The completion of postgraduate studies is expressed in units of credits. Each credit corresponds to 15 hours of one or more of the following scheduled activities: classes, seminars, laboratory or fieldwork, research, monitoring and study activities, or preparation of a thesis or dissertation. Considering that each regular discipline corresponds to 8 credit units, the student must study 4 subjects in the Masters, 6 subjects in the Doctorate and 12 in the Direct Doctorate, at least 50% of the subjects must be in the concentration area. In addition, our students also receive credits for the publication of articles, books, and book chapters.

Master

The candidate for Master’s degree must pay at least 96 (ninety-six) credit units, distributed as follows:
I – at least 32 (thirty-two) credits in disciplines, of which at least 50% are obtained in
disciplines of the Program in which the student is enrolled.

II – 64 (sixty-four) credits in the elaboration of the dissertation.

Doctorate degree

The doctoral candidate, holder of the Master’s degree by USP or with equivalence of the title recognized by it, must pay at least 160 (one hundred and sixty) credit units, distributed as follows:
I – at least 32 (thirty-two) credits in disciplines, of which at least 50% are obtained in
disciplines of the Program in which the student is enrolled.

II – 128 (one hundred and twenty eight) credits in the elaboration of the thesis.

Doctorate Direct
The candidate for the PhD degree must pay at least 192 (one hundred and ninety-two) credit units, distributed as follows:
I – at least 64 (sixty-four) credits in subjects, of which at least 50% are obtained
in disciplines of the Program in which the student is enrolled.

II – 128 (one hundred and twenty eight) credits in the elaboration of the thesis.

Special Credits
The student may receive credits, such as special credits:
Master’s degree up to 4 credits;
From Doctorate and Doctorate Direct up to 8 credits.
For the following activities:

1. Complete work publication in annals (or similar) of which the interested party is author (1 credit)

2. Book or chapter of book of recognized merit in the field of knowledge (1 credit)

3. Participation in seminars or events promoted by the Institute of Psychology and the Post-Graduate Program in Clinical Psychology of IPUSP, provided that it demonstrates work presentation (1 credit)

4. Complete work published in indexed magazine of national or international circulation (2 credits)

Note

Master’s and PhD students have the same disciplines, since the teaching staff of the Program has at least the title of Doctor. By the USP Postgraduate Regiment, the difference between the two levels is characterized by the conceptualization of what is a dissertation and what is a thesis. The Master’s thesis is the in-depth study of a field of knowledge. It is considered a PhD thesis the research work that represents original contribution to the state of the art of the subject matter. The PhD aims at both the producer of knowledge and the development of the researcher and trainer of future researchers.