what to do with a phd in psychology

Psychology Programs

What Can I Do With a PhD in Psychology? – PhD in Psychology Career Options

Professionals who earn their Ph.D. in psychology have many more career options available to them than Masters level and Bachelors prepared individuals.

Not only are incomes generally higher with a Ph.D. but jobs are more plentiful and varied after the completion of doctoral level training. Also, in order to actually be considered a psychologist, a doctoral degree in psychology is generally mandatory .

Doctoral prepared professionals generally choose between applied psychology careers and research oriented careers . Applied psychology careers consist of the professional delivering psychological services directly to clients.

Psychologists deals with the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health disorders. They also frequently provide preventative services for various entities. Some psychologists also apply psychological theories to help businesses overcome challenges and improve workplace productivity.

Other doctoral level professionals choose to dedicate their careers to conducting research. In many universities, doctoral level faculty only spend a small amount of time teaching classes as they spend the majority of their time engaged in research. They often manage laboratories, recruit research trainees, and publish their findings in academic journals.

Research psychologists also spend a lot of time giving talks about their research findings, attending conferences, and more experienced professionals are sometimes called upon to give peer reviews for well-respected academic and professional journals.

Additionally, many research psychologists also find themselves writing grant applications to get funding for their research projects.

What are the Career Options With a PhD in Psychology?

Listed below are some of the popular career options that you can pursue with a PhD in psychology:

Clinical Psychologist

Industrial organizational psychologist, forensic psychologist, rehabilitation psychologist, experimental psychologist, school psychologist.

Sports Psychologist
Educational Psychologist
Social Psychologist
Child Psychologist
Mental Health Psychologist

Clinical psychologists often work in private practice providing evaluations and treatment for individuals who are experiencing mental health issues. However, you will also find a significant amount of these professionals working in hospitals, clinics, residential facilities, and other institutions that provide mental health services. A clinical psychologist in these settings might be a practitioner or an administrator.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, clinical psychologists earn an average mean wage of $102,740 annually, as of May 2023.

Companies hire industrial-organizationalpPsychologists to develop strategies to increase productivity and improve employee retention rates. These professionals focus on organizational structure, employee recruitment and selection, job satisfaction, and the development of better machines and systems for employee comfort. Industrial-organizational psychologists identify methods that work best in the workplace and make recommendations for improvement.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, industrial-organizational psychologists earn an average mean wage of $144,610 annually, as of May 2023.

Forensic psychologists take psychological insights and apply that to legal matters. This specialized area of psychology focuses on criminal and civil matters to include law enforcement, jury selection, probation and parole, victim advocacy, family law, mental status competency, risk assessments, civil commitments, juvenile delinquency, insurance claims, and many other areas of the justice system.

Careers for forensic psychologists are diverse and can include functioning as a court consultant, providing mental health services in correctional facilities, working with law enforcement, or providing victim advocacy.

Although a specific wage for a forensic psychologist was not noted, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Forensic Science Technicians who also serve as Expert Witnesses, earn an average mean wage of $147,585 annually, as of January 2024.

Rehabilitation psychologists work with people who have suffered a significant loss or are struggling with adjusting to life with a disability. These professionals focus on the psychological aspects of loss, disability, and rehabilitation.

Typical clients could include someone who has recently become a paraplegic, is dealing with cancer, or is experiencing a chronic medical condition. Practitioners give their clients the support that they need as they adjust to their new life with the condition.

Researchers in the field of rehabilitation psychology explore how various factors, including biological, social, and environmental issues, affect people with disabilities and other chronic illnesses.

According to ZipRecruiter, the related field of rehabilitation counselor earns an average mean wage of $95,854 annually, as of January 2024.

Experimental psychologists are professionals who specialize in the study of human behavior and cognition. Their research generally explores thinking, learning, attention, motivation, and other cognitive functions. Although they do work with humans, they also study animals such as rats, monkeys, and pigeons.

Experimental psychologists can work in research settings, as consultants for businesses, and are even called upon to develop strategies to help lessen the psychological impact of high intensity training on military personnel.

School psychologists are employed by public school districts, private schools, and learning centers to help students overcome challenges related to disabilities, emotional issues, social adjustment, or other behavioral problems that impede learning. They evaluate the effectiveness of the educational process for students and use available resources as well new strategies to help students improve performance.

School psychologists also help students indirectly by working with teachers, parents, and school administrators to create individualized educational programs for students who are struggling to learn.

In many school districts, they also help administrators with the development of programs for Gifted learners. The goal of school psychologists in this role is to support teachers and parents in implementing individualized instructional strategies for students.

Some professionals specialize in working with specific groups of students such as children with Learning Disabilities, Gifted learners, or Adult learners.

According to ZipRecruiter, school psychologists earn an average mean wage of $92,813 annually, as of January 2024.

Sports psychologists are qualified professionals who help athletes to overcome problems, improve performance and achieve their goals. They draw their knowledge from many fields such as physiology, biomechanics, psychology, and kinesiology.

Sports psychologists explore the link between the psychological and physical factors that affect performance and try to establish what issues are preventing athletes from performing at full potential.

Their role may also involve acting as a consultant, a trainer or a therapist. Therapy may be needed for issues such as career transitions, eating disorders or off-field problems that effect on-field performance.

Working as a trainer may include assistance with rehabilitation after an injury. Athletic teams often consult with sports psychologists or employ one to help with various issues such as group dynamics and leadership issues.

Some sports psychologists become researchers who explore issues such as factors that lead to success, the effects of athletic participation on individuals or the psychological effects of a physical injury.

According to the American Psychological Association’s (APA), sports psychologists can expect to earn between $60,000 and $180,000 a year, with some annual salaries reaching $100,000.

What is the Job Outlook for Psychology Careers?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that although the employment growth of psychologists is expected to grow by 6 percent from 2022 to 2032, career prospects are far better for those who have a doctoral degree in psychology.

What Can You Do with a PhD in Psychology?

Key Takeaways

A PhD in psychology will open career opportunities in the fields of research psychology, psychotherapy, forensic psychology, neuropsychology, and even management consultancy.
Psychology positions have a projected job growth of 6% over the next decade.
Those who earn a PhD in psychology work in medical settings, government agencies, educational institutions, or in private practice.

If you’re passionate about building a successful career in psychology, earning a doctorate in psychology could get you there. For those who are passionate about the subject but wonder, “What can you do with a PhD in psychology?“, we’ll help you explore your options so you can decide whether a PhD in psychology is worth the shot.

Woman writing down notes as she talks to her patient during a therapy session

Featured Programs

With a PhD in psychology, you can pursue various career paths, including research psychology, psychotherapy, forensic psychology, neuropsychology, and even management consultancy. Alternatively, a doctorate also helps you pursue different areas of specialization within the field of psychology.

If you are considering a PhD degree in psychology, you’ve likely already earned your bachelor’s and master’s degrees. However, to progress further into the roles of research, academia, authorship, or lectureship, you have to take the next step. If you’re already employed in a field of psychology, earning a PhD helps you level up.

While a doctoral degree gears you up to become a licensed clinical psychologist, there are plenty of other career options to explore. Here’s a list of the most popular career pathways you can pursue with a PhD in psychology, along with their salaries and growth statistics.

Psychological Researcher

Psychological researchers, or research psychologists, deeply understand the human mind. Their primary duties include conducting experiments to test procedures to explore various aspects of psychology. This includes selecting candidates for clinical trials, administering tests, and carefully observing and documenting the outcomes of their research.

By the time they are done with PhD, psychological researchers are capable enough to review existing literature and contribute to scholarly discussions. Some may serve at universities, while others may work for hospitals or government agencies. If you’re passionate about research and writing, this might be a pretty lucrative field with tons of career opportunities.

National average salary: $99,577 per year
Growth: Projected to grow 14% from 2018 to 2028

Clinical Director or Supervisor

The clinical director is one of the most highly paid yet growing careers in psychology . Clinical supervisors monitor psychologists and other mental health professionals to oversee the quality of clinical care provided. They establish best practices for the workplace and check whether the institution complies with regulations in the mental health field.

As a clinical director, you’ll serve in various settings, including mental health clinics, hospitals, universities, or even private practices. Also, these professionals arrange development opportunities for staff members, gather feedback from patients, and delegate cases to team members.

National average salary: $120,761 per year
Growth: Projected to grow 28% from 2021 to 2031

Woman writing down on her clipboard as a woman in her couch talks during a therapy session

Psychotherapist

Like clinical psychologists, psychotherapists support individuals with mental health conditions and help them live a fulfilling life. Unlike clinical psychologists, psychotherapists diagnose more general mental health issues. They closely monitor their client’s behaviors, emotions, and thoughts to develop specific treatment plans for them.

Additionally, they use different tools and therapeutic techniques to develop coping strategies for their patients and improve the way they regulate emotions. A PhD in psychology potentially makes you a perfect fit to deal with the complexity involved in psychotherapy. Ultimately, you understand your clients better to know where they’re coming from.

National average salary: $115,281 per year
Growth: Projected to grow 6% from 2022 to 2032

Psychometrics Specialist

A psychometric specialist looks at assessments to gather information about a patient’s personality, symptoms, and cognitive abilities. They often join hands with mental health specialists to facilitate research or diagnose and treat patients. On top of that, these professionals play a key role in collecting data for research and ensuring its accuracy.

They use a combination of interviews, examinations, and standardized tests to gather data about a patient’s psychological state and decode it to help clinicians and researchers reach conclusions. As a psychometric specialist, you’ll work in research or educational institutions, clinics, government agencies, or independently as a consultant.

National average salary: $62,264 per year
Growth: Projected to grow 6% from 2018 to 2028

Human Resource Director

If you would rather work in an organizational setting, a PhD in psychology also helps build a mindset that prepares you to work in HR. HR directors are highly paid individuals responsible for shaping the recruitment and selection process in an organization. They create and implement corporate policies in areas like talent management, employee relations, and workplace culture.

With a PhD in psychology, you bring a deep understanding of human behavior, emotions, and motivation to the role. Plus, as an HR director, you can use the knowledge from your doctorate to develop thoughtful policies, systems, and resources to support employee well-being.

National average salary: $116,601 per year
Growth: Projected to grow 7% from 2021 to 2031

Marketing Director

With a PhD in psychology, you can also serve as a business or marketing director and build a fruitful career. Marketing directors use the knowledge of psychology to bridge the gap between relevant products and customers. Serving at multiple profit or non-profit sectors, these graduates contribute to public relations, management, and technical services.

As a marketing director, your background in psychology equips you with the right knowledge of consumer behavior and effective ways to communicate with them. This, in turn, helps you develop successful marketing campaigns that resonate perfectly with your audience.

National average salary: $120,014 per year
Growth: Expected to grow 10% from 2018 to 2028

Woman explaining with the help of a whiteboard while a man listens intently, while sitting down

Management Consultant

Management consultancy is another productive career path you can choose after a doctorate in psychology. Management consultants improve an organization’s efficiency, productivity, and performance. With a deep understanding of psychology, you can easily identify and deal with the underlying issues and patterns within your company.

Plus, management consultants provide feedback and recommendations on addressing employee and business management problems. They might also join hands with top-level management to devise practical solutions that align with the company’s core values.

National average salary: $108,555 per year
Growth: Projected to grow 10% from 2022 to 2032

Forensic Psychologist

Forensic psychology is a rapidly growing field that requires individual practitioners to obtain a state license. Psychologists in this field work closely with law enforcement to investigate crimes. For a license, you need to complete a doctoral degree from an APA-approved program and have clinically-supervised work experience.

Licensed forensic psychologists assist legal professionals with addressing the psychological aspects of the cases they’re dealing with. For instance, they conduct evaluations, assessments, and psychological testing to understand the case. Once they have come up with logical reasons, they present their findings and opinions to judges and juries.

National average salary: $87,877 per year
Growth: Expected to grow 6% between 2021 and 2031

Behavioral Health Specialist

As the name suggests, behavioral health specialists counsel and support individuals with behavioral or mental health problems. They use therapeutic techniques to help patients develop new behaviors and cope with their existing condition. Most importantly, they use their psychological knowledge to identify the root causes of their patient’s behaviors.

If you have a PhD in behavioral health, you can work with patients who have severe mental illness or developmental disorders like autism. The advanced degree helps you set developmental goals for your patients and implement evidence-based treatment plans to guard their well-being.

National average salary: $54,663 per year
Growth: Projected to grow 9% between 2018 and 2028

Addiction Counselor

PhD in psychology also enables you to serve as an addiction counselor, where you support patients on their journey to recovery from addictive behaviors. Typically, addiction counselors guide through the rehabilitation process and help manage withdrawal symptoms. They often work together with medical professionals to effectively detoxify clients from drugs and alcohol.

In addition to one-on-one counseling sessions, addiction counselors arrange group therapy sessions. This provides clients with peer support and learning about new experiences and coping mechanisms. They monitor clients throughout the rehabilitation process till they finally achieve sobriety.

National average salary: $65,310 per year
Growth: Projected to grow 18% from 2022 to 2032

Prerequisites for Earning a PhD in Psychology

If you’ve made up your mind and want to earn a PhD in psychology, you’ll generally need at least a bachelor’s degree to get in. While some institutions may also require a master’s degree as a prerequisite, it largely depends on the program you’re opting for. Some universities offer combined master’s and doctoral degrees, so you get both degrees at once.

However, the most integral part of your PhD program is the area you’ve chosen. When applying, it’s recommended to thoroughly research the specialties the universities on your radar are offering. This isn’t just about coursework since the topics of your dissertation will also depend on your chosen concentration.

Plus, to make sure you quickly get through the admission process, it’s important to prepare for it beforehand. While the specific requirements depend on your university, here’s a list of some basic prerequisites when applying for a PhD in psychology:

A bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field
A master’s degree (depending on the institution)
Strong academic record
Letters of recommendation
Relevant research experience or coursework
Statement of Purpose (SoP)
Interview (as a part of the application process)

Person using their laptop while their notebook, papers and phone are in her table

Benefits of Earning a PhD in Psychology

Even if you’re sure about earning a PhD in psychology, it’s best to take a look at the benefits to check whether they align with your future goals. While the time required to complete a PhD may be significant, the benefits you reap make it worthwhile. Here’s an overview of the pros of getting a PhD in psychology:

Obtaining a License

Earning a doctorate in psychology is the only path to practice independently as a licensed psychologist. A license allows you to diagnose and treat mental disorders and provide therapy sessions to clients.

Better Employment Opportunities

Many employers, including those in the educational sector, prefer PhD holders over candidates with a master’s in psychology . This is due to years of experience and practice acquired through a doctoral program. For instance, PhD holders are often preferred for faculty positions, research roles, and leadership positions.

Skill Development

PhD holders are seen as authorities in the field of psychology and research. Through extensive training and coursework, PhD students develop advanced knowledge and skills in areas like research methodology, statistical analysis, and clinical assessments.

High Paying Positions

Doctoral degree holders in psychology are paid way higher than those with bachelor’s degrees. The difference in salary reflects the higher earning potential that comes with advanced degrees in psychology. For instance, candidates with a PhD may easily qualify for higher paying positions in academia, clinical practice, research, or consulting.

Where can you work with a doctorate in psychology?

Fortunately, you can choose from plenty of workplace options once you get your PhD in psychology. You may work as a psychologist in a clinic or even begin practicing privately. Some individuals with a doctorate serve at government agencies, hospitals, and even educational institutions.

How long does it take to get a PhD in psychology?

Generally, getting a PhD in psychology takes around 5-8 years , including some hands-on experience and a year-long internship. However, it’s worth noting that PhD programs are highly competitive. So, the earlier you prepare for your dream university for your psychology degree , the sooner you can secure a spot.

We hope we’ve adequately answered the question “What can you do with a PhD in psychology?” for you and you have more clarity about whether this is the right path for you. Whether you’re into clinical practice, research, or social service, a doctorate in psychology can accommodate your personal preferences if you pick the right area for yourself.

Doctorate in Psychology (Ph.D. and Psy.D.) – everything you need to know in 2024

What’s in this guide, ph.d. or psy.d., why do a doctorate in psychology, entry requirements, phd in psychology jobs, how long does it take to study, is a doctorate program all theory/studying, career path, earning potential , find psychology doctorate degree programs.

By PsychologyJobs.com Staff Writer

A doctorate in psychology is the highest level of graduate degree in the field. As a result, there are lots of career options to choose from, including research roles, and clinical roles.

There are many reasons you may want to pursue a doctorate degree in Psychology, the following guide will provide everything you need to know; from the options, costs, timeframes, career advantages and more.

First up, what are the two types of doctorate degree you can get and what are the differences?

The two doctorate degrees you can get in psychology are Ph.D. and Psy.D.

In simple terms, a Ph.D. in psychology is more research-focused, while a Psy.D. emphasizes clinical practice. The best choice between the two depends on your career goals and whether you prefer research and academia or direct clinical work.

Doctorate-level psychologists typically have higher earning potential compared to those with a master’s degree or bachelor’s degree in the field.
Gain in-depth knowledge and expertise in your chosen area of specialization within psychology.
Potentially make significant contributions to the field.
Advanced career opportunities in various settings, such as academia, research institutions, government agencies, hospitals, and private practice.
Connect with other professionals, researchers, and academics in the field of psychology, expanding your professional network

The minimum requirements to study a doctorate degree in psychology will vary from institution to institution. However, there are several common requirements:

Bachelor’s degree: all programs require applicants to have completed a bachelor’s degree , in psychology or a related field. Some programs may accept candidates with a degree in another discipline if they have completed prerequisite coursework in psychology.
Master’s degree : Some doctoral programs require applicants to have a master’s degree in psychology or a related field. Others may admit students directly from their bachelor’s degree and incorporate a master’s degree into the doctorate program.
GPA : Many programs have a minimum GPA requirement, usually 3.0 or higher. Some competitive programs require a higher GPA.
Letters of recommendation : Applicants typically need to submit letters of recommendation from professors or professionals who can speak to their academic and research abilities.
Research experience : Prior research experience is often valued by doctoral programs in psychology. This may include experience working on research projects, completing a thesis, or participating in research internships or assistantships.
Personal statement: Applicants usually need to submit a personal statement or statement of purpose that outlines their academic and research interests, career goals, and why they are interested in the specific doctoral program.
Addiction Counselor
ABA Therapist
Mental Health Therapist
Licensed Mental Health Conselor
Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
School Psychologist
Organizational Psychologist
Forensic Psychologist
Sports Psychologist
Clinical Psychologist
Counseling Psychologist
Research Psychologist
Professor of Psychology
Child Psychologist

*Outside of the licensed psychologist jobs listed above many of the above roles do not require a PhD but it is important to note that employers for these roles are increasingly favoring candidates with a PhD.

For the majority of students, a doctorate in Psychology may take anywhere from 4-7 years to finish, which will include a research dissertation and most likely residency or an internship in clinical or medical environments.

No. Psy.D. and Ph.D. programs in clinical or counseling psychology usually require students to complete a pre-doctoral internship as part of their training.

This internship typically lasts one year and involves supervised clinical practice in various settings, such as hospitals, mental health clinics, or community agencies.

The internship experience is intended to provide students with practical, hands-on training in their chosen area of specialization and help them develop the skills necessary for independent practice.

For Ph.D. programs in other areas of psychology, such as experimental, social, or developmental psychology , internships or practicum experiences may be less common or not required. Instead, these programs may emphasize research experience and skills development.

With a PHD in psychology, you have a whole host of options when it comes to your career. With this kind of degree, you can work in specialty areas of psychology, depending on your studies and particular interests, or you can work as a researcher, an educational consultant, a forensic psychologist, political strategist, staff psychologist, private psychologist, professor of psychology, psychiatrist, or a clinical psychologist.

The earning potential for psychologists with doctoral degrees or PHDs can vary greatly depending on the specific specialty of psychology in which they work. General psychologists may earn around $90,000 a year, with the average salary around $84,000 per year.

On the other hand, clinical, counseling and school psychologists with PHDs tend to earn around $81,000 per year. The highest paying psychology careers can average up to $167,000, so studying a PHD in psychology will be worth it in the long run when it comes to career prospects.

PhD in Organizational Psychology
PhD in Educational Psychology
PhD in Forensic Psychology
PhD in Counseling Psychology
PhD in Behavioral Psychology
PhD in Child Psychology
PhD in Clinical Psychology
PhD in Neuropsychology
PhD in Sports Psychology

What Can You Do With A PhD in Psychology?

That means you will be qualified for pretty much any kind of position you can dream up in the world of psychology.

The traditional jobs for graduates with PhD psychologists are in academia, including teaching and research, and the big kahuna: working as a licensed clinical psychologist.

But psychology has many different branches and sub-fields, with positions in every kind of industry. Basically any field you can think of that involves human interaction or decisions also involves psychology at some level. And with a PhD, you can take your career to the next level in any of those fields.

What Does it Take to Earn a Doctorate in Psychology?

First, though, you are going to have to get out there and earn that degree. As you can imagine, if you want to unlock the highest paying, most responsible, highest impact jobs in the field, you’re going to have to work your tail off to get the credentials.

That means committing to between five and seven years of study in a PhD program. It’s tough, make no mistake. You can see exactly how tough when you look at the attrition rate. More than 29,000 people earned master’s degrees in psychology in 2018-19. Care to guess how many went on to complete a doctorate in the field?

According to the National Center for Education Statistics , only around 6,000 people a year graduate with doctoral degrees in psychology.

If you want to be one of those 6,000, you will need dedication, strong study skills, and deep pockets. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), the average costs for psychology doctoral programs in a 2016 survey came out to:

Public in-state university – $11,000 per year
Public out-of-state university – $24,000 per year
Private university – $34,000 per year

Of course, you can’t just start right out in doctoral studies. It’s not always necessary to start with a bachelor’s degree in psychology , but it can be a big help to your eventual doctoral studies. Either way, you will need to earn a bachelor’s degree in some related field first.

Earning a master’s, interestingly, is not a requirement. Many doctoral programs in psychology accept applicants who have only completed a bachelor’s program, although usually additional experience in the field is also preferred.

Once you’re accepted to a PhD in psychology program, you can expect to study subjects such as:

Psychological assessment and diagnosis
Individual and group psychotherapy techniques
Psychopharmacology
Cognitive and affective bases of behavior
Human lifespan development
Professional ethics

You will also spend plenty of time in clinical practicum and internship placements that help teach you the trade of clinical psychological therapy with real patients facing real problems.

More importantly, you’ll be expected to complete a doctoral dissertation. That’s a publication-quality research paper developing original ideas and showcasing unique research that you will undertake, write, and defend before a dissertation committee. The paper itself can take as many as two or three years of your entire program.

You’ll need to make sure you are at a school that supports your goals and offers the right resources to make that happen.

EXPLORE SCHOOLS THAT OFFER A PHD IN PSYCHOLOGY TODAY!

What is the difference between a PsyD and a PhD in psychology?

The PhD, or Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology, is the traditional degree in the field and the one that most practicing psychologists hold. It is traditionally very research focused and has excellent preparation for careers in research or academic psychology.

The PsyD, or Doctor of Psychology, is a newer degree that has a more clinical focus. It’s designed for anyone who wants to become a practicing clinical psychologist and offers more practical preparation.

Should you earn a master’s degree in psychology before studying for a PhD?

Earning a master’s degree in psychology isn’t really necessary before you enter a PhD program, but you might choose to do so for other reasons. Master’s programs can be more focused and customizable to your fields of study than doctorates in psychology. It can also cut two years off your eventual time in a PhD program.

Most PhD programs will grant you a master’s along the way to earning your doctorate—you are covering the same ground, it’s just all included in a single program. Choosing to earn a master’s program before proceeding with your doctorate allows you to fine-tune your studies in a way that the doctorate alone might not accommodate, however. For example, you might have better luck finding a master’s program with specialized training in sport’s psychology than a PhD program in that specialization. By taking the master’s separately first, you get that niche expertise on top of your clinical skills from the doctorate.

What Can You Do With a Doctorate in Psychology?

All 50 states require a doctorate as part of the qualifications of licensed psychologists. The five to seven years of study and in-depth clinical experience are exactly the training that both the public and government want to see in trusted psychological professionals.

There are many different kinds of applications for clinical therapy for psychologists. You can specialize and find work in areas such as:

Industrial-organizational psychology – Work in businesses and large organizations to optimize interaction and productivity.
Counseling psychology – Delivering direct psychotherapy in areas ranging from substance abuse to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Marriage psychology – Performing couples and family counseling work to preserve and improve relationships
Health psychology – Health psychologists work with populations in medical treatment and recovery, dealing with adjustments to long-term or traumatic health issues.

What jobs can you do with a PhD in psychology?

Clinical psychologist is the most popular job for graduates with a PhD in psychology, but you’re not limited to clinical practice. There are many jobs that require a psychology doctoral degree but don’t directly involve psychotherapy. Some of these areas straddle the boundaries between clinical and general psychology practice; a forensic psychologist, for instance, might work with police to evaluate evidence at crime scenes, but also work directly with criminals to offer therapy and treatment.

Forensic psychologist – Works in legal environments, both analyzing the psychology of crimes and criminal behavior and also that of witnesses and juries.
Educational psychologist – Educational psychologists may work in schools, but they are not school psychologists, who need only a master’s degree. Instead, educational psychologists study the processes of learning and the learning environment, figuring out the most effective presentation and techniques.
Social psychologists – Social psychologists study group psychology and how culture and environment can effect individual and group behavior.
Developmental psychologists – In developmental psychology, you study how culture, individual development, and genetic influences come together to determine how people think and grow. This includes looking at the roots of psychopathologies and helping develop treatments and prevention techniques.

You can also find psychologists with PhDs working in many other kinds of industries. There are psychologists working for NASA on the psychological challenges of space travel, for example, and working with casinos and computer gaming companies to understand how to craft compelling and absorbing play experiences. You can carve out an exciting job in psychology in almost any industry with a PhD in your pocket.

PhD in Psychology Salary and Job Prospects

Psychologists who go all the way through the pipeline to earn their PhD in the field don’t have to worry about ending up on the unemployment line. With only a few more than 6,000 individuals a year attaining that high level of education, you will find you are always in demand.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a 3 percent increase in the number of psychologist positions between 2019 and 2029.

That’s about the average rate of increase for all American professions.

Of course, like any job, you can find different rates of growth and different prospects depending on where you are located. BLS ranks the five states with the highest employment level of psychologists, all other, which is the group that includes clinical psychologists, as:

Massachusetts

According to the APA’s Center for Workforce Studies, there were about 102,000 active doctoral-level psychologists licensed in the U.S. in 2018 – which works out to about 31 psychologists per 100,000 people nationwide.

How much does a psychologist make with a PhD?

The overall median salary for all psychologists in 2020 was $82,180. But that’s probably much lower than most PhD-prepared psychologists make. The highest-paid psychologists during this time worked in the government sector, where the median was $100,360, followed by those working in hospitals ($90,640), ambulatory healthcare settings ($85,970), and elementary and secondary school settings ($77,560).

While BLS salary statistics detail what psychologists are earning in specific industries, it pays to note that psychologists who run their own private practice or provide their services in a consultancy role may earn significantly more than those working as an employee of a hospital, healthcare practice, or other healthcare employer.

While it may take some time to build a psychology business and a strong client base, the freedom that comes along with taking control of your career can have significant financial and professional benefits in the long run. Build a practice that includes employing multiple psychologists or establish yourself as a top industry consultant and your earning potential has the potential to surpass what any employer will pay you.

Practicing clinical psychologists fall into the broader category for “psychologists, all other,” which in 2020 showed a median salary of $105,780. But even that may be low for many PhD majors in psychology. The top ten percent of those in the profession earned more than $137,590 that year.

The states with the highest mean wage in 2020 were:

Psychology Education
Bachelors in Psychology
Masters in Psychology
Doctorate in Psychology
Psychology Resources
Psychology License
Psychology Salary
Psychology Career
Psychology Major
What is Psychology
Up & Coming Programs
Top 10 Up and Coming Undergraduate Psychology Programs in the South
Top 10 Up and Coming Undergraduate Psychology Programs in the Midwest
Top 10 Up and Coming Undergraduate Psychology Programs in the West
Top 10 Up and Coming Undergraduate Psychology Programs in the East
Best Psychology Degrees Scholarship Opportunity
The Pursuit of Excellence in Psychology Scholarship is Now Closed
Meet Gemma: Our First Psychology Scholarship Winner
50 Most Affordable Clinical Psychology Graduate Programs
50 Most Affordable Selective Small Colleges for a Psychology Degree
The 50 Best Schools for Psychology: Undergraduate Edition
30 Great Small Colleges for a Counseling Degree (Bachelor’s)
Top 10 Best Online Bachelors in Psychology Degree Programs
Top 10 Online Child Psychology Degree Programs
10 Best Online Forensic Psychology Degree Programs
Top 10 Online Master’s in Psychology Degree Programs
Top 15 Most Affordable School Psychology Programs
Top 20 Most Innovative Graduate Psychology Degree Programs
Top 8 Online Sports Psychology Degree Programs
Recent Posts
Does Psychology Require Math? – Requirements for Psychology Majors
10 Classes You Will Take as a Psychology Major
Top 15 Highest-Paying Jobs with a Master’s Degree in Psychology
The Highest Paying Jobs with an Associate’s Degree in Psychology
The Highest-Paying Jobs with a Bachelor’s in Psychology
Should I Major in Psychology?
How to Become a CBT Therapist
What is a Social Psychologist?
How to Become a Clinical Neuropsychologist
MA vs. MS in Psychology: What’s the Difference?
PsyD vs. PhD in Psychology: What’s the Difference?
What Can You Do with a Master’s in Psychology?
Master’s in Child Psychology Guide
Master’s in Counseling Psychology – A Beginner’s Guide
Master’s in Forensic Psychology – A Beginner’s Guide
8 Reasons to Become a Marriage and Family Therapist
What Do Domestic Violence & Abuse Counselors Do?
What Training is Needed to Be a Psychologist for People of the LGBTQ Community?
15 Inspiring TED Talks on Intelligence and Critical Thinking
The 30 Most Inspiring Personal Growth and Development Blogs
30 Most Unethical Psychology Human Experiments
30 Most Prominent Psychologists on Twitter
New Theory Discredits the Myth that Individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome Lack Empathy
10 Crazy Things Famous People Have Believed
Psychology Infographics
Top Infographics About Psychology
The Birth Order Effect [Infographic]
The Psychology of Dogs [Infographic]
Can Going Green Improve Your Mental Health? [Infographic]
Surprising Alternative Treatments for Mental Disorders [Infographic]
What Can Humans Learn From Animals? [Infographic]

Bipolar Disorder
Therapy Center
When To See a Therapist
Types of Therapy
Best Online Therapy
Best Couples Therapy
Best Family Therapy
Managing Stress
Sleep and Dreaming
Understanding Emotions
Self-Improvement
Healthy Relationships
Student Resources
Personality Types
Guided Meditations
Verywell Mind Insights
2024 Verywell Mind 25
Mental Health in the Classroom
Editorial Process
Meet Our Review Board
Crisis Support

80+ Jobs in Psychology to Consider

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Amanda Tust is a fact-checker, researcher, and writer with a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

Psychology Jobs in Therapy and Research

Applied psychology jobs, psychology jobs in the workplace, psychology jobs in healthcare, psychology jobs in education.

More Options
Finding the Right Career

So you've decided to major in psychology, but what exactly do you plan to do after you graduate? With the number of college graduates steadily increasing, it's more important than ever to carefully consider your career options and select a field that is in high demand.

There are also lots of career paths in psychology beyond some of the "typical" options of clinical or counseling psychology. In fact, some of the most interesting job options might be those that you don't hear much about such as aviation psychology or traffic psychology.

One exercise you may find helpful is to look through a list of psychology careers to see what your options are and then narrow down the list to those in which you are most interested in.

Obviously, the best job is the one that you truly love, whether it involves providing therapy, conducting research , or solving real-world problems. Before you decide on a career, spend some time thinking about what really interests you and the type of work setting you would most likely enjoy.

As of 2019 , the demand for psychologists is expected to grow by 14% through the year 2026.

While this is not a comprehensive list of every single psychology career out there, the following are just a few of the psychology-related jobs that have a strong projected employment outlook or are considered an up-and-coming field with opportunity for growth.

We highlight a few of these careers to help convey the enormous variety of employment opportunities within the field of psychology. Some of these career options are specifically in psychology while others are less related but still rely on the knowledge and skills acquired while earning a psychology degree .

Consider some of these options as you plan your career path.

Art Therapist

Art therapists utilize the expressive and creative arts to help clients cope with psychological distress and to enhance emotional well-being. People who work in this field are trained in both psychotherapy and art. By using art, clients can communicate feelings, express creativity, explore different aspects, of personality, and cope with stress.

Art therapy is often used in a variety of situations, including:

Adults suffering from chronic or severe stress
Children with disabilities
People who have suffered brain injuries
People who have witnessed or experienced a traumatic event

Clinical Psychologist

Clinical psychologists assess, diagnose, and treat clients struggling with psychological disorders. These professionals typically work in hospital settings, mental health clinics, or private practices.

Although clinical psychology is the single largest employment area within the field of psychology, there are still plenty of jobs available for qualified professionals. In order to become a clinical psychologist, you must have a doctoral-level degree in clinical psychology and most states require a minimum of a one-year internship.

Counselors help people with a wide variety of problems, including marriage, family, emotional, and substance use issues. While requirements vary, almost all states require at least a master's degree in order to become a licensed counselor. Typical work settings include schools, colleges and universities, hospitals, and mental health clinics.

Geropsychologist

As the population of older adults continues to grow, the demand for professionals to attend to their mental health needs also increases. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by the year 2030, 21% of the population will be age 65 or older.

"Geropsychologists do everything from keeping older adults mentally and physically healthy and vibrant to working with those who are frail and have cognitive impairments," explains Deborah DiGilio, director of APA's Office on Aging . Geropsychologists can work in a wide range of areas, from providing mental health services to aging adults to designing products that make life easier for the elderly.

Experimental Psychologist

Do you love creating psychology experiments? Experimental psychologists use scientific methods and design research studies that explore many different topics within psychology. Social behavior , cognitive processes, personality, and human development are just a few of the topics that experimental psychologists might investigate.

People working in this field often specialize in a particular area such as cognitive psychology, educational psychology, or personality psychology. They may also be employed in a variety of settings ranging from universities, government agencies, research centers, and nonprofit organizations.

Consumer Psychologist

As retailers become more concerned with attracting new customers, the need for psychologists to understand consumer behavior in order to develop effective marketing campaigns has grown. Consumer psychologists not only study why people purchase goods and services, but they also analyze how family, friends, culture, and media messages affect buying behavior.

Some tasks that a consumer psychologist might perform include:

Working with consumer focus groups to determine how appealing a particular product might be
Developing advertising and marketing campaigns to appeal to a target audience
Conducting theoretical research on shopping and buying behavior

Forensic or Criminal Psychologist

Forensic psychologists apply psychology to the fields of criminal investigation and law. This has rapidly become one of the hottest psychology careers thanks to numerous portrayals in popular movies, television programs, and books.

While the field may not be as glamorous as it is depicted in the media, forensic psychology is still an exciting career choice with a lot of potential for growth. These psychologists often work with other experts to scrutinize insurance claims, perform child custody evaluations, and investigate suspected child abuse.

If you are interested in this area of psychology, you might want to also consider the related field of criminal psychology. Criminal psychologists perform a variety of duties such as developing profiles of criminals, assessing convicted criminals to determine their risk of re-offending, and helping law enforcement catch online predators.

Engineering Psychologist

Engineering psychologists use psychology to investigate how people interact with machines and other technology. These professionals use their understanding of the human mind and behavior to help design and improve technology, consumer products, work settings, and living environments.

For example, an engineering psychologist might work as part of a team to redesign a product to make it more efficient and easier to use in a work situation. Those working in academic settings report the lowest earnings, while those working in the private sector report higher salaries .

Sports Psychologists

Sports psychologists focus on the psychological aspects of sports and athletics, including topics such as motivation, performance, and injury. The two major areas within sports psychology are centered on helping to improve athletic performance or using sports to improve mental and physical health.

Sports psychologists work in a wide variety of settings including universities, hospitals, athletic centers, private consulting practices, and research facilities.

Traffic Psychologist

Traffic psychology is an emerging field that involves applying psychological principles to understanding driver behavior. Some areas in this field include:

Designing vehicles that are safer and more ergonomic
Researching how people use transportation
Searching for ways to improve traffic safety and prevent auto accidents
Studying the relationship between driver behavior and traffic accidents

Traffic psychology often involves a multidisciplinary approach, combining fields such as social psychology, behavioral psychology, and cognitive psychology.

For example, traffic psychologists might assess how perception and cognition influence performance during a driving task. They might also look at how individual personality affects a driver's emotions , attitudes , and risk-taking behavior while driving.

Career Counselor

Thanks to the rapidly changing job market, many people are searching for a new job in their chosen field or even changing careers entirely. Career counselors help individuals make career decisions and utilize tools including personality assessments, interest inventories, and other evaluation measures.

They often start by looking at a client's interests, job history, education, and skills in order to determine which careers are a good match. They also help clients work on building skills, practicing interviews, improving resumes, and locating job openings. Assisting clients who are dealing with job loss or employment-related stress is also common.

Aviation Psychologist

Aviation psychology is a relatively little-known subspecialty area of human factors psychology that involves the study of pilots, air traffic controllers, and other flight crew members. People who work in this field perform a number of different duties, which may include:

Assessing cabin safety
Conducting research on aviation safety
Designing flight decks
Evaluating prospective employees
Investigating aviation accidents
Selecting and training pilots
Training flight crews in communication strategies and ways to assist passengers with in-flight anxiety

Industrial-Organizational Psychologist

Industrial-organizational psychologists (also called I/O or I-O psychologists) focus on workplace behavior, often using psychological principles to increase worker productivity and select employees that are best suited for particular jobs. There are several different specialty areas within industrial-organizational psychology .

For example, some I/O psychologists train and assess employees, while others evaluate job candidates. While there are some job opportunities at the master's degree level, those with a doctoral-level degree in industrial-organizational psychology are in greater demand and command significantly higher salaries.

One sub-specialty area of the field involves working in human resources management to screen and hire job applicants. These professionals are often involved in designing and administering employment screening tests and selecting job candidates that are the best fit for particular positions within a company.

Genetic Counselor

Genetic counselors help provide information about genetic disorders to couples and families. These professionals typically have graduate training in both genetics and counseling, and many have undergraduate degrees in areas such as psychology, social work, biology, nursing, and public health.

Genetic counselors often work with a team of medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, and geneticists to offer support, guidance, and assistance to families who have a family member with a genetic disorder or who may be at risk of passing down an inherited disorder to their offspring.

Health Psychologist

Health psychologists study how psychological, biological, and social factors influence health. Two important areas of health psychology include helping people avoid illness and promoting healthy behaviors. Educating people about the causes of illness and teaching healthier habits are just two things that a health psychologist might do on a regular basis.

These professionals often work in settings such as hospitals, universities, health care centers, and government agencies. Some of the job duties they may perform include helping people to lose weight, stop smoking, eat healthily, and decrease stress.

School Psychologist

School psychologists work in educational settings to help children deal with emotional, academic, and social problems. Thanks to increased interest in the mental health of children and federal education legislation, school psychology has rapidly become one of the fastest-growing fields.

Special Education Teacher

While slightly outside of a traditional psychology career, the field of special education offers a great deal of opportunity for those who enjoy helping children. Special education teachers work with students with a variety of disabilities.

In order to become a special education teacher, you must have at least a bachelor's degree and complete a teacher training program in special education. Because of the increased enrollments in special education programs and a shortage of qualified teachers, demand is strong and expected to grow.

More Career Options in Psychology

Did one of the careers highlighted above catch your eye? Or are you still looking for something that matches your interests and goals? The specific career you pursue will depend largely on your educational background. Some entry-level jobs are open to those with an undergraduate degree in psychology, while others require advanced or graduate-level study.

The following are just a few of the many psychology-related job titles that you might want to explore. Some are directly in the field of psychology, while others require additional training in another field or specialty area.

In either case, having a solid understanding of the human mind and behavior can be beneficial in any of these careers:

Academic advisor
Advanced practice psychiatric nurse
Advertising agent
Animal researcher
Animal trainer
Case worker
Child psychologist
Childcare worker
Cognitive psychologist
College admissions counselor
College admissions officer
College recruiter
Community counselor
Comparative psychologist
Correctional treatment specialist
Counseling psychologist
Criminal investigator
Crisis counselor
Customer service agent
Developmental psychologist
Education administrator
Educational psychologist
Elementary school teacher
Employment interviewer
Employment recruiter
Environmental psychologist
Family and marriage therapist
Financial aid counselor
Grief counselor
Human factors psychologist
Human resources manager
Human resources specialist
Library assistant
Literary agent
Market researcher
Mental health coordinator
Military psychologist
Music therapist
Neurologist
Neuropsychologist
Occupational therapist
Police officer
Probation officer
Psychiatric aide
Psychiatric social worker
Psychiatric technician
Psychiatrist
Psychosocial rehabilitation worker
Public opinion surveyor
Public relations specialist
Recreational therapist
Rehabilitation counselor
Research assistant
School counselor
Science writer
Secondary school teacher
Social psychologist
Social services specialist
Social worker
Statistician
Substance abuse counselor
Technical writer
University psychology professor
Vocational rehabilitation counselor
Youth counselor

Before You Choose a Career in Psychology

As you can see, employment opportunities in psychology are diverse. Some careers require only a bachelor's degree in psychology, while others require more advanced degrees such as a master's or doctorate degree.

Spend some time researching different options and learning more about what's required to enter into those fields. Ask yourself if you have the commitment and drive needed to pursue the necessary educational training.

As you examine the variety of psychology careers that are available, think about some of the following questions.

How well does the career fit your personality?
What kind of training and education are needed to enter the field?
Are the average salaries in a given field satisfactory?
What kinds of things do people in that particular career path do on a daily basis?
Does the career sound interesting, challenging, and rewarding?

Finding the right career in psychology takes some careful planning. It is important to start thinking about what you might want to do early on. This way you can start planning your educational map in order to achieve your vocational goals.

A Word From Verywell

The job options listed here are just a few of the many different career paths available in psychology. Remember that no list of predicted "hot jobs" can ever highlight all of the many options that are available in psychology. The important thing is to pick a career that is right for you, your interests, and your long-term goals.

Martin L, Oepen R, Bauer K, et al. Creative arts interventions for stress management and prevention: A systematic review . Behav Sci (Basel) . 2018;8(2). doi:10.3390/bs8020028

Schouten KA, Van hooren S, Knipscheer JW, Kleber RJ, Hutschemaekers GJM. Trauma-focused art therapy in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: A pilot study . J Trauma Dissociation . 2019;20(1):114-130. doi:10.1080/15299732.2018.1502712

American Psychological Association. Pursuing a Career in Clinical or Counseling Psychology .

U.S. Census Bureau. Projections of the Size and Composition of the U.S. Population: 2014 to 2060 .

Hackett P, Schwarzenbach J, Jürgens U. Consumer Psychology: A Study Guide to Qualitative Research Methods . Opladen; Berlin; Toronto: Verlag Barbara Budrich. 2016. doi:10.2307/j.ctvddzsrf

American Psychological Association. All About Human Factors and Engineering .

Rossier, J. (2015). Personality Assessment and Career Interventions . In P. J. Hartung, M. L. Savickas, & W. B. Walsh (Eds.), APA handbooks in psychology®. APA handbook of career intervention, Vol. 1. Foundations (p. 327–350). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/14438-018

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook .

Hartman, K & Stewart, T. Investing in Your College Education: Learning Strategies With Reading s. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning; 2010.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

What is a PhD in Psychology?

Created by careersinpsychology

The "Doctorate of Psychology"

If you want to earn a doctorate in the discipline of psychology, you will be presented with 2 options from which to choose within the field: you will be able to enroll in either a doctoral program which grants a Ph.D. or one that will culminate in the awarding of the Psy.D. Scholars who are focused on research, data collection and processing, academics, professorship and authorship are best suited for the Ph.D. in Psychology. Individuals who are interested in research but are more people and practice-driven as well as; desirous of being on the front lines working with patients, interested in methodologies and enjoy making educational theory a reality are well served by enrolling in a Psy.D. program.

Dr. Emma Mansour is a licensed psychologist and founder of "Life Matters Counseling and Psychological Services, LLC., with locations in Salt Lake City and Farmington, Utah. Dr. Mansour is a graduate of the Counseling Psychology Program at the University of Utah, as well as a former instructor. She has taught classes in Developmental Psychology, Group Counseling, Personality Psychology and Counseling Skills. In her capacity as educator, Dr. Mansour has come in contact and consulted with many students facing these exact questions. Regarding the choice between the Ph.D. and the Psy.D. her advice is straightforward;

"My advice would depend on the student's ultimate career goal. If the goal is to become a professor and engage in teaching and research as a career, there is really no option but to get a PhD. If the student is not interested in teaching or research and just wanted to be a private practicing psychologist, I would advise that they consider a PsyD program."

Learn more about a psychology doctoral degree .

Do I need a PhD to Achieve My Goals?

One of the pressing questions doctoral candidates face is whether or not they are primarily only interested in a career as a practicing counselor, therapist or educator. If this happens to be the case, technically speaking they do not need to go beyond the Master's Degree in Counseling, Therapy, Social Work, etc., to reach their goals. In other words, various careers are accessible with a master's degree and do not require a PhD. On the other hand, some careers are only available if you have a PhD. This is the point at which clarification of your career objectives becomes imperative. Getting a PhD is an arduous process and if you are unsure of your ultimate goals, it is advised you thoroughly research all of your options. Experts agree: it pays to do your "homework" before you enroll in a doctoral program.

"Becoming a psychologist, versus a counselor or therapist, is certainly a longer process but it affords you many more possibilities and will ultimately open many more doors for you as a professional, both from the status of the degree to the possibility of branching out into many other areas. It is important to bear in mind that a students' current interests will likely change over the course of their career so the broader degree allows for ongoing growth and opportunity."

How Long Will it Take to Get a PhD in Psychology?

Universities are highly unique in their approaches to their doctoral programs. For example, UCLA's program is 6 years. In describing their program they write, "The Ph.D. program is a six year, full-time only program." In other words, students do not have the option of attending part-time. Many PhD programs can be completed within 5 years; most of them typically require the equivalent of 72 semester units. The design of the program can greatly influence the length of time it takes to earn the PhD; even for doctorates earned at the same institution. For example, NYU has 2 Psychology PhD programs: the PhD in Cognition and Perception and the PhD in Social Psychology. Although each doctorate requires 72 semester units, students who are "Teaching or Research Assistants" in the Cognition and Perception program usually take 3 courses per semester; the remaining student schedules are more flexible. Thus someone taking 2 courses a semester will graduate later than those taking 3 classes a semester. Most programs also have a maximum time limit to complete the PhD; at NYU if the matriculant has not finished their requirements after 7 years, their enrollment in the program is likely to be terminated.

Some of the questions you'll want to research with regards to the amount of time you will be in school are:

Is the college on a semester or quarter system and how many units are required to complete the PhD in Psychology?
Does the program have a minimum number of units to complete each quarter or semester?
Is the program strictly full-time or is there a part-time option?
Is there a time maximum within which the program must be completed?
Is there a time limit condition on program grants, awards or special financing?

What Types of Classes Will I Take in a PhD Program?

PhD programs in the field of psychology consist of some or all of the following categories of study:

Core Content Classes and Advanced Elective Courses
Oral Examinations
Presentation of Papers
Practicum & Teaching
Internships
Special Event, Conference or Convention Attendance
Doctoral Dissertation Proposal, Submission and Defense

Elements of the PhD in Psychology

Core Content Classes and Advanced Elective Courses: The length and depth of core classes depend heavily on the nature of the PhD program and the university. Each college program varies on how many units are required, the title of the courses and how much emphasis is put on the ratio of research/clinical. Below is a very generalized sampling of what to expect.

Core classes prepare the student for the in-depth research they will embark upon as they advance in their prospective careers. Statistical proficiency is an important aspect of every program; examples of courses include:

Mathematical Tools for Cognitive Science and Neuroscience (NYU)
Statistics courses (UCLA)
Developmental Psychology (Stanford)
Foundations of Cognition (Stanford)
Exploratory-Graphical Data Analysis (Vanderbilt)
Multivariate Analysis (Vanderbilt)
Psychological and Educational Measurement (Vanderbilt)

Advanced Electives: Some examples of Advanced Elective courses from NYU are:

Principles of Neuroimaging
Research in Social Psychology
Cognitive Development
Psycholinguistics
Cellular, Molecular & Developmental Neuroscience
Language Acquisition
Biobehavioral Mechanisms of Stress and Disease
Research: Every university expects the student to constantly be involved with research throughout their years of training. Throughout the process of research, students are supervised by at least one member of the faculty in some form of an advisory role. However, differences in a university's research emphasis, timing, manner of execution and application of research requirements is one of the factors you will confront when choosing a PhD program. For example, research dominates the 8 UCLA program specialties from which to choose. They write:

"Students are admitted by one of the department's eight areas: Behavioral Neuroscience, Clinical, Cognitive, Developmental Psychology, Health Psychology, Learning and Behavior, Quantitative and Social. With rare exception, this area affiliation is retained throughout a student's stay in the program. Much of the program is administered by the areas." Also- " All areas are research-oriented. This applies to the Clinical area as well: although this area offers excellent clinical training, the emphasis lies in research, not in training private practitioners."

At UCLA research is included in the core curriculum and has a designated time sequence:

"The core program has three parts: a two-quarter statistics series, four courses selected from among special offerings in each of the seven areas, and a two or three quarter research sequence. In the latter sequence the student designs, conducts, and writes up a research project under the direction of two faculty members. Core-program work is completed by the end of the second year."

In slight contrast, while the program at Vanderbilt also emphasizes research- "We expect students to be continually involved in research throughout their tenure in our program;" their description of the first 2 years is quite different:

"The faculty attempt always to tailor graduate training to meet the needs and the interests of each individual student" and "The curriculum is designed to: (a) familiarize students with the major areas of psychology; (b) provide specialized training in at least one of the five specific areas of psychology emphasized in the program; and (c) provide students sufficient flexibility to enroll in classes consistent with their interests and long-term developmental trajectory. During the first two years, students take several core courses in quantitative methods and in substantive areas. Beyond this, the program consists of seminars, further research participation, and other inquiries expressly designed to fulfill career objectives."

Oral Examinations: As a PhD candidate you will need to be prepared to undertake oral examinations as part of the qualifying and requirements processes. Oral examinations can take place at both the MA/MS level as well as the PhD level. This method of examination may prove helpful in preparing for a license; according to the American Psychological Association (APA) 21 states require an oral examination to qualify for licensure.
Presentation of Papers : Some universities may require the submission of yearly papers and encourage students to present these papers at conventions or other academic events. For example, one of the research requirements at NYU is a first, second and third year paper (the third year paper may or may not be the dissertation proposal, depending on the program). While students are not required to present papers, under a bold heading in the PhD Cognition and Perception program requirements it reads:

Highly Recommended

" Presentation of Research Papers at Professional Meetings The Program strongly encourages its students to present papers (or posters) on their research at relevant professional meetings around the country as a "real life" part of their education in becoming professional scientists and educators and to aid them in forming contacts for possible jobs and postdocs after the Ph.D."

Practica: If you have tried to understand what a practicum is and have failed, do not dismay. Even the experts in the field admit that it means different things in different places. In the report, "Report on Practicum Competencies" by The Association of Directors of Psychology Training Clinics (ADPTC) Practicum Competencies Workgroup: Robert L. Hatcher, Ph.D. & Kim Dudley Lassiter, Ph.D. answer the question in the following way:

What is a Practicum?

Psychology programs vary considerably in their definition of practicum. Some consider the experience at their department’s in-house clinic to be the practicum, and may call subsequent pre-internship training in other settings “traineeships.” Others classify all pre-internship clinical experience as practica; others limit this definition to supervised experience only. This document is based on the definition that practicum experience includes all supervised pre-internship clinical training."

One of the strong suggestions made by the APA is that your practicum time is a phase of preparation for your internship. In the APA published cover article, "Steps to the Match: Laying the groundwork to land an internship starts on day one of your program" by Christopher Munsey, the author offers an informative, easy-to-read and must-read regarding practica for every psychology PhD candidate. The author outlines the best possible uses of time during "all supervised pre-internship clinical training." Munsey advises that during your practicum you:

Establish a positive connection with all practicum supervisors
Acknowledge areas in which you excel and be sure to become and remain teachable in areas in which you perform poorly
Work with all types of people; diversity in experience is a plus
Develop superior communication skills
Identify target internships
Progress check to ensure your experiences are in alignment with your internship goals
Accumulate lots of hours and keep immaculate records
Network with psychologists
Rehearse interviewing
Give presentations

Teaching Requirements

Doctoral programs can include teaching experience as a requirement for successful completion of the degree. Each university has unique mandates about the nature of the teaching experience and when it occurs.

Pre-Doctoral Internships: Currently (2016) the topic of the psychology internship is of serious concern. CareersInPsychology.org explains in detail the current dilemma which the APA is addressing in the article, " Internships in Counseling: Shedding Light on the Explosive 'Match .'"

To summarize, doctoral students are paired with internships which have earned APA approval. This process is called the "Match." The crisis stems from a profound lack of APA approved internships. While the APA is making strides in bridging the gap, the problem remains substantial. The progress made since 2012 is hopeful: in 2012 there were 1,041 students who could not progress in their doctoral studies because there were not enough matches. By 2015 the APA had reduced the number to 689 students. ( The APA Report can be accessed by following this link . ) For some students, waiting the year(s) to be matched was not an option. Some did non-approved internships, which had lifelong consequences.

A doctorate which includes a non-approved internship means that even when the PhD is granted, the graduated can never work for the Veterans Administration (one of, if not the largest employer of psychologists in the nation) or any military/government organizations. Secondly, many states will not grant a license to practice without an APA approved internship. The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) has a database within which the Handbook of Licensing and Certification Requirements can be accessed. Before reviewing the handbook, however, you will have to provide the ASPPB with basic information about yourself. (The link provided for the Handbook will take you immediately to the questionnaire.) In retrospect, it becomes clear why the APA advises you to begin to work on getting your internship as soon as you begin your doctoral program; if you do not, you might not finish the program.

Special Event, Conference or Convention Attendance: While not every university requires you to attend events, some have a form of scholastically-based group which is a graduation requirement. The PhD degree requirements at NYU have two examples:

"Brown Bag Seminar: All members of the program are expected to participate in the weekly Brown Bag seminar. The seminar meets informally, over lunch, and is a forum for presenting current and planned research. Each student is required to present on his or her research once a year. The seminar is a key component of student training over the five years of doctoral study.

Mini-Convention: The Mini-Convention is a day-long, convention-type meeting currently held on the Friday a week-and-a-half after Labor Day in September. Faculty and students of the Program attend this meeting which provides a training experience in convention-style oral presentation. All first- and second-year students are required to present talks based on their research projects. Upper-year students with well-worked-out, interesting findings to report are encouraged to present talks, as well as those who have not presented at a Brown Bag for the past academic year."

Doctoral Dissertation Proposal, Submission and Defense: The dissertation is required by all PhD students. This voluminous composition includes and represents the entirety of the candidate's body of work, research and study focus. It presents an original thesis which the student is prepared to propose, submit and defend.

Proposal: Preparation for the dissertation-the proposal, begins and varies according to each university program. Examples of requirements from the colleges utilized thus far are:

NYU: " Dissertation Proposal . In the third year, it is expected that each student will have sufficiently clarified his or her interests to be able to formally propose a dissertation project." Note: NYU offers 2 choices regarding the dissertation. The student can present the Traditional Thesis or choose a " Publication Route ."

UCLA: " By the fourth year a student should have enough experience and knowledge of current research issues to begin formulating a dissertation proposal."

HARVARD: " The Dissertation Prospectus: By the end of the spring semester of their penultimate year, students must complete a dissertation prospectus for an original project that is meant to culminate in the dissertation."

Basic Elements of a Proposal: The following is a general list of what is contained in the proposal.

Importance of the topic: The proposal should provide intellectual rationale for why the thesis is critical to the field of study
A review of the literature currently in existence on the topic
An explanation of the theoretical basis of the proposed thesis
Detailed description of the research methods to be used
Comprehensive discussion of proposed analyses
Projected implications of the topic for the field

Proposal Resources: There are numerous proposal support avenues, the most obvious being the APA website. A valuable listing of their publications specifically dealing with the dissertation from start to finish can be found in their Education section under " Dissertations and Research " (link provided).

Submitting: The proposal is typically submitted to the student's advisor(s); following their approval it is submitted to department/governing committee for approval. The final "paper(s)" or dissertation is also submitted for final acceptance.

Defense: Dissertations are defended by the PhD candidate in a formal setting. Scholars in the field test the ability of the student to orally explain and defend their research findings. There are usually university-specific "norms" regarding the event and knowing what they are should be of utmost importance.

Funding : The time and research materials for the dissertation can run into the thousands of dollars. There are many ways to receive financial assistance; the APA is a good place to start. Their " Student Funding " page is helpful for finding grants, scholarships and the like. (link provided) They also have many advisory articles which offer real life examples of how others have managed the costs involved.

What is a Master's Degree in Psychology?
What is a BA in Psychology?

Related Psychology Education Guides

Online Psychology Degrees
Psychology Schools

The Need for Self-Care
Experts Discuss Their Inspirations & Experiences on the Way to Getting a Degree in Psychology
15 Psychology Apps You Should Be Using
The Practice of Psychology: Art or Science?
The Emergence of Fashion Psychology
How Psychologist's Stimulate The Economy
Choosing a Doctorate Program in Psychology
What is a Master’s Degree in Psychology?
Experts Reveal the Keys to Successful Study Habits
How to Survive Introduction to Psychology Without Hating It
Never Fear: Your Past is Helpful for a Career in Psychology
Employment Outlook & Career Guidance for Cultural Psychologists
Understanding Attachment Styles and How They Affect Your Relationships
I Majored in Psychology - Now What?
Choosing a Master's Degree Program in Psychology
Can a Psychology License Make Me Rich?
Employment Outlook & Career Guidance for Consumer Psychologists
3 Ways Technology Has Affected the Field of Psychology
A Master’s Degree in Psychology: It’s Your Time to Shine
Important Reasons for Getting Involved with Psychology Associations
2 Ways to Choose a Specialty in Your Psychology Career
Guide to Kickstarting Your Career in Psychology
Expert Advice: Cures for the College Blues
How Fortune 500 Companies Use Psychology to Increase Success
Essential Tools to Help Prepare for Your Psychology Education
How We Picked The Top Undergraduate Programs in Sports Psychology
A Guide to Understanding the Full Ramifications of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Employment Outlook & Career Guidance for Positive Psychologists
The Impact Of Media – Good, Bad Or Somewhere In Between
Employment Outlook & Career Guidance for Transpersonal Psychologists
Fixed Mindset vs Growth Mindset: Your Success Hinges On It
Psychology or Social Work: Which Graduate Program is Right for You?
Overcoming Educational Challenges on the Way to a Career in Psychology
What is a BA in Psychology?
How to Get Better Grades in Your Psychology Degree Program
How to Set Professional Boundaries as a Psychologist
50 BEST JOBS WITH A PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE
What Is Depression And How Can We Help?
Overcoming Challenges on the Way to a Degree in Psychology
What Is PTSD and What Can We Do About It?
Employment Outlook & Career Guidance for Political Psychologists
How Your Reputation Impacts Your Career in Psychology
10 Things to Know Before Becoming a Psychologist
Rehabilitation Psychologists Maximize Outcomes for Individuals with Cognitive and Physical Disabilities
10 Must Take Psychology Professors in Washington, D.C.
The Mind-Boosting Effects of Exercise: How 30 Minutes Can Improve Your Mental Health
Employment Outlook & Career Guidance for Military Psychologists
The Psychology of Media Censorship
The Opportunities Available with Each Level of Psychology
Why Political Psychology is Increasing in Popularity in 2016
Experts Offer Encouragement to Students & the “Almost Licensed”
100 Psychology Twitter Accounts to Follow
Everything You Need To Know About Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Employment Outlook & Career Guidance for Community Psychologists
Following in the Footsteps of the Psychology Experts
Employment Outlook & Career Guidance for Gerontologists
A Career in Psychology is More Than Just a Job
How to Help Your Patients Cope During the Pandemic
Should I Major in Psychology or Counseling?
Psychology Careers That Don't Require a License
A Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology: Begin Your Career Before You Graduate
Financial Aid and Finance Management for Psychology Programs
An Unforgettable Memory: How Your Memory Works and Ways You Can Make It Work Better
Looking For Advice? Psychology Professors Give Key Tips to Students
Employment Outlook & Career Guidance for Media Psychologists
Choosing a Psychology Specialty

Research Psychology Programs

Master's Programs
Doctoral Programs
Psychology Degree Path

Licensing & Certification Information

Psychologist Licensing by State
Counselor Licensing by State
Social Worker Licensing by State
Therapist Licensing by State

Best Online Programs
Best Campus Programs
Behavior Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Counseling & Mental Health
Developmental Psychology
Educational Psychology
Forensic Psychology
General Psychology
Health Psychology
Industrial/Organizational
Marriage Family Therapy
Social Psychology
Social Work
Educational Psychologist
Forensic Psychologist
Clinical Psychologist
Family Psychologists
Marriage Family Therapist
School Psychologist
Social Psychologist
School Counselors
Neuropsychologist
I/O Psychologist
Sports Psychologist
Addiction Counselor
Mental Health Psychologist
Counseling Psychologist
Occupational Psychologist
Child Psychiatrist
Connecticut
Massachusetts
Mississippi
New Hampshire
North Carolina
North Dakota
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
West Virginia
PsyD vs PhD

50 Awesome Things to Do with a PhD in Psychology

So you want to help people, and you want to take your psychology career to the next level. If that sounds like you, a Ph.D. in psychology is an excellent way to go. Not only does this terminal degree mark you as an expert in your field, but it will also allow you to experience a wider variety of challenges and successes.

Even so, when weighing their options about getting a Ph.D., many people wonder if the degree – which is costly and time-consuming – will pay itself back. This is worth considering. After all, if you can’t find a satisfying career path after earning a PhD in psychology , there’s little point in getting one.

We’re here to give you an inside look at those sample career paths.

What’s Inside

Therapy and counseling.

Justice & Corrections
Research & Academia

Policy and Politics

Here are 50 amazing choices, so take a look!

One of the most common career pathways for those who earn a Ph.D. in psychology is to work one-on-one with individuals who need treatment. Note that in order to do this, most states require that you have at least a master’s degree, as well as significant experience working with individuals in a monitored setting. The amount of time you need to spend under a mentor varies, but expect to do some if you have not already before getting your Ph.D.

Family therapist : Want to help families? A family therapist works with nuclear families, extended families, and parents.
Marriage counselor : Such counselors devote themselves to improving and saving marriages .
Childhood counselor : Children who have been through trauma or abuse, have trouble in school or at home, need somewhere safe to go and talk through their problems.
Abuse and trauma counselor : Because trauma and abuse have such potentially severe problems, there is a need for psychologists who deal exclusively in that.
Specialty counselor : Some psychology majors specialize in certain types of therapy , such as biofeedback or hypnosis.

Many people come into medical settings needing counseling. Hospitals and clinics are, in addition to places of healing, places of much sadness and hard truths. There is a strong need for qualified and compassionate counselors who can help patients and their families through tough times. If you want to help people turn their lives around, find new beginnings and cope with the deep sorrow that can accompany death, you might be well suited for a role in a medical setting.

Trauma counselor : Many people come in hospitals having experienced severe trauma , and need help working it through.
Addictions counselor : For those who have addictions issues and land in the hospital due to overdose or mental break, psychology is a literal lifesaver.
Family counselor : Family counselors help relatives of patients deal with the realities of coordination, decision-making, and suffering.
Grief counselor : Once people pass away, their families are left to mourn them – and that requires help.
Mental health counselor : Healthcare workers need counseling as well, and sometimes hospitals or clinics keep mental health counselors on retainer for staff use.
Policy counselor : Hospitals have to make big decisions, which can be better when guided by a psychologist.

Teaching and molding the young is a calling for many. If it forms the root of your desire to engage in one of many careers in psychology , then you might consider a role in an educational setting. Positions differ not only by age group but also by the type of counseling you can offer. You can also use your PhD to take on roles outside a counseling setting, harnessing the power of your psychology knowledge for administrative or educational purposes.

Elementary school counselor : Children as young as kindergarten need good mental health!
Middle school counselor : The trend only continues in middle school.
High school counselor : In high school, students are facing real interpersonal challenges and making life-changing decisions.
Career counselor : Career counselors focus on the latter, making sure that kids get the help they need thinking through next steps.
Institution of higher education counselor : These counselors deal with college and graduate students.
Curriculum developer : Psychologists can help to develop appropriate curriculum at any grade level.
Principal : Some principals do a short tour of duty as teachers, but really wanted to be principal all along. A PhD in psychology can expedite the process.

Justice and Corrections

Law, jurisprudence and correctional fields all have a desperate need for counselors as well. Many of the people who come through the justice system are actually suffering from mental health issues – according to some statistics, most of them are. For that reason, turning your counseling abilities to helping such people (as well as helping the justice system in general) is huge. Here are a few ways you can do just that.

Correctional counselor : These counselors work with inmates behind walls to prepare them for better lives after jail.
Probation counselor : Getting back on track is hard, but probation officers can help with the right training.
Expert witness : Sometimes a psychologist’s opinion is needed on the stand.
Case manager : Psychologists who work in corrections may have multiple cases going at once, or may manage the files of everyone in the institution.

Many people get into psychology because they want to help those who are suffering from severe mental health and addictions issues. Because the root of most addictions is the mental health of some kind, counselors are desperately needed across the country and the world. With a Ph.D. in psychology, you can help to make a change in this niche.

Substance abuse counselor : Mental health counseling can make a huge difference in the success of sobriety.
Youth substance abuse counselor : When children or teens are addicted, a counselor needs special tools.
Alcohol counselor : Alcohol, believe it or not, is one of the harder addictions to break, creating a need for specially focused psychologists.
Group therapy leader : Group therapy is a cornerstone of healing from addiction.
12 step program leader : 12 step programs are one of the most popular and well-renowned forms of addiction therapy.
Treatment center director : Some psychologists wish to run the psychology staff of a treatment center, which ha Ph.D. can prepare you for.
Dual diagnosis counselor : Mental health and substance abuse make a nasty combination, and those trained to work with both are sorely needed.

Research and Academia

While much of psychology is applied, there is a strong need for the research and teaching that forms the foundation of the field. If you’re more interested in discovering new psychological truths, then getting a Ph.D. can definitely help. With a Ph.D., you can join on with studies, design and lead them yourself, or teach the younger generation about the subject – from high schoolers to bachelor’s and master’s students.

Applied researcher : Research is the bedrock of understanding, and psychology starts there.
Research lead : Want to lead a team? You can do that with a Ph.D. in psychology.
Study designer : Prefer to design studies and watch others carry them out? This is the role for you.
Professor : Some psychologists thrive on teaching others, which is where professors shine.
High school teacher : Others want to start younger on the teaching ladder, helping to mold minds before they choose their direction in life.
Funding specialist : Getting funding is no small feat, and it takes a marketing-savvy mind to do it. Some PhDs find this a rewarding career.
Policymaker : Guiding policy at the institutional level can also prove rewarding.

Just as academia forms the underpinning of what we know about psychology, policy and politics form the basis of how we apply it in our world. Ph.D. candidates have the opportunity to go into jobs where they can help form public policy, can lobby for better services for underserved populations, can work on committees and panels dedicated to the cause, and more. If you’re interested in change at the population level, this might be the approach for you.

Political psychologist : Understanding the psychology of politics is a big job.
Social psychologist : So is making sense of the complex social world in which we live.
Policy advisor : informing policy is a dream job of many psychologists .
Lobbyist : Drumming up support for initiatives is a lobbyist’s main purview.
Government aide : Understanding social and political issues are paramount in government, and psychologists can make good money offering those insights.
NGO worker : If you want to make a difference in people’s lives, you can help through an NGO.

In the business world, big decisions are at the forefront of any given meeting, event or day. Because of this, business can be a stressful sphere, and its workers are vulnerable to distress and mental disturbances. Increasingly, businesses are hiring psychologists either on retainer or right on staff to help workers process their feelings and respond to the stresses of the workplace in healthy ways. There are a number of ways you could use a Ph.D. in Business Psychology arena.

Occupational psychologist : The workforce comes with many interpersonal challenges, and occupational psychologists help to tease them apart and find solutions.
Marketing advisor : Marketing is embedded deeply in the human psyche, and a Ph.D. in psychology has a strong window into it.
Human resources director : Making the right hiring and firing calls is a tough job that requires deep human understanding.
Private practice : If you don’t want to work for a company or go into offices, consider opening a private practice and seeing people in your office.

Like business, sport is a field that requires top-level performance and induces top-level stress right along with it. Keeping players feeling their best is a lifetime job for coaches, assistant coaches, medical practitioners and more – but they need help. A psychologist can “get inside the heads” of players and help them to approach the game with the right attitude, defeat issues such as “the yips” and play their best.

Director of sports psychology : Want to make decisions and move pieces on the board? The director gets to do just that.
Sports psychologist : If you want a very active role, you might become a top-paid sports psychologist who visits players on the field.
Clinical psychologist : Clinical psychologists may see players in their office between games.
Athletic director : Sometimes athletic directors are psychologists since all the skills for managing players and the stress of the game are already in place.

Now that you have a better idea of how a PhD in psychology can serve you, we invite you to check out your options. There is a wide range of programs available for those who want to take their careers to the ultimate level, with financial assistance available to most.

Top 7 No GRE Online PhD in Psychology Degree Programs

If you’re looking for a new experience and a greater challenge, it might be time to get that Ph.D.… so start looking today!

10 Best Ph.D. in Psychology Degree Jobs. (2018). Retrieved from https://psydprograms.org/10-best-jobs-after-a-phd-in-psychology-degree/

Psychology • November 12, 2022

PhD in Psychology: What Can You Do with This Doctorate Degree?

You’ve earned your bachelor’s degree in psychology; now what.

Depending on your career goals and academic interests, you may choose to pursue a master’s in Psychology, a PsyD, or a PhD in Psychology.

A PhD, which is a Doctor of Philosophy degree, may be earned in any number of fields wherein the doctorate program is research focused. A PhD in Psychology , therefore, is a doctorate degree for those interested in psychology research, academia, professorship, and authorship. This degree is the highest level graduate degree in the field of psychology, and as a result trains students for a wide range of professional opportunities that represent a broad spectrum of research and practice areas.

Alternatively, a PsyD program is a good fit for individuals who are interested in research but are more practice-driven. A PsyD in Psychology , like a PhD, is a doctorate degree, but was introduced within higher education much more recently and is not offered as widely as the PhD. Students who desire to work with patients directly, are curious about techniques, and enjoy putting educational theory into practice may benefit from a PsyD in Psychology.

If a doctorate is not of interest, a master’s in psychology will prepare matriculants for a career in behavioral health and counseling, with a lower degree of training in analytical skills and a higher emphasis on career skills.

Of the three graduate degrees we’ve outlined, the PhD in Psychology is considered the most prestigious degree in the field due to its long history and the broad, rigorous training required for completion.

Will a PhD in Psychology help me achieve my career goals?

If a PhD candidate is primarily interested in a career as a professional counselor, therapist, or educator , it is theoretically not necessary to pursue a degree higher than a master's in counseling, therapy, social work, etc. to achieve this objective. A master's degree can be used to enter a variety of professions without a PhD. However, several professions in the field of psychology require a PhD or will be made more easily attainable with the higher level of education awarded by a PhD. This is why it is important to carefully consider all options and get clarity around your goals as a psychologist or otherwise.

one head colored red with lines representing scrambled thoughts and a second head colored blue with outline of a brain

Psychologists make a positive impact in the lives of those struggling with mental health

How do I earn a PhD in Psychology?

All universities require a bachelor's degree to be accepted into a PhD program in Psychology, and will occasionally require a master's degree as well, but the criteria vary depending on the structure of the institution’s programs. As an alternative, some universities offer a combined degree that merges the master's and doctoral psychology programs. In this case, the matriculant begins the program with a bachelor's degree and earns both a master's and a doctorate degree by the time they complete it.

The most important part of PhD program enrollment is the chosen concentration or area of research. When applying, you will want to be sure your selected university offers programs in alignment with this area of interest. Not only will your coursework focus on this topic, but this will likely be the subject of your dissertation.

The learning methods used by universities for their PhD programs are unique and depend on the institution. The majority of PhD programs in Psychology require the equivalent of 72 semester units for completion, and many of them can be finished in five years. Even within a single university, the design of the individual program largely affects how long it takes to get a PhD.

To determine the length of time you can expect to spend pursuing your PhD in Psychology, you may wish to do some independent research on the following topics:

What type of academic calendar does the college use, and how many units are needed to earn a PhD in Psychology?
Is there a set minimum number of units that must be completed each quarter or semester to complete the program?
Is there a part-time option available or is the program only full-time?
Is there a deadline for program completion?
What kinds of classes will you take in a PhD program?

At the culmination of a PhD program, a dissertation is submitted for review and defended in front of a committee of experts. If needed, dissertation research grants and award programs are available for those studying the field of psychology from sources such as the American Psychological Association (APA) . Once approved, your manuscript may be published and you will have earned your doctoral status.

A woman that wears a graduation robe is holding a diploma in her right hand and a clock in her left hand.

How much time will it take to earn a PhD in Psychology?

Do I need to obtain practical experience while working toward my degrees?

Meridian University recommends that graduate students majoring in psychology actively seek out and make the most of opportunities to participate in research and/or placements in various service settings during their time at university. Through this experience, students have the opportunity to determine whether this is a pursuit that they want to devote a significant portion of their lives to.

Additionally, if research is conducted with a faculty member or practical experience is obtained with a supervisor (or both), a powerful letter of recommendation may be provided by this research mentor, which is another significant benefit of practical experience. PhD program applications will benefit from a recommendation letter written by someone who can speak to the student's work ethic, punctuality, and ability to effectively contribute to the ongoing research projects or other work being performed.

Experiences like these provided many opportunities for students majoring in psychology to gain valuable, hands-on experience outside of the classroom. These experiences can assist them in determining the kinds of things that interest them. This is essential information for students who will be looking for work immediately after graduation as well as students who will be applying to graduate schools after they have completed their undergraduate degrees. A student can write a compelling cover letter by describing what they did during their undergraduate career, what they learned about themself, and how these experiences influenced their career path.

Working in settings related to mental health can also help students who are interested in applying to graduate programs in psychology to figure out which populations (children and adolescents, adults, individuals with substance use disorders, individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder, and so on) or which settings (hospitals, clinics, schools, agencies, and so on) they might be interested in working with. For example, students may find that they are more interested in working with children and adolescents than adults. Examples of such experiences include working as a counselor at a camp, volunteering with a women's shelter, and a wide variety of other possibilities.

What does PhD stand for?

PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy.

What areas of Psychology can I specialize in?

The field of Psychology is a growing professional space, with room for innovation in countless directions. Here, we have provided some of the more common areas of specialization.

Abnormal Psychology
Behavioral Psychology
Biopsychology
Clinical Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Comparative Psychology
Counseling Psychology
Cross-Cultural Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Educational Psychology
Experimental Psychology
Forensic Psychology
Health Psychology
Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Personality Psychology
School Psychology
Social Psychology
Sports Psychology

Is psychology the same thing as clinical psychology?

No. Psychology, containing the suffix “-logy,” which means “to study,” focuses on the study of mental behaviors and psychological functions. Clinical psychology, wherein “clinical” is defined as “ based on or characterized by observable and diagnosable symptoms ,” focuses on diagnosing and treating specific mental health conditions. Clinical psychology is not simply a practice in scientific theory; rather, it goes beyond that and includes work toward concrete developments within behavioral health, human behavior, and studies on the mind. Earning a master’s degree or doctorate degree in psychology awards the title of psychologist and allows the holder to practice clinical psychology.

What exactly is meant by the term "human behavior"?

Human behavior, in the context of psychology, refers to the fact that the ways in which humans interact run the gamut from physical to mental to emotional behavior. This concept encompasses all aspects of human interaction. In addition, different aspects of a person's life, such as their environment and their genes, can have an impact on their behavior.

Interested in learning more about the programs at Meridian?

Public Programs

Consumer Information

System Status

San Francisco Bay Area Center

47 Sixth Street Petaluma, California 94952 +1 (707) 765-1836

Los Angeles: Water Garden Campus

2450 Colorado Avenue Santa Monica, California 90404 +1 (310) 876-2001

Athens Center

Ermou 56 Athens 10563, Greece +30 21 1199 0060

Berlin Center

Greifswalder Strasse 226 10405 Berlin, Germany +49 30 16637734

Johannesburg Center

Atrium on 5th 9th Floor 5th St, Johannesburg, 2196, South Africa +27 31 822 9032

Istanbul Center

Mecidiyeköy Mahallesi | Lati Lokum Sokak Çınar Apt. No: 12, Kat: 4, D: 14 Şişli/İstanbul 34387 +1 (833) 256-2295

7 Tips for Applying to a Psychology PhD Program

The unwritten rules that i wish i knew.

Posted January 7, 2015

I just sifted through this year's batch of graduate student applications to the clinical psychology PhD program at George Mason University . Here are the emotions that I experienced:

Awe - reminded that if I was applying to graduate school with my 1998 packet, I would never get in. There are some psychology obsessed youngbloods out there.

Elevation - ignore the pessimism in the news, a vast number of hungry characters are coming through the pipelines to improve society. They are already making inroads and want a PhD to give them extra leverage.

Anxiety - the pressure to get near perfect grades, near perfect standardized test scores, and intensive research and clinical experience is palpable. I often wonder how many of these characters pause to enjoy their once-in-a-lifetime college years. I remember reading The Fountainhead on a bench in the middle of campus at 2am on a random Tuesday while the Ithaca snow rained down in slow-motion. Sitting across the quad from me was a muscular guy reading The Celestine Prophecy. The two of us talked about books, women, society's expectations, and the hero's journey for hours. This is the kind of intimacy that creates life long bonds, raising the bar for how strangers should communicate. Then there was the time [insert dangerous, naked, and/or drunken story #4-103]. I never thought about graduate school while attending Cornell University. I lived day-to-day, semester by semester. Not today's graduate school applicants....

Dismay - as someone who takes mentoring seriously, I am disappointed to read poorly constructed applications. Everybody should have a high quality mentor who points out problems before that submission button is pressed.

Inspired - I wish somebody offered me inside information on what professors really care about when they read an application. Because I have a natural distaste for authority, I feel compelled to provide this information to every student aspiring to be a psychologist.

With these emotions in tow, here are my seven concrete suggestions for those masochistic enough to apply to a PhD program in clinical psychology (this will also be relevant for other graduate programs that emphasize science). A strong clinical psychology program will reject more than 90% of applicants. The odds are against you. This post has been designed to improve your odds.

whatever manner works best for you.

Wisdom #1. You will not get an interview without direct research experience. This was not the case 10 years ago. We know that undergraduate courses are required and many universities allow you to retake courses until you get the desired grade. For this reason, grades matter little (get over a 3.2 GPA and I am ready to treat you no differently than someone with a 4.0). Now an honor thesis is optional. Completing one shows dedication, discipline, and devotion to science. Gaining research experience in a professor's laboratory is behavioral evidence that you know about sweat equity and the delay of gratification. My advice is that it is better to aim for an A- in your courses if it means that you can dedicate more time to assist in research with a scientist and eventually conduct studies under their guidance. Nothing in the classroom approximates the skills, knowledge, and psychological strengths that you develop with hands-on research. Nothing.

Corollary - Don't waste your time accruing a wide breadth of experiences unless you are doing it as an end it itself. I don't care if you are vice-president of Psi Chi, a volunteer fire fighter for 6 hours per year, and created the first cultural neuroscience book club at your local library. I am more impressed with hardcore dedication and deep penetration in one activity (where somebody can speak to your invaluable contributions) than a lengthy curriculum vitae (CV). In a similar vein, I don't care if you obtained authorship on multiple journal articles. To me, this says that you work with generous people. One first author poster presentation where you did the bulk of the writing, analyzing, and conceptualizing is all I need. Aim for quality and depth.

Wisdom #2 . It does not matter where you go to college. Ignore guidance counselors and well-meaning parents that argue for the edge afforded by those with an Ivy League education (and those schools that make the capricious top 25 in the latest US News and World Report rankings). I only care about what you did and whether you can hit the ground running in my research laboratory. This year alone, I sifted through applications from Armstrong Atlantic State University, Samford University, Wofford College, and Help University. I never heard of any of them. What I care about is that you can write, possess superior critical thinking skills, and know the agony and ecstasy of following through from a fetal research idea to the initial analytical tests to the interpretation of these results and finally, the dissemination of this work to the world. Don't spend extra money for badges and stars. Spend your time in a research laboratory to understand psychological science.

Wisdom #3 . If you suck at taking standardized tests, take them as many times as you can. This shows me that you are determined. This shows me you care about verbal, quantitative, and analytical intelligence and you are pissed off that the GRE fails to capture yours ( which is often the case ). Take it once, fail, quit and what I infer is that you are unequipped to handle setbacks. The life of a psychological scientist is littered with setbacks and failures. I want somebody who can be counted on when the stakes are high and the probability of success is unknown. Show me you are that person. Don't tell me, show me.

Wisdom #4 . Be interesting. When you sound like a walking, talking scientific article, you are uninteresting. Be a human first. The best way to be interesting is to live an interesting life. Exotic people. Exotic places. Cultural Immersion. A willingness to be vulnerable. Strange experiences. Anxiety provoking experiences. To be psychologically minded and ask great questions, you must truly live. I remember an applicant several years back who at the end of her CV listed the 18 countries she visited. That one bit of information gave the extra edge that landed her an interview. After all, that much travel should give you an interesting lens to view the complexity of human behavior.

Wisdom #5 . You don't need three amazing letters of recommendation, you need one. You must cultivate a relationship with one person who understands what you have done in psychology and more importantly, what you strive to become. Find a great mentor and work hard at forming a strong relationship. Show them what you can do. Ask for experiences and tasks that are beyond your skill level and then deliver - over and over again. You want one person to be able to say that you are one of the top 3 people they have ever mentored in an important skill set - writing ability, critical thinking, work ethic, creativity , teamwork , etc. Show somebody what you are capable of doing and make sure that it is visible to them. When I talk to my colleagues at conferences, I ask them about students who might be applying to work with me. Conversations with trusted colleagues are persuasive. I want you to know that these conversations happen. So be a good colleague. Be trustworthy. Be autonomous. Ask questions when you don't know something. Seize opportunities. Ask for opportunities. Repair relationships when needed. Be the type of person that somebody can speak highly of at all times. You never know when these backchannel conversations are going to happen.

Wisdom #6 . Showcase your uniqueness. Avoid clichés of how psychology is your life's passion (you are just getting started and don't know yet). If this is true, tell a story (show me, don't tell me). When asked what separates you from applicants with perfect GRE scores, a 4.0 GPA, and two years of research experience, do not state that you work harder (72 applicants will make the same claim). Do not mention that the origin of your interest in psychology was the psychological problems of relatives or the social difficulties faced during teenage years (we all need to be loved just like everybody else does so move on). You possess a configuration of strengths and weaknesses that inform a life history and perspective unlike any other human being. Learn how to tell a compelling, emotionally engaging story about how this informs your potential. I am more interested in your potential than your past. Do not be afraid of marketing yourself. Sell me on your potential.

Wisdom #7 . Do not lie. Almost every applicant says they want to be a scientist because they think this is what PhD programs want to hear. Pretend that you are uninterested in clinical practice and you will despise graduate school with me. Lying about your interests will hurt your experience in graduate school and the mentor that selected you from an impressive pool of applicants. Be honest and find the best mentor match. You only get trained once. Make it count. Show integrity. The field of psychology is small and relationships matter.

The goal of the admissions process is to find the best people for the exact mentors available at a specific program. The hope is that the relationships that develop will last far beyond the five years of graduate school. How you get trained and by who matters. I hope the information in this blog post will help your journey. Keep me posted on your accomplishments.

Dr. Todd B. Kashdan is a public speaker, psychologist, and professor of psychology and senior scientist at the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being at George Mason University. His new book, The upside of your dark side: Why being your whole self - not just your “good” self - drives success and fulfillment is available from Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Booksamillion , Powell's or Indie Bound . If you're interested in speaking engagements or workshops, go to: toddkashdan.com

Todd B. Kashdan, Ph.D. , is a professor of psychology at George Mason University and the author of The Art of Insubordination: How to Dissent and Defy Effectively .

Find a Therapist
Find a Treatment Center
Find a Psychiatrist
Find a Support Group
Find Online Therapy
United States
Brooklyn, NY
Chicago, IL
Houston, TX
Los Angeles, CA
New York, NY
Portland, OR
San Diego, CA
San Francisco, CA
Seattle, WA
Washington, DC
Asperger's
Bipolar Disorder
Chronic Pain
Eating Disorders
Passive Aggression
Personality
Goal Setting
Positive Psychology
Stopping Smoking
Low Sexual Desire
Relationships
Child Development
Therapy Center NEW
Diagnosis Dictionary
Types of Therapy

Understanding what emotional intelligence looks like and the steps needed to improve it could light a path to a more emotionally adept world.

Emotional Intelligence
Gaslighting
Affective Forecasting
Neuroscience

Campus Safety
(866) 825-5426

What Can You Do With a Doctorate in Psychology?

Psychologists are a vital component of healthcare—and, in turn, a crucial part of our social fabric. From providing crisis prevention to helping individuals wrestling with substance abuse, they may have the chance to make a profound and enduring impact on the lives of others. 1

But even perfunctory research on obtaining a doctorate in psychology (PsyD) reveals that it is a substantial investment of one’s time, energy, and resources. Naturally, this begs the question, what can you do with a doctorate in psychology?

You can do a lot more than just becoming a clinical psychologist. Keep reading as we uncover the basics of a PsyD and the potential career path that is available to you, should you choose to pursue this academic and professional field.

What Is a Doctorate in Psychology?

PsyDs emerged in the 1970s as an alternative to a Doctor of Philosophy (PHD) in Psychology. 2 Established for aspiring psychologists who expressed a stronger interest in serving patients than performing qualitative research, it typically requires 4 to 5 years to finish, following the successful completion of your undergraduate and your master’s. 3

Whereas PhD programs in Clinical Psychology primarily focus on disciplinary research to prepare graduates for work in academia, research, and other areas of psychology, PsyD programs are oriented toward equipping students with the expertise and techniques they need to work directly with patients. (PsyD programs also give grads with the skills they require to conduct research and teach at the university level, although this may be a less prevalent professional route.)

A doctorate of Psychology is broadly separated into three distinct niches:

Counseling psychology
Clinical psychology
School psychology

Regardless of where you place your focus, you may be able to obtain a position in a variety of settings—and assume a variety of roles .

What Can You Do with a Doctorate in Psychology? 3 Possibilities

A large part of the allure of pursuing a PsyD is that its possibilities are far-reaching and varied, from working with specific populations like veterans to serving as a consultant in mental health settings. 4

Let’s examine a few of the most popular avenues you can take with a PsyD under your belt and after your name.

#1 Open an Independent Practice

The American Psychological Association (APA) reports that more than half of psychologists who provide psychological services in clinical practice—as opposed to working in academia—independently. 5

One of the biggest boons of opening a private practice is that you can select the population and/or psychological complication that resonates the most with you; a specific area and concern where you feel you might offer the most value. This might be:

Working with adolescents with eating disorders
Providing psychological services to veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Counseling young adults with a dual diagnosis, such as substance abuse and bipolar disorder 6

In addition to autonomy, you can operate as your own boss, design your own hours, and even select the part of the country where you want to live (provided that you pass the licensing exams in your state of choice).

However, opening an independent clinical practice is an endeavor that takes time. You need to first gain experience as a clinician, learn the business side of running a practice successfully, hone your niche, and garner the knowledge you need to market yourself well. And yet, the return may satisfy your career and personal objectives.

#2 Work in a Community Mental Health Clinic

If you’re passionate about assisting marginalized populations and giving back to your community in a measurable, lasting way, you may want to use your PsyD by offering psychological services in a community behavioral health center. 7

Community behavioral health centers were created to provide individuals with comprehensive mental health care, such as recovery from addiction, regardless of patients’: 8

Capacity to pay

Your responsibilities in a community behavioral health center may run the gamut. It might involve providing psychiatric rehabilitation services, handling targeted case management, spearheading crisis prevention, and/or offering outpatient substance abuse counseling.

#3 Provide Services to the Armed Forces or for Veteran Affairs

There are many ways a PsyD may prove to be valuable in the armed forces, either as a contract psychologist or by joining the military in the capacity of a post-graduate PsyD.

In this environment, your duties may entail:

Working directly with patients in mental health facilities
Advising policymakers
Offering psychological expertise and counsel to Special Forces and other specialty niches in the armed forces

Similarly, you may also choose to pursue a role as a PsyD in veteran affairs.

What Can You Do with a Doctorate in Psychology? Additional Options

Bear in mind that this is not an extensive list of the possibilities that might be feasible for you after completing a PsyD program and obtaining your license. 9

You might also explore roles such as:

Serving as a consultant for private corporations
Working in schools
Teaching at the graduate level
Conducting clinical research
Providing psychoeducation assessments in an education setting
Helping incarcerated individuals in a correctional facility while also protecting the safety of the facility and the community
Working with children as a child psychologist
Offering neuropsychological services to patients with conditions like Alzheimer’s disease or Hyperactivity disorder

Your experience in a PsyD program may help you hone in on the specialty that speaks to you—and help you discover, and decide on, the professional track to take.

Fulfill Your Passion for Psychology at Alliant International University

Psychology is a broad and enthralling field. With the potential ability to work with patients at different stages of their lives and under different circumstances, you may enjoy an exciting and meaningful career.

Alliant International University facilitates the process through our doctoral program. We offer a PhD in clinical psychology and a PsyD in clinical psychology to empower you with knowledge and confidence and to prepare you well for the rigors of the profession. We also have a number of campuses throughout California, including Sacramento and San Francisco.

Request information about our programs today to learn more about what awaits with a doctorate in psychology.

Sources:

“Clinical Psychology.” American Psychological Association. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/ed/graduate/specialize/clinical . Accessed March 21, 2023.
“Doctoral Degrees in Psychology: How Are They Different, or Not so Different?” American Psychological Association. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psn/2016/01/doctoral-degrees . Accessed March 21, 2023.
University, Alliant International. “Home.” Difference between a PhD and PsyD in Clinical Psychology. https://www.alliant.edu/blog/whats-difference-between-phd-and-psyd-clin… . Accessed March 21, 2023.
“Career Considerations for Clinical Psychology Psy.D. Students.” Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy. https://societyforpsychotherapy.org/career-considerations-for-clinical-… . Accessed March 21, 2023.
“Are You Really Ready for Private Practice?” American Psychological Association. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2011/11/private-practice . Accessed March 22, 2023.
“Advisory - Samhsa Publications and Digital Products.” https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/sma16-4960.pdf . Accessed March 22, 2023.
Cherry, Kendra. “Is a Doctorate Degree in Psychology Right for You?” Verywell Mind. Verywell Mind, April 10, 2020. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-psyd-2795135 . Accessed March 22, 2023.
“Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (Ccbhcs).” SAMHSA. https://www.samhsa.gov/certified-community-behavioral-health-clinics . Accessed March 22, 2023.
University, Alliant International. “Home.” 6 Clinical Psychology Jobs and Career Paths. https://www.alliant.edu/blog/what-are-different-career-paths-clinical-p… . Accessed March 22, 2023.

David Stewart

Dean, California School of Professional Psychology

David G. Stewart, Ph.D., ABPP, is a board-certified clinical child and adolescent psychologist and Dean of the California School of...

Other Categories

University announcements, featured news, nursing and health sciences, start on your path to succeed on purpose, request information.

1 Current Select Interests
2 Provide Information

Cswe accreditation & standards at alliant international university, lifting up the next generation of female leaders.

“I'm of most value and in service when I use my superpowers of understanding the challenges that women face in the workplace.” Dr...

What to Do When a Client Shuts Down in Therapy

If dialogue is the bedrock of quality therapy, what can a therapist do when their client turns reticent or even silent in a...

What Can we help you find?

PhD in Clinical Psychology

Serve the underserved as a mental health professional.

Certain demographics face barriers when attempting to access mental health services. The University of Texas at Tyler’s PhD in Clinical Psychology trains you to provide expert care to underserved populations in East Texas and beyond. Become a practitioner who is not only equipped to assist a wide range of individuals but also provides evidence-based, accessible and equitable treatment to all you serve.

Toward this goal, you’ll integrate research and practice as you master interviewing, therapy and assessment skills that will help you excel in any clinical setting. The program also provides training in the science of psychology in a matched-mentorship program. Nationally-recognized faculty will supervise both your research and counseling work to help you grow and thrive as a professional ready to provide vital care in medical, clinical and more settings. The PhD in Clinical Psychology is a dissertation-based program involving four years of on-campus study and a one-year doctoral internship, plus hands-on clinical experience beginning your second year.

Why Earn a PhD in Clinical Psychology at UT Tyler?

At UT Tyler, you’ll find a program uniquely focused on mental health for underserved populations. You’ll start to understand how to better assist veterans, rural residents and seniors. Following your completion of the program, you’ll be ready to step into a unique role and offer help where it is needed most — and where jobs are in high demand.

When you do so, you’ll have confidence knowing you’re prepared for the challenges ahead. In our program, you’ll experience:

Comprehensive training: Master theory and practice. Our five-year residential program gives you a strong foundation in research, along with abundant practice in assessment and therapy. Explore all faculty research areas .
In-demand specialization: Get equipped to meet growing needs for rural mental health, geropsychology and care for veterans.
Support: Earn a UT-caliber degree on a smaller campus with a strong network of support within the department.
Experiential learning: Develop interview, therapy and assessment skills in our on-campus clinic in your second year. Then, deepen your learning with off-campus clinical experience, culminating in a 12-month internship. Learn more about the program’s practicum component .
Ready for licensure: When you graduate, you will have satisfied the educational requirements to become a Licensed Psychologist in Texas.
World-class faculty: Learn from faculty who are practicing therapists, skilled teachers, active scholars and innovative researchers with externally funded research projects. They are devoted to your success and ready to mentor you in your professional growth.
Affordable: Focus on your studies with a generous financial aid package that is among the best in the state.

What You’ll Learn

UT Tyler’s PhD in Clinical Psychology prepares you for practice as a licensed psychologist. The full-time, five-year program includes four years on campus and an off-site doctoral internship year.

The program balances the discipline’s theoretical and practical sides while emphasizing the importance of investing in underserved communities. You will receive a thorough grounding in advanced psychology topics and undertake independent research as you write a thesis and dissertation. You will also gain an abundance of hands-on experience in patient testing, diagnosis and treatment.

Based on guidance from the American Psychological Association, the program’s three emphasis areas reflect the projected demand for mental health services in East Texas over the next 10 to 15 years:

Rural mental health: Prepare to work with populations experiencing the greatest need for services. Students receive training on providing tele-mental health services.
Veterans and active duty military: Serve the specific mental health needs of military veterans, service members and their families.
Geropsychological care: As the number of adults age 65 and older continues to increase, meet the growing demand for age-specific mental health services.

When you complete the program, you will be:

Trained as a scientist-practitioner who has expansive knowledge of the scientific and behavioral foundations of psychology.
Capable of developing, conducting and reporting research knowledge through your own program of independent research.
Competent to assess, diagnose and treat psychological disorders using evidence-based practices.
Trained in ethics and professional issues related to clinical practice and research.
Equipped with clinical and research training to better support underserved populations, such as the elderly, rural communities and veterans as well as active-duty service members.

See Full Degree Requirements for the PhD in Clinical Psychology

What Can You Do With a PhD in Clinical Psychology?

Following licensure, you’ll be qualified to offer expert help as a licensed clinical psychologist to those who are struggling with mental and emotional problems. With an aging population and increased awareness of mental health issues specific to veterans and rural communities, you’ll meet these pressing needs in clinical settings ranging from hospitals to private practices to mental health centers across East Texas. Your PhD will also open the door to research-based positions where you can help move our understanding of psychology forward. You might serve as a professor at a university or as a research psychologist at a government or private research institution.

How to Apply

The PhD in Clinical Psychology is designed for students who have at least some preparation in psychology. The strongest applicants will have 12 or more credits in the discipline, including coursework in statistics, research methods, history and systems of psychology and abnormal psychology. In some cases, students may be admitted without this prior coursework but will be required to complete these courses during the program. You must have an overall GPA of at least 3.0 in prior coursework.

Your application requires the following:

Complete the online application .
Official transcripts for all prior college- or graduate-level work, submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions .
Department Information Sheet .
A statement of purpose. Submit electronically along with the department information sheet using the link above.
Three letters of recommendation. Use our online system to request these from those who have agreed to write them for you.
Curriculum vitae/résumé. Please send to [email protected] .

Admitted students must complete a background check prior to enrollment.

Review Detailed Application Requirements

See General Graduate School Admissions Requirements

As a doctoral student in clinical psychology at UT Tyler, you’ll receive generous financial support so you can focus on your studies.

Sources of support can include scholarships and assistantships. If funded, you will receive a four-year scholarship and a 50% tuition reduction. Assistantships are based on service of 20 hours per week and are intended to be renewable for up to four years, pending satisfactory performance.

While we can’t guarantee that you will receive funding, we have been able to provide full support to every student in the program since its inception.

Learn More About Financial Support for PhD in Clinical Psychology Students

Application deadline for all students to begin the following fall.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) opens for the upcoming academic year.

Meet a Professor

Dr. Adam McGuire

Assistant Professor of Psychology

Explore Related Programs

MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

MA in School Counseling

MS in Clinical Psychology

Your future starts here. Make an impact among the underserved with a PhD in Clinical Psychology from UT Tyler.

11 Careers for I-O Ph.D. Grads

Top careers in i/o psychology.

Top Careers for People with Industrial and Organizational Psychology Doctorates

Industrial organizational psychology programs are available to undergraduate and graduate students. Perhaps you took an introductory course in I O psychology while earning your bachelor’s degree. Advanced education and training are essential for career advancement. A master’s degree may be sufficient for many roles in I O psychology, but a doctorate degree can improve job prospects and income potential. Organizational psychology degrees are offered by many top universities.

I O psychology has been around since the 1920’s. The first person to earn a PhD in industrial/organizational psychology was Bruce V. Moore. He went on to make significant contributions to the field. Dr. Moore created a strong I O psychology program at Penn State.

Featured Schools

Related resource: Top 25 Campus-Based Industrial-Organizational Psychology Master’s Degree Programs

But as with so many careers, the more education you have, the more variety you are likely to have in terms of:

places of employment
compensation

Getting your Ph.D. in I O psychology certainly opens up your career prospects on all three of these measures.

What can you do with a PhD in psychology ? If you’ve taken the time to get a doctoral degree in industrial organizational psychology, then you know that there are a wealth of career options for you. Doctoral programs in I O psychology prepare graduates to work in areas like:

business and marketing
market research
human resources
organizational development
government agencies

What Does an Industrial Organizational Psychologist Do?

While the specific duties of your job will depend on your job title and place of employment, there are some basic responsibilities you can expect to have in any organizational psychology related career.

On a primary level, all I O psychologists apply their knowledge and understanding of psychology to the workplace. You will lean on your years of education and experience in psychology to:

improve employer-employee relations
design an intake assessment for new employees
increase productivity among employees

This application of psychology to the workplace setting can take many different forms. You might:

Train new hires
Improve the organizational structure of a business
Oversee hiring practices
Consult with human resources
Conduct psychological research
Improve the workplace environment
Research consumer behavior
Assess employee job performance
Assist with company transitions, like mergers and takeovers

Again, some of these tasks are more common than others, and depending on your specific place of work, you may or may not be involved in all of them.

What Can I Do With a PhD in Psychology?

Let’s explore some of the most popular career paths for I O psychology graduates. Below we explain some popular industrial organizational psychology job titles .

Individual Assessment and Psychometrics Specialist

In some companies, industrial organizational psychologists are tasked primarily with conducting assessments. Though the type of assessments will vary from position to position, the role of a psychometrist is to evaluate employees. They want to place them in a job that best fits their skills.

For example, if you work for a manufacturing company, one of the assessments you give to prospective employees might be a hand-eye coordination test. This test could be highly informative as to whether or not a potential employee has the basic physical skills to keep up with a fast-paced assembly line.

As another example, you might be in charge of evaluating current employees. You might use interest inventories to see if there is a different job that fits their interests better. Likewise, you might conduct employee evaluations to see what their attitudes are like regarding management and the work environment.

Yet another aspect of this type of organizational psychology job is to develop bespoke assessments for your employer. You might create an employee screening test that looks for desirable skills that would benefit the company’s bottom-line.

Not only would you develop the measure but you might also be in charge of:

analyzing test items
calculating norms
conducting statistical analyses
writing assessment instructions

Engineering Psychologist

Unlike industrial organizational psychologist jobs like human resources that focus on the human side of the workplace, engineering psychologists focus on the physical aspects of the work environment. They study how people interact with technology.

As an engineering psychologist, you might be asked to evaluate the safety of the workplace and identify potential areas where employee safety might be at risk. After this evaluation, you would make recommendations regarding how to reorganize the workplace to make it a safer environment for employees.

As another example, you might be hired by a company to analyze how consumers interact with a new product. You might oversee various trials in which volunteers use a product and report on their user experience. Your job would be to:

collect that data
interpret it
use it to make recommendations on how the product can be improved for a better consumer experience

Research Psychologist

A number of industrial-organizational psychologist jobs are in research. I O psychology professionals conduct research in a number of different settings including:

colleges and universities
nonprofit organizations
governmental agencies (including the military
and large business enterprises or corporations

For example, you might develop a longitudinal study that examines the relationship between paid leave and job satisfaction at a private company. This kind of research would seek to answer the question, “Does more paid leave result in higher job satisfaction?” In conducting this kind of research, you could help business leaders determine the right amount of paid leave to offer employees that enhance their satisfaction with the job, but that doesn’t negatively impact production or the company’s bottom line.

Think of industrial psychology jobs in research as looking at the big picture. You might study individual workers’ behaviors. You might examine small groups within a business or organization. Or you might evaluate the entire ecosystem of an organization. But at the end of the day, the research you do is intended to identify problems in the workplace and mitigate those problems through research-based methods.

College Professor

Some of these individuals teach. Others do research as referenced a moment ago more broadly. Still other people who earn a doctorate degree in this I O psychology focus on both teaching and writing.

Typically, career opportunities in academics come only after working in the “real world” in I O psychology. This is to say that college professors usually have experience in the field, and can draw on that experience to further their capabilities as a professor, researcher, or both.

In fact, the vast majority of psychology professors at colleges and universities have held positions outside of academics first. So, as a hopeful college professor, you will need to gain some on-the-job experience in I O psychology first, and then begin your career in academia later on. This doesn’t mean you need to work for 30 years in the field, but certainly having 5-10 years of job experience in I O psychology will help.

Behavior Analyst

Industrial organizational psychologists can use their knowledge and training in human behavior to become a behavior analyst.

As a behavior analyst, you might be asked to analyze the behavior of a company’s employees as they work on the floor of a manufacturing plant. Your goal would be to examine how environmental factors in the workplace affect employee behavior and on-the-job performance.

Furthermore, you might be tasked with considering how to change the workday to improve productivity. For example, if a company has noticed a downturn in employee productivity, you might be asked to explore what the cause of that lack of productivity might be.

As you dive into the problem, you might find that a recent change in the work schedule is the culprit, and make recommendations to create a new schedule that better adheres to the times of greatest employee productivity.

As a behavior analyst, you aren’t just looking to identify problem behaviors and correct them. Instead, you want to be able to:

describe a person’s behavior
develop an understanding of it
identify the circumstances in which certain behaviors occur
devise ways to change behaviors for the benefit of the person (and the company, too, of course)

Human Resources

A significant cohort of women and men who earn a doctorate in industrial and organizational psychology work in the field of human resources. They do so in a number of different ways.

For example, these professionals might work in human resources departments of larger business and governmental agencies. They may work as human resources specialists or as a human resources manager. In this capacity, you might expect to have responsibilities that include:

Interviewing and hiring new employees
Developing effective training programs
Training employees
Improving workplace productivity
Mediating workplace conflicts
Assessing and evaluating employees
Creating professional development opportunities

In some cases, you might be asked to represent individual workers in the company. For example, if an employee is facing termination, you might be asked to advocate on their behalf.

You might have a more specialized role. Some I O psychology professionals work as training and development specialists or in ergonomics. They might work in management consulting to provide outside perspectives and strategies to improve the organization.

Ultimately, the goal of a human resources position is to ensure that the overall culture within the business or organization is one of teamwork and respect for all employees.

Staffing and Recruiting Manager

A related career path to human resources is to become a staffing and recruiting manager.

As the job title indicates, this position focuses solely on recruiting new talent and helping fill vacant positions within a company. You would oversee all hiring processes. You would likely also be responsible for developing employee training programs.

Being able to identify a person’s potential requires you to lean heavily on your knowledge of psychology. You’ll need to utilize skills related to:

interviewing
predicting behavior
analyzing behavior as well

What’s more, understanding what motivates people is hugely important. This position often requires you to direct efforts to retain employees. Leveraging your understanding of what employees find motivating can help you keep the best employees around for the long-term.

Executive Coach

Even the organizational leaders of Fortune 500 companies don’t have all the answers when it comes to the ideal direction for their company. That’s where executive coaches come in.

As an executive coach, you will consult with senior leadership executives to develop organizational and managerial skills that will help the company move forward in a positive direction.

In some cases, you might work directly with a single company executive. In others, you might be responsible for coaching the entire executive staff. Additionally, some executive coaches work with mid-management and lower-tier employees, usually in the capacity of encouraging ownership of the company vision and getting buy-in for company-wide changes.

Regardless of who you’re working with, your job as a coach involves a heavy dose of:

assessing people
developing professional development plans for them
creating strategies for achieving goals
effectively improving their job performance

Organizational Culture Specialist

Another area in which a person with a doctorate in industrial organizational psychology works is as an organizational culture specialist.

Industrial and organizational psychology jobs in this field involves researching and analyzing different aspects of the organization including:

understandings

This research has the objective of translating these intangibles into a shared, cohesive sense of organization among employees of a business, members of an organization, and so forth.

For example, you might help develop an organizational mission statement that rallies employees behind a common cause. As another example, you might make recommendations about a corporate structure such that a culture of inclusivity is fostered between employers and employees, and within the different departments within a business as well.

Organizational Effectiveness Consultant

Another possible career for a Ph.D. graduate in industrial organizational psychology is an organizational effectiveness consultant.

A consultant in this capacity usually works hand-in-hand with executives and upper management to establish a clear set of goals for the organization. You might:

define management processes
help establish long-term goals for the company
assist company leadership in developing a roadmap for achieving the company’s goals

In some cases, companies might have their own in-house organizational effectiveness consultant. More commonly, though, you would be an independent consultant that’s brought in to get the company headed in the right direction. PhD psychology jobs may also be available through consulting firms. You would then repeat the process with another client, and then another, and so on.

Public Relations

As a public relations specialist, your focus is on understanding what customers want, reaching target markets, and helping companies foster and maintain a positive public image.

This position isn’t just about branding and building consumer trust, though. Public relations is also about:

identifying consumer needs
evaluating public opinions
helping craft marketing messages that resonate with consumers

Of course, another dimension of public relations is helping mitigate negative press. Understanding how to create a narrative – and control that narrative – is paramount in order to focus the public’s attention on what you want them to hear.

Which Career Path is Right for You?

As noted in the introduction, a doctoral degree in this field opens up many different career paths for you. The most difficult part is likely deciding which of these paths best aligns with your interests and skill set. Jobs for PhD in psychology graduates are available throughout the country. If you’ve completed your bachelor’s degree or master’s degree and are ready to take your career to the next level, a PhD might be the right choice for you!

Fortunately, this is a rapidly growing field with a lot of potential for job growth. Though there aren’t many industrial organizational psychologists in the United States ( only about 610 , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics), demand for I O psychology services is expected to grow in the coming years.

This field of psychology also pays quite well. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a mean annual wage of nearly $113,000. I O psychology graduates like yourself will likely have high demand and high wages awaiting you upon graduation.

Sean Jackson

B.A. Social Studies Education | University of Wyoming

M.S. Counseling | University of Wyoming

B.S. Information Technology | University of Massachusetts

Related Resources:

What Can I Expect from an Industrial-Organizational Psychology Ph.D. Program?
What are the Most Important Elements of an Industrial-Organizational Psychologists Job?
Top 15 Industrial/Organizational Certificate Programs
What Are Psychomotor Skills?

67 episodes

A discussion of what happens to me under stress, anxiety and pain and how our ability to think, choose and act under stress of a modern life with a paleo-caveperson wiring and survival programming. Do you want to understand why you do things that you do that are socially inappropriate or negative when we are under stress? Why do I find it difficult to make good decisions under stress? Why is it that I can see what I want to say but I cannot articulate what I want to say in a tense or stressful situation.?We will get the answers from psychology, neuropsychology, physiology, sociology, biology and social dynamics in an integrated format in common everyday language format without getting too far in the scientific weeds. Tell me what you would like to hear on the podcast and your feedback is appreciated: [email protected]

Running Man Self Regulation Skills Project Armando Dominguez PhD Health Psychology, Educator, Martial Artist, Researcher

Health & Fitness
5.0 • 1 Rating
MAY 2, 2024

Ep 67 The Cost of Attention, Speed Of Perceptual Presentation and Prosopagnosic Events

At times we speak of attention as if it is an on/off response like a switch. Actually our attention is always on and when we attend to new, novel or survival valuable information i.e., dangerous, edible, mateable, fightable then we we attend due to the value of the stimulus that is occurring at that moment. When things present too quickly we are apt to misinterpret and mis-identify familiar people and things as we are now reacting at the survival level of f brain that precedes our higher social, lower stakes level of thinking. Attention to novelty makes us tired. Take care, be attentive and walk well.

APR 25, 2024

Ep 66 Dishonesty and Lying as a Survival Advantage, Social Camouflage and the Amygdala Response

Dishonesty is a skill that we can become conditioned to. This means the more we lie the easier it is and the more apt we are to do it when there is a survival level advantage to be gained. For the right price, we are willing to split the difference if it means I get a bigger piece of the pie. Money, and material things can be gained to benefit self and not physically harm another individual. This is a higher permutation of dishonesty, as long as it is business and not harm of an organism or if the organism or person is a distant, non-proximal idea. This is an imperfect ideas as studies with electric shocks were controlled by students and at the urging of the confederates conducting the studies, some students were willing to shock a person to the point of lethality. No one was hurt but the conception and willingness to do this heinous action by "following orders" gives us a glimpse into our vulnerability to influence internal and external. Much to think about.

APR 20, 2024

Ep 65 Breaking Free from the Habit of Mind with Creativity and Well Formed Outcomes

Our day to day mindset is a symptom of our patterns of behavior and is also a template of what our underlying thoughts are that drive us to do what we do. Creativity and fulfillment are things we seek but, the gravity and conceptual magnetism, our beliefs, expectations and predictions from the foundations of our life keep us in the same holding patterns. This can be frustrating. But, breaking free of the habituated mind is not impossible for does it have to be difficult. Envision the goal and resolve to move towards that even if it is small incremental steps. Time wins in all things, leverage time as it will pass anyway. So don't you want to gain something during the passing of that time that you can say is yours, gain a skill, become a better person, learn something new, have a new life? I know I do. Take care, break free and walk well.

APR 9, 2024

Ep 64 Relaxing into Pain, Painful Beliefs, Actual Pain and Pain as an Opinion

At times we have painful events in our lives. Physical pain, mental, emotional pain and expectations of pain. Often beliefs and expectation of painful events and natural feelings of self preservation arise and often we may avoid places, people and things. The belief of pain and expectation of worsening or escalating of bad circumstances that are enough to cause an actual physical response by tension in the body in absence of actual threat of danger. The experience of pain can be altered by not engaging it in an egoic way but rather as an observer and with a good solid exhale. Take care and walk well.

APR 2, 2024

Ep 63 Is It True Is It Necessary Is It Kind: the Three Gates for Self Regulation

The three gates resonate with many but are three useful tools for self regulation and for seeding kindness into the social mileu of everyday life. At times we may be tired and the three gates can help us to be mindful of what we say and what we do while keeping in mind what we may be setting into motion. Are we setting kindness and understanding into motion or something that does not encourage compassion nor peace. Take care, keep a discerning eye on the horizon be kind with each other. Walk well.

MAR 23, 2024

Ep 62 The Voice that No-one Hears and the Words that Shape What We Believe to Be Real

We have a very personal inner voice that we keep to ourselves that no one in this life will ever hear. However, the result of the that voice is part of our filter, our social brakes on those things that would be mistakes, errors of social faux pas that would alter expected or predicted outcomes. It is the voice that throttles the authentic self and limits our ability to be authentic and our capacity for trust of others but more correctly, it alters our ability to trust ourselves. Be kind to yourself, love your self, accept your self. All are big expectations. But they render powerful transformative results. Do your best and walk well.

Customer Reviews

Top podcasts in health & fitness, you might also like.

IMAGES

PhD in Psychology : Career, Admission Process, Benefits, Opportunities
What Certifications Can I Get With A Bachelors In Psychology
What Can You Do With A Doctorate In Psychology
Being a psychologist for doctoral students
What is the Difference between a Ph.D. in Psychology and a Psy.D.?
What Can You Do With a PhD in Psychology?

VIDEO

A Day in the Life of A PhD Student
PhD in Psychology from Delhi University
Why I Chose PsyD over a PhD
How To Stay Organised as a PhD Student
Choosing Between a PhD, an EdD, or a PsyD
WATCH THIS Before Applying to PsyD/PhD Programs

COMMENTS

What Can You Do With a PhD in Psychology? (11 Jobs To View)
Earning a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) in psychology provides you with extensive knowledge about human behavior and thought processes. You can apply your Ph.D. in psychology to clinical environments, research positions, academic roles and corporate development projects. If you have a Ph.D. in psychology or want to explore potential career paths ...
What Can You Do With a Doctorate in Psychology?
According to the APA, 4% of psychology doctorate graduates become managers, executives, and administrators. While a doctoral degree is not required to become a human resources manager or director, a Ph.D. or Psy.D can help candidates stand out with valuable skills in understanding human behavior and building effective teams.
What Can I Do With a PhD in Psychology? [2024 Guide]
Listed below are some of the popular career options that you can pursue with a PhD in psychology: Clinical Psychologist. Industrial Organizational Psychologist. Forensic Psychologist. Rehabilitation Psychologist. Experimental Psychologist. School Psychologist. Sports Psychologist. Educational Psychologist.
What Can You Do with a PhD in Psychology?
With a PhD in psychology, you bring a deep understanding of human behavior, emotions, and motivation to the role. Plus, as an HR director, you can use the knowledge from your doctorate to develop thoughtful policies, systems, and resources to support employee well-being. National average salary: $116,601 per year.
10 PhD in Psychology Jobs
But they require specialization and focus, so you need to think about what area you want to concentrate in before you begin your PhD in psychology program. These 10 doctorate in psychology jobs are some of the options on the table after you graduate. 1. Clinical Psychologist.
Doctorate in Psychology (Ph.D. and Psy.D.) Program Guide
The median BLS salary for psychologists include both graduate and undergraduate level occupations. According to Payscale, of the 25 people reporting in September 2023, the average salary for graduates with a Ph.D. in psychology is $95,000. September Payscale data for 2023 reports the average salary for graduates with a Psy.D. as $92,000.
What Can You Do With a PhD in Psychology?
Psychology PhD programs are rigorous, requiring a great commitment of time and effort. With the ability to learn at your own pace and on your own timeline, many seeking a doctorate in psychology find that online PhD in Psychology programs suit their busy schedules. Walden University's PhD in Psychology is also offered in a popular Fast-Track ...
Getting a Ph.D. in Psychology
In order to earn a Ph.D. in psychology, you need to first begin by earning your bachelor's degree. While earning your undergraduate degree in psychology can be helpful, students with bachelor's degrees in other subjects can also apply their knowledge to psychology Ph.D. programs. Some students in doctorate programs may have a master's degree in ...
Doctorate in Psychology (Ph.D. and Psy.D.)
The two doctorate degrees you can get in psychology are Ph.D. and Psy.D. In simple terms, a Ph.D. in psychology is more research-focused, while a Psy.D. emphasizes clinical practice. The best choice between the two depends on your career goals and whether you prefer research and academia or direct clinical work.
What Can You Do With A PhD in Psychology?
The PhD, or Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology, is the traditional degree in the field and the one that most practicing psychologists hold. It is traditionally very research focused and has excellent preparation for careers in research or academic psychology. The PsyD, or Doctor of Psychology, is a newer degree that has a more clinical focus.
Psychology careers guide
Psychologists have doctoral degrees. They study the intersection of two critical relationships: one between brain function and behavior; and another between the environment and behavior. As scientists, psychologists follow scientific methods, using careful observation, experimentation and analysis. But psychologists also need to be creative in ...
What Can You Do With a Psychology Degree? Jobs and More
Graduate psychology degree jobs: 5 careers in psychology. Psychology graduates often go on to earn a higher-level psychology degree as the first step toward becoming a professional psychologist. In most states, you'll have to get licensed to call yourself a psychologist. Licensure requirements generally include a master's or PhD in ...
PDF What are the steps to a Clinical Psychology PhD?
What is a Clinical Psychology PhD? A few (brief) notes about Clinical Psychology PhD programs: Clinical psych are best for people who want to focus on research and clinical work; though skills can be applied to a range of fields (e.g, public health, policy, etc). If you are interested in only clinical work, PhDs may not be the best fit!
80+ Psychology Jobs: What You Can Do With a Psychology Degree
Some are directly in the field of psychology, while others require additional training in another field or specialty area. In either case, having a solid understanding of the human mind and behavior can be beneficial in any of these careers: Academic advisor. Advanced practice psychiatric nurse. Advertising agent.
What Is a PhD in Psychology?
The PhD in Psychology is the highest level graduate degree in the field to which a student can aspire. The PhD and PsyD prepare the bearer for a variety of career options representing a wide range of research and practice areas; each of which is unique in its educational scope and training. Although the entrance requirements differ according to ...
50 Awesome Things to Do with a PhD in Psychology
Political psychologist: Understanding the psychology of politics is a big job. Social psychologist: So is making sense of the complex social world in which we live. Policy advisor: informing policy is a dream job of many psychologists. Lobbyist: Drumming up support for initiatives is a lobbyist's main purview.
PhD in Psychology: What Can You Do with This Doctorate Degree?
A PhD, which is a Doctor of Philosophy degree, may be earned in any number of fields wherein the doctorate program is research focused. A PhD in Psychology, therefore, is a doctorate degree for those interested in psychology research, academia, professorship, and authorship. This degree is the highest level graduate degree in the field of ...
7 Tips for Applying to a Psychology PhD Program
Make it count. Show integrity. The field of psychology is small and relationships matter. The goal of the admissions process is to find the best people for the exact mentors available at a ...
What Can You Do with a PhD in Clinical Psychology?
Jobs in Psychology with a PhD. There are a variety of career paths for those with a doctoral degree in psychology. Many clinical psychologists offer private therapy to clients, but other professional psychologists are employed by schools, the court system, or business organizations.
What Can You Do With a Doctorate in Psychology?
Psychologists are a vital component of healthcare—and, in turn, a crucial part of our social fabric. From providing crisis prevention to helping individuals wrestling with substance abuse, they may have the chance to make a profound and enduring impact on the lives of others. 1 But even perfunctory research on obtaining a doctorate in psychology (PsyD) reveals that it is a substantial ...
Pursuing a Career in Developmental Psychology
A doctoral degree is typically required for a career in developmental psychology. While the common educational pathway for a developmental psychologist is similar to that of psychologists working in other subfields — an undergraduate degree in psychology, followed by a master's degree and then a doctoral degree — specialized developmental ...
PhD in Clinical Psychology
The PhD in Clinical Psychology is designed for students who have at least some preparation in psychology. The strongest applicants will have 12 or more credits in the discipline, including coursework in statistics, research methods, history and systems of psychology and abnormal psychology.
Top 10 tips for applying to clinical psychology Ph.D. programs
The DECADE committee, composed of graduate students in psychological science, offered the following tips: Professionalism is key. Using professional email greetings, being punctual, demonstrating preparation, taking ownership and responsibility, and using critical thinking and problem solving skills goes a long way. Get involved in research labs.
11 Careers for I-O Ph.D. Grads
Organizational Effectiveness Consultant. Another possible career for a Ph.D. graduate in industrial organizational psychology is an organizational effectiveness consultant. A consultant in this capacity usually works hand-in-hand with executives and upper management to establish a clear set of goals for the organization.
Showing students the many applications of psychological science that
She has a PhD in educational psychology from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, with concentrations in cognition, learning, development, and educational measurement. Barnes started her career as a fifth grade teacher in Elizabeth, NJ, the city where she grew up. It was in her early career moments working with students that her passion ...
What Can I Do with a PhD in Psychology?
The career you pursue with your doctorate in psychology is likely to depend on what specialization you choose upon entering your chosen PhD psychology program. Specializations within PhD psychology programs can include: Clinical psychology. Counseling psychology. Educational psychology. Forensic psychology. General psychology. Health psychology.
I'm interested in PHD clinical psychology but may need to do ...
For PhD programs what will be important is whether you're a good fit with the program you're applying to. Often this will be goodness of fit in terms of research. I would look at psych masters programs where they're already doing research on your topic of interest (mindfulness).
Undergraduate Overview
At the core of the undergraduate programs is a focus on psychological science, which helps prepare students for graduate study in psychology or related fields (e.g., law, business, education, social work), as well as a myriad of exciting careers. Our students graduate with knowledge of psychological principles and a solid grounding in ...
What Can You Do With a Master's Degree in Psychology?
Master's-degree holders can pursue rewarding opportunities in counseling, organizational psychology, and research. If you want to pursue doctoral studies, a master's in psychology prepares you for dissertation research, strengthening your advanced writing, research, and communication skills. Doctoral degree holders can go on to pursue careers ...
‎Running Man Self Regulation Skills Project on Apple Podcasts
Running Man Self Regulation Skills Project Armando Dominguez PhD Health Psychology, Educator, Martial Artist, Researcher Health & Fitness 5.0 • 1 Rating; A discussion of what happens to me under stress, anxiety and pain and how our ability to think, choose and act under stress of a modern life with a paleo-caveperson wiring and survival ...

What Can I Do With a PhD in Psychology? – PhD in Psychology Career Options

What are the Career Options With a PhD in Psychology?

Clinical Psychologist

What is the Job Outlook for Psychology Careers?

Related Reading

What Can You Do with a PhD in Psychology?

Key Takeaways

Featured Programs

Psychological Researcher

Clinical Director or Supervisor

Psychotherapist

Psychometrics Specialist

Human Resource Director

Marketing Director

Management Consultant

Forensic Psychologist

Behavioral Health Specialist

Addiction Counselor

Prerequisites for Earning a PhD in Psychology

Benefits of Earning a PhD in Psychology

Obtaining a License

Better Employment Opportunities

Skill Development

High Paying Positions

Related Questions

Where can you work with a doctorate in psychology?

How long does it take to get a PhD in psychology?

Doctorate in Psychology (Ph.D. and Psy.D.) – everything you need to know in 2024

What Does it Take to Earn a Doctorate in Psychology?

What is the difference between a PsyD and a PhD in psychology?

Should you earn a master’s degree in psychology before studying for a PhD?

What Can You Do With a Doctorate in Psychology?

What jobs can you do with a PhD in psychology?

PhD in Psychology Salary and Job Prospects

How much does a psychologist make with a PhD?

80+ Jobs in Psychology to Consider

Psychology Jobs in Therapy and Research

Art Therapist

Clinical Psychologist

Geropsychologist

Experimental Psychologist

Consumer Psychologist

Forensic or Criminal Psychologist

Engineering Psychologist

Sports Psychologists

Traffic Psychologist

Career Counselor

Aviation Psychologist

Industrial-Organizational Psychologist

Genetic Counselor

Health Psychologist

School Psychologist

Special Education Teacher

More Career Options in Psychology

Before You Choose a Career in Psychology

A Word From Verywell

What is a PhD in Psychology?

Sponsored School(s)

The "Doctorate of Psychology"

Do I need a PhD to Achieve My Goals?

How Long Will it Take to Get a PhD in Psychology?

What Types of Classes Will I Take in a PhD Program?

Elements of the PhD in Psychology

Highly Recommended

What is a Practicum?

Teaching Requirements

Related Articles

Research Psychology Programs

Licensing & Certification Information

50 Awesome Things to Do with a PhD in Psychology

What’s Inside

Policy and Politics

Justice and Corrections

Research and Academia

PhD in Psychology: What Can You Do with This Doctorate Degree?

Will a PhD in Psychology help me achieve my career goals?

How do I earn a PhD in Psychology?

Do I need to obtain practical experience while working toward my degrees?

People Also Ask

What does PhD stand for?