A doctoral degree in psychology is considered the terminal degree in the field of psychology since it is the highest degree that can be obtained. There are two doctoral degrees in psychology. They include the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Psychology and the Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D). While the Psy.D. is growing in popularity among aspiring practitioners, the Ph.D. is still the most common doctoral psychology degree program. The Psy.D is an applied degree that focuses on preparing students to become practicingpsychologists. The Ph.D. on the other hand not only focuses on clinical work but also on research and theory.Why Is a Doctoral Degree Necessary?In order to practice psychology, perform research, or teach at the university level, psychologists must have a doctoral degree in psychology. A doctoral degree is also a prerequisite for licensing – which is now required in all 50 states for practicing psychologists. Earning a doctoral degree in psychology is also advantageous in the job mark. While a master's degree in psychology is sufficient for many job opportunities in the private sector (e.g. industrial-organizational psychologist, etc.), a doctoral degree is required to teach at universities, work as a researcher, or obtain jobs in various government positions. Earning a doctoral degree in psychology also leads to greater career advancement opportunities and a higher salary.How to Earn a Doctorate Degree in PsychologyHaving a bachelor's degree in psychology or a related discipline is usually a prerequisite for applying to a doctoral program in psychology. While a master's degree is useful, it ultimately is not required by most programs. However, there are few doctoral programs that offer accelerated tracks for students who already have a master's degree in psychology (but there aren't many).The majority of doctoral psychology programs take four years to complete. So if you factor in a bachelor's degree, it will require 8 years of full-time college level study before you can graduate with a doctoral degree in psychology. Once the doctoral degree has been earned, students will be ready to take all licensing examinations required to become a practicing psychologist. The Doctorate in Counseling PsychologyCounseling psychology is one of the largest branches of psychology. It offer therapies and treatments for individuals with various emotional, social, and mental health-related symptoms and concerns. As described by the Society of Counseling Psychology the field of counseling psychology "facilitates personal and interpersonal functioning [for individuals] across the life span focusing on social, mental, emotional, education, developmental, and organizational concerns" . While some counseling psychologists offer psychotherapy services, others perform research, teach, and provide career counseling. Counseling psychologists use their understanding of various psychological theories to help people realize their potential.Below you'll find a comprehensive list of the schools offering counseling psychology doctoral programs accredited by APA's Commission on Accreditation. Listings include information on the school locations, accreditation status, how long they have been accredited, and when the next accreditation site visit is scheduled. The University of Akron (PhD) (formerly listed as State University of New York at Albany) Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology Albany, NY 12222 May 8, 1980 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015Arizona State University (PhD) School of Letters and Sciences Tempe, AZ 85287-0611 April 1, 1972 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013Auburn University (PhD) Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, & Counseling/School Psychology Auburn, AL 36849 May 6, 1988 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2017Ball State University (PhD) Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services Muncie, IN 47306 May 4, 1982 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013Boston College (PhD) Department of Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 May 7, 1982 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2014Brigham Young University (PhD) Counseling Psychology and Special Education Provo, UT 84602 June 28, 2000 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013University of British Columbia (PhD) Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, and Special Education Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4 Canada October 27, 2000 Accredited through the 2014-2015 academic yearCleveland State University (PhD) Department of Counseling, Administration, Supervision, and Adult Learning Cleveland, OH 44115 June 18, 2010 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013Colorado State University (PhD) Department of Psychology Fort Collins, CO 80523 March 1, 1970 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2014University of Denver (PhD) Morgridge College of Education Denver, CO 80208 May 16, 1986 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2014University of Florida (PhD) Department of Psychology Gainesville, FL 32611-2250 January 15, 1954 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2017Fordham University (PhD) Division of Psychological and Educational Services New York, NY 10023 April 19, 1990 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013University of Georgia (PhD) Department of Counseling & Human Development Services Athens, GA 30602 April 3, 1984 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2014Georgia State University (PhD) Department of Counseling and Psychological Services Atlanta, GA 30302 May 1, 1984 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013University of Houston (PhD) Department of Educational Psychology Houston, TX 77204 April 14, 1987 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015Howard University (PhD) School of Education Washington, DC 20059 April 29, 2002 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (PhD) Department of Educational Psychology Division of Counseling Psychology Champaign, IL 61820 November 8, 1985 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015Indiana State University (PhD) Department of Communications Disorders and Counseling, School, and Educational Psychology Terre Haute, IN 47809 May 6, 1980 Accredited, inactive *This program is no longer admitting students and is scheduled to be phased-out.Indiana University'Bloomington (PhD) Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology Bloomington, IN 47405-1006 June 23, 1988 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015University of Iowa (PhD) Division of Psychological and Quantitative Foundations Iowa City, IA 52242 May 13, 1980 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015Iowa State University (PhD) Department of Psychology Ames, IA 50011-3180 March 1, 1973 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013University of Kansas (PhD) Department of Psychology and Research in Education Lawrence, KS 66045 March 1, 1971 (1955-1970) Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013University of Kentucky (PhD) Department of Educational , School, and Counseling Psychology Lexington, KY 40506-0017 November 9, 1983 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015Lehigh University (PhD) Department of Education and Human Services Bethlehem, PA 18015-4792 December 3, 1993 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2016Louisiana Tech University (PhD) Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Ruston, LA 71272 October 18, 2002 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013University of Louisville (PhD) Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology Louisville, KY 40292 November 18, 1999 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013Loyola University of Chicago (PhD) School of Education Chicago, IL 60611 November 29, 1984 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2017Marquette University (PhD) Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881 January 15, 2002 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015University of Maryland'College Park (PhD) Department of Psychology/Department of Counseling and Personnel Services College of Behavioral and Social Sciences College Park, MD 20742 April 16, 1953 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013McGill University (PhD) Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology Montreal, Quebec H3A 1Y2 Canada March 30, 2000 Accredited Next site visit not yet scheduledThe University of Memphis (PhD) (formerly listed as Memphis State University) Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Research Memphis, TN 38152 October 17, 1989 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015University of Miami (PhD) Department of Educational and Psychological Studies Coral Gables, FL 33124 February 7, 1989 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015University of Minnesota (PhD) Counseling and Student Personnel Psychology Program Department of Educational Psychology Minneapolis, MN 55455 April 8, 1965 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013University of Minnesota (PhD) Department of Psychology Minneapolis, MN 55455 December 15, 1952 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015University of Missouri'Columbia (PhD) Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Columbia, MO 65211 April 29, 1953 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013University of Missouri'Kansas City (PhD) Division of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Exercise Science Kansas City, MO 64110 February 22, 1985 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2017University of Nebraska'Lincoln (PhD) Department of Educational Psychology Lincoln, NE 68588 April 20, 1959 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013New Mexico State University (PhD) Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology Las Cruces, NM 88003 May 2, 1995 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015New York University (PhD) Department of Applied Psychology Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development New York, NY 10003 April 17, 1981 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013University of North Dakota (PhD) Department of Counseling Psychology and Community Services Grand Forks, ND 58202-8255 April 10, 1987 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015University of North Texas (PhD) Department of Psychology Denton, TX 76203 December 5, 1978 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015University of Northern Colorado (PhD) (This program was originally accredited as a program offering the PsyD degree. As of the 2010 site visit, it is accredited as a program offering the PhD degree only.) School of Applied Psychology and Counselor Education Greeley, CO 80639 April 4, 1995 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013University of Notre Dame (PhD) Department of Psychology Notre Dame, IN 46556 March 1, 1972 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013University of Oklahoma (PhD) Department of Educational Psychology Norman, OK 73019-0260 October 25, 1988 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013Oklahoma State University (PhD) School of Applied Health and Educational Psychology Stillwater, OK 74078 November 20, 1992 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013University of Oregon (PhD) Department of Counseling Psychology and Human Services Eugene, OR 97403-5251 January 12, 1955 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013Our Lady of the Lake University (PsyD) School of Professional Studies San Antonio, TX 78207-4689 May 12, 1995 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013Pennsylvania State University (PhD) Department of Counselor Education, Counseling Psychology, and Rehabilitation Services University Park, PA 16802 November 12, 1982 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013Purdue University(PhD) Department of Educational Studies West Lafayette, IN 47907 October 4, 2002 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2014Seton Hall University (PhD) Department of Professional Psychology and Family Therapy South Orange, NJ 07079 October 22, 1999 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2014Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (PhD) Department of Psychology Carbondale, IL 62901 December 1, 1961 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2014University of Southern Mississippi (PhD) Department of Psychology Hattiesburg, MS 39406 June 29, 1979 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013University of St. Thomas (PsyD) Graduate School of Professional Psychology Minneapolis, MN 55403-2005 October 3, 2000 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2016Teachers College, Columbia University (PhD) Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology New York, NY 10027 January 1, 1952 Accredited Next site visit not yet scheduledTemple University (PhD) Department of Psychological Studies in Education Philadelphia, PA 19122 January 30, 1973 Accredited, inactive Will be withdrawn effective June 30, 2011 *This program is no longer admitting students and is scheduled to be phased-out.University of Tennessee'Knoxville (PhD) Department of Psychology Knoxville, TN 37996 April 18, 1980 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2016Tennessee State University (PhD) Department of Psychology Nashville, TN 37209-1561 March 10, 2000 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013Texas A&M University (PhD) Department of Educational Psychology College Station, TX 77843-4225 December 8, 1981 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015University of Texas at Austin (PhD) Department of Educational Psychology Austin, TX 78712 January 12, 1953 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015Texas Tech University (PhD) Department of Psychology Lubbock, TX 79409 April 24, 1964 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013Texas Woman's University (PhD) Department of Psychology and Philosophy Denton, TX 76204 June 20, 1995 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015University of Utah (PhD) Department of Educational Psychology Salt Lake City, UT 84112 March 1, 1957 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013Virginia Commonwealth University (PhD) Department of Psychology Richmond, VA 23284-2018 October 28, 1980 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2013Washington State University (PhD) Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling Psychology Pullman, WA 99164 September 29, 1989 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015West Virginia University (PhD) Department of Counseling, Rehabilitation Counseling, and Counseling Psychology Morgantown, WV 26506-6122 January 13, 1989 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2017Western Michigan University (PhD) Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Kalamazoo, MI 49008 February 12, 1993 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015University of Wisconsin'Madison (PhD) Department of Counseling Psychology Madison, WI 53706 October 29, 1985 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2015University of Wisconsin'Milwaukee (PhD) Department of Educational Psychology Milwaukee, WI 53201 October 14, 1996 Accredited Next site visit scheduled 2014 |