1. Training Objectives

The Department of Psychology boasts two second-tier doctoral degree authorization points in Social Psychology and Psycholinguistics. The primary research directions in Social Psychology include: (1) Social Cognitive Neuroscience and (2) Personality and Social Psychology. The main research directions in Psycholinguistics encompass: (1) Language Processing (including language comprehension, language production, and language acquisition and development); (2) Language, Culture, and Cognition.

In accordance with the disciplinary characteristics of psychology and the needs of social development, our goal is to cultivate high-level talents with good ideological and political qualities who are committed to constructing an autonomous knowledge system in psychology. These talents should be capable of independently conducting teaching, research, and innovative practices in various fields such as Social Psychology or Psycholinguistics. To achieve this, we aim to foster in students excellent academic integrity and scientific spirit, a solid foundation in psychological science theory and methodology, the ability to pose and solve scientific problems and conduct independent innovative research in psychology, professional insight into human nature and the mind, and innovative practical skills to improve reality using psychological principles, or practical skills to enhance people's language abilities through the application of psychological and linguistic theories. Students should also proficiently use Chinese and English for literature review and professional academic exchanges. Upon graduation, they should be competent for scientific research positions or other professional and managerial roles in psychology at universities, research institutes, government agencies, etc.

2. Training Stages and Basic Requirements

The basic duration of study is 4 years, with a maximum of 8 years. In the first year, students will undertake compulsory and elective courses. Upon passing the assessments, they will proceed to a comprehensive doctoral discipline examination in the second year, followed by a thesis proposal defense in the third year, and preliminary and final thesis defenses in the fourth year.

Publication of Academic Papers: Doctoral students must publish research results related to their thesis topic before applying for defense. Specifically, this includes: Publishing at least two articles as the sole author or first author in important domestic and international journals (refer to the core journal directory of Renmin University of China for specific journals). Articles co-authored by students and their supervisors, with the supervisor as the first author and the student as the second author, and meeting the requirements of the journals as mentioned above, are equivalent to articles authored solely by the student. Among the two research achievements, besides academic journal articles, one can be a think tank report or an unpublished research report that has been adopted or awarded by departments above the provincial and ministerial levels, or received instructions from high officials and national leaders.