Psychology, Ph.D.

Return to: 3500 Department of Psychology  

The Department of Psychology offers courses of study leading primarily to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree. Doctoral-level study then provides students the opportunity to acquire the additional knowledge and skills necessary for professional careers in teaching, research, clinical service, and consultation.

The doctoral-level education of advanced graduate students focuses upon specialized coursework and supervised experiences in the department’s five program areas (Clinical, Cognitive Sciences, Community, Developmental, Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience). The faculty associated with these five program areas oversee eight concentrations - Clinical Psychology (CLG), Clinical/Community Psychology (CLC), Clinical/Neuropsychology (CLN), Community Psychology (COR), Developmental Psychology (DEV), Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (CAN), Cognitive Sciences (CGS), and Community-Public Health Dual Degree (MPH-PhD). Students apply to and are accepted into one of these 8 concentrations. Students  areas of specialization within the concentrations vary with the interests and expertise of the faculty and, thus, will change within a scholarly context that encourages diversity, growth, and change.

The facilities of the department permit work in cognition, development, behavioral neuroscience, neuropsychology, learning, infant behavior, sensation and perception, motivation, aging, social psychology, assessment, individual psychotherapy, group and family therapy, behavior therapy, and community psychology. Students may work with both human and nonhuman populations. Human populations include all age ranges and a variety of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Nonhuman populations include several rodent and primate species.

The graduate program in clinical psychology (including the CLC, CLG, CLN concentrations) is accredited by the American Psychological Association.

Applicants may obtain additional information about the Department of Psychology by visiting the Department of Psychology website.

Policy on Non-Degree Admission

Applicants who have earned a bachelor’s degree and are not enrolled in a degree program may enroll in the subset of psychology graduate courses listed on our website. Students may take no more than six hours of coursework in non-degree status without petitioning the psychology department for an exception to this policy. Students enrolled in non-degree status in a psychology graduate course may not at the same time be applicants to a degree program and may not apply for admission to a graduate degree program in the department for one year following the semester in which the non-degree course was taken. Application deadlines for non-degree status are the same as the general deadlines for the College of Arts and Sciences and can be found in the section of the catalog entitled “Admission Policies.”

Admission Deadlines

Applications for all concentrations are considered for fall semester admissions only. The Application for Graduate Study, application fee, and all supporting materials (transcripts, letters, and supplemental form) must be submitted by the posted deadline for admission.

Additional Admission Requirements

In addition to the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Department of Psychology has the following requirements:

1. Applicants are expected to have a background in psychology, although an undergraduate major is not required. Performing well in a minimum of two courses in psychological statistics and research methods in psychology are required. It is recommended that applicants to the clinical program take and perform well in an abnormal psychology class.
2. A student who has earned a master’s degree and completed a psychology-related research thesis may petition the psychology graduate program committee (GPC) to waive the master’s thesis requirement. Students whose petition to waive the master’s thesis requirement is approved must still complete all required coursework, unless the courses are waived.
3. Students who have completed and earned a strong grade in a graduate-level course with content that closely aligns with the content of a required course for the GSU Psychology PhD program may petition the GPC to waive the required course. Students may petition to waive more than one course. Students typically petition to waive courses and the master’s thesis during the first semester of enrollment.  See the Psychology Graduate Handbook for additional details about petitioning to waive courses and the thesis.