Earning a PhD in psychology can open up an incredible world of opportunity for you. But getting a PhD takes a great deal of time, effort and financial commitment, so it’s a good idea to investigate your options in order to determine whether getting a PhD in psychology is your best path.
What is a PhD in Psychology and What Can I Use It For?
A PhD, or Doctor of Philosophy, is a highly advanced degree that is required for many jobs in psychology — particularly for jobs in research, counseling and clinical psychology. Generally speaking, getting a PhD is probably the best ticket for qualifying for most of the top jobs in psychology.
What Does it Take to Get a PhD in Psychology?
To gain a PhD, you’ll need to first get a Bachelor’s degree. Some doctoral programs also require students to get a Master’s degree before applying. A Bachelor’s degree in psychology normally takes four years of full-time study, but you can knock off some of that time by attending undergraduate summer school or by loading up on extra undergraduate credits each term. Getting a Master’s degree normally takes an additional two years.
Most PhD programs in psychology require an additional five to eight years to complete, including possible requirements for internship and/or supervised residency. So in total, you might be looking at anywhere from nine to fourteen years of schooling and training after high school before you can get an APA accredited PhD and become a licensed psychologist.
Besides a PhD, Are There Any Other Advanced Degrees in Psychology?
Yes, there are two alternatives to a PhD. The PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) degree is a relatively new degree designed mainly for counseling psychologists who don’t plan to perform research experiments. It’s actually a better degree for counselors because it focuses on counseling courses at the expense of research courses. But it has a narrower range of application than a PhD, so you should only pursue it if you’re certain you want to be a counselor only. It probably won’t work for many university counseling jobs, because universities often require their psychologists to wear many hats, like doing some research or teaching.
But if you plan to open your own private counseling practice, a PsyD degree is highly recommended. PsyD programs are similar to PhD programs in courses, but can usually be completed sooner than PhD programs.
The other alternative for an advanced degree is to get an EdD (Doctor of Education) degree in psychology. There is little difference between getting an EdD and getting a PhD; it basically means the university you attended housed its psychology program in its College of Education rather than its College of Philosophy or its College of Psychology. The coursework might include more teaching courses, but it might not.
You can get an EdD degree even if you don’t plan to teach. But employers who aren’t looking to hire a teacher normally put more stock in a PhD degree than an EdD degree, because Colleges of Philosophy are usually more highly regarded than Colleges of Education. It should also be noted that some Colleges of Education actually award both EdD degrees and PhD degrees.
When Should I Decide Whether to Pursue a PhD?
In some ways, the sooner the better, but you don’t really need to make that decision until you’re fairly certain what career you want to go into. Once you decide that, search the web for the educational requirements for that particular job.
There’s not much value in getting a PhD if the job you want doesn’t require it. In fact, some employers might be reluctant to hire you if they think you’re overqualified for the job, fearing you might get bored with the job or grow dissatisfied in the position.
How Much Does a PsyD and PhD in Psychology Cost?
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), graduate schools on average charge $20,500 in tuition and required fees for PsyD and PhD in psychology degrees.
Whether you attend a public or private school can greatly affect tuition costs. On average, public schools charge less than half of what private schools charge. Your total out-of-pocket cost also depends on factors such as financial aid and other funding, and whether you attend a public school as an in-state or out-of-state student.
What are the Admission Requirements for a PsyD and PhD in Psychology?
Each school sets its own admission rules, and requirements can differ greatly by program. Even so, psychology doctoral programs often share several common admission expectations, including:
- A bachelor’s degree or, more often, a master’s degree in psychology or a closely related field.
- A cumulative GPA around 3.0.
- An academic writing sample.
- Several letters of recommendation, especially from academic faculty members.
- A statement of purpose, an extended goals statement and/or a resume or CV.
If test scores are required, a program may request the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the GRE Subject Test in psychology. However, many schools are reducing or removing test score requirements, including for doctoral admissions.
Programs review Psy.D. and Ph.D. applications by considering academic performance as well as your research interests and your career goals.
How Long Does It Take to Get a PsyD or a PhD in Psychology?
Psy.D. and Ph.D. programs in psychology usually take longer to complete than master’s degrees. In many cases, you can expect the doctoral degree to take about 4-8 years. The type of doctorate also affects the timeline. Ph.D. programs often require more time (5-8 years) than Psy.D. programs (4-6 years).
Other factors that may change your completion timeline include:
- Program design and whether you must finish all core coursework before the final program requirement.
- Clinical training needs, including practicum, dissertation, and internship requirements.
- Whether you enroll part-time or full-time.
Some states also require licensure applicants to complete at least 1 year of postdoctoral training.
What Specialization Options are Available?
Schools often provide many concentration and specialization choices in both Psy.D. and Ph.D. programs, allowing you to focus on specific research or practice interests.
Psy.D. programs may offer specialization options such as:
- Child and adolescent psychology
- Forensic psychology
- Health psychology and behavioral medicine
- Neuropsychology
Ph.D. programs may provide similar concentration choices or may include specializations such as:
- Clinical psychology
- Cognitive psychology
- Developmental psychology
- Social psychology
As a doctoral student, you may also have the option to create a self-designed specialization that closely matches your personal learning goals and research interests.
Do PsyD or a PhD in Psychology Degrees Have Clinical Components or Internships?
Both Psy.D. and Ph.D. doctoral programs often include major field training requirements. These requirements follow state standards, which commonly require licensure applicants to complete clinical training, practicums and/or internships as part of graduate study.
Schools often keep a list of approved placement sites, which allows doctoral students to choose options that match their interests and goals. You should review these opportunities before applying because field training can strongly affect your learning results.
If you choose an online or hybrid doctoral psychology program, you will likely still need to complete field training requirements in person.
Is It Possible to Get a PsyD or a PhD in Psychology Online?
Although you may be able to complete Ph.D. coursework online, most APA-accredited online programs use a hybrid format that combines online study with in-person requirements. These programs also require on-site practicum and internship experiences.
Can I Get a PsyD or a PhD in Psychology Without a Master’s Degree?
You can enroll in a doctoral program in psychology without first earning a master’s degree. Some Ph.D. programs admit applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field. In addition, dual or joint-degree options allow bachelor’s degree holders to complete a master’s degree while also earning credits that apply toward the doctorate.
How to Choose a PhD in Psychology Program?
Finding a doctorate in psychology program that matches your goals and learning preferences requires careful research. Tuition costs and access to financial aid are among the most important points to review. You should also consider other key factors such as accreditation and academic quality, admission requirements, career focus, and how flexible the program requirements are.
Accreditation
Accreditation shows that a school or program meets strong academic standards. The American Psychological Association (APA) provides program accreditation for psychology Ph.D. programs, but it does not accredit fully online doctorate in psychology programs.
You should understand that not having APA accreditation may affect your ability to earn licensure and work as a clinical or counseling psychologist, depending on your state’s rules. Before choosing an online doctorate in psychology program, confirm whether APA accreditation is needed for your career plans.
Admission Requirements
Because admission standards differ by program, you should review and confirm the acceptance and application requirements. Many doctorate in psychology programs ask for at least a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a strong GPA, a personal statement, and letters of recommendation. Some schools may also request related research experience and an explanation of how your interests connect to the program’s curriculum focus.
Career Relevance
Although fully online programs do not have the APA accreditation required for clinical licensure, an online Ph.D. program can still support careers that do not require direct clinical practice. These roles may include administration and leadership, consulting, teaching and research, and specialized fields such as forensic psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, marketing, and human resources.
Cost and Financial Aid
The total cost of your degree depends on several factors, including whether you qualify for in-state tuition discounts, whether you attend a public or private school, and whether you receive financial aid or scholarships. Doctorate in psychology programs may also offer funding through teaching assistantships or research assistantships.
What Jobs Could I Get With Just a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Psychology?
Degree requirements for particular jobs in psychology vary from state-to-state and from employer-to-employer, but generally it’s hard to get a high-paying job in psychology without an advanced degree.
However, there are plenty of lower-paying jobs available with just a Bachelor’s degree, because a degree in psychology can be applied to a lot of jobs outside the field of psychology, such as in advertising, community services, sales, criminal justice, marketing, child care and many other areas.
Within the field of psychology, a Bachelor’s degree is sometimes enough to get work as a social worker, career counselor, guidance counselor or psychiatric technician.
With a Master’s degree in clinical psychology, you can find work as a psychological counselor, but only under the supervision of a licensed psychologist. A Master’s in experimental psychology is sufficient for working as a research assistant, market researcher or lab manager.
A Master’s in applied psychology is adequate for some jobs in industrial-organizational psychology or forensic psychology, or for many jobs within health care services or mental health services.
Contact Us
Privacy Policy