Ph.D. in Psychology
The PhD Program is designed to train all students in the fundamental areas of Psychology. The department extends this training with five concentrations in:
Health Psychology
Students with a Health Psychology concentration have an opportunity to conduct research in areas such as health disparities; public health interventions; adaptation to chronic illness or disability; judgment and decision making; risk-taking; smoking prevention and cessation; alcohol use disorders; and underage drinking and driving.
Legal Psychology
Students with a Legal Psychology concentration have an opportunity to conduct research in areas such as juvenile offending; risk-taking and problem behaviors in adolescents; offenders with mental disorders; stigma; and legal decision-making by attorneys and jurors.
Social-Cultural Psychology
Students with a Social-Cultural Psychology concentration have an opportunity to conduct research in areas such as stereotyping, discrimination, cross-cultural psychology, multi-culturalism, and social neuroscience.
Behavioral Neuroscience
Students with a Behavioral Neuroscience concentration have an opportunity to conduct research in areas such as addiction, drugs of abuse, behavioral regulation, and neurobiology of mood-related illness.
Bilingualism, Language and Cognition
Students with a Bilingualism, Language, and Cognition Concentration have an opportunity to conduct research in areas such as bilingual memory and multilingual language processing. Ph.D. candidates are required to complete 78 semester hours.
Yearly Evaluations and Satisfactory Progress
Students are expected to make satisfactory progress toward their degree. Faculty will provide all students with annual written evaluations and feedback. Failure to make satisfactory progress toward one’s degree can result in dismissal from the program.
Department of Psychology Evaluation of Advancement to Dissertation
Students must apply for Department of Psychology Evaluation of Advancement to Dissertation. This can be done once students complete
- statistics and research method courses,
- breadth courses,
- first-year research, and
- thesis research requirements.
Maximum Time for Completion of the Ph.D. Degree
Students in the Ph.D. program in Psychology must complete all requirements for a Ph.D. within one eight-year period. The eight-year period begins with the term of the first course listed on the student's degree plan. Use of advanced standing will proportionately decrease this time.
Ph.D. Oral Examinations
A dissertation proposal must be defended orally before the student's committee prior to the student’s collecting data. In addition, students must make a public presentation of their dissertation and successfully defend their dissertation during a final oral examination conducted by the dissertation committee. The final oral examination can include committee examination on any appropriate material.
A copy of the dissertation in PDF or Word electronic format must be submitted to the Graduate School for format check prior to the scheduled defense date. The dissertation, including an abstract not to exceed 350 words, must be prepared according to the Graduate School’s thesis and dissertation guidelines available at the Graduate School Web site. The student will receive an email confirmation from the Graduate School after the format has been approved. The final Graduate School approved dissertation must be submitted to the Graduate School in PDF electronic format by the deadline as published in the Class Schedule, along with a hard copy of the signature page with original signatures of the dissertation committee members. Information on submission procedures can be found on the Graduate School website. The signature page must be included in the PDF file but it should not be signed.
Department of Psychology Academic Policies
Departmental Academic Standards
In addition to the University requirement that all students admitted into graduate programs must maintain an overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in all upper-division and graduate courses, the Department of Psychology requires in all graduate programs students who attempt a course or courses and receive two grades of C or lower in Psychology courses be dismissed from the program. Students who earn a grade of C or lower in a course must retake the course the next time it is offered and earn a grade of B or better.
Transfer Students with Graduate Credit
Students accepted into the Ph.D. program with graduate credit from The University of Texas at El Paso (including the Psychology Department) or from another university must satisfy the same requirements as those beginning their Ph.D. graduate training in Psychology at UTEP without previously earned graduate credits. The student can petition the Graduate Program Committee to accept a maximum of 24 hours of graduate credit (excluding thesis hours) completed at UTEP or at another institution. Approved credits will appear as Advanced Standing Credit on the Preliminary Plan of Study. Students who have taken PSYC 5301 (Research Applications) from UTEP prior to admission to the Ph.D. program can request that a maximum of three (3) credit hours for this course be included in the 24 hours that can be counted toward their Ph.D. degree, as long as those hours were not used to meet requirements for a previous or separate degree. A doctoral student who wishes to apply more than six (6) transfer credits toward a master's degree at UTEP must obtain prior approval from the department's Graduate Program Director.
The student must make a written request to the Graduate Program Director for Advanced Standing Credit. It is the student’s responsibility to provide all evidence and material necessary for the Graduate Program Director to review the request. Advanced Standing Credits are subject to final approval from the Graduate School. Transfer students can be considered for Department of Psychology Evaluation of Advancement to Dissertation only after they complete two academic semesters and all relevant requirements.
General Requirements for Graduate Programs
Admissions Requirements
Because all of our graduate programs focus on research and require extensive one-on-one contact between faculty and student, we can accept only a limited number of students each year. Admission is competitive, and admission recommendations are made by a committee that carefully reviews each applicant’s academic history, performance, and interests. To be admitted, one must have a bachelor’s degree (or the equivalent for non-U.S. students) from an accredited university. Students who are still working on their bachelor’s degree and who will complete it before starting graduate work are given full consideration. Individuals who do not have a degree in Psychology are also given full consideration, but admission might be conditional on the student’s satisfactorily completing a few undergraduate Psychology courses.
We accept students once a year. Check the Graduate School Degrees, Programs, and Deadlines page for application deadlines.
If you are interested in applying, please submit the following materials to the UTEP graduate school application portal:
- A UTEP graduate school application (an online application can be found at the graduate school’s Web page).
- Transcripts according to the requirements of the Graduate School.
- Official GRE scores optional.
- A two- to three-page personal statement outlining experiences, skill, and training. In addition, the applicant should state his or her career goals and how this specific program will benefit professional development.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- Virtual and in-person interview required.
- Applicants from countries where English is not the first language are required to demonstrate English proficiency. Please consult the graduate school website for required scores.
Before being admitted into any graduate program, either MA or Ph.D., the applicant’s undergraduate preparation must include a course in Psychological Statistics and 12 hours of upper-division courses in Psychology, including a course in Experimental Psychology.
Degree Plan
Ph.D. in Psychology with Concentration in Health Psychology
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses: | ||
| PSYC 6307 | Appl Correlation & Regres Meth | 3 |
| PSYC 6308 | Experimentl Design/Anal of Var | 3 |
| PSYC 6334 | Foundations of Research | 3 |
| PSYC 6380 | First Year Research | 3 |
| PSYC 6381 | First Year Research | 3 |
| PSYC 6385 | Research Applications | 3 |
| PSYC 5395 | Thesis | 3 |
| PSYC 5396 | Thesis | 3 |
| PSYC 6398 | Dissertation | 3 |
| PSYC 6399 | Dissertation | 3 |
| Breadth Course Requirement | ||
| Select two from the following: | ||
| Seminar in Psychopathology | ||
| Seminar:Soc/Cultrl Psych (Can be repeated as topics vary with permission from mentor) | ||
| Social Behavior | ||
| Survey of Legal Psychology | ||
| Seminar in General Psychology | ||
| Seminar: Psychology (Can be repeated as topics vary with permission from mentor) | ||
| Seminar:Cognitive Psych (Can be repeated as topics vary with permission from mentor) | ||
| Animal Learning & Behavior | ||
| Behavioral Neuroscience | ||
PSYC 6374 | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Seminar: Behavrl Neurosci (Can be repeated as topics vary with permission from mentor) | ||
| Other courses as approved by faculty | ||
| Concentration Course Requirement | ||
| Complete the following: | ||
| Psychometrics | ||
| Behavioral Medicine | ||
| Public Hlth/Comm Intervention | ||
| Concentration Elective | ||
| Select seven courses from the following: | ||
| Thesis (Can be repeated) | ||
| Quantitative Cert Suppl Req | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling | ||
| Seminar in Meta-Analysis | ||
| Categorical Data Analysis | ||
| Seminar in Psychopathology | ||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Multilevel Modeling | ||
| Psychopharmacology | ||
| Behav/Mental Hlth Intervention | ||
| Seminar in Psych Assessment | ||
| Theories/Methods Psychotherapy | ||
| Psychometrics | ||
| Seminar:Soc/Cultrl Psych (Can be repeated as topics vary with permission from mentor) | ||
| Spcl Topics: Soc/Cultrl Psych (Can be repeated as topics vary with permission from mentor) | ||
| Social Behavior | ||
| Cross-Cultural Rsrch Methods | ||
| Foundations of Research | ||
| Research Design/Data Analysis | ||
| Special Topics in Psyc & Law (Can be repeated as topics vary with permission from mentor) | ||
| Clinicl Issues in Legal Psych | ||
| Survey of Legal Psychology | ||
| Behavioral Medicine | ||
| Seminar in General Psychology (Can be repeated as topics vary with permission from mentor) | ||
| Scientific Writing (Can be repeated up to two times since topics vary, with permission from mentor) | ||
| Seminar: Psychology (Can be repeated as topics vary with permission from mentor) | ||
| Spcl Topics: Psychology (Can be repeated as topics vary with permission from mentor) | ||
| Clinical Internship | ||
| Seminar:Cognitive Psych | ||
| Spcl Topics: Cognitive Psych (Can be repeated as topics vary with permission from mentor) | ||
| Animal Learning & Behavior | ||
| Behavioral Neuroscience | ||
| Seminar: Behavrl Neurosci | ||
| Spcl Topics: Behavrl Neurosci (Can be repeated as topics vary with permission from mentor) | ||
| Research Applications (Can be repeated) | ||
| Field Placement | ||
| Dissertation (Can be repeated beyond what is included in required core courses.) | ||
| Other courses with the health focus from PSYC or other departments can be substituted with approval from the area on a case by case basis. Approval should be sought well in advance of the semester beginning to avoid delays to financial aid and registration. | ||
Ph.D. in Psychology with Concentration in Legal Psychology
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| PSYC 6307 | Appl Correlation & Regres Meth | 3 |
| PSYC 6308 | Experimentl Design/Anal of Var | 3 |
| PSYC 6385 | Research Applications | 3 |
| PSYC 5395 | Thesis | 3 |
| PSYC 5396 | Thesis | 3 |
| PSYC 6398 | Dissertation | 3 |
| PSYC 6399 | Dissertation | 3 |
| Breadth Course Requirement | ||
| Select two from the following: | ||
| Seminar in Psychopathology | ||
| Seminar:Soc/Cultrl Psych | ||
| Social Behavior | ||
| Seminar: Psychology | ||
| Seminar:Cognitive Psych | ||
| Animal Learning & Behavior | ||
| Behavioral Neuroscience | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Seminar: Behavrl Neurosci | ||
| Other courses as approved by faculty | ||
| Concentration Course Requirement | ||
| Required: | ||
| PSYC 6344 | Survey of Legal Psychology | 3 |
| Select 9 hours from the following | ||
| PSYC 6342 | Special Topics in Psyc & Law (Can be repeated) | 3 |
| PSYC 6343 | Clinicl Issues in Legal Psych | 3 |
| Select one additional course from below: | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling | ||
| Seminar in Meta-Analysis | ||
| Categorical Data Analysis | ||
| Multilevel Modeling | ||
| Psychometrics | ||
| Research Design/Data Analysis | ||
| Concentration Elective | ||
| Select two from the following: | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling | ||
| Seminar in Meta-Analysis | ||
| Categorical Data Analysis | ||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Multilevel Modeling | ||
| Behav/Mental Hlth Intervention | ||
| Psychometrics | ||
| Research Design/Data Analysis | ||
| Scientific Writing (Can be repeated) | ||
| Field Placement (Can be repeated) | ||
| Psychology Electives | ||
| Select four courses: | ||
| Thesis (Can be repeated) | ||
| Quantitative Cert Suppl Req | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling | ||
| Seminar in Meta-Analysis | ||
| Categorical Data Analysis | ||
| Seminar in Psychopathology | ||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Multilevel Modeling | ||
| Psychopharmacology | ||
| Behav/Mental Hlth Intervention | ||
| Seminar in Psych Assessment | ||
| Theories/Methods Psychotherapy | ||
| Psychometrics | ||
| Seminar:Soc/Cultrl Psych | ||
| Spcl Topics: Soc/Cultrl Psych | ||
| Social Behavior | ||
| Foundations of Research | ||
| Research Design/Data Analysis | ||
| Special Topics in Psyc & Law | ||
| Clinicl Issues in Legal Psych | ||
| Behavioral Medicine | ||
| Seminar in General Psychology | ||
| Scientific Writing | ||
| Seminar: Psychology | ||
| Spcl Topics: Psychology | ||
| Clinical Internship (Can be repeated up to two times) | ||
| Seminar:Cognitive Psych | ||
| Animal Learning & Behavior | ||
| Behavioral Neuroscience | ||
| Seminar: Behavrl Neurosci | ||
| Spcl Topics: Behavrl Neurosci | ||
| Research Applications (Can be repeated ) | ||
| Field Placement | ||
| Dissertation (Can be repeated ) | ||
Ph.D. in Psychology with Concentration in Social-Cultural Psychology
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| Required: | ||
| PSYC 6307 | Appl Correlation & Regres Meth | 3 |
| PSYC 6308 | Experimentl Design/Anal of Var | 3 |
| PSYC 6334 | Foundations of Research | 3 |
| PSYC 6380 | First Year Research | 3 |
| PSYC 6381 | First Year Research | 3 |
| PSYC 6385 | Research Applications (Must be taken twice) | 6 |
| PSYC 5395 | Thesis | 3 |
| PSYC 5396 | Thesis | 3 |
| PSYC 6398 | Dissertation | 3 |
| PSYC 6399 | Dissertation | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling | ||
| Seminar in Meta-Analysis | ||
| Categorical Data Analysis | ||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Multilevel Modeling | ||
| Psychometrics | ||
| Research Design/Data Analysis | ||
| or other course approved by area faculty. | ||
| Three options to fulfill Breadth course requirement | ||
| Select one option: | ||
| Option one: Psychology | ||
| Select Two Courses: | ||
| Survey of Legal Psychology | ||
| Seminar:Cognitive Psych (May be repeated as topics vary) | ||
| Behavioral Neuroscience | ||
PSYC 6374 | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Seminar: Behavrl Neurosci (May be repeated as topics vary) | ||
| Option Two: Quantitative Methods | ||
| Select two courses: | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling | ||
| Seminar in Meta-Analysis | ||
| Categorical Data Analysis | ||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Multilevel Modeling | ||
| Psychometrics | ||
| Research Design/Data Analysis (May be repeated as topics vary) | ||
| Option Three: Customized Plan | ||
| Select two courses: | ||
| Students who pursue a customized plan must obtain formal approval of the plan by a vote of the area faculty | ||
| Required Concentration Courses | ||
| Select three courses: | ||
| Seminar:Soc/Cultrl Psych (Maybe taken up to three times as topics vary) | ||
| Spcl Topics: Soc/Cultrl Psych (Maybe taken up to three times as topics vary) | ||
| Concentration Electives | ||
| Select six courses: (Special topics and seminar courses can be repeated as topics vary) | ||
| Ethical, Soc/Pol Dimensions | ||
| Thesis (Can be repeated) | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling | ||
| Seminar in Meta-Analysis | ||
| Categorical Data Analysis | ||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Multilevel Modeling | ||
| Psychometrics | ||
| Seminar:Soc/Cultrl Psych | ||
| Spcl Topics: Soc/Cultrl Psych | ||
| Social Behavior | ||
| Cross-Cultural Rsrch Methods | ||
| Research Design/Data Analysis | ||
| Special Topics in Psyc & Law | ||
| Survey of Legal Psychology | ||
| Seminar in General Psychology | ||
| Seminar: Psychology | ||
| Spcl Topics: Psychology | ||
| Seminar:Cognitive Psych | ||
| Spcl Topics: Cognitive Psych | ||
| Behavioral Neuroscience | ||
| Seminar: Behavrl Neurosci | ||
| Spcl Topics: Behavrl Neurosci | ||
| Research Applications | ||
| Dissertation (Can be repeated beyond what is included in the required core courses) | ||
| Additional courses may be approved by advisor | ||
Ph.D. in Psychology with Concentration in Behavioral Neuroscience
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| PSYC 6307 | Appl Correlation & Regres Meth | 3 |
| PSYC 6308 | Experimentl Design/Anal of Var | 3 |
| PSYC 6380 | First Year Research | 3 |
| PSYC 6381 | First Year Research | 3 |
| PSYC 6385 | Research Applications | 6 |
| PSYC 6395 | Thesis | 3 |
| PSYC 6396 | Thesis | 3 |
| PSYC 6398 | Dissertation | 3 |
| PSYC 6399 | Dissertation | 3 |
| Breadth Course Requirement | ||
| Select two courses: | ||
| Behavioral Medicine | ||
| Seminar:Soc/Cultrl Psych | ||
| Seminar in General Psychology (*) | ||
| Scientific Writing | ||
| Seminar: Psychology (Can be repeated as topics vary) | ||
| Seminar:Cognitive Psych (Can be repeated as topics vary) | ||
PSYC 6374 | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Other courses can be approved by area vote | ||
| *Topics Ethics and Professional Development, and Grant Writing are recommended, others must be approved by advisor | ||
| Required Concentration Courses | ||
| Select three courses: | ||
| Psychopharmacology | ||
| Animal Learning & Behavior | ||
| Behavioral Neuroscience | ||
| Seminar: Behavrl Neurosci (Can be repeated) | ||
| Spcl Topics: Behavrl Neurosci (Can be repeated) | ||
| Concentration Electives | ||
| Select six courses: | ||
| Gene Regulation | ||
| Rsrch Funding & Prof Developmt | ||
| Adv Research Techniques | ||
| Neurobiology of Brain Diseases | ||
| G Protein-Coupled Recept Biol | ||
| Select Adv Topics Biol Science | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling | ||
| Seminar in Meta-Analysis | ||
| Categorical Data Analysis | ||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Multilevel Modeling | ||
| Psychopharmacology | ||
| Psychometrics | ||
| Seminar:Soc/Cultrl Psych | ||
| Foundations of Research | ||
| Research Design/Data Analysis | ||
| Behavioral Medicine | ||
| Public Hlth/Comm Intervention | ||
| Seminar in General Psychology (If the specific topic is related to neuroscience and approved by area) | ||
| Scientific Writing | ||
| Seminar:Cognitive Psych | ||
| Animal Learning & Behavior | ||
| Behavioral Neuroscience | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Seminar: Behavrl Neurosci (Can be repeated ) | ||
| Spcl Topics: Behavrl Neurosci (Can be repeated ) | ||
| Research Applications (Can be repeated beyond what is included in Required Core Courses) | ||
| Thesis (Can be repeated beyond what is included in Required Core Courses) | ||
| Dissertation (Can be repeated beyond what is included in Required Core Courses) | ||
Ph.D. in Psychology with Concentration in Bilingualism, Language and Cognition
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses | ||
| PSYC 6307 | Appl Correlation & Regres Meth | 3 |
| PSYC 6308 | Experimentl Design/Anal of Var | 3 |
| PSYC 6380 | First Year Research c | 3 |
| or LING 5370 | Study in Language | |
| or SLP 5342 | Probs and Proj in SLP | |
| PSYC 6381 | First Year Research c | 3 |
| PSYC 6385 | Research Applications c, 1 | 6 |
| or LING 5370 | Study in Language | |
| or SLP 5342 | Probs and Proj in SLP | |
| PSYC 5395 | Thesis | 3 |
| or LING 5398 | Thesis | |
| or SLP 5398 | Thesis | |
| PSYC 5396 | Thesis | 3 |
| or LING 5399 | Thesis | |
| or SLP 5399 | Thesis | |
| PSYC 6398 | Dissertation | 3 |
| PSYC 6399 | Dissertation | 3 |
| Select one additional course from the following: | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling | ||
| Seminar in Meta-Analysis | ||
| Categorical Data Analysis | ||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Multilevel Modeling | ||
| Psychometrics | ||
| Research Design/Data Analysis | ||
| Res Design in Comm Disorders | ||
| Breadth Course Requirement | ||
| Select any two courses from the sections below for a total of six credits: | ||
| Psychology Breadth Courses | ||
| Theories/Methods Psychotherapy | ||
| Seminar in Psychopathology | ||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Psychopharmacology | ||
| Social Behavior | ||
| Foundations of Research | ||
| Special Topics in Psyc & Law | ||
| Survey of Legal Psychology | ||
| Behavioral Medicine | ||
| Seminar in General Psychology (May be repeated as topics vary) | ||
| Scientific Writing | ||
| Animal Learning & Behavior | ||
| Behavioral Neuroscience | ||
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Seminar: Behavrl Neurosci (May be repeated as topics vary) | ||
| Linguistics Breadth Courses | ||
| Principles of Ling Analysis | ||
| Generative Syntax | ||
| Phonology | ||
| Second Language Acquisition | ||
| Study in Language | ||
| Bilingualism | ||
| Speech-Language Pathology Breadth Courses | ||
| Res Design in Comm Disorders | ||
| Aphasia and Related Disorders | ||
| Lang Disorder/Sch. Aged Child | ||
| Comm Disorders and Literacy | ||
| Probs-Proj in Spch Lang Path | ||
| Multicult/Multiling Issues | ||
| Quantitative Psychology Breadth Courses | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling | ||
| Seminar in Meta-Analysis | ||
| Categorical Data Analysis | ||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Multilevel Modeling | ||
| Psychometrics | ||
| Seminar in General Psychology (May be repeated as topics vary ) | ||
| Res Design in Comm Disorders | ||
| Required Concentration Courses | ||
| PSYC 6355 | Seminar in General Psychology (Can be repeated as topics vary) | 3 |
| PSYC 6367 | Seminar:Cognitive Psych (Can be repeated as topics vary) | 3 |
| PSYC 6368 | Spcl Topics: Cognitive Psych (Can be repeated as topics vary) | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select four courses: | ||
| Ethical, Soc/Pol Dimensions | ||
| Seminar-Spec Topics Linguistic | ||
| Principles of Ling Analysis | ||
| Generative Syntax | ||
| Phonology | ||
| Second Language Acquisition | ||
| Study in Language | ||
| Linguistic Variation | ||
| Language Testing | ||
| Bilingualism | ||
| Structural Equation Modeling | ||
| Seminar in Meta-Analysis | ||
| Categorical Data Analysis | ||
| Program Evaluation | ||
| Psychometrics | ||
| Seminar:Soc/Cultrl Psych | ||
| Spcl Topics: Soc/Cultrl Psych | ||
| Social Behavior | ||
| Foundations of Research | ||
| Research Design/Data Analysis | ||
| Special Topics in Psyc & Law | ||
| Survey of Legal Psychology | ||
| Seminar in General Psychology | ||
| Seminar: Psychology | ||
| Spcl Topics: Psychology | ||
| Spcl Topics: Cognitive Psych | ||
| Behavioral Neuroscience | ||
| Seminar: Behavrl Neurosci | ||
| Spcl Topics: Behavrl Neurosci | ||
| Research Applications (Can be repeated beyond what is included in required core courses.) | ||
or LING 5370 | Study in Language | |
or SLP 5342 | Probs and Proj in SLP | |
| Thesis | ||
| Dissertation (Can be repeated beyond what is included in required core courses.) | ||
| Res Design in Comm Disorders | ||
| Diff Diag of Comm Disorders | ||
| Fluency Disorders | ||
| Aphasia and Related Disorders | ||
| Lang Disorder/Sch. Aged Child | ||
| Comm Disorders and Literacy | ||
| Probs-Proj in Spch Lang Path | ||
| Multicult/Multiling Issues | ||
- c
Alternative substitutions include LING 5370 Independent Research or SPLP 5372 Problems/Projects in SLP.
- 1
Can mix and match as needed but must complete six credit hours total and at least three credits with a faculty member who isn't the primary mentor.