Resources for Prospective PhD Students

Join us in the Department of Psychology! Our graduate programs provide a unique collaborative environment that fosters academic success. Our junior-colleague model allows you to build close mentorship relationships with faculty. This community atmosphere facilitates the development and refinement of research skills, clinical skills and academic/intellectual sophistication. We welcome you to explore the resources on this page to learn more about our programs.

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Psychology Graduate Programs

  • Affective/Social/Cognitive (ASC)

    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.

    Degree Requirements

    • Students earn a master’s degree on their way toward obtaining the PhD; however, students are not required to obtain an official master’s degree.
    • For the MA, you will complete at least 28 credits of the 45 minimum number of credits in content coursework, which excludes Independent Study and Independent Research credits.
    • For the PhD, you will complete a total of 120 credit hours, as well as non-coursework requirements including a master's research paper or thesis and oral defense, teaching, comprehensive exams or Conceptual Analysis of Dissertation Area (CADA) paper, dissertation prospectus and dissertation oral defense.

    See the DU Graduate Bulletin for full course requirements.

  • Clinical Psychology (Child Emphasis)

    Our clinical psychology PhD program has an emphasis in child psychology and subscribes to a clinical science model. We value an approach that fosters curiosity, innovation, collaboration and inclusiveness, with research that serves the public good.

    Degree Requirements

    • Students earn a master’s degree on their way toward obtaining the PhD.
    • For the MA, you will complete at least 28 credits of the 45 minimum number of credits in content coursework, which excludes Independent Study and Independent Research credits.
    • For the PhD, you will complete a total of 120 credit hours, as well as non-coursework requirements including a master's research paper or thesis and oral defense, dissertation prospectus and dissertation oral defense, professional competencies and clinical training.

    See the DU Graduate Bulletin for full course requirements.

  • Developmental Psychology

    Our PhD 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.

    Degree Requirements

    • Students earn a master’s degree on their way toward obtaining the PhD; however, students are not required to obtain an official master’s degree.
    • For the MA, you will complete at least 28 credits of the 45 minimum number of credits in content coursework, which excludes Independent Study and Independent Research credits.
    • For the PhD, you will complete a total of 120 credit hours, as well as non-coursework requirements including a first-year project, a master's research paper or thesis and oral defense, comprehensive exams, regular research presentations, dissertation prospectus and dissertation oral defense.

    See the DU Graduate Bulletin for full course requirements.

Funding Information

The Department of Psychology offers funding support for full-time graduate students. Full funding is guaranteed for 5 years (4 years if bringing an MA). Funding support includes a stipend, tuition waiver and health insurance. If a student continues past the fifth year for any reason, students are responsible for continuous education fees, and health insurance.

See below for the 2024-2025 financial details.

  • Stipend for 2024 – 2025: $25,774 (additional summer support may be available)
  • Full tuition waiver (value for 2023-2024): $40,032
  • Stipend supplement (University Graduate Fellowship): up to $4,500
  • Stipend supplement (Inclusive Excellence Awards): up to $4,500
  • Health insurance: The University pays students' health insurance for all full-time students in years 1–5.
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Detailed Program Information

Visit our Digication page for more information about our programs, including training features and recent job placements.

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DCN Specialization

The specialization in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience is open to students in any of the graduate programs in Psychology. It is designed to equip students with advanced knowledge and training in an interdisciplinary approach to neuroscience and psychology.

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Course Requirements

To review the full course requirements for the ASC, Clinical, or Developmental PhD programs, please visit the DU Bulletin.

 

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Faculty Accepting Applications

Developmental Psychology

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Apply for a PhD in Psychology from the University of Denver

Affective / Social / Cognitive Psychology
Clinical Psychology (Child Emphasis)
Developmental Psychology

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