Best Psychology Graduate Programs in Tennessee [2025] - Accredited Psychology Graduate Degrees in Tennessee Online

If you want to study psychology at a higher level in Tennessee, you will find many graduate programs that match different career goals. Whether you are planning to become a licensed counselor, work in research, or teach at the college level, these programs can prepare you with the right knowledge and training.

Graduate schools in Tennessee offer both master’s and doctoral degrees in various psychology fields. By choosing the right program, you can take important steps toward building a strong future in the field of psychology.

This guide highlights some of the popular psychology graduate programs in Tennessee. Explore each option to make an informed decision about your educational path.

Best Psychology Graduate Programs in Tennessee

Listed below are some of the popular schools offering psychology graduate programs in Tennessee:

University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Middle Tennessee State University
Vanderbilt University
University of Memphis
Johnson University
Purdue Global
Southern New Hampshire University
National University
Simmons University
American Public University

To find out how we select colleges and universities, please click here.

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

M.A. in Experimental Psychology

If you aim to strengthen your academic skills in psychology before entering a PhD program, the Master of Arts in Experimental Psychology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will be suitable for you. The program is also fitting if your undergraduate degree was in a field other than psychology, or if you prefer to further enhance your academic and research experience before you apply to doctoral studies.

In this master’s program, you will concentrate your studies in three primary research categories: Neuroscience and Behavior (N&B), Cognitive and Developmental Science (CDS), and Social Psychology. You will study the ways behaviors evolve, discover how behaviors provide adaptive benefits, examine how behaviors form within biological frameworks, and identify the ways in which behaviors are controlled by nervous system functions.

Additionally, you will study how early human development shapes actions, sensory experiences, thought processes, and language abilities. You will also examine how behaviors progress, become structured, and integrate step-by-step into increasingly complex patterns. In the social psychology specialization, you will collaborate with professors who conduct research aimed at enhancing knowledge about various psychological questions, ranging from fundamental human perception and interpretation processes to effective solutions for critical social issues.

To graduate, you will need to complete 32 semester hours of graduate-level courses in Psychology. These hours will include:

Psychology 515, Professional Issues in Psychology, both Fall and Spring semesters of your first year in the program.
One semester hour of Research Practicum (Psychology 509) to be taken during your first semester. The goal is to prepare you for undertaking the MA thesis.
Two semesters of statistics, PSYC 521-522 or STAT 531-532, or an equivalent sequence.
Multicultural Psychology, PSYC 577
Research Methods, PSYC 580
Six credit hours from at least 2 out of the 3 experimental core areas listed below:
- Neuroscience & Behavior Area
  - 527 Advances in Behavioral Neuroscience
  - 546 Evolutionary Psychology
  - 547 Conceptual Foundations of Evolution and Behavior
- Cognitive and Developmental Science Area
  - 474 Research and Theory in Child Development
  - 524 Brain and Behavioral Development
- Social Area
  - 530 Psychology of Attitudes
  - 550 Social Psychology
One 600-level course approved by the Student Advisory Committee.
Six semester hours of Psychology 500, Thesis.

You must earn a grade of B or better in all courses that count toward the 32-hour total.

A strength of the experimental program is its emphasis on a professional mentor relationship between faculty and students. Upon matriculation, you will be assigned an advisor. Together with your advisor, you will select two additional faculty to form a Student Advisory Committee. At least two members of this Committee must be regular members of the Department of Psychology, and at least one member must be from the Experimental Program faculty.

The composition of this Committee, including the advisor, may change as you progress through the program. Changes in membership of the Student Advisory Committee may take effect by notifying the Program Director.

The primary functions of this Committee are to advise you on your program, to monitor your progress, provide feedback to you, and to keep the Experimental Program faculty informed about your progress. The duties of the Student Advisory Committee will include (but are not limited to) the following:

Guidance in the selection of core and methodology courses. This includes a review of preparation and recommendations for additional work.
Direction and evaluation of the Master’s thesis.

A thesis, sponsored by the Master’s Committee, must be completed. The thesis is a research project involving the collection and analysis of original data or the original analysis of existing data.

Master’s proposal meeting:

All M.A. candidates must hold a committee meeting to discuss a written thesis proposal. A written proposal must be given to all Committee members a full week before the meeting. A proposal should include a selected literature review of the research problem and a detailed presentation of the questions to be evaluated, the methods to be employed, and a discussion of data analysis and interpretation.

Master’s defense meeting:

You will be required to participate in an oral defense session that will cover both your thesis manuscript and your chosen field of study. This presentation may be attended not only by your Committee but also by faculty members and students who are interested. However, your Committee has the right to pause the session at any time for private discussions. Only your Committee will make the final decisions, and all of its members must be present during your oral defense.

During this examination, your ability to explain your thesis, the quality of your work, and your awareness of how your research connects to broader topics in psychology will be evaluated. Your Committee will make two separate decisions: one regarding your performance in the defense and another on the approval of your written thesis. Even if both decisions are positive, you may still be asked to make changes to the written version.

You will not be allowed to schedule your oral defense until your major professor has given their approval of the thesis. You must provide each Committee member with a full copy of your thesis at least ten days before the date of the defense. You are strongly advised not to schedule your final defense during the summer, as finding an available time is often very difficult.

To apply for admission, the following materials must be submitted to Graduate Admissions through the online application submission process:

The completed online Graduate Application for Admission.
A non-refundable application fee paid by credit card or electronic check.
A transcript documenting that you have been (or will be) awarded a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. At the time of application, the transcript can be unofficial.
A transcript from all accredited institutions where graduate (post-bachelor’s) coursework has been taken. At the time of application, the transcript can be unofficial.

You must have earned a minimum of 2.7 out of a possible 4.0 or a minimum of 3.0 during the senior year of undergraduate study. If you have completed previous graduate coursework, you must have earned a minimum of 3.0 out of a possible 4.0.

Middle Tennessee State University

Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology

The Master’s in Psychology, with a concentration in clinical psychology, at Middle Tennessee State University emphasizes a broadly based scientist-practitioner approach, and the course of study offers preparation for you to pursue doctoral training or employment involving clinical interviewing and psychological assessment.

The Master of Arts degree in Psychology with a clinical concentration requires completion of 43-46 semester hours.

The curriculum and practical aspects of the program meet certification requirements for the State of Tennessee’s Certified Psychological Assistant designation. In addition to the core requirements, the master’s program in clinical psychology offers training in two specializations: general clinical and health/neuropsychology. The skills training does not provide preparation to practice psychotherapy or professional counseling at the terminal Master’s level.

The coursework emphasizes empirically-based clinical methods. To further emphasize the “scientist” component of training, all students are required to take six semester hours of graduate statistics and research methods. Additionally, you can elect to complete an empirical thesis as part of your training.

The “practitioner” component of the program is emphasized through course content, skills-based coursework (e.g., cognitive assessment, personality assessment), and the clinical practica. Meetings on professional issues (e.g., applying for licensure or certifications) conducted by the practicum coordinator are also part of the required practicum course.

All students are required to take the following core courses::

Human Neuropsychology: Organization and function of specific brain areas and the behavioral deficits and changes resulting from focal and diffuse brain damage.
Intellectual Assessment: Practical didactic instruction in theory and practice of cognitive assessment. Practical supervised experience in rapport, administration, scoring, and interpretation of individual intelligence tests for all age levels. Liability insurance required.
Laboratory in Intellectual Assessment: Skill development in completing intellectual assessments, calculating scores, and conducting conferences in a laboratory setting.
Objective Personality Assessment: Practical supervised experience in objective measurement and analysis of key variables of personality, both for normative and specific diverse populations. Emphasis on MMPI. Liability insurance required prior to enrollment.
Psychopathology: Extensive examination of the disorders included in the current diagnostic manual. Emphasis on adult disorders. Objectives are to enhance understanding of psychopathology and to develop minimal competence in diagnosing.
Basic and Applied Research Methods in Psychology: Survey of experimental and quasi-experimental research designs employed in mental health fields. Theoretical and practical knowledge of various research designs and data analysis procedures explored through class lectures and lab assignments. Offers preparation for those training to become mental health practitioners to understand and critically evaluate psychological research.
Professional Issues and Roles: A systematic survey of the ethical and legal responsibilities required of professionals within health services psychology fields.
Foundations of Clinical Practice: An experiential course in which you are oriented to the foundational concepts and techniques germane to effective practice in clinical psychology.
Theories of Individual Psychotherapy: Intensive presentation of theory and methods used in psychotherapy. Evaluation of standard of care and treatment effectiveness.

In addition to the required courses in the clinical core area and the research area, you must take 6 elective credits to form a specialization.

The field practicum requires you to apply all of the information learned in your other classes to a clinical setting. Because the clinical psychology program is designed to prepare graduates for certification in Tennessee as psychological assistants. It is very important to plan ahead when preparing for your field practicum.

The field practicum requires you to work a minimum of 300 clock hours at the agency where you are assigned. Under most circumstances, the maximum you are allowed to work is 20 hours per week for 15 weeks. Using this period of time to complete the practicum provides you with some hands-on experience in the field of psychological assessment. Due to the 20 hour per week requirement, the field practicum may present you with considerable difficulties in terms of work schedule, childcare, etc.

To graduate, you must:

Complete core clinical courses (31 hours) and a specialization (6 hours).
Pass a written comprehensive examination prepared by the faculty in your concentration@(may be taken no more than twice).
Complete an assessment field practicum.
Complete either (a) an empirical thesis or (b) an advanced practicum including an empirical case project.

The empirical thesis is a research project that you develop, implement, and write up using the format of a standard empirical research study in psychology. It involves a literature review, a statement of hypotheses, use of standardized psychological tests or other measuring instruments, statistical analyses of the data, and writing your conclusions. The thesis must be written in APA style.

Admission to the program is competitive and not automatic for students meeting minimal admission requirements. You will be selected from a pool of qualified applicants. Each year the number of students admitted to the program depends on the availability of adequate faculty supervision.

In order to be considered for admission, you must meet two standards:

An undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or higher and a minimum score on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
General Exam. A minimum of 291 on the combined Verbal and Quantitative sections is expected for the Clinical Psychology concentration within the Master of Arts in Psychology.

Applications for Summer/Fall admission must be completed by March 1 and applications for Spring admission must be completed by October 1. Late applicants who meet the admission criteria may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

You must also demonstrate knowledge of the core areas of psychology by completing the following courses at either the undergraduate or graduate level prior to entering the program or during enrollment in the program:

Group measurement/testing
Abnormal psychology
Learning or cognition
Social or developmental
Brain and behavior, sensation and perception, or research methods
Basic statistics

Most applicants have completed 15 semester hours of psychology classes prior to admission to their graduate programs. Those applicants without 15 semester hours of undergraduate psychology may be admitted to the programs but must complete those credits in addition to their graduate program requirements.

All application materials are to be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies. You must:

Submit an application with the appropriate application fee. Once this initial application has been accepted, you will receive directions on how to enter the graduate portal to be able to submit other materials.
Submit official transcripts of all previous college work.
Submit official scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
Submit the required supplementary application.
Submit three required supplemental reference forms.
Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.

Vanderbilt University

Ph.D. in Psychology

The doctoral program in Psychological Sciences at Vanderbilt University is offered jointly by the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Science and the Department of Psychology and Human Development in Peabody College. The program focuses on psychological theory and the development of original empirical research. You will be admitted to work toward the Ph.D. degree in the following areas:

Clinical Science
Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience
Cognition in Context
Cognitive Psychology in Context
Developmental Science
Neuroscience
Quantitative Methods

You will follow a curriculum that is structured to help you gain knowledge of the major branches of psychology, receive focused instruction in at least one of the five areas, and allow you enough choice to take courses that match your interests and long-term goals.

In your first two years, you will complete core classes in both statistical methods and key subject areas within psychology. After completing these, you will participate in seminars, contribute to research projects, and engage in other activities that are specifically organized to support your career plans. Each of the five focus areas holds a seminar every semester, where current research is discussed by both faculty members and graduate students.

The program places strong importance on individualized advising, especially for helping you build scientific research skills. You will closely collaborate with your advisor at every step of your research work. In addition to this, you will receive guidance from a faculty advisory committee, which includes your advisor along with other faculty members, to support you throughout your graduate education.

Clinical Science:

If you choose the clinical science specialization, you will follow a training model that focuses on preparing you to become a clinical scientist. You will be required to complete a core group of classes, participate in research, and receive clinical training. Your studies will cover topics such as the biological, social, cognitive, and emotional foundations of behavior, human development, personality differences, research methods, psychological disorders, assessment techniques, treatment methods, and professional conduct.

As part of your core clinical science training, you will take the following courses: two semesters of Advanced Statistics, Clinical Research Methods, Psychopathology, Psychological Measurement, Introduction to Psychotherapy, Cognitive Assessment, Psychological Assessment, and Ethics and Cultural Diversity. You will also take courses in key areas of psychology, including the biological bases of behavior, cognitive and emotional processes, human development, and personality variation.

Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience (CCN):

The Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience (CCN) specialization utilizes the talents of over 30 faculty in Psychological Sciences at Vanderbilt to examine fundamental problems in perception, attention, memory, thinking, and problem solving. Specialties within these broad areas of research include:

Visual Perception (binocular vision, motion perception, object recognition, perception of geometric structure, perceptual learning and expertise, scene perception, change detection, perceptual development).
Attention and Performance (focused attention, dual-task performance, executive control, task switching, automatization).
Concepts and Categories (categorization, conceptual structure, knowledge representation).
Thinking and Reasoning (causal reasoning, analogical problem solving, decision making, numerical reasoning, thinking with diagrams, metacognition).
Perception and Action (perceptual-motor coordination, development of reaching).
Learning and Memory (learning in real-world contexts, perceptual learning and expertise, explicit/implicit learning).
The Cognitive Bases of Emotion and Emotional Experience@(emotion elicitation, facial expression of emotion, vocal expression of emotion).

Graduate students in the CCN specialization become active in research during their first semester in the program and are required to engage in collaborative research throughout the degree program. Coursework includes introductory survey courses, specialized didactic courses, advanced seminars, and methods courses.

Cognition in Context

If you choose the Cognition in Context specialization, you will study how basic thinking processes work alongside how people learn and perform in everyday situations. You will concentrate on understanding how cognitive functions operate within specific settings.

This specialization will require you to look at many different situations, such as conversations and both formal and informal educational settings. You will examine how thinking processes support everyday knowledge and important skills. In every area, you will combine studies of basic mental functions with your interest in how those functions help people in real-life situations and how they lead to progress over time.

You will complete the standard course requirements that apply to all PhD students in the Psychological Sciences. In addition, you must attend a weekly research forum. Another key part of your training will include designing your own program focused on mentorship, teaching, and sharing research. You will choose from several possible activities, such as completing the certificate program offered by Vanderbilt’s Center for Teaching, working in a research team on a project related to your main research area, or sharing your research with the public.

Neuroscience:

If you choose the neuroscience specialization, you will be trained to become a highly skilled scientist with both broad knowledge of key topics in the field and practical experience to address important research questions. You will study current research approaches that aim to understand how the brain’s structure and function are connected to behavior and thinking.

Your professors will guide you in learning about how the brain supports actions, perception, and thought, as well as how brain systems change and adapt over time. Faculty members use several techniques in their research, including neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, brain imaging, sensory testing, and computer-based methods. You will examine research areas such as how the brain changes with experience, how sensory systems—especially vision—are organized, how people recognize objects, focus their attention, and make decisions.

Your training will involve both classroom instruction and hands-on research in laboratories led by faculty members. You will need to show your ability in working with data and designing experiments, and you will attend weekly neuroscience seminars. These seminars will also help you improve your public speaking skills through regular presentations.

Quantitative Methods (QM):

Faculty in the Quantitative Methods (QM) specialization will train you in state-of-the-art statistical methods and engage in research that develops and applies such methods. You will develop expertise in the principles of research design and in the theoretical foundations and application of advanced statistical models for human behavior.

QM course offerings include correlation and regression, analysis of variance, psychological and educational measurement, data science methods, multivariate analysis, psychological, field, and clinical research methods, item response theory (basic and advanced), exploratory/graphical data analysis, structural equation modeling, factor analysis, latent growth curve modeling, categorical data analysis, multilevel modeling, mixture modeling, nonparametric statistics, individual differences, causal analysis in field experiments and quasi-experiments, network analysis, statistical consulting, and meta-analysis.

For admission to this program, it is advised that you contact directly the faculty in whose research you are interested to learn more about whether they may be admitting new students.

A completed application for admission includes the following:

Completed Online Electronic Application
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores may be required or optional depending on the program’s core area(s) you are applying to.
Unofficial transcripts showing coursework and degree conferral.
Three (3) letters of recommendation: Recent graduates should have at least two letters of recommendation from college or university faculty with whom they have studied.
Statement of Purpose/ Research Statement that describes past research experience, interests for future research training in graduate school, and future plans following graduate school.

University Tuition Scholarships are service-free awards that pay all or part of tuition costs. The graduate awards are normally supplemented by a full University Tuition Scholarship, which usually includes student health insurance coverage: University Fellowships, Graduate Teaching Assistantships, Graduate Research Assistantships, Traineeships, and Teacher Training Awards.

The University of Memphis

Online MS in Educational Psychology and Research

The 30-credit hour online Master of Science (MS) program in Educational Psychology and Research (EDPR) at the University of Memphis is ideal for you if you want to broaden your career options or prepare for future doctoral studies. Through a dynamic online platform, you will gain essential knowledge and skills in these areas:

Human development, focusing on childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, and their effects on learning and achievement.
Learning, cognitive development, and motivation, covering topics such as self-control, motivation for success, self-confidence, and effective learning strategies.
Research methodology, introducing educational research design, and a choice between quantitative or qualitative research methods.

The program aims to help you:

Contribute to your field through research presentations and writing.
Prepare for careers as educators in higher education institutions or applied researchers in professional settings.
Develop leadership skills for professional organizations and contribute to your field through professional service activities.

During the program, you will take various core courses, including:

Introduction to Research Design and Methodology
Statistical Methods Applied to Education
Introduction to Qualitative Research
Learning and Cognition
Adolescent Development and Education
Lifespan Human Development

The MS program welcomes applicants with undergraduate degrees from various disciplines. The same admission requirements apply to both online and on-campus students, and you can study full-time or part-time.

You have the option to complete your degree entirely online or through a hybrid approach. The University of Memphis’ online programs attract students from across the United States and around the world, and transcripts for online programs are issued in the same manner as for on-campus programs.

To apply for the MS program, you will need:

Three letters of recommendation, with at least two from university professors who can address your academic achievements, writing abilities, research experiences, interests, and potential.
A goal statement (700-1000 words) that explains your research interests and activities, previous research experiences, your reasons for joining the program, and your short- and long-term objectives, as well as how the program can support you in achieving these goals.
A sample of your academic writing, which could be an undergraduate thesis or a paper written for an academic course where you are the only author.

Johnson University

Master of Arts (MA) in Counseling

Johnson University’s Master of Arts in Counseling program is uniquely designed to combine practical clinical training with traditional classroom instruction within a supportive environment. You will benefit from small classes, each maintaining a student-to-instructor ratio below 12:1, thus allowing frequent and personalized interactions with your teachers.

You may choose to focus your studies on either Clinical Mental Health Counseling or School Counseling. You also have the choice to complete both specializations if desired. Each of these study paths has received accreditation from CACREP.

Johnson University does not offer the Master of Arts in Counseling entirely online. Instead, you will participate in a mixed delivery system based at the university’s Tennessee location. Instruction methods include class-based conversations, practical activities, and internet-based lessons. You will have between 2.5 and 5 years to complete your studies. Typically, each course demands your presence on-campus for two weekends every term.

For your internship and practicum experiences, the program allows you to select placements either on-campus or off-campus.

If you opt to fulfill the coursework for both specializations, you must complete all classes required by each, totaling 78 credit hours. Successfully completing these credits will qualify you for licensure as both a Licensed Professional Counselor with Mental Health Service Provider credentials and a Professional School Counselor.

Clinical Mental Health Concentration:

You will gain professional training and skills specific to mental health counseling.
Upon finishing, you will qualify for professional licensing in most states, including eligibility in Tennessee as a Licensed Professional Counselor with Mental Health Service Provider status.
This specialization requires you to finish 63 credit hours and achieve 1,000 clinical hours.
Significant classes in this track include Adult Assessment, Diagnosis & Treatment; Couples & Marital Therapy; Contemporary Trends in Marriage & Family Therapy/CMHC; Clinical Practicum; and Clinical Internship.

School Counseling Concentration:

This concentration offers professional education and experience in school counseling.
Graduates of the program are eligible for licensure in Tennessee as Licensed Professional School Counselors.
The program consists of 60 credit hours, and upon graduation, you will have completed over 600 hours of practicum and internship experience in both primary and secondary schools.
Key courses include Foundations in School Counseling, Contemporary Trends in School Counseling, School Counseling Practicum, and School Counseling Internship.

If you are interested in this program, you must complete/provide the following:

A completed online graduate admission form with the required fee.
Recommendations from three references.
Official academic records from all colleges and universities previously attended.
A scanned copy of a recent official identification document, such as your driver’s license or passport, emailed directly to the admissions office.
A detailed essay (two to three pages) clearly outlining your personal and professional history, as well as your alignment with Johnson University’s graduate program objectives.
At least 15 undergraduate or graduate credit hours in counseling or a closely related discipline from an accredited school, as a prerequisite.
An academic writing example from past coursework, ranging between 5 and 10 pages.
An interview conducted by faculty members of the School of Social & Behavioral Science.
If your undergraduate GPA falls below 3.0, submission of GRE or MAT exam scores may be mandatory.

Can You Become a Psychologist With a Master’s in Tennessee?

No, in Tennessee, you cannot become a licensed psychologist with only a master’s degree. To practice as a licensed psychologist in Tennessee, you must have a doctoral degree and meet specific professional requirements set by the Tennessee Board of Examiners of Psychology.

Popular Accredited Psychology Graduate Programs in Tennessee [2025 Guide]