Collaborative and Interdisciplinary
Our four major training areas are clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and social psychology. Students specializing in clinical psychology typically engage in applied research and learn how to effectively apply the methods and principles of psychology to the treatment of clients having psychological disorders. Students specializing in cognitive, developmental or social psychology engage in basic and/or applied research activities and acquire the specific tools, techniques, and content knowledge that foster the development of an independent program of research in their chosen fields.
Masters Program
The primary goal of the Terminal Masters degree track is to develop competence in the core areas of psychology and their methods. Students are expected to demonstrate competence in research and have the skills and moral standards to apply the knowledge of the discipline competently and ethically in their daily lives and careers.
Doctoral Program
Students admitted into the Ph.D. track are initially admitted into one of the four area of graduate specialization (clinical, cognitive, developmental and social) with a specific faculty advisor.
Forms and Resources
For our currently admitted students. Unless otherwise specified, all forms must be signed by your Advisor, committee members, and the DGS before being filed with the Psychology Department and submitted to the Graduate School for approval.
Faculty Accepting Students
Fall 2025
Ethan Zell
Professor and Graduate Program Director
Social Psychology
Self and Social Perception Lab
Jasmine DeJesus
Associate Professor
Developmental Psychology
Development, Culture, and Health Lab
Michaeline Jensen
Associate Professor
Clinical Psychology
Interactions and Relationships Lab
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I begin my training in the spring semester?
No. We only admit students once per year. Entering classes begin their studies in the fall semester.
Can I work part-time toward my PhD?
No. The Department considers graduate training to be a full-time commitment and only accepts students who are able to work full-time toward their degree.
What are the minimum requirements for admission?
There are no specific minimum requirements. Submission of GRE scores is not required/not accepted for any of our graduate programs, starting with admissions for the Fall 2024 academic year. Transcripts of all previous college and university work (graduate and undergraduate) are required. We take a holistic approach to admissions, considering and weighing many factors, such as undergraduate GPA (and graduate GPA, if applicable), rigor of coursework, research experience and accomplishments, recommendation letters, pre-clinical experience (for the clinical program), professional and diversity statements, and fit with faculty research interests. For the clinical psychology program, additional statistics about the program can be found on the clinical area page.
Will prior research experience help my chances of admission?
Very much so. The faculty look for evidence that you have a serious commitment to a research career in psychology, and previous research experience both demonstrates that commitment and allows us to evaluate your capabilities in a research setting.
Will prior work experience (in a mental health center, day care, or other human services setting) help my chances of admission to a Ph.D. program?
No. The research focus of the PhD program means that the faculty are more interested in your research experience than in your work experience.
How long does it take to complete the PhD?
The nominal length of the program is five years in non-clinical areas and six years (including a required one-year internship) in the clinical area for students entering with a bachelor’s degree. A previous Master’s degree may reduce this by one to two years, depending on the relevance of prior course work and other experience. However, the actual time to complete a degree will depend on a number of factors.
Application Deadline:
- December 1 for Ph.D. programs
- April 1 for terminal M.A. program
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