Program
The Media Psychology learning model is competency-based and established with the adult learner in mind. The program grants credit in Knowledge Areas (KA's) by evaluating student proficiency as the student progresses from the world of theory, concept and research to the everyday world of practice. The approach represents a scholar/practitioner strategy.

New Student Orientation (NSO)
Upon acceptance, new doctoral students will participate in a four week, online orientation. Two weeks after the completion of the online orientation, new students will attend an in-person 5-day New Student Orientation (NSO) in Santa Barbara, CA. This represents the only mandatory residency requirement of the program. These sessions are held twice a year in Santa Barbara, California.

• Help the student understand all of the mechanics of the program
• Review research and learning resources that the student uses,
• Be sure that new students understand the Fielding learning model
• Introduce the student to his or her entering cohort
• Identify a mentor and prepare an initial learning plan, and
• Welcome the student to the School of Psychology community of scholar/practitioners  

There are many other opportunities for face to face program activities including National and Research Sessions, held twice each year.

Learning Plan
The Learning Plan is your map through the learning process. It reflects your previous academic accomplishments and competencies as well as your current personal, professional and academic goals and objectives.

Knowledge Area Assessments (KA's)
Course descriptions for all Knowledge Areas offered by the School of Psychology can be found here.

• The Assessment Contract
  Students take responsibility for developing and negotiating an assessment contract with a faculty member for each required and elective knowledge area. The assessment contract describes your educational objective within a specified knowledge area, the specific knowledge to be acquired, the methods used to acquire it and a timetable for its completion. Assessment consists of three elements: the Overview, the In-Depth, and the Applied.
  
• Overview
  The overview portion of an assessment demonstrates a broad integrative/evaluative understanding of the major conceptual and research issues in an area. Major theoretical issues or opportunities are central to the overview.
  
• In-depth
  This is a project on a more narrow topic that may be of special interest to you. Preparation for an in-depth project includes current research and contemporary criticism of work.
  
• Applied
  The applied portions of assessment are hands-on projects. You might conduct a small research project, a focus group, and experiential exercise, or design an intervention at work. You may make a presentation, format a paper for publishing, or carry out any applied activity acceptable to the faculty assessor.

How to Join a Cluster
All students are welcome in any or all clusters, and participation is voluntary. Clusters are offered in three formats: online, monthly phone conferences, and physical meetings across the country. Cluster meetings provide an opportunity to stay in touch with your peers, exchange ideas, and learn from experts in the field.

Advancement to Candidacy (ATC)
The status of Advancement to Doctoral Candidacy will be automatically conferred upon students who have achieved the following steps in their doctoral programs:

• Completion of the Learning Plan.
• Approval of the dissertation proposal and all prerequisite requirements of proposal approval.
• Completion of the Comprehensive Assessment and all prerequisite requirements of the Comprehensive Assessment.
• Completion of a minimum of 55 units of academic course credit in the knowledge areas.

Dissertation Overview
With the assistance of a dissertation committee, students complete a dissertation aimed at contributing new knowledge in the field of Media Psychology. The dissertation develops differently for each student during his or her educational program.

Graduation
To graduate, all degree requirements must be met. For a list of degree requirements, please view the current catalog for Media Psychology.

Last Updated: 10/16/07