PhD in Psychology (PhD)

Tuition is Teaching and research assistantships provide for remission of tuition of up to 10 credits per semester., while the application deadline for PhD Psychology is Dec 1, 2026.

This is a Ph.D. program in Psychology designed to develop expertise in a chosen specialty area while ensuring broad knowledge of the field. Students engage in coursework, research, and for Clinical and Counseling specialties, a pre-doctoral internship. The program emphasizes research competence and allows for coursework tailored to individual interests.

Focus areas include Clinical, Cognitive and Neural Systems, Counseling, Developmental, Social, Decision and Organizational Science.

The curriculum includes core and quantitative courses outside the specialty area, followed by research and coursework specific to the student's specialty, culminating in a 12-credit dissertation.

Admission requires a Bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA, a statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation, and a resume/CV. International applicants need TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores and translated transcripts, and for Fall 2027, GRE general test scores will not be accepted. Some specialty areas require a supplementary application, and a thorough background in psychology is expected, with some areas preferring science/math backgrounds.

This is a full-time, on-campus program with classes held during the day, Monday through Friday. Typical completion time is five to six years. For international students, tuition is well above the median for US programmes. The institution admits about 45% of applicants.

Research is central to the University of Maryland, College Park, where scholars and scientists work on disease, energy technology, national security, and other societal challenges. The university recorded $1.5 billion in combined research expenditures with the University of Maryland, Baltimore in fiscal year 2024. Its faculty include 110 members of the National Academies, six Pulitzer Prize winners, two Nobel laureates, and one Emmy winner. Research and teaching connect with work in communities and around the globe.

Students choose from more than 300 degree-granting programs, including over 100 undergraduate majors across 12 colleges and schools and more than 230 graduate programs. Academic support includes advising, tutoring, career planning, libraries, and special programs that bring students together around shared interests. UMD’s libraries provide access to 9 million titles in seven libraries and online. The campus also offers arts programming, athletics, more than 900 student clubs, and living-learning opportunities.

College Park places students near Washington, D.C., Maryland, and major research, policy, and arts institutions. UMD welcomes students from all 50 states and 128 countries and provides resources to support international students’ educational, professional, and personal transition. Students can study abroad at more than 300 destinations, while more than 2,000 students participate in study abroad each year. Graduate students can explore scholarships, assistantships, and fellowships.