Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology
Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology

Information

WHAT IS COGDOP?

The Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology (COGDOP) is a society constituted of Chairs and Heads of Departments of Psychology or other equivalent administrative units which are authorized to offer graduate degrees in psychology in institutions accredited by their regional accrediting association.

Membership is held by the department, not by the individual.

COGDOP began as an informal group which met in conjunction with APA in the mid 1960s. After the first meetings in 1963 and 1964, the initial bylaws were adopted in 1964. The first formal meeting was held in 1965. COGDOP is now a major resource for departmental administrators.

COGDOP is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) corporation registered in the State of Florida; member departments pay an annual membership fee to help defray the costs associated with meeting the goals stated below.  Board members receive no compensation for their time and effort.

WHY COGDOP?

  • Promotes the field of psychology
  • Provides a forum for discussion of education, training, and research
  • Provides a support group for chairs
  • Provides information on day-to-day issues of managing a graduate department
  • Communicates views of psychology departments to others

        Department Chair Reactions

I love COGDOP-It's been a lifesaver. Jacqueline Wooley, University of Texas at Austin

To be in a room full of people who "get it" about my Chair job, when my dear faculty can't possibly, it is very sustaining.  And I got lots of practical advice each meeting. Gregory A. Miller, UCLA

I have very much appreciated being welcomed and mentored by this group of fabulous people, particularly as a new chair.  Michele R. Brumley, Idaho State University

COGDOP is such a valuable resource, and I would not have been seen as successful without the advice and support.  Carol Freeman-Doan, Eastern Michigan University

COGDOP AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF GRADUATE EDUCATION

COGDOP has recently addressed issues and initiatives that could affect graduate education, especially in psychology. In this role, COGDOP

  • identifies new national developments
  • alerts membership to policies
  • represents membership's opinions
  • influences external forces so as to protect the integrity of the graduate education process
  • interacts with and recommends to
    national societies
    government agencies
    foundations
  • manages an awards program for graduate research

ANNUAL MEETING

COGDOP's annual meeting is invaluable for dealing with problems and issues associated with managing a graduate department. Typically, there are

Workshops like these:

  • budgets
  • diversity
  • workload
  • recruiting
  • faculty evaluation
  • faculty redirection

Special sessions like these:

  • annual research address
  • address by representative of government or higher education
  • briefings by national organizations
  • address on timely topics

COGDOP ELECTRONIC FORUM

To facilitate rapid (and lively) exchange of information, COGDOP maintains an e-mail forum. Members use this forum to ask other chairs about such topics as

  • starting salaries for new Ph.D.s
  • startup amounts and source budgets
  • handling confidential letters
  • releasing tenured faculty
  • designing a new building
  • availabilty of multimedia courseware

Responses to these queries often arrive within minutes.
Only chairs of departments that are members of COGDOP may subscribe.


COGDOP New Membership Form

COGDOP Existing Member Login

For information on becoming a member of COGDOP, please contact:
 
Annette L. Stanton, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology
502 Portola Plaza
1285 Psychology Building
UCLA
Los Angeles, CA  90095-1563
Voice: 310-825-2288; 310-825-3105
 
Brian P. Daly, Ph.D.

Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
Drexel University
3141 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146
Voice: (215) 571-4252
bpd36@drexel.edu

Jennifer Mangels, Ph.D. (Fee/Registration Payment)
Department of Psychology
Baruch College - CUNY
NVC 8-220
New York, NY
Voice (646) 312-4162

Jennifer.Mangels@baruch.cuny.edu

 

GRADUATE RESEARCH AWARDS

In 1995, COGDOP and the American Psychological Foundation developed an annual award program for graduate student research. Announcements are sent to department chairs holding membership in COGDOP in early spring, with June 30 application deadlines.