Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Doctoral Research Project (Face-to-Face)

PSY 7905-04

Course: PSY 7905-04
Credits: 2
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: PSY
CRN: 30837

Course Description

The Doctoral Research Project is a culminating work of the student's progression as a scientist and scholar, as well as a clinician. The scope of the Doctoral Research Project should demonstrate the student’s ability to synthesize, interpret, and integrate professional and scientific knowledge, skills, values, ethics and competencies derived from program coursework and training experiences. Doctoral Research Projects may include, but are not limited to, basic or applied research projects, program development initiatives, program outcome studies, community needs assessments, consultation projects, health campaigns, support programs for underserved communities, etc.  The Doctoral Research Project begins during the Fall of 3rd year and generally is completed during the 4th year of the program with support from a Faculty Mentor.

Required Texts

There are no required texts for this course.

Learning Outcomes

This course is designed to develop and demonstrate the following APA Profession Wide Competencies (PWCs) as they relate to research and scholarship:
PWC i – Research
  • Demonstrate the ability to independently formulate research questions, design and conduct scholarly projects, collect and analyze data, interpret findings, and disseminate results in alignment with professional and scientific standards.
PWC ii – Ethical & Legal Standards
  • Conduct research in accordance with the APA Ethical Principles, relevant laws, institutional policies, and IRB requirements.
PWC iii – Individual & Cultural Diversity
  • Integrate awareness and knowledge of diversity and cultural considerations into all stages of the research process.
PWC iv – Professional Values, Attitudes, & Behavior
  • Exhibit integrity, accountability, and responsiveness to feedback throughout the research process.
PWC v – Communication & Interpersonal Skills
  • Communicate ideas, methods, and findings clearly in both oral and written formats suitable for diverse audiences.

Course Requirements

Students will register for the course upon identifying their Doctoral Research Project mentor by the end of Summer Year 2. By Fall of their 3rd Year students will be expected to identify and establish their committee members, develop a project plan, complete an appropriate IRB application as needed, and complete their project proposal. The project proposal should be defended by the end of Fall their 3rd Year. In the Spring of their 3rd Years, students should begin any necessary data collection. In Year 4, the final Doctoral Research Project submitted and defended prior to July and internship departure. Once the Doctoral Research Project has been completed, the student will schedule a Project Defense (Doctoral Research Project Final Defense) meeting consisting of the project Chair, and members of the project Committee. The student must be prepared to review their proposed learning objectives, defend the methods they chose for their project, the data collection and analysis process, the conclusions, and the implications of their work. Upon completion of the defense, the committee will excuse the student and consider the project as reviewed. The committee will determine if the project defense is:
● Acceptable,
● Acceptable with Minor Modifications,
● Acceptable with Major Modifications and a Repeat Defense, or
● Unacceptable, requiring Formal Probation and/or recommendation for dismissal from the Program

Course Outline

The Doctoral Research Project is a culminating work of the student's progression as a scientist and scholar, as well as a clinician. Doctoral Research Projects may include, but are not limited to basic or applied research projects, program development initiatives, program outcome studies, community needs assessments, consultation projects, health campaigns, support programs for underserved communities, etc. 

During their 3rd and 4th years of training, students will complete a Doctoral Research Project (USHE Policy R401-3). The project will be scholarly in nature, and will involve appropriate collection and analysis of data for the type of project undertaken, a formalized mentor review of the process and findings, and a professional defense of the project.  Professional dissemination of results to a local, regional, or national audience could result as well.  
The scope of the Doctoral Research Project should demonstrate the student’s ability to synthesize, interpret, and integrate professional and scientific knowledge, skills, values, ethics and competencies derived from program coursework and training experiences. The project should support a student’s “understanding of the value of science for the practice of psychology, and the value of practice for the science of psychology” (APA, 2019, p. 4), and demonstrate a student’s ability to formulate research or other scholarly activities. Examples include, but are not limited to; efficacy studies, program evaluation projects, program development projects, evidence-based community outreach projects, etc. that are of sufficient quality and rigor to have the potential to contribute to the scientific, psychological, or professional knowledge base.

Doctoral Research Project Proposal:
Before work on Doctoral Research Project can begin, students should develop an idea based on a review of the relevant literature and consideration of empirically-identified community, regional, or national needs. From this review, students identify outcome goals for the project, a general pathway for completion, and a plan for dissemination (agency briefing, university forum, conference presentation, publication, etc.). At the end of their 2nd year, they will identify a Doctoral Research Project mentor among the core and/or associate faculty who will be their project chair. With their faculty mentor, students should identify 2 additional faculty members to serve on their Doctoral Research Project Committee. At least one Project Committee member should be a Core Faculty in the Psy.D. Program. Project Committee members from outside the department and/or associated with the community may be appropriate. 

Students will be expected to submit and defend a  Doctoral Research Project Proposal by the end of Fall in their 3rd year. Their project proposal must include: 
● An abbreviated literature review identifying the need and rationale for the project
● Identified goals/outcomes
● Resources needed
● A timeline for completion
● The format of the submission for the project (must include a written submission in APA format) 

Students must allow their committee TWO WEEKS to review their written document before they can schedule an oral defense. The committee will use the following parameters to evaluate the project proposals: 
● Approved as written
● Approved upon completion of identified amendments
● Revise the proposal as recommended and resubmit for review
● Unacceptable proposal

Students who have not successfully defended their proposal by mid-October of their 4th year will not be allowed to apply for predoctoral internship. 
 
Doctoral Research Project Defense:
Students are expected to complete and defend their completed project by the end of their 4th year, prior to departing for internship. The format of the written submission (required) and oral defense should be consistent with what was approved in the initial proposal. 

Roles and Responsibilities

Chair:
  • Provide mentorship, feedback, and guidance.
  • Approve timelines, drafts, and IRB submissions.
  • Ensure the project meets scholarly standards.

Student:
  • Maintain primary responsibility for the project.
  • Communicate regularly and professionally with Chair/Committee.
  • Adhere to ethical research standards.
  • Meet all deadlines.
  • Prepare for proposal and final defenses.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late Work Policy:
Due to the nature of the timeline and the work itself, late submissions will not be accepted. The Doctoral Research Project involves a series of interdependent steps—including faculty and committee review, potential IRB approval, and scheduled proposal or final defenses—which require strict adherence to established deadlines. A delay in one stage can significantly disrupt not only the student’s progress but also the schedules of the Chair, Committee members, and any external agencies involved.

Students are expected to plan ahead, manage time effectively, and communicate proactively with their Chair about any concerns that may impact their ability to meet a deadline. Extensions will only be considered in cases of documented medical emergencies, bereavement, or other extraordinary circumstances, and must be requested before the original deadline. Approval of any extension is at the sole discretion of the Chair, in consultation with the Committee.

Missed deadlines without an approved extension will result in an unsatisfactory progress evaluation for the semester and may trigger a remediation plan or delay the student’s expected graduation timeline.

Attendance Policy

Attendance Policy:
Because the Doctoral Research Project course is designed as an ongoing mentorship and accountability space, consistent attendance is essential for maintaining progress and meeting program deadlines. Students are required to attend all scheduled meetings with their Chair and/or Committee, as well as any class-wide or cohort DRP meetings organized by the program.

Students must attend at least 80% of scheduled meetings each semester to receive a passing grade. Absences will be counted regardless of whether meetings are in-person or virtual. If a student knows they will miss a meeting, they must notify the Chair in advance and arrange for any necessary make-up tasks or updates.

Acceptable reasons for absence include documented illness, medical appointments, bereavement, professional development activities approved by the Chair, and other exceptional circumstances. Missed meetings beyond the 20% allowance, without prior approval, will result in an unsatisfactory progress evaluation for the semester and may require a remediation plan.

Repeated or unexcused absences may lead to a delay in the student’s Doctoral Research Project timeline and could ultimately impact their eligibility for graduation.

Course Fees

There are no course fees associated with this course.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.