Graduate Programs
Graduate students join an elite community of junior colleagues, working closely with faculty mentors in a collaborative, public-facing setting.
Our doctoral programs and options for specialization prepare you for careers in research, teaching, and professional practice.
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Affective / Social / Cognitive Psychology
About this Program
Our program in affective, social and cognitive psychology prepares you for a career conducting research into how people feel, think, and behave in response to others. We champion a collaborative, integrative and cross-disciplinary approach centered around innovative research. During your time at DU, you can expect to work closely with faculty and peers in labs.
Our approach to psychological science fosters intellectual curiosity and innovation, invests in people in a supportive and inclusive environment and serves the public good. Our recent graduates hold positions as active researchers and clinicians in colleges, universities, nonprofit research organizations and the private sector.
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Clinical Psychology (Child Emphasis)
About this Program
Our clinical psychology PhD program has an emphasis in child psychology and subscribes to a clinical science model, which focuses on the importance of science and research in assessing, understanding, and ameliorating mental health challenges.
Our program is accredited by the APA and a member of the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science. Students receive in-house training through the Center for Child and Family Psychology and the Developmental Neuropsychology Clinic. Students also complete clinical externships at local medical centers and community mental health centers.
Our faculty conduct research on a variety of topics relevant to developmental psychopathology including the multifaceted impacts of trauma, health, and stress; complex risk and vulnerability factors; comorbidity; and innovative interventions. Graduates pursue a range of careers that utilize their strong research and clinical training in settings such as colleges/universities, academic medical centers, hospitals, and community mental health centers.
Learn much more about the clinical psychology PhD program on the clinical psychology program page.
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Developmental Psychology
About this Program
The doctoral program in developmental psychology focuses on human developmental processes—including biological, cultural, social and psychophysiological factors. Our program values a collaborative, integrative approach to psychological science that fosters intellectual curiosity and innovation, invests in people in a supportive, inclusive environment, and serves the public good.
One of our primary goals is to prepare you for independent research, scholarship and teaching careers. We collaborate with Denver area organizations like the Denver Health Hospital Authority so that you receive unique, hands-on opportunities to develop practical knowledge and skills. You can also participate in faculty grant efforts and pursue independent research grants.
Why Pursue A Graduate Degree in Psychology?
Specialization
Our department offers three doctoral paths: Affective, Social, and Cognitive Psychology; Clinical Psychology with a Child Emphasis; and Developmental Psychology. Each program comes with options for specialization.
Because our faculty collaborate across traditional disciplines, students can build a course of study that spans affective, social, cognitive, developmental, and neurological questions rather than staying within a single lane.
Career Preparation
Our doctoral programs prepare graduates for careers in research, teaching, and professional practice. Students develop as researchers, teachers, and mentors under the close guidance of faculty.
Graduates go on to roles in academia, allied health, neuroscience, and medicine, as well as in fields like government, law, business, and education, where psychological science informs their work.
Research Opportunities
Graduate students do not just assist with research; they lead it, advancing psychological discoveries alongside faculty across more than 20 research labs. Students investigate developmental, affective, cognitive, social, and neurological processes using a wide range of experiments and measures.
The department's SEED Research Institute brings faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students together to apply scientific knowledge to policy and practice.
Clinical Training & Community Impact
Doctoral students take their training directly into the community. At the Center for Child & Family Psychology, students train alongside esteemed faculty to provide psychological testing, diagnostic assessment, and therapy for children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families.
This public-facing work connects the classroom to the real world and gives students the in-depth, hands-on experience that professional practice demands.
Ready to Take Your First Step Towards a Master's in Psychology?
Explore financial aid options in the Department of Psychology at DU.
