to serve as a liaison between graduate students and faculty.
Annual Progress Reviews
Students are expected to meet all requirements for the Ph.D. in Psychology in six years. An annual student review is completed to monitor student's progress. Once a year (usually at the end of spring semester), students in the Program are formally evaluated by the Program Faculty. Before the evaluation meeting, students complete a Psychology Department web-based Student Activity Report, which covers achievements over the last year. This tracks their progress in courses, research, and field experiences. Each student will receive a letter summarizing the overall evaluation of her or his progress. A copy of this letter is placed in the student's folder at the Program Coordinator's office. Normally, only the student, his/her advisor, and the Program Coordinator have access to this evaluation.
As part of the evaluation, the faculty will determine a student's status as either satisfactory or non-satisfactory. A satisfactory status is characterized by:
- reasonable progress toward a degree (see below);
- good standing with the Graduate School (OSU Graduate Handbook, 7-1);
- regular meetings with his or her advisor (i.e., at least three meetings per Semester and no fewer than ten meetings per academic year); and
- proper enrollment in courses (see OSU Graduate Handbook on Residence).
A student who fails to meet these conditions will have a “non-satisfactory status” in the IDD Program. Being in non-satisfactory status requires that the student must meet certain requirements laid out by the program, and/or meet with a committee of the IDD Program to reestablish satisfactory status. Until they do, they cannot defend a Master's thesis, take the Candidacy Examination, or establish an official thesis or dissertation committee.
Reasonable Progress
Reasonable progress in the IDD Program means that a student:
- completes the master's degree before the end of the 2nd year (summer term);
- passes the Candidacy Examination at the end of the 3rd year (summer term); and
- completes the dissertation and the Final Oral Examination (i.e., the dissertation defense) by the end of the 6th year.
If a student fails to show reasonable progress, he or she will be sent a lack-of-progress letter, which will specify the terms and conditions to be met by the student to return to good standing. A student who does not maintain reasonable progress toward a degree may be denied further registration in that program (see OSU Graduate Handbook, 7-1).
A student has the right to appeal any performance evaluation and resulting action by the faculty following grievance procedures outlined in the Department of Psychology Graduate Program Handbook.
Committees
Membership of IDD Program Faculty in a student's Master's Examination Committee, Candidacy Examination Committee, and Dissertation Committee must be approved by the IDD Program Coordinator.
Master's Examination Committee
The Master's Examination Committee comprises three faculty members. At least two of the three, including the student's advisor, who acts as the chairperson, must hold graduate faculty rank in Psychology. At least one must be a member of the IDD Program Faculty. One committee member does not have to be from the Psychology Department, but must hold graduate faculty rank (M status). Students are expected to turn in a complete draft of their thesis to committee members at least 2 weeks before the examination. A two-hour Master’s thesis defense will be held, during which the student will present a twenty minute summary of their thesis and respond to questions from the committee.
Candidacy Examination Committee
Before taking the Candidacy Examination, students must form their committee. The Candidacy Examination Committee is composed of at least four Graduate Faculty members, including the student's advisor. A minimum of three members must hold at least P status in the Department of Psychology and at least two members must be from the IDD area.
Approval to retake a failed Candidacy Examination requires the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the IDD Program Faculty. Students are allowed to retake the Candidacy Examination once. The graduate school will appoint a Graduate Faculty Representative to serve on the committee for the second oral exam.
With the review paper option, students are expected to turn in a complete draft of their written documents at least 2 weeks before the examination. They should be prepared to give a 20-minute presentation on their papers before the question period.
Dissertation Committee
The Dissertation Committee is composed of the advisor, who must be a Status P faculty member, and at least two other Graduate Faculty members who must have graduate faculty rank (either Status P or M).
A minimum of three members of this committee must be from the Department of Psychology.
IDD Faculty Members
Susan M. Havercamp
Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry
Ph.D., The Ohio State University
Graduate School Status: P
Address: Nisonger Center, 371L McCampbell Hall, 1581 Dodd Drive, Columbus, OH 43210-1296
Phone: (614) 685-8724
Fax: (614) 366-6373
E-mail: susan.havercamp@osumc.edu
Research & Clinical Interests:
- Self-report assessment of behavioral health problems in adults with intellectual disability.
- Health and mental health surveillance
- Health equity for people who have disabilities and other marginalized identities
- Disability training for interprofessional health care providers
Relation to IDD Program: Director - Health Promotion/Healthcare Parity, Director – Nisonger Behavior Support Services, teach Ethics and Professional Issues in Psychology (Psych 6850).
Luc Lecavalier
Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry
Ph.D., Université du Québec à Montréal
Graduate School Status: P
Address: Room 371, Nisonger Center, Ohio State University, 1581 Dodd Drive, Columbus, OH 43210-1296
Phone: (614) 685-8722
Fax: (614) 366-6373
E-Mail: luc.lecavalier@osumc.edu
Research & Clinical Interests:
- Diagnosis and measurement of behavior/psychiatric problems in children with ID or ASD
- Interventions for children with ID or ASD
- Anxiety, Behavioral Inflexibility, and sleep in ASD
Relation to IDD Program: Program Coordinator; Teaching of Seminar in the Assessment of Developmental Disabilities (Psych 7858); Teaching of Developmental Disabilities: An Interdisciplinary Perspective (Psych 7717); Co-Teaching of Topics in Developmental Disabilities (Psych 7899)
Marc J. Tassé
Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry
Ph.D., Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada
Graduate School Status: P
Address: Nisonger Center, 357B McCampbell Hall, 1581 Dodd Drive, Columbus, OH 43210
Phone: (614) 685-3193
Fax: (614) 366-6373
E-mail: marc.tasse@osumc.edu
Research & Clinical Interests:
- Intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
- Co-occurrence of ID or ASD and psychiatric disorders or problem behaviors
- Adaptive behavior, supports needs, test/scale development, psychometrics
- Assessment and diagnostic issues related to ID
- Issues related to diagnosing intellectual disability in a forensic context
Relation to IDD Program: Director - Nisonger Center, teaching of Developmental Disabilities: An Interdisciplinary Perspective (Psych 5718).
Katherine M. Walton
Associate Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry
Ph.D., Michigan State University
Graduate School Status: P
Address: Nisonger Center, 371F McCampbell Hall, 1581 Dodd Dr., Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
Phone:
Fax: (614) 366-6373
E-mail: katherine.walton@osumc.edu
Research & Clinical Interests:
- Effectiveness and implementation of early intervention programs for children with ASD, including programs involving family members
- Early social-communication development in children with ASD
- Stress and mental health in family members of children with disabilities
- Stakeholder involvement and collaboration in research
Relation to IDD Program: Program Director—Early Learning Program, teaching of Empirically Supported Treatments (Psych 6652); Co-Teaching of Topics in Developmental Disabilities (Psych 7899)
Andrea N. Witwer
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Psychology
Ph.D., The Ohio State University
Graduate School Status: M
Address: Nisonger Center, 371 McCampbell Hall, 1581 Dodd Dr., Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
Phone: (614) 685-8721
Fax: (614) 366-6373
E-mail: andrea.witwer@osumc.edu
Research & Clinical Interests:
- Assessment, presentation, and treatment of emotional and behavioral problems in ASD and other DD
- Early Diagnostic Screening for ASD and other DD: instrument validation, and application of screening models in communities
- Impact of opioid use disorder/parental drug use on young children
Relation to IDD Program: supervising psychologist for practicum, team teaching, LEND faculty advisor.
Appendix A: IDD Psychology Candidacy Examination
Procedures for the Written Portion of the Essay Format
The Candidacy Examination is a test of the student's comprehension of the field, of allied fields of study, of the ability to undertake independent research, and of the abilities to think and express ideas clearly. The essay format of the Candidacy Examination requires the candidate answer in writing a total of eight (8) out of twelve (12) questions.
The written examination is conducted in four 3-hour blocks within three consecutive days. Typically the sessions are held on the first and the third day, with one session each day in the morning, and the other one in the afternoon. The written examination is typically administered at the Nisonger Center. This exam is “closed-book.” Candidates are not permitted to bring notes or references into the exam room. Candidates will be stationed at a computer that does not have Internet access.
During each three-hour block, the candidate will receive three written questions. Of these, two must be answered. Questions will address the following content areas:
- Diagnosis/phenomenology of developmental disabilities
- Psychological assessment (tools, methods, interpretation, etc.)
- Empirically supported treatments
- Research methods and statistics
- IDD policy and related laws
- Health of people with IDD and interface with psychological and developmental conditions
- Assessment and treatment of psychopathology in people with IDD
Immediately following each three-hour examination session, the candidate submits the file to the faculty member supervising the exam. Committee members will review and approve written responses before the oral defense can be scheduled, typically two weeks later.
Appendix B: Example Timeline of Student Activities
Year 1 Autumn
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 1 Spring
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 1 Summer
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 2 Autumn
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 2 Spring
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 2 Summer
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 3 Autumn
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 3 Spring
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 3 Summer
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 4 Autumn
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 4 Spring
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 4 Summer
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 5 Autumn
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 5 Spring
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 5 Summer
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 6 Autumn
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Year 6 Spring
| Coursework | Other Activities |
|---|---|
|
|
Appendix C: Courses Meeting Psychology Licensure Requirements
| Program Foundational Area | Courses that Satisfy this Foundational Area |
|---|---|
| Scientific and Professional Ethics & Standards |
|
| Research Design and Methodology |
|
| Statistics |
|
| Psychometric Theory |
|
| Biological Bases of Behavior |
|
| Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior | Any of the following courses:
|
| Social Bases of Behavior | Any of the following courses:
|
| Individual Differences |
|