Best Online PhD in Psychology

Since 1959, the PhD in clinical psychology from the Loyola University Chicago has been fully accredited by the American Psychological Association—the leading professional organization in the United States that represents the field of psychology. The goal of the PhD program is to provide its student with a strong education in the practice and theory of clinical psychology as well as in general psychology. The course takes four to five years of studies with a minimum of 72-hours of coursework. GRE test scores are required with application. Applicants are narrowed down and invited to interview, and only 35 students are admitted to the program.

The department of psychology at the University at Buffalo offers several PhD programs. Doctoral students may choose to enroll in the behavioral neuroscience program, the cognitive psychology program, the clinical psychology program or the social-personality program. The doctoral degree psychology program is research-based. Admitted applicants typically score within the 81st percentile on the GRE verbal and the 68th percentile on the GRE quantitative. Students do not need an undergraduate degree or graduate degree in psychology to be accepted to the program. PhD students may pursue the teaching assistantship opportunities offered at the University at Buffalo.

Fordham University was established as a Catholic, Jesuit institution in 1841. Currently, it serves 6,431 graduate students. Fordham’s graduate programs in psychology are only open to full-time students. The Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program (CPDP) is based on the Boulder Scientist-Practitioner training model emphasizing theories and practice of assessment and diagnosis with a strong laboratory component. During the first two years, doctoral students must complete courses in cognitive assessment, personality assessment, psychopathology, and clinical diagnosis. Supervised practicum experiences are taken in the second, third and fourth years. Specializations include: Child and Family, Forensic, Neuropsychology, and Health.

Since 1949, the clinical psychology program at the University of Tennessee Knoxville has been accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. The program is based on the Tennessee Model, which regards practice and research as similar enterprises, and trains highly competent students to become clinical psychologists and contribute to their field as teachers, clinicians, and researchers. Students receive a balanced education in research, psychological assessment, psychotherapy, and teaching, and are provided internship opportunities in addition to innovative curriculum. Admission is based on a rigorous selection process, after which between seven and nine students are chosen.

In 1888, Temple College was founded in Philadelphia. Today, Temple University has grown to include 17 schools and colleges in eight locations, serving more than 38,000 students. Of those, more than 100 graduate students are enrolled in graduate psychology degree programs. The Clinical Psychology Program prepares doctoral students for careers in research, education, and scientific clinical professions. Some 60-70 PhD program applicants are invited to campus admissions interviews each January. Applicants are encouraged to take the GRE Advanced Test. The PhD program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS).

Students attending the psychology program at Texas A&M University may choose between six areas of concentration, including behavioral and cellular neuroscience, clinical psychology, cognition and cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, and social and personality psychology. TAMU combines the science and practice of psychology to help students learn, research, apply knowledge, solve problems, and promote healthy human development. The school admits approximately 100 students into the psychology PhD program, and a low student-teacher ratio is maintained so students can receive personalized counsel and develop professional and research skills.

The doctoral program for psychology offered at Boston University may be worth considering for any graduate student who wishes to further their education. Students from over 130 countries have travelled to study in one of the 250 fields offered at Boston University. The students at BU run more than 450 clubs and organizations, allowing for a rich educational community. Students who wish to expand their cultural understanding may be interested in applying for one of BU’s numerous study abroad programs, which are spread throughout 26 different countries. On average, qualifying students are awarded almost $30,000 in financial aid.

Baylor University was chartered in 1845 in Waco, Texas as a private Christian university. Today’s 2,611 graduate/professional students pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in more than 115 major fields. The 78-hour PhD psychology degree program requires completion of 37 core courses, and specialty concentrations in behavioral neuroscience, social psychology, and general experimental psychology. Students must declare and pursue a minor, or may substitute nine hours of elective courses. Program applicants are required to hold a bachelor degree and a minimum GRE total score of 300. Applications are due the second week of January.

What sets Pennsylvania State University’s psychology department apart from other universities are its veritable choices of doctorate degrees in psychology. Prospective students have the option of pursuing graduate studies in social, developmental, cognitive, industrial-organizational, and clinical (adult and child) psychology. Students should note that having an undergraduate psychology degree, without an MS degree, can still qualify them for a place in the PhD program. Students without a master’s degree can choose to earn one adjacent to the PhD in this program. This is a full-time program, so this degree is not for working students.

Loma Linda University, a Seventh-day Adventist educational institution focused on health sciences, admitted its first nursing students in 1905 in California. Today’s university campus includes the school as well as the Loma Linda University Medical Center. The PhD in Clinical Psychology degree program takes six years to complete, including a required internship. Based on the scientist-practitioner model, the doctoral curriculum combines research and practice. The practicum is designed to provide supervised internships across a range of practice areas in multidisciplinary settings. Students can choose from optional concentration areas in clinical child psychology, health psychology, and neuropsychology.