phd psychology admission requirements

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The clinical program is accredited by the American Psychological Association and the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System.

Your program will typically be fully funded for five years thanks to stipend grant support and guaranteed teaching fellowships. Tuition support is also available for a six-year program. Funding is also available for research, travel, and conferences. You will have access to the latest technology at FAS Research Computing and the Neuroimaging Facility at the Center for Brain Science.

Examples of student dissertations and theses include “Childhood Anxiety Disorders: Developmental Risk Factors and Predictors of Treatment Response,” “Clarifying the Pathway to Suicide: An Examination of Subtypes of Suicidal Behavior and Their Association with Impulsiveness,” and “A Cognitive Neuroscience of Social Groups.”

Graduates have secured positions in academia at prestigious institutions such as Princeton University, Dartmouth College, and Columbia University. Others have embarked on careers with companies such as Facebook, BetterUp, and Apple.

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Psychology and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Areas of Study

Cognition, Brain, and Behavior | Experimental Psychopathology and Clinical | Developmental | Social Psychology

Admissions Requirements

Please review admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Psychology .

Academic Background

While an undergraduate concentration in psychology is not required, some social science coursework is recommended. Because the program is heavily quantitatively oriented, college-level math and statistics are also advised. Research experience is extremely helpful; successful applicants have often worked for professors, done research projects as part of college courses, written an undergraduate thesis, or volunteered in a psychology research lab.

Please Note: Before making the decision to apply, the program in Psychology suggests checking individual faculty/lab websites or emailing faculty directly to inquire whether they plan to consider applicants for Fall 2024 admission. It’s important to note that while individual faculty members may have every intention of bringing in a new student this year, we cannot guarantee that they will all be able to do so. The total number of offers of admission to be extended by the graduate program is based on applicant preparedness and fit, availability of university advising and support resources, and target class size. Some of these factors are not able to be determined until after the applicant pool has been finalized.

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Optional

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Psychology

See list of Psychology faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

Graduate Program in Psychology

Introduction.

The Graduate Field of Psychology includes faculty members from departments across the university including Psychology, Neurobiology and Behavior, Communication, and Philosophy.  M.A. and Ph.D. candidates are admitted. The goal of the Field is to educate students to become researchers, scholars, and teachers who will contribute to the future of psychology as a scientific discipline in academic or other research-oriented settings.

Psychology PhD Program Handbook : download PDF file

Currently: The dominant strengths of the Field lie in three broadly defined areas:  Behavioral and Evolutionary Neuroscience ;  Perception, Cognition and Development ; and  Social/Personality Psychology .

Future Plans: The dominant strengths of the Field lie in four broadly defined areas: Cognition , Development ,  Neuroscience , and Social and Personality . (The future areas will only strengthen our current program). 

Fall 2022 -2023 application cycle for the Fall 2023 - 2024 academic year, will be administered under the current program which will be grandfathered into future plans.

We do not offer training in clinical psychology, counseling, school psychology, community psychology, industrial psychology, or clinical neuropsychology. Applicants with primary interests in these subjects are not admitted.

How to Apply

You must  apply directly  to the Cornell University Graduate School. You may also want to investigate the  Cornell Graduate School  site for additional information about applying. 

Application requirements

• Unofficial transcript of the undergraduate record
• Three letters of recommendation , with a fourth letter optional, which your recommender will upload to the application.

Academic Statement of Purpose

Describe (within 1000 words) the substantive research questions you are interested in pursuing during your graduate studies, and explain how our program would help you achieve your intellectual goals. Additionally, detail your academic background, intellectual interests and any training or research experience you have received that you believe has prepared you for our program. Within your statement, please also identify specific faculty members whose research interests align with you own interests.

Personal statement of interest

Please describe (within 1000 words) how your personal background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Additionally, provide insight on your potential to contribute to a community of inclusion, belonging, and respect where scholars representing diverse backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn and work productively and positively together. We also encourage you to include information on any of the following areas:

• How your personal, academic, and/or professional experiences demonstrate your ability to be both persistent and resilient especially when navigating challenging circumstances.
• How you engage with others and have facilitated and/or participated in productive teams.
• How you have experienced or come to understand the barriers faced by others whose experiences and backgrounds may differ from your own.
• If relevant, how your research interests focus on issues related to diversity, inclusion, access, inequality, and/or equity.
• Your service and/or leadership in efforts to advance diversity, inclusion, access, and equity especially by those from backgrounds historically underrepresented and/or marginalized.
• Additional context around any perceived gaps or weaknesses in your academic record (including, but not limited to, personal and family struggles with unemployment and health as a result of the pandemic,systemic discrimination and the fight for civil rights, and any other situational factors that may have impacted achievements throughout your life).

Applicants are not required to submit scores on the GRE; GRE subject test in psychology, or to have had an undergraduate major in psychology for the 2022 - 2023 application cycle. Prior research experience is highly desirable; applicants may submit research reports or work. Persons whose primary interests lie in clinical, counseling, industrial, or school psychology should not apply.

The closing date for applications was December 15, 2023. For any questions or concerns please email our Graduate Field Representative at  [email protected] .

The Field Structure

At Cornell, graduate study is organized using a field structure.   Fields are composed of faculty members from a number of departments who come together around a shared intellectual interest, and may draw from different campuses or colleges.  Graduate students are admitted to fields of study.  Within each field, they select major and minor subjects, which are research interests or concentrations.

Fields span departments and even disciplines.  It’s possible for a student in the field of economics to include faculty on his or special committee from industrial labor and economics, civil and environmental engineering, and sociology along with the more traditional economics and management.

For example, the Graduate Field of Psychology includes faculty from

• neurobiology and behavior (College of Agriculture & Life Sciences and College of Arts & Sciences)
• industrial and labor relations (School of Industrial and Labor Relations)
• nutritional science (College of Human Ecology)

Click here for the complete "Fields of Study, Subjects, and Concentrations" in PDF form.

David A. Pizarro, Director of Graduate Studies Uris Hall, Room 234 E-mail:  [email protected] Phone:  607-699-1327

Pamela A. Cunningham, Graduate Field Assistant - Psychology Uris Hall, Room 211 E-mail:  [email protected] Phone:  607-255-3834 Fax: 607-255-8433

Student Life

Graduate Application Guide for Psychology Students

Psychology.org Staff

Contributing Writer

Learn about our editorial process .

Updated October 18, 2023

Psychology.org is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Are you ready to discover your college program?

Getting into graduate school can seem like a daunting process that never ends. With undergraduate studies complete, students now need to navigate a minefield of paperwork, tests, and graduate-school applications. Unlike some other fields, psychology harbors a variety of concentrations, and prospective students need to select one. Concentrations include clinical, cognitive, industrial/organizational, and forensic psychology . A competitive candidate must do their research, a skill all individuals seeking to enter graduate schools for psychology must master.

Get acquainted with the schools and professors specializing in the area of psychology you wish to pursue. Make a list of 10 or 12 schools to which you wish to apply based on your area of interest, and other factors such as geography and tuition. Once you know the targets, it makes it easy to focus on the application process itself. This resource demystifies the process to get into graduate schools for psychology, breaking it down to several relatively easy elements. Prospective students learn how to apply to graduate school through an examination of what kind of entrance test scores schools want to see, how to develop a polished application packet, and what to expect during the application process.

Featured Online Psychology Programs

Figuring out where to apply? These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online degrees. Consider one of these accredited programs, and discover their value today.

Psychology Graduate Program Prerequisites

Do i need a bachelor's degree in psychology to earn a psychology graduate degree.

A bachelor's degree in psychology makes it easier to transition to a graduate program in psychology given the student's familiarity with the subject. Some graduate schools do give preference to students with a bachelor's degree in psychology. But many others allow non-psychology students to take prerequisite psychology courses that will give exposure to necessary foundational theories, research methods, and psychology statistics. Naturally, some undergraduate degrees facilitate an easier transition to a graduate program in psychology than others; a student with a bachelor's degree in sociology studies human nature and the inherent psychological theories this entails. Conversely, a math major has the mathematical skills necessary for the research aspect of psychology, but may not have requisite knowledge of psychological science itself.

The only way to address these knowledge gaps is to identify what requirements each psychology department expects from graduate applicants. Research graduate schools that enroll students with a non-psychology degree. Find out the breadth of supplemental, upper-level psychology classes they require and if you must complete these before application. Most graduate schools in psychology remain part of a wide university with an undergraduate program in which you can enroll to complete those required courses. If not, enroll at another college offering the prerequisite courses needed for application to a graduate psychology program. The graduate school may even apply a limited number of those credits to your master's degree. Make sure the program you choose to take prerequisite classes holds accreditation from one of six regional accrediting agencies in the nation. Without that designation, your credits will not be accepted by a regionally accredited institution—the gold standard in higher education.

Is Work Experience a Prerequisite to a Psychology Graduate Program?

Many students enter master's programs in psychology with at least a year or two of work experience in psychology in a capacity such as research assistant. The necessity of this level of experience depends entirely on the department and professors and their lab. Some professors in your particular area of expertise want research assistants as part of the graduate program, and may want them broken in. Others will not require work experience because of the nature of the program.

Use your research skills to contact the psychology department and, in particular, the professors who focus on your specialization to determine if they accept new students, and what they seek in new graduate students for work in the labs. Faculty members generally list their acceptance status on their profiles. If the professor you wish to work with requires some level of work experience and you don’t have it, other skills may compensate for the deficit. For instance, if you worked in a corporate environment for a couple years, you may bring some skill sets of interest to a psychology professor specializing in industrial/organizational psychology. A prospective forensic psychology student with work experience in the justice system holds firsthand knowledge that may interest a professor specializing in forensic psychology.

Do I Have to Take the GRE to Apply to a Graduate Psychology Program?

The GRE remains the standardised test that graduate schools in psychology require for admission. The GRE General Test covers verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing. These sections measure students' aptitude to succeed in today's competitive graduate schools. The GRE Subject Tests also test knowledge and skills in six subjects, including psychology. This specialized psychology test requires the test-taker have prior knowledge of the subject through undergraduate studies or other extensive experience.

Students take the GRE, administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), in paper- or computer-delivered format. While some graduate schools no longer require the GRE or substitute other skills and qualifications for the test, most master's programs in psychology require it. Test-takers pay $205 for the GRE General Test and $150 for the GRE Subject Tests. ETS delivers the paper version GRE three times a year and the computer test year round at established locations.

In some instances, students receive a test waiver from the graduate program to which they apply. Consider finding schools that offer a waiver to reduce the stress involved with applying for graduate programs in psychology. A waiver may also help those applying late in the application season. ETS reports the scores back to students in two weeks, but it takes weeks and probably months to adequately prepare for the GRE.

In general, schools that require the GRE only offer waivers to students with high GPAs, those with extensive work experience, or applicants with advanced degrees. Students with lower GPAs than required for entry into a graduate school in psychology can use a strong GRE score to bolster their application. Contact each school to find out the waiver process involved.

Breakdown of GRE Scores

After you complete the GRE, expect to get the results in 10-15 days. Your score report outlines your personal details, including your name, address, date of birth, major, and test dates. The test report outlines your GRE test score and an associated percentile rank. The GRE breaks down into a verbal reasoning section scored on a 130–170 scale; a quantitative reasoning section scored on a 130–170 scale; and an analytical writing section scored on a zero to six scale. ETS scores the verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning sections based on how many questions the test taker correctly answers. A trained ETS reader scores the essay for the analytical writing section.

According to the ETS , between July 2017 and June 2020, the mean GRE scores for test takers in the social and behavioral sciences for verbal reasoning reached 153; for Quantitative Reasoning, 152; and for analytical writing, 3.9. A 25th percentile score puts you at about 145 on verbal reasoning and a 147 on quantitative reasoning. Shoot for a score in at least the 50th percentile, or 75th percentile, which is approximately 157 on verbal reasoning and a 160 on quantitative reasoning. A score in the 75th percentile means you score higher than most test takers. The psychology subject test consists of 205 questions drawn from coursework students take in undergraduate psychology programs in areas such as cognitive, developmental, and clinical psychology. The ETS provides interpretative information for the subjects tests , which differs from the general test.

How do I determine if my score competes well against other applicants? Each school collects its own average GRE scores by program. Go to each school's official Web site and do research to see how you compare to other applicants. The admission requirement and FAQ pages stand as good places to begin your inquiry. If you do not hit the target, it does not mean you do not qualify for graduate school. Other factors come into play such as your performance at the undergraduate level, work experience, and other information in the admissions packet such as your essay.

Source: ETS

Psychology Graduate School Application Requirements

Transcripts.

As you begin to apply to graduate school, know that schools look at the whole person in the decision-making process. This begins with an assessment of an applicant's academic performance using school transcripts. Schools will review your college transcripts to identify coursework you took, grades you received, and your overall pattern of performance. They pay particular interest to the last 60 credits of your undergraduate degree. This comprises your junior and senior years when you take upper-level courses in psychology or another major. Generally, graduate schools in psychology want to see an average 3.0 cumulative GPA.

While many graduate schools in psychology will not consider a student with less than a 3.0 GPA, competitive GRE scores override a lower GPA. Find out the expectations of each school and try to exceed them or provide supplemental evidence of your readiness for graduate school. If you attended more than one college, present all of your transcripts to each graduate school unless they say otherwise. You can order transcripts in person, online, or in writing. Graduate schools generally want official transcripts. Some schools provide them for free. Start the ordering process early to avoid any delays that could hamper your progression through the application process.

Test Scores

ETS allows test takers to designate up to four recipients of your GRE general test and/or subject test scores . The organization provides this service as part of your test fee. You submit the request at the center when taking the computer version or at the time of registration for the paper version. You pay $27 for each additional recipient.

The selection committee for graduate students at each institution appraises all aspects of their educational and professional life. They review your resume to measure your accomplishments since you left college, and they look for any experience in psychology that might bolster your chance of admittance.

A strong resume makes up for lackluster academic performance or poor GRE test scores. Some programs require specific experience, depending on the needs of the professors and department. Emphasize the most relevant and recent work experience applicable to psychology. If you do not boast experience or you have an employment gap, remember that skills from other professions can transfer over. Your research and data analytics skills as a marketing associate matter to a professor seeking a research assistant.

Those with no experience should find volunteer work, community service, or internships applicable to responsibilities in their area of psychology. High-impact volunteerism over the summer could likewise make the difference to a selection committee. Psychology majors need a desire to help others and an ability to juggle work, family, and community.

Essays and Personal Statements

Admissions committees review information from piles of applicants before they make a decision. Your job remains to stand out in the crowded field, a task facilitated by a personal statement or essay. Some people get confused about the difference between a statement of purpose and an essay or personal statement. A statement of purpose answers specific questions about why you chose psychology, your interest in the particular program, your proposed plan of study, and your short-term and long-term career goals. An essay outlines your experience and qualifications in the field, as well as how you fit in the program.

Always submit an essay even if it's optional; essays allow you to personalize your application in a way that other materials in the package cannot. Think about the essay as a marketing tool. Before you start writing, think about the main takeaways. Why should they choose me? Why do I fit into this department? What will I accomplish with this degree from this department? In your preliminary notes, structure the essay with a dynamic and coherent theme or narrative, and begin the essay with a hook that grabs the attention of the reader. Highlight your strengths, give specific examples of coursework or research, and succinctly discuss your relationships with faculty mentors. Keep the essay to the established length. Use as many credible resources as you can find to complete a winning essay.

Case Study Analysis

As you study how to apply for graduate school, consider that schools may require you to craft a case-study analysis as part of their application. First, follow their guidelines. The case study may focus on a real or imagined individual, group, or event. Alternately, they may focus on a particular research area or topic. The graduate school may require that you provide a background history and present a diagnosis using the relevant Diagnostic and Statistical Manual code. In the second part of the analysis, you will outline the needed intervention. This case study provides the admissions officer with some insight into you and your expertise. It highlights what you know, your analytical skills, and where you fit within the particular program.

Letters of Recommendation

You request two to four letters of recommendations from former advisors, professors, research mentors, and/or employers. These are busy people with great responsibilities. Begin this process as soon as you have a list of schools to which you plan to apply. Think months in advance and not weeks. Schools want to hear from respected faculty, advisors, and/or employers who have worked or work closely with you, referees who know your strengths and your weaknesses. Do not approach a person with whom you were not cordial or would not provide a glowing reference. Tepid references stand out and reflect poorly on you.

Once they agree, provide them with a packet of your application materials (i.e., personal statement, résumé, and points that deserve inclusion) for their reference. Schools want to hear about your research experience, presentations you have given, your scholarship, and/or your overall performance as a student. You may certainly ask referees to speak to certain aspects of your work of particular interest to the program to which you plan to apply. On your request, they may also address weaknesses as long as they follow that up with strengths that override them. Check in with your referees a couple weeks before the application deadline to ensure that you haven't gotten lost in the pile.

English Proficiency Tests

English proficiency tests, such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), measure the test-taker's language skills; in particular, listening, reading, speaking, and writing. Around the world, TOEFL remains the most widely used academic English-proficiency test. Schools generally request foreigners complete the test if English is not their first language. Two lesser known tests — the International English Language Testing System and Test of English for International Communication — also test students and workers' English language proficiency. The TOEFL, delivered online, tests reading and listening skills when test-takers answer questions after they read sample passages and listen to lectures and conversations. The TOEFL also tests speaking and writing skills when test-takers vocally respond or express an opinion about a particular topic, and write a piece based on a topic they read or heard.

Background Check

Schools may require you to submit to a background check for participation in internships, practicums, and other fieldwork, especially when working with minors; forensics; or in governmental positions at the local, state, and federal level. Schools may review driving records, criminal or court records, sex-offenders lists, and state licensure records. Some states may require fingerprinting. Make sure to mention any anomalies in your application.

How Do You Apply to Graduate School?

Begin the application as early as possible. Start researching schools in May and take the free GRE practice test. The results show you where you stand and whether a GRE prep course might prove necessary. Sign up for the GRE in June so that you leave enough time to study before taking the test in August or early September. Contact and request information from the schools and programs that interest you in July. In August, begin your essay or personal statement.

In September, familiarize yourself with the professors with whom you wish to work with. Also, request official transcripts by October. In late November or December, submit all of your application materials. This should cost between $50 and $100 on average. Research whether your school's admissions office offers waivers for applications. Given that application guidelines vary by school, carefully review each school's requirements. After sending your materials, you should receive some kind of confirmation from the school that your application is now under review.

Some applicants choose a college admissions service company that many schools sign up for to simplify the process. While CommonApp serves undergraduates, Liaison International's GradCAS stands as the leader in graduate admissions services. Through GradCAS, students use a single application to apply to multiple graduate schools for psychology.

Rolling Admissions

Schools with rolling admissions give you a large window of opportunity to submit your materials. This window ranges from a few months to all year. During rolling admissions, schools and departments review applications as they receive them. The advantages for the applicant include stress reduction, since you decide your own readiness level and timeline. The earlier you apply, the greater your chances for acceptance. The fewer applicants competing for the same spot increases your odds. Expect to receive a response in four to eight weeks.

Schools with rolling admissions provide you with an opportunity to secure a spot when all other deadlines and options have proved unsuccessful. Make a note of which schools have rolling admissions deadlines and which ones keep admission open year round.

Rounds Admissions

Remember that every school establishes its own admission timeline, deadlines, and number of rounds. Three rounds tends to be the norm, and schools tend to take the largest fraction of students during the first round. The first round also tends to include the smallest share of applications, increasing your odds if you choose to apply early.

The second round holds the largest share of applicants and gives you more time to prepare. Avoid round three unless you possess a nontraditional background that stands out among the stragglers. Unless you possess stellar GRE scores and your application looks flawless, this round spells trouble because the committee now ranks you against everyone else, including students in the first two rounds. Additionally, fewer openings remain for the year. Fortunately, psychology graduate schools generally use the rolling admissions process.

Waiting for Acceptance Letters

With your next to flawless applications making their way through the admissions process, the anticipation goes into overdrive and the anxiety simmers. Many graduate applicants sit in this application purgatory waiting for results that seem to take forever. There's little to do now but adopt a positive attitude that even if you get a rejection, you sent out several other applications. In the meantime, the letter confirming receipt of your application materials should include information on how to check your application status online when the time seems right. When you receive the acceptance or rejection letter depends on when you apply. Typically, if you apply in the fall, you receive an answer by April.

Once you've received your acceptance letter, the financial aid envelope with details of how to pay for your education should not be too far away. If you're one of the lucky ones holding acceptance letters to multiple schools, make campus visits if you haven't already. Meet with professors, talk to students in the program, look at your surroundings. This could be your new home for at least two years — make sure you love it. The financial aid you receive also factors into the decision-making process. If there are outstanding "first choice" schools you'd like to hear from before you make a decision, write a letter to the"second choice" schools requesting a decision-deadline extension if necessary.

If you receive rejection letters, take heart. Learn from your mistakes. There's nothing wrong with a polite phone call or email to each department to find out how you can make a stronger application. Take the GRE again. Get feedback about your application materials from knowledgeable and impartial people. Use all feedback you receive to make yourself a stronger applicant.

• Educational testing service. (2022). https://www.ets.org/
• How to get in: applying to psychology grad school. (2022). https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/how-to-get-in-applying-to-psychology-grad-school
• Preparing your personal statement for graduate school applications. (2016). https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psn/2016/09/graduate-school-applications
• Psychology personal statement examples. (2022). https://www.studential.com/personal-statement-examples/psychology-personal-statement-examples

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PhD Degree Requirements

This webpage provides a quick overview of the requirements for our PhD program. More detailed information can be found in the Psychology Graduate Guide . This webpage and the Graduate Guide supplement the Psychology PhD requirements defined in the Stanford Bulletin and the policies for all Stanford graduate education as defined in the Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures Handbook . 

The most important component of our PhD program is engaging in scientific research. Students in our PhD program conduct in-depth research in at least one of five areas of study: Affective , Cognitive , Developmental , Neuroscience , or Social Psychology. All students are expected to spend at least half of their time engaged in research. Each quarter, students should register for 8 - 10 research units (PSYCH207: Graduate Research) and take no more than 10 units of coursework.

The sections below outline program requirements regarding coursework and teaching, as well as key milestones towards a PhD degree.

Course Requirements

• Teaching Requirements  
• Key Program Milestones

Core Courses, Statistics/Methods Courses, and Advanced Units must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a grade of B- or higher. Click each requirement to open the relevant sections in the Graduate Guide.  

Professional Seminar 

All incoming students are required to take PSYCH207 in the first quarter (Year 1 Autumn). This is a course taught by the Department Chair with guest lectures from faculty across all areas, and serves to introduce the first-year students to the Department. 

• PSYCH 207: Professional Seminar for First-Year Ph.D Students

As a part of PSYCH 207, first-year students are also expected to meet with their advisor(s) early in the fall quarter of the first year to discuss mentorship expectations. 

Core Courses

Students are required to complete 4 of the following Core Courses by the end of Yr 3.

• PSYCH 202: Cognitive Neuroscience
• PSYCH 205: Foundations of Cognition
• PSYCH 211: Developmental Psychology
• PSYCH 213: Affective Science
• PSYCH 215: Mind, Culture, and Society

Statistics / Methods Courses

Students must complete PSYCH 251 and one additional statistics/methods courses by the end of Year 2. At least one of the two courses must be taken in the first year. 

• PSYCH 251: Experimental Methods (Required) 
• PSYCH 249: Large-Scale Neural Network Modeling for Neuroscience
• PSYCH 252: Statistical Methods for Behavioral and Social Sciences
• PSYCH 253: Measurement and the Study of Change in Social Science Research
• PSYCH 289: Longitudinal Data Analysis in Social Science Research

Some students may wish to take advanced courses in Statistics or CS not listed above; please consult with your advisor and send an inquiry to the Student Services Manager. These requests may be reviewed by the DGS and/or the GPC.

Advanced Units / PhD Minor  

Students must complete 12 units of advanced graduate coursework (“Advanced Units”, or AU), or complete a PhD Minor by the end of Year 4.  

Students and their advisor(s) should discuss the course requirements and create a plan together for completing the Advanced Units. To this end, rising 2nd year students must submit an Advanced Courses Form by the first Monday in October (usually the first Monday of the Fall Quarter) of the 2nd year. 

Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) Statu s

Students should apply for Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status once they have accumulated 135 units of residency and have filed a Dissertation Reading Committee form . Students in TGR status should register for PSYCH 802: TGR Dissertation (0 units) and take no more than 3 units of coursework per quarter. Typically, students transition to TGR in the Winter quarter of 5th year. 

For more information about Course Requirements, consult the Graduate Guide and the Stanford Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures Handbook .

Teaching Requirements

All students serve as teaching assistants for at least 5 Psychology courses during their graduate study, regardless of the source of their financial support. Of these 5 TAships, students must apply for 2 of their TAships to be in one of the two tracks: 

• PSYCH 1 Track (2 quarters of Introduction to Psychology)  
• STATS Track (2 quarters of core statistics/methods course: PSYCH 10, PSYCH 251, PSYCH 252, PSYCH 253).  

Students can review the Department's complete  TA policy  for more details. Questions about TA assignments or TA policy should be directed to the Student Services Manager. 

Program Requirements and Milestones

Year 1: First Year Project (FYP)

At the end of their first year of graduate study, students must submit a written report of their first-year research activities, called the First Year Project (FYP) by June 1 The FYP is submitted to their advisor, second FYP reader (another faculty), and the students’ services manager. Students are also expected to present the results of their FYP in their area seminar. 

Year 2: Admission to Candidacy

In our department, a student’s application for candidacy must be filed as soon as all requirements for Year 1 and Year 2 are completed (and by the end of the 2nd year). The decision to advance a student to candidacy is made based on a holistic assessment of the student’s progress in the program. For more information, please refer to the Graduate Guide, section on Admission to Candidacy. 

Conferral of a masters degree: Graduate students in the Department of Psychology who have completed (a) the first-year and second-year course requirements and (b) at least 45 units of Psychology courses may apply for a conferral of the MA degree.

Master of Arts Degree in Psychology (Optional)

Graduate students in the Department of Psychology who have completed (a) the first-year and second-year course requirements and (b) at least 45 units of Psychology courses may apply for conferral of the MA degree. The application should be reviewed with the Student Services Manager. The  application process  typically occurs in 2nd or 3rd year.

Year 3: Research Plan and Dissertation Reading Committee   

Students in Year 3 are expected to:

(1) Form a dissertation reading committee (due Feb 1): The research committee includes the dissertation advisor and at least 2 additional faculty members, for a total of 3 members, at least two of whom should have primary appointments in the Psychology Department. 

(2) Schedule and hold the 3rd Year Committee Meeting to take place in Winter or Spring quarter (before June 1), and submit a research plan to their committee 2 weeks before the meeting

(3) After the committee meeting, submit the Research Plan to the Student Services Manager and report the meeting date using the Committee Meeting Google Form .

Year 4: Area Review and Research Roadmap (ARRR) and Committee Meeting

Students in Year 4 are expected to:

(1) Schedule and hold the 4th Year Committee Meeting in the Winter quarter and submit an Area Review & Research Roadmap (ARRR) to the committee two weeks before the meeting.

(2) After the committee meeting, submit the ARRR to the Student Services Manager and report the meeting date using the Committee Meeting Google Form . 

Final Year: Oral Examination and Dissertation  

Students in Year 3 and above are expected to hold a committee meeting every year. In their final year, students must form their Oral Examination Committee including identifying an external chair. Students must submit the Oral Exam Form to the Student Services Manager at least 2 weeks before the anticipated defense and follow the standard Department protocol for reserving a room for their defense.

Individual Development Plan

Every year, each graduate student completes an Individual Development Plan (IDP) and has a meeting with their advisor to discuss the IDP and set an Action Plan for the coming year. The goal of the IDP is for the student to step back from their daily tasks, reflect on the larger picture, discuss these topics with their mentor, and make an action plan for achieving their goals going forward. The IDP meeting must occur by June 1 each year. 

The IDP process has 4 steps:

1. Student completeness the IDP Self-Reflection form  

2. Student prepares the IDP Meeting and Action Plan form and schedules a one-on-one meeting with the advisor. 

3. Student and Advisor(s) complete the Action Plan (pages 3-4 of the IDP Meeting and Action Plan form ). 

4. Student submits the IDP Meeting Google Form to report the meeting to the Student Services.

Students can also use the IDP meeting to discuss mentorship expectations and schedule additional meetings if further conversations are needed. Note that first-year students must schedule a separate meeting with their advisors to discuss Mentorship Expectation as a part of their ProSem requirement

Graduation Quarter

Registration for Graduation Quarter is required for the term in which a student submits a dissertation or has a degree conferred. Please consult the Registrar's Academic Calendar for the quarterly deadlines for submitting dissertations; they are strict, and missing the deadline can have serious funding implications. For more information, please refer to the Graduate Guide and Registrar's Office website .

PhD Program Timeline At-A-Glance

• FYP Proposal and name of 2nd reader due to Student Services

End of Fall Quarter 

• Complete the mentorship expectations meeting with advisor
• FYP due to Student Services, advisor, and 2nd reader

Summer of 1st Year

• Meet and receive feedback from advisor and 2nd reader
• Submit  Advanced Units coursework form  to Student Services

June 1  

• IDP Meeting Due

By the end of 2nd Year

• Submit  Candidacy Form  to Student Services
• Submit  Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee form  to Student Services
• Schedule 3rd Year Committee Meeting
• Hold Committee Meeting (Research Plan to committee 2 weeks before meeting), and report meeting to Student Services; IDP Meeting
• Schedule 4th Year Committee Meeting
• Submit ARRR to the committee two weeks before the meeting
• Hold Committee Meeting
• Report meeting to Student Services
• IDP Meeting

2 weeks before Defense: 

• Submit the  Oral Exam form  to Student Services

End of Spring Quarter: 

• Oral Examination
• Submit Dissertation 
• Schedule and hold a 5th Year Committee Meeting 

• Utility Menu

Psychology Graduate Program

• Psychology Department
• FAQ for Applicants

Please check out our  PRO-TiP  (PhD Resources and Online Tips Page)!  PRO-TiP provides easy and open access to resources that help demystify the process of applying to graduate programs in Psychology.

What kind of program does Harvard offer?

The Harvard Psychology Department offers a research-oriented Ph.D. program in four areas: Experimental Psychopathology & Clinical Science, Developmental, Social, and Cognition, Brain, and Behavior (CBB). The Department does not offer a terminal master’s degree in psychology, though students admitted to the Ph.D. program can earn a master’s along the way. Some graduates of the program seek positions as research psychologists in an academic setting. Other graduates get positions in government, consulting firms, tech startups or larger tech companies, hospitals or social service agencies, and other network or private clinical settings.  The Department offers two tracks, Clinical Science and a Common Curriculum. The common curriculum is composed of three sub-fields: Social Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and Cognition, Brain, and Behavior (CBB). The Common Curriculum, described in the program section of the graduate program website ,   is taken by all students except those in Clinical Science. Though these area boundaries exist, collaboration is an important aspect of our academic community. As such, faculty and students collaborate within and across these area boundaries.

How do I get information about Harvard doctoral program admissions?

The Harvard Griffin GSAS Admissions website includes information about how to apply, required application materials, test score requirements, deadlines, and FAQs.  The application process is online .  This link connects you to the Psychology Program of Study page on the GSAS Admissions website. You can refer to our PRO-TiP page to find faculty answers to frequently asked questions.

Prospective applicants will want to read carefully about departmental faculty research interests   to decide whether this department is a good match. "Fit" of interests is an important criterion when the Department makes admissions decisions.

This list of theses and dissertations completed by current and previous students in the doctoral program may be useful in figuring out if this department would provide a good fit for your research goals.   

Do I need an undergraduate degree in Psychology to be eligible for the PhD program?

A psychology major is not required, but it is recommended that applicants take some basic psychology courses and obtain research experience. Admitted applicants have excellent grades, test scores, letters of recommendation, research experience and are a good match in terms of research interests with one or more members of the faculty, who serve as advisors.

Do I need to submit GRE scores, and how do I submit them?

*The submission of GRE scores is optional for Fall 2024 admission.*  GRE scores are valid for five years from the test date. If you have personal score reports available from tests taken within the last five years, you can upload them to your online application for consideration by the admissions committee. However, you will still need to ensure that  Educational Testing Service  (ETS) sends an official score report. Be sure to register for the tests well before administration dates and request that your scores be sent to Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences using code 3451 (department code is not required).

Does the Psychology Department offer a master's degree?

No, we do not offer a terminal master’s degree in psychology, though students admitted to the PhD program can earn a master’s along the way.   

How long does the program take?

Some students find four years is sufficient to complete the program, although most take five and a few take six years. Financial aid is generally offered for up to six years. 

Who may act as a PhD advisor?

Only tenure-track faculty members in the Department of Psychology may serve as primary advisors to PhD students in Psychology. Affiliated faculty cannot serve as primary mentors for PhD students. Students are welcome to form collaborations with affiliated faculty, but these individuals do not participate in our PhD program admissions.

Can I get training in clinical psychology at Harvard?

The Department offers a research-oriented program in Clinical Science. Our program was designed and is perhaps best suited for individuals who aspire toward careers in clinical scientific research and teaching. As compared with some more clinically oriented programs, we place relatively more emphasis on research training and experience in our program admissions and our training program for admitted graduate students. That said, the clinical training opportunities afforded by the program provide excellent training in clinical intervention and assessment as well. The Clinical Program is accredited by the American Psychological Association and by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS).

Is there a part-time or distance learning option?

This is a full-time, in-person program. In unusual circumstances, the Department may grant permission for an enrolled student to temporarily register for a part-time schedule. It is required that students be in residence for at least two years in the program, and almost all students are in residence for the entire program. It is possible to receive permission to be a "traveling scholar" and do research or writing away from Cambridge, but this is most typical for students at an advanced stage of the program who have finished data collection. There is no online or distance-learning program.

Can I apply if I already have a master's degree?

Yes. Students that have completed prior graduate work can petition, after a semester of satisfactory work in the Department, to receive credit for up to eight relevant half-courses, the equivalent of a year's worth of work. However, many students in the program don't bother to apply for this credit since it is rare for a student to be exempted from any courses required by the department. In addition, the bulk of time in the doctoral program is spent on research projects, and the department very rarely exempts students from these. Even students coming in with a master's degree take between 4-6 years to complete the program, though an incoming student with more education may naturally be more focused at an earlier point in their program. By the time a student has finished all requirements for the doctorate, including research requirements, they will have many more than the required minimum number of credits.

Is there financial aid available?

Funding is in the form of grants in the early years and teaching or research fellowships in later years. Typically all admitted students are offered a funding package consisting of up to six years of full tuition, three years of living stipend, and two years of guaranteed teaching fellowships (which would provide a similar level of living support). Additional teaching is usually available in the fifth year. Both international and U.S. applicants are eligible for this financial package. Because funds are limited, applicants are urged to apply for any outside fellowships they may be eligible for.  NSF graduate fellowships  and those from the  Department of Defense  are examples of national fellowship competitions open to U.S. citizens. There are also the  Ford Foundation Fellowships , available specifically for URM scholars.  Receiving an outside fellowship may allow you to have a higher stipend, to decrease your teaching commitment or to have an additional year to complete your degree. Receiving an outside fellowship is also a professional honor that will help you in applying for jobs after graduate school.

How can I maximize my chances of being admitted?

We use a holistic approach in evaluating applicants and admitting graduate students to the program. Among the factors considered are grades from undergraduate coursework, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, application essays, prior research experience, and focused research interests, with an emphasis on those that are compatible with those of faculty members. The department is also actively committing to building an inclusive field. Part of that commitment is prioritizing diversity and support for diverse individuals within our own department.

While we do not require an undergraduate concentration in psychology, some social science coursework is recommended. Because the program is heavily quantitatively oriented, college-level math and statistics are also advised. Research experience is extremely helpful: successful applicants have often worked for professors, done research projects as part of college courses, written an undergraduate thesis, or volunteered in a psychology research lab.

Candidates’ research interests and compatibility with the program are determined in large part by the candidate's application essay, the Statement of Purpose. Here is some advice from a professor for writing a good application essay:

Over the past 12 years, I have been reading graduate school admissions’ essays. These include essays from students applying to work with me as well as those from my own students who are preparing to apply to other graduate programs. When my own students apply to graduate school, I give them very specific advice about the nature of the essay, what I think most candidate schools and advisors are looking for. I have always had a particular view about what makes for a good read , of course from a personal perspective. I have been struck by the fact that many of the incoming essays lack the kind of content that I am looking for, having the appearance of an undergraduate application essay. This seems unfortunate because I often use the essay more than almost anything else to get a sense of the applicant’s intellectual potential and passion. Many students that apply have stellar GPAs and GREs, but only a few present carefully reasoned essays that really motivate the reasons for going to graduate school. In essence, essays that capture my attention are ones that develop ideas, propose experiments, point to holes in the literature, and do these things with passion and excitement. These very general comments, which will certainly not capture every advisor’s perspective, or even the majority, can be distilled to a few essential ingredients, presented below as questions:

• Why continue on with your education? Why do you need to learn more? What skills, theories, and knowledge do you lack?
• What are the kinds of discoveries and theories that sparked your interest in the chosen discipline?
• In graduate school, what kinds of questions do you hope to address? Why do you think that these questions are important? Given the set of questions that you will focus on, what kinds of methods do you hope to apply? What skills do you bring forward as you enter graduate school and which skills do you hope to acquire?
• What holes do you see in the current discipline [big picture stuff]? In what ways do you think that they can be addressed during your graduate career?
• What kind of graduate environment are you looking for? Are you particularly keen on working with one faculty advisor, and if so, why this particular person? If you are leaning more toward a cluster of advisors, as well as the department more generally, why? Hint: faculty are engaged by students who have read some of their work, have thought critically about it, and wish to develop some of the issues addressed. Further, it helps with admissions to have one or more faculty championing your case.

Essays that have the above ingredients are truly informative. They tell each faculty member why the candidate wants to go to graduate school, what problems they hope to tackle, what skills they bring, and which skills they hope to acquire. Following this format is, of course, not a ticket of admission, but it will certainly make your application more interesting and informative.

More information from faculty in this program can be found on our PRO-TiP page .

Can I take courses without being admitted to the degree program?

The only way to take Harvard FAS courses, unless you are enrolled in another Harvard graduate program or MIT, is to be admitted as a  Special Student , which allows you to take between one and four courses a semester. Foreign national students  have  to take a full-time load in order to get a student visa. Students are issued a transcript, but no degree or certificate, for their work in the Special Student program.

Admitted Special Student applicants should be aware that the Department does not have the resources to provide the same support, academic and otherwise, to Special Students as it does to PhD students. Special Students are not assigned advisors, office space, research space, research funds, financial aid, library keys, or computer lab accounts. They are restricted from taking the Department's proseminar (PSY 2010), and other courses at the discretion of the instructor. 

Many Special Students hope eventually to enroll in a psychology graduate program; some plan to apply to Harvard's Ph.D. program. However, applicants should consider the Special Student year an opportunity to take courses, rather than a way to get an early start on the PhD program. While Special Students are certainly eligible to apply, potential applicants should be aware that admission as a Special Student does not guarantee admission to the PhD program. Special Students who are later admitted to the doctoral program receive credit for appropriate graduate-level courses taken during the Special Student term(s).

• Resources for Applicants

Doctoral Admission Requirements

Doctoral admission.

The Department of Psychology offers graduate studies leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree with a master's in passing as part of the doctoral training program. Six basic areas of study form the core of the doctoral program:

• Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology  -  Area Head:  Clive Wynne, PhD
• Clinical Psychology  - Area Heads:   Matt Meier, PhD  and Madeline Meier, PhD
• Cognitive Science  - Area Head:  Samuel McClure, PhD
• Developmental Psychology  - Area Head: Frank Infurna, PhD
• Quantitative Research Methods  - Area Head: Roy Levy, PhD
• Social Psychology  - Area Head: Michael Varnum, PhD

Interactions among faculty and students across these areas are central to a variety of ongoing research and educational programs in the department. Faculty and students are also actively involved with a number of other centers, institutes and research groups on campus that promote transdisciplinary approaches to issues of local and national significance, affording outstanding research and training experiences that extend beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries.

If you are primarily interested in becoming a therapist or counselor please review our list of  graduate programs in Arizona  for clinical practitioner options in addition to considering a PhD in psychology.

We also strongly encourage you to explore the department's  Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis  as another possibility for becoming a practitioner. Please note, however, the MS ABA is a professional degree program and its curriculum will not progress students toward a PhD in the department's doctoral program areas.

DOCTORAL PROGRAM APPLICATION PROCESS

The Doctoral Program Admission Instructions and Checklist  provides details and a step-by-step overview to ensure you have successfully completed your application. See the Admission Requirements section below for a list of requirements by area and links to forms.

LAPSYQUPHD: plan code for our Quantitative program. LAPSYCHPHD: plan code for our other 5 programs: Behavioral Neuroscience, Clinical, Cognitive Science, Developmental, and Social.

IMPORTANT: To be considered for PhD program, you must complete two applications: 1.) the  ASU  graduate application  and 2.) the department  Slideroom  application.

Actively recruiting faculty for fall 2025 .

• Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Quantitative Psychology
• Social Psychology

Admission requirements

The Department of Psychology requires two applications for doctoral admission consideration: the ASU graduate application and a department application through a system called SlideRoom (links to each are below in the numbered list). SlideRoom requires a $10 fee per application. 

Please review the Checklist and PhD Applicant FAQ page to ensure you understand the process, required materials (can vary by training area), and where to find answers to common questions. 

Fall 2024 Required Applicant Materials

• ASU Graduate Admission Application
• Slideroom Department Application
• Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology: optional
• Clinical Psychology: not required, but can be a supplemental item (optional)
• Cognitive Science: not required
• Developmental Psychology: not required, but can be a supplemental item (optional)
• Quantitative Research Methods: required
• Social Psychology: optional
• Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology’s form
• Clinical Psychology’s form
• Cognitive Science’s form
• Developmental Psychology’s form
• Quantitative Research Method’s form
• Social Psychology’s form
• Developmental Psychology's form

Supplemental items (optional; for Clinical Psychology and Developmental Psychology applicants only)

Clinical Psychology (optional) We invite students to submit any materials that will help demonstrate their aptitude and skills. Examples of supplemental materials that can be submitted but are NOT REQUIRED are:  - published papers,  - senior honors theses,  - posters presented at conferences,  - GRE Psychology Subject Test or GRE General scores, or  - video-recorded presentations of research (please submit a YouTube link not the actual recording), etc.

Developmental Psychology (optional) We encourage applicants to submit supplemental materials that demonstrate their preparation and readiness to succeed in a research-focused graduate program.  

Supplemental materials that are accepted include any of the following:  1) GRE scores,  2) writing sample (published papers, senior honors theses, paper from research-focused course work),  3) presentation sample (poster or YouTube link to a recorded presentation),  4) quantitative measures of academic success (honors or awards) 

• Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume (uploaded to SlideRoom as a pdf)
• Transcripts (upload an unofficial copy into SlideRoom and the ASU application, and  if accepted   you will be required to submit an official copy to the  Graduate Admission Services )
• Three letters of recommendation (list references' contact info in SlideRoom application) 
• Proof of  English Proficiency  if applicable (send official scores to Graduate Admission Services and upload a copy into SlideRoom)

Link to SlideRoom

 Application Deadlines

PSYCH-PHD - Psychology (PhD)

Program overview.

There are no specific course requirements for admission to the doctoral program. Nevertheless, an applicant should have prior research experience and the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree. The Department of Psychology does not require the GRE for admission. The doctoral program’s primary focus is research training, and admission is highly selective.

In addition to fulfilling Stanford University requirements for the degree, the following departmental requirements are stipulated.

The Doctoral Training Program

A student typically concentrates in one of several areas within Psychology. Across all areas, the training program emphasizes the development of research competence, and students are encouraged to develop skills and attitudes appropriate to a career of continuing research productivity.

Two kinds of experience are necessary for this purpose. One is learning substantial amounts of theoretical, empirical, computational, and methods information. Several courses and seminars are provided to assist in this learning, and students are expected to construct a program in consultation with their advisor(s) to obtain this knowledge in the most stimulating and economical fashion.

A second aspect of training cannot be gained from the courses or seminars. This is first-hand knowledge of, and practical experience with, the methods of psychological investigation and study. Therefore, students are expected to spend half their time on research and take no more than ten units of coursework per quarter, beginning in the first quarter.

Students achieve competence in unique ways and at different rates. Students and advisors work together to plan a program leading to the objectives discussed above. For further information, contact the student services manager and refer to the Department Graduate Guide on the  Psychology Department website .

The Stanford Psychology Department values a shared appreciation of the full range of approaches and research questions spanned by the department’s five areas . The department seeks to train scientists who are well-prepared to pursue careers that build on their training in any one of these areas and who can interact with researchers in other fields of Psychology. Therefore, students within each department area are expected to construct a program of study in consultation with their primary advisor that includes exposure to other areas in the department while also achieving sufficient depth within their area of specialization to prepare them for their next career stage after graduating.

Free Form Requisites

Requirements

Professional Seminar Requirement

During the first quarter of graduate study, students must take  course  Professional Seminar for First-Year Ph.D. Graduate Students.

Core Course Requirement

Students must take four core courses, each from a different area of the Psychology department: Affective Science, Cognitive Science, Developmental Psychology, Neuroscience, and Social Psychology, as listed below. All core courses must be taken for a letter grade for three units and passed with a B- or better grade. Students are expected to complete four core courses by the end of the third year.

Consistent with the program’s goal of fostering breadth and engagement across all areas of the department, students are encouraged to take all five core courses spanning the five areas of the department. If a student takes five core courses, the units and grade of the fifth course are counted toward the student’s advanced units.

Students may be required by their advisors to take up to two additional graduate courses in their area of specialization. In these cases, the other courses are counted toward the advanced units requirement described below. Students should consult with their advisor about any additional requirements in their area of specialization. 

Quantitative Methods Course Requirement

Students are required to take two of the following Quantitative Methods courses:

At least one of these courses must be taken in the first year, and both should be completed by the end of the second year. Quantitative methods courses must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a B- or better grade.

In the case that a student has already taken similar graduate-level coursework, with the consent of the advisor, the student may petition to substitute an alternative course for one of the two required courses; for example, to take 252 and 253 but not 251, or to take 251 and another upper-division statistics course. Petitions must be submitted to the department’s student services office and approved by the department’s Director of Graduate Studies (DGS).

Students who did not take an undergraduate course in statistics should take PSYCH 10 (STATS 60) in the earliest possible quarter within the first year; this is a prerequisite to any graduate statistics course.

Advanced Units or Ph.D. Minor Requirement

Students must complete 12 units of advanced graduate coursework, referred to as advanced units (AU). Students earn AU by taking: (a) non-core graduate psychology courses and/or (b) graduate-level courses in other departments comparable in quality to graduate courses offered by the Psychology Department. If there is any question about the comparability of courses, the student should consult the advisor, student services, and, in some cases, the graduate program committee chair before taking the course.

Courses taken for a letter grade must receive a B- or better to count toward the advanced units requirement. Students may request to count up to 3 units of undergraduate-level coursework toward the AU requirement. The advisor should support the request, and the undergraduate course must be substantive and relevant to the student’s graduate research. Requests to count undergraduate-level coursework must be submitted to the student services manager and may be adjudicated by the Director of Graduate Studies and/or the Graduate Program Committee.

A student may complete a PhD minor in another department instead of the advanced units requirement. Students pursuing a minor should register this decision with the student services manager.

Advanced units and/or PhD minors must be completed by the end of the fourth year. The department expects all decisions related to the AUs or the PhD minor to be made in close consultation with the student’s advisor.

The goals of the graduate program in the Stanford Psychology Department are twofold. First, it aims to develop researchers who are expert scholars in their dissertations. The program expects graduates to be fluent in theoretical foundations and debates, empirical findings, and methods of their respective fields. Second, it aims to guide and foster students’ development of an original research program that significantly advances knowledge in their specialization. Therefore, the research requirements, implemented in a series of milestones, are intended to help students obtain the necessary research experience, receive expert and constructive feedback from their primary advisor(s) and their committee, and ensure the successful completion of their dissertation research at the end of the program.

Students are expected to spend at least half of their time engaged in research from the beginning of the first year of graduate study to the completion of the PhD, taking no more than ten units of coursework each quarter.

First Year Project (FYP)

At the end of their first year of graduate study, students must submit a written report of their first-year research activities, called the First Year Project (FYP). This report should resemble a journal article in their area. It is written in consultation with their advisor. The FYP proposal is due at the end of autumn quarter. The final FYP is due on June 1 of the first year. First-year students must also work with their advisor to identify a second FYP reader (another Psychology faculty member) by the end of October in autumn quarter of the first year. Both the advisor and the second FYP reader are expected to read the FYP and provide the student with constructive feedback. It is recommended that students meet with their FYP readers in the summer of the first year to receive feedback.

Dissertation Reading Committee

Students are expected to form a research committee, including the dissertation reading committee, before initiating their dissertation research. The research committee includes the dissertation advisor and at least two additional faculty members, for three members, at least two of whom should have primary appointments in the Psychology Department. See  Graduate Degrees for university guidelines for the composition of the dissertation reading committee.

Students must form the committee and submit the Dissertation Reading Committee form to the student services manager by February 1 of the third year.

Third-Year Committee Meeting and Research Plan

Students are required to meet with their committee annually beginning in their third year. For the annual committee meetings, if a member of the student’s regular committee is unavailable (e.g., on sabbatical), the student should recruit another department faculty member to attend instead.

Students must meet with their committee in winter or spring quarter of the third year no later than June 1. At least two weeks before this meeting, students must submit a 1-2 page research plan to the committee.

Research Plan

The third-year research plan, which is submitted to the committee, is a short (1-2 page) document containing a brief overview of the experiments that have been completed and the planned experiments. The research plan is due in winter or spring quarter of the third year and no later than two weeks before the committee meeting.

Third-Year Committee Meeting

The goal of the third-year committee meeting is for students to present their planned research and preliminary data and for the faculty to give students feedback on their research plan, feasibility, and progress. During the third-year committee meeting, students present and discuss with the committee:

Background and hypothesis being tested

Experiments and methods

Preliminary results

Potential outcomes as well as pitfalls

After the committee meeting, students should submit the research plan to the student services manager and report the date the meeting took place.

Fourth-Year Committee Meeting and Research Plan

Students must meet with their committee in the fourth year in the autumn or winter quarter. At least two weeks before the meeting, they must submit their Area Review and Research Roadmap (ARRR) to their committee.

Area Review and Research Roadmap (ARRR):

This document has two parts:

Area Review:  A manuscript written in the format of a review paper that summarizes current theories, debates, and empirical work in the area of the dissertation, which ultimately leads to the open questions that will be answered in the dissertation. The goal of writing this document is to enable the students to organize and develop scholarly knowledge relevant to their dissertation research. This document could serve as the basis for the introduction to the dissertation and/or a basis for a review paper. The department expects that this section will be the bulk of the ARRR. It expects students to consult with their advisor on this document’s scope and receive feedback from their committee during the fourth-year meeting.

Research Roadmap:  This section is short (1-2 pages) and contains a brief overview of the experiments that will be part of the dissertation. Given that this document is written during the fourth year, some of the experiments are expected to be completed, while others are planned/ongoing.

Fourth-Year Committee Meeting

The goal of the fourth-year committee meeting is for students to present their research progress and receive feedback from the committee members on the ARRR. The department expects the presentation to start with a review of the relevant work but focus on the research progress. During the meeting, students present and discuss with the committee:

Background and hypothesis being tests

Current Results

Planned experiments toward dissertation completion

After the committee meeting, students should submit the ARRR to the student services manager and report the date the meeting took place.

Note:  Students admitted before 2018-19 may choose to use the prior milestone documents (the Dissertation Proposal and Conceptual Analysis of Dissertation Area) instead of the ARRR. This decision should be registered with the student services manager. Refer to the Stanford Bulletin from your entering year for details about these prior requirements.

Fifth-Year Committee Meeting and Beyond

The department expects that students complete their Oral Exam by the end of the fifth year. Thus, typically, the Oral Exam replaces the fifth-year committee meeting. However, if a student defers the Oral Exam, they are expected to meet with their committee before June 1 of the fifth year to give an update on ongoing research progress and receive feedback. The same applies to the sixth year and so on. After each committee meeting, students should report to the student services manager when the committee meeting occurred.

Oral Examination

In the Department of Psychology, the Oral Examination is a dissertation defense. A 5-member committee is formed to review the oral examination. This committee includes the dissertation reading committee, an additional faculty member, and one oral examination committee chair from outside the Psychology department.

The oral examination consists of a 45-minute public presentation to the department of the completed dissertation research, followed by a 10-15 minute period of open questions and answers. Parents and friends are welcome to attend. Following the presentation, the student and the committee convene for a closed part of the oral exam. Each committee member asks the PhD candidate questions regarding their PhD research. After the closed session, the candidate leaves the room, the committee discusses the outcome of the exam, and members anonymously vote on whether the candidate passed the oral exam. Per university policy, the total duration of both parts of the oral examination should be less than three hours.

Dissertation

Per university policy, the candidate must complete a dissertation satisfactory to the dissertation reading committee. Typically, the candidate will submit the dissertation to the reading committee two weeks before the oral examination. Minor revisions to formatting may be made after the oral examination. It is allowable by university policy to have a single additional writing quarter after the defense to finalize the dissertation. The dissertation must be approved and signed by each member of the dissertation reading committee.

Students must complete their oral examination and submit their dissertation before their candidate status expires at the end of the seventh year (per university policy, candidacy status is granted at the end of year 2, and students have five years of candidacy in which to complete all requirements). See Graduate Degrees for more information. The Department will review petitions for a more extended candidacy period on a case-by-case basis.

Teaching Requirement

The department views experience in supervised teaching as an integral part of its graduate program. Regardless of their financial support source, all students must participate in at least five quarters of teaching experience during their graduate study.

Of these five teaching quarters, students are required to apply for 2 of the quarters providing teaching support to a service course, either two quarters of  course  Introduction to Psychology or two quarters of a core statistics course:  course  Introduction to Statistical Methods: Precalculus,  course  Experimental Methods,  course  Statistical Methods for Behavioral and Social Sciences, and/or  course  Advanced Statistical Modeling. Students report whether they prefer the PSYCH 1 or the stats path (or neutral) in their first year. 

Students are prohibited from teaching during the first year of graduate study. Students typically progress from closely supervised teaching to more independent teaching. Some students may be invited to offer a supervised, but essentially independent, seminar during their final year of graduate study.

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The Department of Psychology Graduate Program combines the Master of Science [M.S.] and Ph.D. degrees. The program  is organized into four divisions: Adult, Child, Health, and Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience. Within the divisions, there are options for Clinical and Psychological Sciences programs. The Clinical Program trains its graduates to be scientists and practitioners, with a strong emphasis on clinical science while the Psychological Sciences Program puts emphasis on the scientific aspect.   Students are accepted into a program within one of the divisions and r equirements for each area of study varies according to the student's program. 

There are many steps on the path to the Ph.D. These include (1) successfully completing the Department's core statistics and foundation courses, (2) demonstrating continued research activity, (3) completing a Master's thesis, (4) completing advanced coursework required within the student's program area, (5) successfully completing qualifying procedures, including satisfactorily completing a qualifying research paper, (6) completing and defending a Ph.D. dissertation, and (7) meeting all program area Competency requirements.

The minimum number of credits required for the Ph.D. in Psychology varies according to the student's program area but in no case falls below 72 for Clinical and 60 for Psychological Sciences, which include 6 thesis credits and 12 dissertation credits. Clinical tracks require additional practicum credits and a yearlong internship. 

Admission Requirements

1) Completion of an official application (online) and must include:

- Personal statement

- Prospective Mentor

- Research interests

- Desired Track

2) Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution.

3) Graduate Record Examination (GRE within 5 years).

4) 3 Letters of recommendation.

5) International applicants whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

6) An interview will be required for admission.

To receive full consideration for entry into the Ph.D. Program for the Fall of the next school year, ALL application materials [application, transcripts from all universities/colleges attended, GRE scores, and letters of recommendation] must be received no later than December 1. The Department of Psychology uses an online application for admission to our graduate program. 

Curriculum Requirements

• The principal goal of the graduate program in Psychology is to prepare the student for a career contributing to the growth of scientific knowledge in psychology.
• a minimum average of B.
• at least 18 credit hours of psychology that must include courses in Introductory Psychology, Statistics, and Experimental Psychology or Research Methods.
• Students lacking the necessary preparation must ordinarily make up deficiencies prior to admission to the Graduate School.
• All applicants must present the Graduate Record Examination (Aptitude Tests; Advanced Test in Psychology preferred). In all cases admission to graduate degree programs in Psychology is competitive, since available resources do not permit admission of all qualified applicants.
• The Ph.D. program in Psychology has four clinical areas of study [Adult Clinical, Child Clinical, Health Clinical, and Pediatric Health] and four Psychological Sciences areas [Behavioral Medicine, Cognitive-Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental, and Evolution and Behavior].  All clinical Ph.D. programs in Psychology require a minimum of 72 credit hours, including 6 thesis credits (PSY 810) and 12 dissertation credits (PSY 830).  Psychological Sciences programs require a minimum of 60 credit hours including 6 thesis credits (PSY 810) and 12 dissertation credits (PSY 830).
• PSY 680 and PSY 681 will not be counted toward the 72 credit hour minimum.
• A Master of Science in Psychology based upon 24 credit hours of course work and 6 credit hours of Master’s thesis research is a component of all programs.
• In cases in which a student has a prior graduate degree, the number of credit hours required for the Ph.D. may be reduced at the discretion of the Department.
• All programs in Clinical Psychology require an internship.

Sample Plan of Study

The mission of the graduate program in the Department of Psychology is to train students to acquire, advance, and disseminate knowledge within the Psychological and Biobehavioral Sciences.

In order to achieve these goals the graduate program: 1. Develops advanced understanding of behavioral, psychological, and biological processes; 2. provides rigorous training in research design and analysis, develops advanced research skills; 3. provides detailed scientific knowledge about psychology as well as clinical psychology training and practical experience for those students seeking applied training in a career as a clinician scientist, in accordance with the American Psychological Association guidelines for accreditation in Clinical Psychology; and 4. fosters independent learning, enabling the graduate to contribute to the scientific field of Psychology, including Clinical Psychology.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate an understanding of behavioral, psychological, and biological processes and knowledge of the core curriculum, clinical curriculum, and specialty area.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge and skills in research methods and analysis.
• Students will demonstrate appropriate professional conduct, excellent clinical assessment and/or clinical intervention skills.

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Information for Applicants

The Department of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania will be accepting applications for the PhD program for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle beginning October 1, 2023. The deadline for applicants who wish to matriculate in Fall 2024 is December 1, 2023 11:59 pm P.S.T. (Note that this deadline is earlier than the one indicated on the School of Arts and Sciences webpage.)

Update (1/16/2024):  Invitations to interview were sent by email on Saturday, January 13, 2024 to those applicants selected to interview. All other applicants will receive a decision through the application system soon.

Update (12/4/2023):  The application deadline for Fall 2024 admission has passed. Applicants, please note that there may be a delay with the application checklist status for those of you that have applied on or near the deadline.

Please note, we only accept applications for a PhD in Psychology. We do not admit students to pursue a terminal Master’s degree.

The following faculty members are considering applications for Fall 2024 admission (updated, 11/6/2023):

Professor Dolores Albarracin

Professor Michael Arcaro

Professor David Brainard

Professor Johannes Burge

Professor Delphine Dahan

Professor Angela Duckworth

Professor Russell Epstein

Professor Loretta Flanagan-Cato

Professor Maria Geffen

Professor Jay Gottfried

Professor Matthew R. Hayes

Professor Michael Kahana

Professor Konrad Kording

Professor Allyson Mackey

Professor David Mandell

Professor Anna Papafragou

Professor Gareth Roberts

Professor Ayelet Meron Ruscio

Professor Martin Seligman

Professor Alan Stocker

Professor Daniel Swingley

1. Before submitting an application , we strongly encourage applicants to contact faculty with whom they are interested in working to discuss their research interests and confirm that working with the faculty member would be a good fit. 

A full listing of our graduate group members may be found here . All members of our graduate group are eligible to advise students in our program, but only those listed above have indicated that they will look at applications for Fall 2024.

2. Once you have contacted a faculty member and determined that the lab and the program are a good fit, you should proceed with your application ( APPLY HERE ).

3. The GRE General test is optional for application to Penn Psychology’s graduate program. We believe that the results of the test can provide valuable information in a student’s dossier--information that is different from the other elements and might allow a student to reveal intellectual distinction that would set them apart. At the same time, we are aware that the GRE is expensive and can present a barrier to application to PhD programs. It is in the interest of removing this barrier that we have made the GRE optional. If you do choose to submit GRE scores, they must be sent before the Dec. 1, 2023 admissions deadline. Please be aware that ETS (who makes the GRE) has a fee reduction program that halves the cost of the GRE for students who may not have the means to pay for the test: https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/register/fees/reductions/

4. Applicants whose native language is not English must prove English proficiency through the following approved tests, unless they graduated from an English-speaking university (i.e., a university in an English-speaking country): TOEFL iBT Test (standard/in-person), TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition, TOEFL ITP Plus for China solution, or IELTS. TOEFL must be submitted electronically through ETS using the institution code 2926. An official copy of the IELTS scores must be mailed directly from IELTS to the Graduate Division, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, 3401 Walnut Street, Suite 322A, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6228.

5. Personal Statement: All applicants must include a personal statement that addresses the following question:   Please describe how your background and academic experiences have influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree and led you to apply to Penn. Your essay should detail your specific research interests and intellectual goals within  your chosen field. Please provide information about your educational trajectory, intellectual curiosity and academic ambitions. If you have overcome adversity and/or experienced limited access to resources or opportunities in your field of study, please feel free to share how that has affected the course of your education. We are interested in your lived experiences and how your particular perspective might contribute to the inclusive and dynamic learning community that Penn values and strives to create.   For more information about the personal statement, please visit our Personal Statement Information page.

6. You must arrange to have 3 letters of recommendation sent to Penn and submit all components of the application before the December 1, 2023 deadline ( APPLY HERE ). These include a personal statement, a transcript, and a CV. See here , for additional information about the personal statement.

7. Pay your application fee. Penn offers application fee waivers for some applicants. All fee waiver requests for hardships, McNair Scholars, etc., should be sent to the Graduate Division of Arts and Sciences for their review. Requests may be sent by email to [email protected] . Please note that application fee waivers are not provided for international applicants.

8. You will hear from us in mid-January if you will be invited to interview . Interviews will be held virtually.  Interviews are usually in late January/early February. Admissions offers are usually made in mid-February.

Is Penn’s program right for you? – See this handy decisions tree , reposted from the University of Houston Psychology website, to help you determine a route to your desired Psychology career.

Additional questions? A list of frequently asked questions about the application process can be found here .

For further questions, please contact Paul Newlon at [email protected] .

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Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology

Admission requirements.

• Admissions Requirements
• Faculty and Staff
• Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data

Tips to Streamline Your Admissions Process

Welcome! We appreciate your interest and strive to make the NSU Ph.D. Clinical Psychology admissions process as smooth as possible.  Please review all requirements below. Don’t hesitate to reach us at 954-262-7563 or by email with any questions.

A few tips before you begin:

• You may select the option to apply for both the Psy.D. and Ph.D. programs.       
• We recommend that you start at least one to two months prior to the application deadline, as the admissions process does take time.
• All documents submitted to NSU must include your name on every page.
• Document format must be either Word (.docx, .doc) or Acrobat (.pdf) only.

Minimum Core Requirements

• Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution
• 3.0 undergraduate GPA average (4.0 scale) OR 3.5 graduate-level
• GPA average (4.0 scale) based on 18 semester hours minimum, which must be completed by end of fall semester of your senior year.  
• 18 semester hours in psychology
• 3 semester hours of statistics

(Required 18 semester hours of psychology coursework waived with Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Psychology Test score of 600 or higher)

• 3-credit-hour experimental psychology course (recommended)
• Combined score greater than 297 for GRE verbal and quantitative preferred.   Please see GRE requirement announcement below .
• GRE Psychology Test recommended, but not required.

Candidates for the degree must also possess, with or without reasonable accommodation, multiple abilities and skills including:

• Intellectual, conceptual, integrative, and quantitative abilities.
• Intrapersonal, communication, behavioral, and personal attributes including empathy, emotional self-awareness, and emotional maturity.

GRE Requirement Announcement

The Department of Clinical and School Psychology is proud to welcome applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds. Our faculty admissions committee reviews each application to determine whether the applicant’s stated goals align with the program’s academic objectives.

During the application review process, the faculty admissions committee places strong emphasis on the applicant’s coursework, grade point average, letters of recommendation, statement of professional goals, individual interview, research experience, and potential to be successful in the program and beyond.

Applicants to the Ph.D. program are not required to submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. However, the faculty admissions committee encourages applicants to submit GRE scores if they believe the scores will enhance their overall application.

Questions about the admissions process are welcomed at [email protected] | (800) 541-6682 ext. 27563 | (954) 262-7563.

What Enhances Your Application?

• Previous courses taken, especially quantitative for Ph.D. and biological for Clinical Health and Clinical Neuropsychology
• Previous clinical and research experience
• Evidence of your interest in psychology
• Your statement of professional goals
• Your three letters of recommendation
• Higher GPA and (optional) GRE scores, indicating greater potential to complete doctoral-level work

Former Chair, Dr. John Lewis, provides additional information on the application process.

Follow these 9 Steps to Apply

• Complete online  application form . To access a step-by-step guide on the application process, click here . 
• Remember to submit your non-refundable $US 50 application processing fee.
• Once your application and processing fee is received, you’ll be able to upload your supplemental documents to “Supplemental Documents” on your user profile.
• Upload Statement of Professional Goals.  This statement of your professional experiences should include descriptions of: your clinical experience; research experience; areas in psychology of greatest interest to you; and goals.
• Send Curriculum Vitae or Resume.
• Obtain three academic or professional letters of recommendation.  Once NSU receives your application processing fee, you’ll be able to enter Recommender's Email Addresses. They will receive an email with a link to your application. Your recommenders should fill out this form electronically and upload their letter.
• Include official transcripts.  Make sure you include all colleges or universities you attended and mail directly to Enrollment Processing Services (EPS). This includes agency evaluation of foreign degrees for determination of U.S. equivalence (including Canadian transcripts). International students should visit  http://www.nova.edu/internationalstudents  for further information.*
• Submit GRE scores (optional). (GRE Code: 5516)
• If applicable, send English proficiency scores. International student applicants should submit English proficiency scores. Visit  Requirements for Obtaining an I-20  to learn more.

Next Steps: Committee Review and Your Interview

Once you’ve submitted your completed application and uploaded your supplemental documents, your file is sent to our faculty committee for review. This review process may take several weeks, depending upon time of year. (You can check your status online anytime via the application portal.)

• For the Fall 2024 admissions cycle, interviews will be conducted via Zoom.
• Once all interviews are completed and final committee decisions have been made, you’ll be notified at the email address you have on file.
• If you are admitted, you’ll have until April 15 to respond to our offer, in accordance with guidelines established by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association.

Your Application Deadlines

Where to mail your transcripts.

Nova Southeastern University Enrollment Processing Services Attn: College of Psychology P.O. Box 299000 3300 South University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328-2004

For International Students:

Nova Southeastern University Attn: Enrollment Processing Services 3300 South University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328-2004

Official electronic transcripts must be sent to [email protected] .

NOTE: EXTERNAL INSTITUTIONS ONLY.

Need help? We’re here for you: reach us at (954) 262-7563 , (800) 541-6682 , 27563 (a-s-k-m-e), or email to [email protected] .

Clinical Psychology Interview Days

Dr. john lewis on interview day.

Additional Information

Accepting offers.

In accordance with the guidelines established by the American Psychological Association, accepted applicants have until April 15 to respond to our offer, although earlier notification is desired. Applicants who accept our offer must send a required deposit of $1,000 by April 15 to secure their place in the program. This nonrefundable deposit is credited toward the first semester's tuition. You may be subject to a background check upon acceptance into the program.

Provisional Admissions

Students may be provisionally admitted to a degree-seeking program based on a review of unofficial transcripts or other specific program admission requirements. However, this admission includes a condition that final and official documents and requirements must be received within 90 calendar days from the start of the term. If these final and official documents and/or requirements are not received by that time, the student will not be allowed to continue class attendance. Financial aid will not be disbursed to a provisional/conditional student until he or she has been fully admitted as a regular student (all admissions requirements have been approved by the college/program admissions office). Students who have an unpaid balance 30 days from the start of the term will be assessed a $100 fee .

Admissions Offer Disclaimer

Please note that NSU reserves the right to rescind or place conditions upon admissions offers should information become available that calls into question an admitted student’s academic performance or character, including that which reflects a violation of NSU’s Code of Student Conduct .

Transfer of Credits

All transfer credits must be awarded during the student's first academic year in the doctoral program. Consideration will be given only to doctoral-level courses taken within the past five years and before matriculation in the doctoral program. Requests for first semester courses must be made during the summer before July 20 , and may be done through the mail or by making an appointment with the Director of Academic Affairs that is responsible for awarding these credits. Requests for all other transfer credits must be made during the fall, before September 30 . The maximum number of credits transferred that will be credited toward graduation is 15. Coursework submitted must meet all the specific criteria outlined in the center catalog. No transfer credits may be applied to pre-practicum, practicum, internship, or electives. Courses from terminal master's degree programs are not transferable. See the College of Psychology student handbook  for additional information.

International Student Applicant Information

Help with I-20 and more

Get help with your I-20 and other international student admissions details at our Office of International Affairs page .

Applicants whose native language is not English are required to demonstrate English proficiency. Please visit the International Students Office website for a list of English proficiency tests that satisfy the Universities requirements.

Students who have obtained a degree from a foreign country should view the list of approved agencies to have their official transcripts reviewed for university credit. Please visit the International Students Office website for a list of National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). 

Need to speak with someone directly?

Call our International Student Services team at (954) 262-7240 or 800-541-6682 , ext. 27240 or email us .

Background Drug Screening Statement

NSU’s College of Psychology’s clinical, school, and counseling programs maintain affiliation agreements with health care and community agencies and may also place students within the NSU Psychology Services Center (PSC). These affiliations allow for student clinical training experiences required in the programs. Trainees will be required to undergo Level 2 background and drug screenings.

Please note that the university and affiliate sites have a zero-tolerance policy for drug use. Testing positive for illegal or illicit drugs, including marijuana (even if prescribed or certified by a physician), or a controlled substance for which the individual does not have a prescription, would constitute a failed test and as such, could invalidate the placement/match and result in a referral for further action. (Updated Feb 2022)

COVID-19 Vaccination Statement

It is important to note that many agencies with whom the NSU College of Psychology partners for practicum/internship/ post-doctoral residency program placements require that students show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (including recommended boosters).

Not being vaccinated may eliminate some placements as an option and in turn disrupt the sequence of training, delay program progression, and/or timely degree completion.

Questions may be directed to the appropriate program office. (Updated Feb 2022)

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DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

• Undergraduate
• Graduate Studies in Psychology
• Areas of Specialization
• Considering Clinical Psychology

What Does It Take to Get Into Graduate School in Clinical Psychology?

Admission to PhD programs in clinical psychology is very competitive. Ratios of 300 applicants to 8 positions are common (though perhaps 10-15 people would have to be accepted to fill the 8 slots; some who are accepted decide to go elsewhere, or enter a different kind of graduate or professional program ). Different programs emphasize different characteristics, but it is safe to say that in all programs GREs and GPAs are examined closely. Graduate students in Northwestern's program have averaged over 1400 on the GRE (Verbal plus Quantitative), with an average GPA of over 3.5. (GPAs for the last two years of undergraduate schooling are most important, so students with uneven early records have a good chance if they've improved.) There are respectable programs whose students score lower on these measures, but students who have lower than 1200 on the GRE or a GPA of less than 3.3 can expect to find it difficult to get into a top graduate program in clinical psychology without other special qualifications.

Regarding less standardized criteria, most graduate programs in clinical psychology will prefer that you have taken a course in psychopathology, e.g., our Psych 303. Introduction to Clinical Psychology (Psych 306) can also be useful, in part as a way to learn more about the field and your options within it. Most graduate schools also expect students to have obtained some research experience. The primary concern is that students should have conducted some psychological research in order to know whether they find it interesting. From an admissions perspective, it is less important that you have had clinical research experience than it is that you have had meaningful research experiences (e.g., not just entering data). It is also important that you be able to solicit a letter of recommendation from at least one research supervisor. This means that it is important to get involved in research before you do your applications. If you plan to apply to graduate programs during fall of your senior year, then you should begin your research involvement as a junior, or even earlier.

Northwestern’s psychology department offers many  research opportunities  for undergraduate students. Each quarter, many of our students do  research for course credit  through 399-Independent Study or the two-quarter sequence 397-Advanced Supervised Research. You can learn more about 399 and 397, including their requirements and the differences between them, by reading our webpage on research for course credit. This page also includes tips on choosing a professor with whom to do research. Other students obtain paid positions in the department, typically through the federal  work-study program . You should make sure that your research experience provides you with an in-depth look at the nature of psychological research and at the theories and past research relevant for the questions under investigation. Entering data, scheduling research participants, and so on are integral parts of the research process, but it is important to do much more than that.

Some psychology students hope to do research that is outside the specific projects for which their faculty supervisors have funding. In addition, students who want to do research on campus during the summer may need to earn money for living expenses. Northwestern University, Weinberg College, and the psychology department all have funds available on a competitive basis to support student research. Guidelines for applying for the psychology department’s Benton J. Underwood Summer Fellowship are always included in the winter edition of our undergraduate newsletter,  Swift Thinking . See the Weinberg College webpage on  funds for undergraduate research  and the university page on  Research Opportunities for Undergraduates  for additional funding options.

Many graduate schools give a great deal of consideration to the likely match between potential students' interests and faculty interests. Students can convey their interests through the personal statements they include in their applications and in direct contact with relevant professors. If you have strong interests in a professor's research, this will make you a much more desirable applicant to that person. But you must be able to convey that your interests are serious, for example, by discussing a specific study. Faculty will not be impressed if it appears that you merely scanned the departmental brochure searching for topics that sound interesting.

Students may also want to consider trying some hands-on counseling-type work. Many agencies accept and train volunteers. For example, volunteering at a teen drop-in center or a hospital, working as a camp counselor for special needs children, and answering phones for a helpline can all be relevant experiences. If your goal is to work with some specific population – troubled teens, the elderly, autistic children – then you should try to gain some firsthand experience with this population. In part, this may serve as a valuable credential when you apply for graduate training. Perhaps more importantly, it will let you know if working with this population is as rewarding for you as you expect it to be. Two student groups –  Northwestern Community Development Corps (NCDC)  and  OASIS  – are good sources of information about volunteer opportunities in Evanston and surrounding communities

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UCLA Graduate Programs

Program Requirements for Psychology

Applicable only to students admitted during the 2022-2023 academic year.

College of Letters and Science

Graduate Degrees

The Department of Psychology offers the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Psychology.

Admissions Requirements

Master’s Degree

Upon admission to graduate status, each student is assigned an adviser on the basis of the student’s interests as indicated in the application. At the beginning of each fall quarter until Advancement to Candidacy (ATC), all students are required to meet with their adviser to discuss their academic year enrollment plan and to secure their adviser’s endorsement of that plan. The academic year plan will ensure that the advisers provide guidance and support for all course requirements. Students who would like to change advisers may request to do so. Students are evaluated annually, in the spring of each year, by the chair of the major area until they have completed the program. Students who are not making satisfactory progress in the program are notified in writing.

In addition, each spring quarter, areas are required to conduct a comprehensive review of all graduate students in their program. Each student receives from the area a written evaluation letter. Each fall quarter, students in their fourth and sixth year in the program complete progress reports, which are reviewed by their adviser, the area chair, and the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies.

Areas of Study

Not applicable.

Foreign Language Requirement

Course Requirements

The M.A. degree requires nine graduate courses (36 units). This course work must include Psychology 250A, 250B, 251A, 251B, 251C, and 16 units from major courses required for the doctoral degree. Up to four units of 596 may be applied toward the 36 unit requirement. In addition, the Psychology 251C research project must be completed. All courses must be taken for a letter grade except 251A, 251B, and 596 are S/U grading. Courses in the 300 or 400 series may not be applied. Any undergraduate deficiencies must be cleared before the M.A. degree is awarded. Students who have earned a previous Master’s Degree in Psychology are not permitted to earn a duplicate Master’s Degree in Psychology at UCLA.

Teaching Experience

All students will be introduced to teaching through an introductory teaching assistant position during one quarter of the first year of matriculation in the degree program. All students are required to take Psychology 495A in the first quarter they serve as a teaching assistant (in the first year of matriculation in the degree program), and 495B in the second quarter they serve as a teaching assistant (no later than end of fourth year prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy). 495A and 495B are S/U grading and must be passed with a S grade.

Field Experience

Not required.

Capstone Plan

Students must complete an individual research project which demonstrates their knowledge of relevant scientific literature and their ability to design and conduct a research project and write a complete research report. Students must enroll in Psychology 251A, 251B, and 251C consecutively, beginning in the winter quarter of the first year and concluding in the fall quarter of the second year.

Thesis Plan

Time-to-Degree

Students are expected to complete the master’s requirements within four quarters of full-time graduate study.

Doctoral Degree

Upon admission to graduate status, each student is assigned an adviser on the basis of the student’s interests as indicated in the application. At the beginning of each fall quarter until ATC, all students are required to meet with their adviser to discuss their academic year course enrollment plan and to secure their adviser’s endorsement of that plan. Students who would like to change advisers may request to do so. Students are evaluated annually, in the spring of each year, by the chair of the major until they have completed the program. Students who are not making satisfactory progress in the program are notified in writing.

Major Fields or Subdisciplines

Students are required to obtain a thorough background in research methodology and psychological theory by completing requirements for a major. Majors are offered in the following seven areas of psychology: Behavioral Neuroscience; Clinical; Cognitive; Developmental; Health; Quantitative; and Social Psychology.

In addition, students admitted to the Behavioral Neuroscience Area may elect to major in Behavioral Neuroscience, Learning and Behavior, or Cognitive Neuroscience. Students admitted in to the Cognitive Area may elect to major in Cognitive Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, or Computational Cognition. Students admitted to the Developmental Area can major in Developmental Psychology or Social and Affective Neuroscience. Students admitted to the Social Area can major in Social Psychology or Social and Affective Neuroscience. Students remain in their Area of admission for administrative purposes, regardless of major. There are no alternative major tracks for students admitted to Clinical, Health, or Quantitative Areas. Adding a minor area of study is optional.

Students should refer to the Psychology Graduate Student Handbook available on the departmental web site for additional information on courses that can be applied toward the program requirements listed below.

General Course Requirements

All doctoral students must complete the following seven courses: Psychology 250A and 250B, which must be completed in the first year; 251A, 251B, and 251C, which must be completed by the end of the fall quarter of the second year; and 495A and 495B (for a total of 22 units). Depending on their major, students must complete an additional 20 to 38 units, for a total of 42 to 60 units of coursework. Courses must be passed with a letter grade of B or better, unless the course is only offered with S/U grading.

Students must enroll in one independent study course each quarter, beginning with Psychology 251A in the winter quarter of the first year. Students may select from the following independent study courses, depending on their stage in the program: Psychology 251A, 251B, 251C, 596, 597, 599. Beginning in the second year, students must take at least 4 units of Psychology 596, 597, or 599 each year.

Major Area Course Requirements

Behavioral Neuroscience . 8 units of behavioral neuroscience courses; Neuroscience M203; either Neuroscience M202 or Cellular Physiology portion of NS101A (via Psych 596); and 8 elective units. Enrollment in Psychology 212 is required for 6 quarters.

Clinical . Psychology 250C or substitute, 270A, 270B, 270C, 271A, 271D, 273A, 273B, 273C, 277A, 277B and two advanced clinical courses are required. Psychology 271BC are optional. Enrollment in Psychology 289ABC is required for 3 quarters.

Prior to the clinical internship, and in consultation with program faculty, students are required to take courses that enable them to meet the ‘Discipline-Specific Knowledge’ required for program accreditation by the American Psychological Association.

Practicum and Internship Requirements for Clinical Students: At least 500 hours of approved, supervised, pre-internship practicum (Psychology 401) are required, of which 150 hours must involve direct clinical service and 75 hours must be formal scheduled supervision. These hours are usually completed during the second through fourth years. All advanced students working with clients must enroll in Psychology 401 (one to four units). All students must take a second‐year practicum in the Psychology Clinic as well as a practicum in the third and/or fourth years at approved practicum sites outside of the Department or within the Psychology Clinic.

All clinical training must be approved by the Director of Clinical Training (DCT) while students are enrolled in the program. Students are discouraged from making independent arrangements for clinical training and are prohibited from providing direct clinical services in clinical settings not expressly approved by the DCT, including private practice psychological assistantships.

The equivalent of one-year’s full-time supervised internship (Psychology 451) in an acceptable setting approved by the faculty is required. This is usually taken in the fifth or sixth year. Students must enroll in at least 12 units of course work while on internship, including at least eight units in Psychology 451. Students should contact the Department for further information on internship, enrollment, and registration requirements.

Cognitive . 3 cognitive courses from Psychology 261-264, 4 units of methods, quantitative or programming and 8 elective units. Enrollment in Psychology 260AB is required for 2 quarters.

Cognitive Neuroscience . 8 units from cognitive courses, 4 units from behavioral neuroscience courses, Neuroscience M203 and 8 elective units. Enrollment in Psychology 212 is required for 6 quarters.

Computational Cognition . 2 cognitive courses from Psychology 261-264, Psychology 259 or 265, 2 courses from statistics and or computer science, and 4 elective units. Enrollment in Psychology 260AB is required for 2 quarters.

Developmental . Psychology 250C or substitute, 3 developmental courses taught by different faculty members and 2 courses which may be developmental or outside of the area and/or department. Enrollment in Psychology 241 is required for 8 quarters.

Health Psychology . Psychology 250C or substitute, Psychology 215AB, Psychology 218, another Health Psychology course and 4 elective units. Enrollment in Psychology 219 is required for 6 quarters.

Learning and Behavior . 8 units from learning and behavior courses, 4 units from behavioral neuroscience courses, Neuroscience M203 and 8 additional elective units. Enrollment in Psychology 212 is required for 6 quarters.

Quantitative. Psychology 250C, 255A, 256A, M257,254C and 4 elective courses. Enrollment in Psychology 249 is required for 6 quarters.

Practicum Requirements for Quantitative Students : After completing the following courses: 250A, 250B, 250C, M257, 255A, 256A, 258, students are required to enroll in the quantitative psychology practicum Psych 430 for 2 quarters. The practicum serves as a hands-on statistical consultation training for graduate students. Practicum activities include a weekly meeting with a faculty supervisor, consultation with researchers in the psychology department, and outside time spent preparing for and following-up on consultation meetings.

Social. Psychology 250C or substitute, Psych 220A, Psych 220B or substitute and 3 additional courses in consultation with adviser. Enrollment in Psychology 226AC is required for 6 quarters.

Social and Affective Neuroscience. 250C or substitute, one course from methods series, one course from content series, another course from either methods or content series, three additional courses in consultation with adviser, and a workshop course on presenting research. Enrollment in the Social and Affective Neuroscience colloquium series is required for all quarters of years 1-3. Students must also attend their home area talk series as required by the home Area.

Minor Area Course Requirements

Students are not required to complete a minor. However, three optional minors are available for students who are interested: Diversity Science, Health, and Quant. Students may also petition to create an individualized minor program of study.

Diversity Science. Psychology 295 and two additional courses.

Health Psychology. Psychology 215A or 215B, two quarters of 219, and one additional health psychology course.

Quantitative. Psychology 250C, 255A and 2 elective quantitative area courses.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass university written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations, the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to university requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

All committee nominations and reconstitutions adhere to the Minimum Standards for Doctoral Committee Constitution .

The qualifying examination consists of two parts: a Comprehensive Examination (C-Exam) administered by the major area, and the University Oral Qualifying Exam. The C-Exam administered by the major area examines in breadth the student’s knowledge of the major field. For information about each major area’s examination, refer to the Graduate Student Handbook. All Ph.D. requirements besides the dissertation, including the C-Exam administered by the major area, must be completed before students are allowed to take the University Oral Qualifying Examination Students are expected to complete the Oral Qualifying Examination no later than spring quarter of the fourth year of the program.

Advancement to Candidacy

Students are advanced to candidacy and awarded the Candidate in Philosophy (C.Phil.) degree upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

Doctoral Dissertation

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination (Defense of the Dissertation)

The Final Oral Examination is required for all students in the program. Students are expected to complete the Final Oral Examination no later than spring quarter of the sixth year of the program.

The normative time-to-degree for doctoral requirements is six years (18 quarters). Students are required to complete various stages of the program as follows:

• Course Work Requirements: Prior to taking the University Oral Qualifying Examination.
• Comprehensive Examinations: Students should refer to individual area guidelines in the Psychology Graduate Student Handbook .
• University Oral Qualifying Examination: No later than spring quarter of the fourth year of the graduate program.
• Final Oral Examination: No later than spring quarter of the sixth year of the graduate program.
• Degree Requirement Completion: All requirements for the Ph.D. degree, including the filing of the dissertation, must be completed within six calendar years of the date of admission to the graduate program.

Academic Disqualification and Appeal of Disqualification

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for academic disqualification from graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing academic disqualification of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA .

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standard reasons noted above, a student may be recommended for academic disqualification if the student receives two grades of B-, one grade lower than B- in the core program, or does not meet the time requirements for completion of the core program. Such cases are considered by the Graduate Studies Committee. If a recommendation for academic disqualification is approved by the Department Chair, the recommendation is sent to the Graduate Division by the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies.

Area committees may also recommend that a student be academically disqualified. Grounds for a recommendation for academic disqualification include: a pattern of unsatisfactory performance in other course work; and failure of a qualifying examination. A recommendation for academic disqualification also may be initiated by the Graduate Studies Committee for insufficient progress toward the Ph.D. degree, as evidenced by a failure to obtain the degree within six calendar years following matriculation. If approved by the Department Chair, a recommendation for academic disqualification is sent to the Graduate Division by the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies.

Students are informed in writing by the Vice Chair for Graduate Studies when actions concerning them are under consideration by the Graduate Studies Committee. A student may appeal a recommendation for academic disqualification to the Department Chair.

PhD in Clinical Psychology

• clinical-psychology-phd

To apply to our program you must complete the  Hofstra Graduate online application  by December 31.

Hofstra University continues its commitment to extending equal opportunity to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, marital or veteran status in the conduct and operation of its educational programs and activities, including admission and employment.

The PhD Program in Clinical Psychology at Hofstra University believes that our program is best served when the students, faculty, and staff reflect and celebrate the diversity of society at large. Thus, o ur program is fully committed to increasing the recruitment of underrepresented students and has one annually awarded  Diversity Scholarship in Clinical Psychology  that covers all expenses in the program through graduation.

For more information about admissions to our program see  ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS  and  Frequently Asked Questions  (see Frequently Asked Questions for information about the GRE Subject test). Please note July 9, 2020 update: Due to COVID-19 considerations, GRE scores will not be required for the 2020 application.

If you do not have a degree in psychology and you want to apply you must send a list of all psychology courses taken to the Director of the Program to determine if you have the required courses: [email protected] ).

Please note that all students are admitted to the program rather than to a faculty member's lab/clinic. We do our best to accommodate each student's interest in being assigned to a particular faculty member and are able to do so for the majority of students who enter the program. However, it is not always possible to do so. Students will be aware of their assignment prior to the acceptance deadline. It is important to note that other than lab/clinic assignments to a specific faculty member, the program is exactly the same for all students (e.g., courses, research requirements, externship requirements, internship) -- irrespective of the faculty member one is assigned to.

Requirements

Clinical psychology, phd, frequently asked questions.

PhD in Psychology

Our program trains graduate students to make original contributions to knowledge in the field of psychology. We offer intensive research training with the aim to foster competence in seven domains as follows:

• Written scientific communication.
• Oral scientific communication.
• Evaluating and synthesizing relevant psychological research literature.
• Designing and conducting independent, ethical, and rigorous scientific research.
• Statistical techniques common to psychological research.
• Professional visibility in the broader research community.
• Teaching techniques common in psychology courses.

Graduate students in our program achieve competence in these domains primarily by planning, doing, presenting, and publishing their research. For example, they write manuscripts for publication in academic journals and to satisfy program requirements. They revise their written work with the benefit of feedback from faculty reviewers in our department and via peer review at academic journals. They also present their research to faculty members of milestone committees, to all members of our community in departmental conferences, and to outside scientists at academic conferences.

Graduate students in our program also take courses that build expertise in statistics, various topics in psychology, and in other fields, depending on their interests. Most graduate students in our program obtain teaching experience by serving as a teaching assistant in one or more courses or, occasionally, teaching their own independent courses.

Ultimately, graduate students emerge from our program as experts in their chosen area of psychology. Our program is an excellent fit for applicants interested in pursuing the intensive research training and coursework that facilitates this expertise.

Advancing to PhD Stage

After completion of the master's degree, students formally request to advance to the PhD stage of our program. The decision to advance is made by a majority vote of the department faculty based on satisfactory progress in meeting master’s degree requirements (including performance in classes and as teaching and/or research assistants, laboratory experience, and statistical competence) and scholarly potential.

Although most students enter the program with a bachelor's degree, students may be admitted with a master's degree from another institution and receive advanced standing in the program pending departmental approval and successful completion of first-year program requirements (see Transfer Students section below).

All students are expected to be full-time and actively involved in research throughout their graduate studies.

Research Requirements

The program is based around  five major annual milestones :

• Year 1:  First year project
• Year 2:  Propose master's thesis and at least 6 months later defend master's thesis.   *Request to advance to the PhD stage of the program.
• Year 3:  Conceptual review paper
• Year 4:  Conceptual presentation
• Year 5:  Propose dissertation and at least 6 months later defend dissertation

General Requirement (Years 1-4):  Grant/Publication submission

Besides providing an easy way for you to measure your progress in the program, these major projects are designed, along with the associated coursework, to provide you with a strong research oriented background in your specialty. The specific requirements for these milestones are described in detail in the  Psychology Department Graduate Handbook .

Course Requirements

Graduate students in our program earn credit in class-based courses and by doing lab-based research in the master’s and PhD stages of our program. The credit requirements are as follows: 

Master’s Degree (30 credits):

• Two semesters of proseminar (Psy 201, 202) (3 credits)
• Two semesters of statistics (Psy 207, 208) (9 credits)
• One Psychology core course (3 credits)
• One 100- or 200-level course* (3 credits)
• Graduate Research I (Psy 289 Fall) (3 credits)
• Graduate Research II (Psy 290 Spring) (3 credits)
• Master's Thesis (Psy 295 Fall) (3 credits)
• Master's Thesis (Psy 296 Spring) (3 credits)

PhD Degree (39 credits):

• One 200-level Psychology course (3 credits)
• One 200-level course* (3 credits)
• One career preparation course (3 credits)**
• One 100- or 200-level course*, or research*** (3 credits)
• Graduate Research Advanced I (Psy 291) (3 credits)
• Graduate Research Advanced II (Psy 292) (3 credits)
• Graduate Research Advanced III (Psy 293) (3 credits)
• Graduate Research Advanced IV (Psy 294) (3 credits)
• Dissertation Research I (Psy 297) (4 credits)
• Dissertation Research II (Psy 298) (4 credits)
• Dissertation Research III (Psy 299) (4 credits)

* Psychology or another department ** One of Psy 260, 261, or 262 OR 200-level course of student's choice (PSY or another department) *** Students may take Psy 293/294 twice for credit

Transfer Students

Students entering the program with a master's degree in psychology from another institution should discuss with the Director of Graduate Studies which course and program requirements remain to be met.

Students entering the program with some graduate credits but without a master's degree may transfer up to two graduate-level courses toward the MS in our department unless the courses have already been counted toward another degree, as described on the university’s Graduate Student Transfer Credit page. If approved by the Director of Graduate Studies, graduate courses that have already been counted toward another degree may be used to waive one or more course requirements in our program.

Students who did not do an empirical thesis as part of earning an MS degree in psychology elsewhere must do a thesis project at Tufts. All students who earned an MS degree in psychology elsewhere must still do a first-year project and demonstrate statistical competence. Review the Psychology Department Graduate Handbook for more details.