social psychology phd california

Social Personality Psychology

The program provides intensive training in research methods, statistical analysis, and a wide array of theoretical perspectives focusing on central topics in social and personality psychology. The program is unique in representing a true blend of social and personality psychology, with a strong and active faculty presence in both areas as well as multiple lines of work connecting them. Members of the program study the affective, cognitive, socio-cultural, biological, and developmental underpinnings of human behavior, using a variety of methodological strategies.

ANGELA SCULLY Graduate Program Coordinator

• Graduate Program Requirements
• Related Information
• Graduate Student Funding and Financial Support
• Areas of Specialization
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• How to Apply

University of California, Davis 135 Young Hall  One Shields Avenue Davis ,  CA   95616

[email protected] 530-752-1880

© 2000-2024 by the Regents of the University of California, Davis Campus. All Rights Reserved.

• Search SF State Search SF State Button SF State This Site

Social, Personality, and Affective Science Psychology Graduate Program

The Social, Personality, and Affective Science Graduate Program (currently listed as the "Social Psychology" Graduate Program) at San Francisco State University prepares students for professional careers in research, teaching, and practical applications of social psychology at the Master of Arts level, while at the same time offering a foundation of education and experience appropriate for students who intend to proceed to doctoral study. The program is committed to academic excellence, to research and professional service in the public interest, and to expanding the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives in our discipline - the study of how individual thoughts, feelings, and actions influence and are influenced by individual differences, ideologies, other individuals, groups and institutions, and social contexts.

The Program emphasizes familiarizing students with the literature and methods of social/personality psychology and affective science training in advanced written and oral communication, and professional experience in both research and applications. Program requirements include 34 semester units of coursework culminating with a thesis. Classes and non-class activities are coordinated to promote integration of learning through academic study, original research, and supervised experience in field and laboratory settings. Courses are sequenced for completion of the degree in two years, with an attempt to partially fund students via graduate teaching assistantships. (Funding is not guaranteed.)

Career opportunities: Graduates have been accepted by doctoral programs at respected institutions including, among others, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, Arizona State University, Yale University, the University of British Columbia, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At the Master's level, former students work in such diverse occupations as survey research, evaluation of social programs, environmental education, market research, conflict mediation, and community college teaching.

Admission criteria: The applicant should have a strong background in psychology, including social psychology, research methods, and statistics. Research experience is desirable, and people in mid-career are encouraged to apply. Applications are due by February 1 for the following fall semester. (Late applications may be accepted if space is available).

Research Laboratories

Charlotte Tate, Ph.D. (University of Oregon, 2006)

Concentration Coordinator

Gender, sexual orientation, U.S. ethnic identities, attitudes, prejudice and discrimination, personality.

Contact: Office: EP 310 Office Hours Phone: (415) 338-2267 E-mail: [email protected]

I am the director of the Social Perception, Attitudes, Mental Simulation Lab .

Recent Publications: Clark, K. D., Yovanoff, P., & Tate, C. U. (2017). Development and validation of a child racial attitudes index (RAI). Behavior Research Methods, 49, 2044-2060.

Tate, C. U. (2015). On the overuse and misuse of mediation analysis: It may be a matter of timing. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 37, 235-246.

Tate, C. C., Bettergarcia, J. N.*, & Brent, L. M.* (2015). Re-assessing the role of gender-related cognitions for self-esteem: The importance of gender typicality for cisgender adults. Sex Roles, 72, 221-236.

Areas of expertise to supervise research Social perception; social identity; attitudes; prejudice and discrimination; personality

David Matsumoto, Ph.D. (University of California, Berkeley, 1986)

Theoretical and empirical research is focused on relationship between culture and all aspects of emotion and the role of emotion in intercultural adjustment.

Contact: Office: EP 328 Office Hours Phone: (415) 338-1114 E-mail: [email protected]

I am the director of the Culture and Emotion Research Lab. For inquiries, please contact [email protected] .

Recent Publications:

Matsumoto, D., Hwang, H.C., & Frank, M. G. (2017). Emotion and aggressive cognitions: The ANCODI hypothesis. Aggressive Behavior, 43, 93-107.

Hwang, H.C., Matsumoto, D., Yamanda, H., Kostic, A., & Granskaya, J. V. (2016). Self-reported expression and experience of triumph across four countries. Motivation and Emotion, 40, 731-739.

Matsumoto, D., & Hwang, H. C. (2015). The role of contempt in intercultural cooperation. Cross-Cultural Research , 49, 439-460.

Areas of expertise to supervise research Emotion regulation, intercultural adjustment; facial expressions; microexpressions; gesture; nonverbal behavior; emotion and deception

Zena R. Mello, Ph.D. (Pennsylvania State University, 2005)

Racial/ethnic identity formation, socioeconomic status, time perspective theory, measurement, and cross-cultural application, and adolescents.

Contact: Office: EP 309 Office Hours Phone: (415) 338-7557 E-mail: [email protected]

I am the director of the Time Lab .

Mello, Z. R., Walker, E. B.*, Finan, L. J., Stiasny, A., Wiggers, I. C., McBroom, K. A., & Worrell, F. C. (2017). Time perspective, psychological well-being, and risky behavior among runaway adolescents. Applied Developmental Science .

Kaur, M.*, & Mello, Z. R. (2016). Positive and negative well-being among adolescents from theological and conventional schools in India. Mental Health, Religion, & Culture, 19, 229-239.

Jaramillo, J.,* Mello, Z. R., Worrell, F. C. (2016). Ethnic identity, stereotype threat, and perceived discrimination among Native American adolescents. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 26, 769-775.

Areas of expertise to supervise research Racial/ethnic identity, gender, low-income groups, time perspective, and adolescents.

Ryan Howell, Ph.D. (University of California, Riverside, 2005)

Personality, happiness, purchasing behavior, motivations, and financial decision-making.

Contact: Office: EP 202 Office Hours Phone: (415) 405-2140 E-mail: [email protected]

I am the director of the Personality and Well-Being Lab .

Recent Publications: Howell, R. T., Ksendzova, M.*, Nestingen, E.*, Yerahian, C.*, & Iyer, R. (2017). Your personality on a good day: How trait and state personality predict daily well-being. Journal of Research in Personality, 69, 250-263.

Razavi, P.*, Zhang, Z.W.*, Hekiert, D., Yoo, S. H., & Howell, R. T. (2016). Cross-cultural similarities and differences in the experience of awe. Emotion , 16, 1097-1101.

Guevarra, D.A.*, & Howell, R. T. (2015). To have in order to do: Exploring the effects of consuming experiential products. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 25, 28-41.

Areas of expertise to supervise research personality; positive psychology; purchasing behavior; financial decision-making.

For information: Information about applying to the program, please visit the Graduate Programs Application page .

If additional information is needed, please contact the Graduate Administrative Assistant, Department of Psychology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132 at (415) 338-2713.

• Email: [email protected]
• Telephone: (415) 338-2167

Office Hours

Quick links.

• Future Students
• News @ SF State
• Return to Homepage

Applied Social Psychology

Phd in psychology.

Request Info Visit Us Apply Now

• Social Identity Lab
• Institute for Research on Social Issues
• Depression Lab
• Health Psychology & Prevention Science Institute

The PhD in Applied Social Psychology trains you to conduct research that advances and applies scientific knowledge to address pressing societal issues that include social identity, group conflict, health behavior, and influence and social change.

Program Highlights

• The program emphasizes the development of methodological and statistical skills early on, which quickly positions students to excel as researchers.
• Research activity is diverse and includes attitudes, persuasion, and social change; self, social identity, culture, and community; group processes and intergroup relations; pro-social behavior; interpersonal and close relationships; and influence and persuasion.
• Our graduate students are encouraged to gain practical experience through projects, internships, or jobs, often at CGU’s research centers and affiliates, such as the Claremont Evaluation Center or the Health Psychology and Prevention Science Institute.
• All students who request financial aid receive fellowships. The Division of Behavioral & Organizational Sciences (DBOS) also regularly hires students for paid teaching assistantships.

Colloquia and Conference Series

The social psychology program hosts several colloquia and conference series, including:

• The Social Socials , a biweekly research colloquium
• The Stauffer Colloquium series, which hosts an annual speaker
• The Claremont Symposium on Applied Social Psychology series, an annual conference that is subsequently published as a book

Program at a Glance

UNITS 72 units

*Actual completion times will vary and may be higher, depending on full- or part-time course registration, units transferred, and time to complete other degree requirements.

COURSES BEGIN Fall | Spring

DIVISION Division of Behavioral & Organizational Sciences

DEGREE AWARDED PhD in Psychology

Featured Courses

Examines a broad range of topics in the social psychology of processes and phenomena that occur within and between social groups and categories.

Offers broad introduction to the major themes that characterize the vibrant, active, and well-researched field of social psychology.

Provides a broad introduction to the theories and experimental, correlational, and quasi-experimental research that constitutes the literature of social influence.

Explores the study of close relationships through exploring a variety of conceptual issues.

Explores classic and contemporary research on motivational systems and processes, the reciprocal influence of affect and cognition on motivation, and the role goals play in the motivational system.

Explores the nature of the self concept and its relationship to a person’s identity, as well as the associated social cognitive processes and the impact of self and identity on individual, group, and intergroup processes.

  Social Psychology Core Courses (20 units) Directed Research: Social Psychology (4 units across fall and spring) Overview of Social Psychology (4 units) At least three courses (12 units) from the following:

• Attitudes & Social Influence (4 units)
• Group Processes & Intergroup Relations (4 units)
• Interpersonal Processes (4 units)
• Motivation, Cognition & Affect (4 units)

Social Psychology & Related Electives (28 units) Students are encouraged to take elective courses in social psychology and across the Division of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences. They also can take relevant elective courses that are offered by Claremont Graduate University’s other schools and departments.

Statistics & Methodology (16 units) Research Methods (4 units) Intermediate Statistics (2 units) Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) (2 units) Applied Multiple Regression (2 units) Categorical Data Analysis (2 units) PSYCH 315 Sequence: 4 additional units of Advanced Methodology

Field/Teaching Experience (4 units) Supervised Teaching Seminar (4 units) or Field Placement (4 units)

Transdisciplinary Core Course (4 units) All PhD students are required to enroll in a transdisciplinary core course from Claremont Graduate University’s “TNDY” course sequence. Portfolio In addition to 72 units of coursework, all students must complete a portfolio that represents a cohesive set of experiences balancing training in their area of specialization.

PhD Completion

• PhD qualifying exam
• Dissertation proposal
• Dissertation and oral defense

In the Field Opportunities Under the supervision of professionals with expertise in your particular areas of interest, you can participate in fieldwork, research, and paid internships at a range of corporations and organizations, including:

• Southern California Edison Company
• Kaiser Permanente
• Orange County Rapid Transit District
• Riverside County Department of Mental Health
• Claremont Evaluation Center

Eusebio Alvaro

Full Research Professor

Research Interests

Social Influence Processes, Health Promotion, Disease Prevention & Medicine

William Crano

Stuart Oskamp Chair of Psychology

Social Influence, Effects of persuasive information on drug addiction and HIV/AIDS, Minority and majority relationships to health information

Michael Hogg

Professor of Social Psychology

Self and Social Identity; Intergroup Relations and Group Processes; Influence and Leadership; Uncertainty, Radicalization and Extremism

P. Wesley Schultz

Environmental psychology, social psychology, conservation, sustainability, social influence, quantitative methods, big data

Jason T. Siegel

Professor of Psychology

Social Psychology, Health Psychology, Persuasion, Survey Research

Anna Woodcock

Senior Research Fellow

Identity, Identity balance, Stereotypes, Diversity, STEM, Prejudice, Longitudinal Research, Quasi-Experimental Research, Intervention Evaluation, Theory-driven Interventions, Implicit Bias, Implicit identities

Mark Costanzo

Claremont McKenna College

Death penalty, expert testimony, non-verbal communication, social psychology

Jennifer Feitosa

Culture, Diversity, Organizational Psychology, Statistics, Teams, Teamwork, Workplace Issues and Trends

Steffanie Guillermo

Pitzer College

Racial/ethnic stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination, Threat perceptions, Bias against immigrants, Racial/ethnic health disparities

Shana Levin

Social psychology

Allen Omoto

Social psychology; volunteerism and prosocial action; environmental concerns; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues; sense of community; civic engagement and civil society

Adam Pearson

Pomona College

Social psychology of sustainability and climate change, social cognition, intergroup relations, disparities, stereotyping and prejudice

Piercarlo Valdesolo

Social psychology, moral judgment and behavior

Robin Vallacher

Florida Atlantic University

Dynamical social psychology, action identification, social judgment, self-concept, interpersonal dynamics, conflict and social justice

Where You Can Find Our Alumni

National Institute of Justice

Senior Social Science Analyst

The Advocacy and Learning Associates

CEO and Owner

Delaware Division of Alcohol and Drug Services

Deputy Director

University of Iowa College of Medicine

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Distinguished Professor

Brigham Young University

U.S. Department of State

Foreign Affairs Officer

Center for Brain Neuroplasticity/Psychological Well Being

Chief Scientist

Department of Psychiatry, UCLA

Project Coordinator

Request information about the Applied Social Psychology program

• Name * First Name Last Name
• Phone (optional)
• Address Zip / Postal Code Country Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands
• Anticipated Start Date Choose Your Start Date Summer 2024 Fall 2024
• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Regina Burch

Assistant Director of Admissions T: 909-607-9421 E: [email protected]

Graduate Program

Information about the UCLA Department of Psychology Graduate Research Program

The UCLA Psychology Department offers graduate Ph.D. training ( there is no separate M.A. program or Psy.D. program offered ) with area emphases in Behavioral Neuroscience, Clinical, Cognitive, Developmental, Health Psychology, Learning and Behavior, Quantitative, and Social Psychology. In all of these fields, the central objective is to train researchers dedicated to increasing the body of scientific knowledge upon which the discipline of psychology rests. The program is designed to prepare psychologists to function effectively as researchers, college and university instructors, and professional research psychologists. Rigorous scientific training is the foundation of the UCLA Psychology Ph.D. program. As part of this training, the Department encourages student participation in the activities of a number of related departments, schools, or organized research units of the University. For instance, the Brain Research Institute, the interdisciplinary Neuroscience and Cognitive programs, the Institute for Social Science Research, and the Neuropsychiatric Institute provide extensive research facilities for interested students. The  Fernald Child Study Center , moreover, bolsters the department’s long-standing commitment to training in childhood learning and behavioral disorders. Other departmental resources include the Psychology Clinic. Our close working relations with local hospitals (the Veterans Administration), clinics, and institutes provide a unique opportunity for year-round training and research. UCLA’s exceptionally strong library system (the University Research, Biomedical and Research libraries, among others) perfectly complements the Department’s scholarly activities.

Graduates are prepared for careers in both academic and applied settings including positions at universities and colleges, research and governmental organizations and business and industry.  

The Psychology Ph.D. program is one of  18 Ph.D. programs in the biosciences .

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is one of the nine campuses of the University of California. Located in west Los Angeles, five miles from the Pacific Ocean, UCLA lies in one of the most attractive areas of Southern California. The campus is bordered on the north by the Santa Monica mountains and the new  Getty Museum , and at its southern gate by Westwood Village, an entertainment magnet with theaters, restaurants, and the  Armand Hammer Museum . The treasures of the  Los Angeles County Museum of Art  are a few miles to the east, as are the communities of Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and the downtown business and entertainment districts.

Psychology PhD

Psychology as a scientific discipline aims to describe, understand, and predict the behavior of living organisms. In doing so, psychology embraces the many factors that influence behavior-from sensory experience to complex cognition, from the role of genetics to that of social and cultural environments, from the processes that explain behavior in early childhood to those that operate in older ages, and from typical development to pathological conditions. The Department of Psychology at Berkeley reflects the diversity of our discipline's mission covering six key areas of research: Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience; Clinical Science; Cognition; Cognitive Neuroscience; Developmental, and Social-Personality Psychology. Our program learning goals focus on honing methodological, statistical and critical thinking skills relevant to all areas of Psychology research, enabling students with sufficient breadth to retain perspective in the field of psychology and sufficient depth to permit successful independent and significant research.

• The major academic objectives of the PhD program are for students to:
• Develop an understanding of the different theoretical and empirical frameworks that have defined and shaped the field
• Develop an understanding of the central questions and issues in contemporary psychology
• Develop expertise in one or more relevant research methodologies
• Build expertise in formulating testable hypotheses and designing appropriate studies
• Hone ability to critically evaluate scientific research
• Develop expertise in statistics and advanced data analytic approaches
• Develop an awareness of the importance of science to humanity while recognizing its limits (i.e., some scientific knowledge is culture-specific and may not be applicable to the human condition universally)
• Develop competence as a teacher of undergraduates and mentor to graduate students

Students select one of the following concentrations:

Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience: The Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience area encompasses faculty and students united by a common interest in the neurobiological/physiological bases of behavior, including but not limited to circadian and seasonal rhythms, decision-making, sex differentiation and behavior, energy balance, birdsong and animal communication, animal spatial orientation and navigation, gene-environment interactions, selective attention and visual perception, social behavior, attachment, developmental processes, physiological substrates of emotion and stress, and motivation. The methodologies currently employed by faculty and students cover the entire spectrum from the behavioral study of animals and humans to computational, cellular, molecular and neuroimaging analyses.

Clinical Science: Graduate students in Clinical Science combine rigorous research with hands-on clinical experience. In addition, students take courses that cover general areas of psychological science as well as more specialized areas based on a students interests. Most students will spend four to six years in residence at Berkeley plus one year at a Clinical Internship site, at or near the completion of the dissertation. Degrees are awarded after completion of the internship, even if the dissertation is completed earlier. The faculty advisor/mentor plays an important role in a students training. At the beginning of Year 1, each student is matched with a faculty advisor, usually one of the core Clinical Science Program Faculty, who supervises the student's research. In subsequent years, the student is free to continue working with that person or to seek a new research advisor. In addition to research supervision, the advisor works with the student in planning a program that fits that student's interests, while at the same time meeting program requirements. If a student is conducting research under the supervision of someone other than a core Clinical Science Program Faculty member (e.g., a faculty member in another area of the Psychology Department), then a core Clinical Science Program Faculty member is assigned to advise that student in matters related program requirements.

Cognition: The Cognition Program brings together faculty and students engaged in behavioral and computational investigations of fundamental cognitive processes, including learning, memory, categorization, reasoning, language, and perception. Our interdisciplinary approach borrows methods and insights from the cognitive sciences and other areas within the department.

Cognitive Neuroscience: Programs in Cognitive Neuroscience focus on neuroimaging and neuropsychological approaches to human behavior. Functional neuroimaging techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and intracranial EEG (iEEG) are used to study the neural bases of human behavior. Neuropsychological methods assess varieties of psychological dysfunction associated with brain damage or disease. Areas of specialty within this track include Sensory and Perceptual Processes, Attention and Working Memory, Learning and Memory, Emotion, and Motor Control.

Developmental: Our research goal is to understand how the organism and its capabilities develop throughout the lifespan. Our interdisciplinary approach is multi-species, multi-system, and multidisciplinary in nature. We study change over time in cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and neural processes. Our explanations include both neural accounts of the plasticity that is observed in the developing brain and other systems, and computational and psychological accounts of development. The bi-directionality of these processes is emphasized, with the organism's genetically program development being influenced by its physical and social environments and in turn influencing those environments. Thus, our research is situated at the interface between the fields of developmental psychology, computational modeling, psycholinguistics, cognitive psychology, developmental cognitive neuroscience, social psychology, cultural psychology, and clinical psychology. Our research examines numerous areas of development, plasticity, and change including sensory processes, cognitive capacities, language, reasoning, everyday knowledge of the world, emotions, and social relationships. We examine both typical and atypical development, each providing rich insights for better understanding the other and suggesting new approaches for effective treatments and preventive interventions.

Social-Personality Psychology: The social-personality program is devoted to training graduate students for careers in research and teaching. The program faculty and several affiliates conduct research and provide intensive training in six core areas of the field: (1) Self and identity; (2) Social cognition; (3) Emotion, emotion regulation, and affective neuroscience; (4) Personality processes and adult development; (5) Interpersonal, intergroup, and intercultural processes; and (6) Power, hierarchy, and social class. In addition to training in these core areas, the program encourages graduate students to develop their own research interests and build an independent research program. The program is characterized by considerable breadth and diversity. It provides students with special research opportunities, such as access to unique longitudinal databases, multi-method approaches (self-report, observational, archival, life-data, physiological), and biological perspectives on social behavior (e.g., evolutionary, neuroimaging).

Contact Info

[email protected]

2121 Berkeley Way University of California

Berkeley, CA 94720-1650

At a Glance

Department(s)

Admit Term(s)

Application Deadline

December 4, 2023

Degree Type(s)

Doctoral / PhD

Degree Awarded

GRE Requirements

The goal of the graduate program in Psychology at Berkeley is to produce scholar-researchers with sufficient breadth to retain perspective in the field of psychology and sufficient depth to permit successful independent and significant research. The members of the department have organized themselves into six training units. The requirements for each unit vary but always involve a combination of courses, seminars and supervised independent research. Students are also encouraged to take courses outside the Psychology Department, using the unique faculty strengths found on the Berkeley campus to enrich their graduate training. We are a STEM designated program.

For the Latest updates on COVID-19 related exceptions to policy relevant to Graduate Students, please see Graduate Division's Resource Page.

The areas offered to students to specialize in are the following: 

• Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience
• Clinical Science
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Developmental
• Social-Personality

To learn more about each offered area visit: Research Areas

Here are answers to most commonly asked questions about the process of applying to graduate school.

How do I find a program that is right for me? – See this handy  decisions tree , reposted from University of Houston Psychology website, to help you determine a route to your desired Psychology career.

For those interested in our Clinical Program, visit Mitch's Uncensored Advice for Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology to answer many of your questions, including those you may have not previously considered.

• GRE scores (please note; the GRE is not required for FA24 Applications)
• Transcripts
• Resume or A curriculum vita (CV)
• Well-written personal statement(s)
• Letters of recommendation

You will want to check requirements for each school to which you plan to apply, but the above links to Cal's graduate program will give you an idea of what to expect.

Psychology Ph.D. Program Components  - with Christine Mullarkey - Student Services Advisor

Ph.D. Program through the Perspective of Professor Sheri Johnson - Head Graduate Advisor

Find your fit at Berkeley.

You are invited to Berkeley's Graduate Diversity Admissions Fair on October 30 - November 3 . This virtual event will help prospective professional, master's, and doctoral students:

• learn more about our top ranked graduate programs and award winning faculty
• gain a deeper understanding of Berkeley's culture and resources available
• understand the application process, and important deadlines
• consider funding options and opportunities

You can expect a lot to choose from. Over 50 sessions from UC Berkeley graduate programs in one hour info sessions, and discussion groups.

Register now to customize your fair schedule by signing up to the sessions that interest you.

Berkeley is a place that fosters a supportive community that is at the heart of our students' success. Our graduate diversity programs aim to create a culture of belonging for all students. This fair is one example of that. Though the fair is open to all – it's designed specifically for prospective students from historically excluded, and underrepresented backgrounds.

We hope you will join us.

Fall 2022 - Prof. Serena Chen (Social Personality), Prof. Aaron Fisher (Equity Advisor), and featuring graduate students

Fall 2021 - Prof. Serena Chen (Social Personality), Prof. Sheri Johnson (Clinical), Harumi Quinones (Student Services Director), and featuring graduate students 

Visit the Graduate Division website to learn more about the Fall 2023 Diversity Admissions Fair and register in the graduate application portal !

Graduate Student Services

Office hours.

University of California, Santa Barbara / College of Letters & Science

• Prospective Students

The Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences is a top-ranked experimental psychology program with world-class faculty and state-of-the-art technology. The National Research Council rated the program in the top 15% of psychology programs nationwide. To find out which faculty are recruiting graduate students for the 2024-25 admissions cycle, please check here .

Faculty members include prominent scholars working in four graduate research training areas:

• Cognition, Perception, and Cognitive Neuroscience
• Developmental and Evolutionary Psychology
• Neuroscience and Behavior
• Social Psychology

The Ph.D. program in Psychological & Brain Sciences is designed to be completed in five to six years. During the first year, students complete a core set of courses designed to provide comprehensive coverage of theoretical and empirical issues in psychology and gain research experience under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Beyond the first year, students participate in advanced courses and seminars in which specialized topics are considered on more intensive levels. Students become skilled researchers as they obtain experience working in one or more faculty laboratories. Coursework, independent study, and research activities typically become more specialized as students progress through the program, culminating in comprehensive candidacy examinations and the completion of a doctoral dissertation. There is no foreign language requirement for the Ph.D. degree in Psychological & Brain Sciences at UCSB.

The Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences does not admit for a Master’s degree. Admission is to the Ph.D. program only.

The graduate program is large enough to field a full range of graduate courses and seminars, but small enough to provide a sense of community and a high level of faculty attention per student. With 42 full-time faculty members supervising ~70 graduate students, our excellent student-to-faculty ratio ensures an enriched and personal graduate experience where each student works closely with a faculty mentor. The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences offers not only a quality research-oriented program, but one whose graduates have been highly successful in the competition for academic, private sector, and post-doctoral positions.

Students in the CPCN area are encouraged to acquire a broad background in the cognitive and perceptual sciences as well as mastery of one or more specialty areas.

In addition to developing an individualized research plan with a faculty advisor, students in the CPCN area are required to take a modest set of core content courses including statistics, and a selection from courses in memory, perception, cognitive neuroscience, cognition and neuroanatomy. Students may also select from courses in fMRI methods and modeling, EEG, matlab programming, multivariate statistics and computational neuroscience. These methods courses in the CPCN area provide rigorous training in the rapidly growing field of cognitive neuroscience. In addition to their content and methods courses, there are a variety of seminars, including the weekly CPCN Seminar. The seminar series attracts many prominent cognitive and perceptual scientists to the campus and also offers opportunities for students and faculty within the program to present their current work. Students may also choose to enhance and broaden their training through interdisciplinary emphases in  Cognitive Science  and  Quantitative Methods .

Students also have access to the neuroimaging facilities in the  UCSB Brain Imaging Center , which is located in the basement of the new addition to the Psychology Building. The main research tool of this center is a Siemens 3 Tesla MRI scanner that is fully dedicated to research. Other facilities on campus that enrich the program include the  Sage Center for the Study of the Mind , the  Neuroscience Research Institute  and the  Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies .

Recognizing that prospective students have many choices when deciding which graduate program to attend, the CPCN faculty has carefully designed a program with the goal of preparing students to be leading researchers and educators. What makes the CPCN program at UCSB unique and different from other programs around the country?

• A unique intellectual environment in which students get first hand exposure and personal interaction to the most world prominent scientists visiting our campus through the speaker and fellow Sage Center
• Access to state of the art research tools in a highly collaborative environment. A unique aspect of the CPCN program is the use of many state of the art research tools including  brain imaging , high-density EEG,  virtual reality , eye and limb tracker technology, and innovative mathematical/computer modeling.
• The study of theoretical issues and real world problems in cognition, perception and action. The range of real world problems that CPCN faculty study is broad with implications in the fields of education, medicine, human factors, and law. Topics include false memory, the study of the use of multimedia in learning, human/computer interaction, spatial cognition in surgical skills, the perception of medical images, and neuro-metrics.
• Emphasis on preparing graduate students for successful academic careers in research and teaching as well as opportunities in the private sector.
• Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research groups in CPCN include the Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, and the Cognition and Technology Research Group. In addition, members of CPCN are active participants of UCSB interdisciplinary programs including the Cognitive Science Program, the Center for Information Technology, the Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies

We encourage you to contact a faculty member for any of your questions!

The DEVO area brings a unique perspective to psychology, which can be applied to any topic. Faculty and students within the program share an interest in human relationships, cognitive processes, and human development. To these topics, they bring approaches that span the fields of developmental psychology, evolutionary psychology, and social psychophysiology. 

Zoe Liberman and Tamsin German bring expertise in cognitive development-- by studying infants, young children, and adults--to understand both human universals and cultural variation. Their studies focus on investigating the origins of human cognition, and how it changes with experience across development. Much of their work addresses the design of core knowledge systems: ones that reliably develop in all human beings and are specialized for reasoning about a particular domain of knowledge (e.g., other minds; social relationships). They ask whether different types of experience (e.g., bilingualism; religiosity) impact how these domain-specific inference systems arise and are used across the lifespan. 

Dan Conroy-Beam, Leda Cosmides, and Jim Roney bring expertise in how natural selection designs adaptations. Over deep time, natural selection builds mechanisms that are well-designed for solving ancestral problems of survival and reproduction: adaptations . Evolutionary psychologists use theoretical biology, computational modelling, and hunter-gatherer studies to identify the adaptive problems our hunter-gatherer ancestors faced. By asking what properties a cognitive system would need to solve one of these problems, they are able to derive--and test--hypotheses about the design  of the mind. 

The search for cognitive systems that are specialized for particular functions is rare in psychology, but common in DEVO. The possibility that these systems are more common--and more complex--than most people think is a theme that runs through all of our research.

Some faculty interests include:

Dan Conroy-Beam combines evolutionary computational modeling and studies of romantic relationships to understand the information processing design of human mating psychology. His research attempts to map the algorithms responsible for evaluating prospective partners, navigating dynamic mating markets, and regulating romantic relationships.

Zoe Liberman investigates the origins and development of how humans reason about people based on their personal relationships and social groups. Her research provides evidence that the foundations of the human tendency to divide the world into social groups -- particularly groups based on the language(s) that people speak-- has its roots in infancy. 

Jim Roney is investigating the endocrinology of human mating psychology, including hormonal correlates of human motivational priorities, the role of fluctuating hormone concentrations in perceptions of others' attractiveness, and hormonal responses to social interactions with potential mates.

Tamsin German has been concerned with how core knowledge impacts human reasoning across the lifespan. For example, she finds that humans’ concepts of “God” (even for highly religious individuals) are rooted in their understanding of everyday agents. 

Leda Cosmides has a long-standing interest in the evolutionary psychology of human cooperation, with research on cognitive adaptations for reasoning about social exchange, alliance detection, coalitional (group) cooperation, and the evolution of moral cognition. She has provided empirical evidence of cross-cultural universals in the evolved design of anger, pride, and shame--emotions central to human cooperation.

The graduate program in Neuroscience and Behavior offers a balance between basic research and practical laboratory training in contemporary behavioral and systems neuroscience.

The primary aim of the program is to help students gain an understanding of brain-behavior relationships with particular interest in identifying the biological mechanisms important for human and animal behavior. At UCSB, the faculty interests can be categorized into three broad subareas of research: visual neuroscience, behavioral neuroscience, and psychopharmacology. Within these three subareas of specialization, the varying backgrounds and expertise of the faculty provide the student with an opportunity to explore such diverse research topics as: the biology of color vision; the development and plasticity of neural circuitry, cytoarchitecture, and neurotransmitter systems; the control of adult neurogenesis; the neuroendocrinological and biopsychological analysis of motivated behavior; the neurobiology and neurochemistry of drug reward and dependence; and animal models of the neurobiological bases of neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.

Laboratory research is complemented by a wide range of graduate level courses offered by faculty in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences as well as in pharmacology, neurobiology, and biochemistry. The program is enriched throughout the academic year by an active "Neuroscience and Behavior" colloquium series in which prominent scholars from both within and outside the university are invited to visit the campus and share their research findings. Faculty and students also benefit from the interdisciplinary interactions stemming from their involvement in the UCSB  Neuroscience Research Institute , where optical imaging and genomics/proteomics facilities are also available.

In addition to an extensive range of different faculty research laboratories, the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences provides technical support staff and facilities that greatly enhance the quality of the work environment and increase the research possibilities open to graduate students. Each faculty laboratory is linked with the campus Molecular Modeling Computing Facility, the UCSB Library, and on-line reference data bases, such as PubMed and PsychInfo. There are workshops within the Psychology Building for metal, carpentry, and electronic fabrication, as well as extensive computing facilities, all of which are available for graduate student use.

A relatively small sized program with excellent research facilities, the Neuroscience and Behavior program provides a student with a personal approach to a high quality graduate education.

Ranked among the top programs nationally, the graduate program in Social Psychology at UCSB trains experimental social psychologists for research and teaching positions in academic settings and for research careers in the private sector. The program offers a balance between theory-oriented basic research and problem-oriented applied research.

The Social Psychology Program consists of faculty members whose research spans the spectrum of human social behavior. Providing a multi-faceted approach to social-psychological phenomena, faculty investigate the cognitive, affective, and motivational processes underlying intraindividual, interpersonal, intragroup and intergroup behaviors. Specific topics currently studied include, for example, attitude change and social influence; stereotyping; self-knowledge; stigma; coping with stressful life events; decision making; judgment; inference and attributional reasoning; affective and cognitive processing; interpersonal perception and impression formation; close relationships; challenge and threat; and social influences within virtual environments. Many of these topics are the focus of research by more than one faculty member, allowing students to study them from a variety of perspectives.

Students are expected to obtain a broad background in social psychology by taking advantage of the range of graduate seminars offered by program members, as well as by participation in the program’s weekly area meetings, and speaker series, which attracts many prominent social and personality psychologists to the campus. Students are also expected to gain research mastery in one or two specialty areas. Research training focuses on mainstream experimental methodology, complemented by opportunities for specialization in social cognition, social psychophysiological and immersive virtual environment techniques. In addition, the program offers opportunities for interdisciplinary training in communication and human development. We intentionally limit the number of students admitted to our program so that students are able to work closely with faculty and other graduate students in research and teaching. Each student works with a primary advisor, but is encouraged to collaborate with other members of the program to develop an individualized program of study and research.

The Social Psychology Program enjoys truly outstanding research facilities which are equipped with state-of-the-art video, audio, computer, and psychophysiological data collected capabilities.

Admissions Criteria

The Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences does not admit for a M.A. degree. Admission is to the Ph.D. program only, although students may complete a M.A. degree while they are enrolled. Students who have received a Master’s degree from another institution are encouraged to apply, but this will not advance progress through the Ph.D. program.

Psychological & Brain Sciences is an experimental psychology program that trains experimental psychologists for research and teaching positions in academic settings and for research careers in the private sector. If you are interested in a clinical, counseling psychology program, please see the Graduate School of Education.

Applications to the program are accepted for fall quarter only. All application materials are due by December 1.

University Requirements

To be considered for admission, applicants must have:

• Received a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited university prior to the quarter for which the applicant seeks admission
• At least a B average in undergraduate coursework

International applicants who have conducted their post-secondary education outside of the United States must have completed an undergraduate degree program equivalent to a University of California bachelor's degree by the beginning of their graduate program at UCSB. Equivalent undergraduate degrees usually include a minimum four years of university work and above-average scholarship.

Psychological & Brain Sciences Requirements

Admission to the Department is competitive and is based on consideration of intellectual potential, research experience, academic achievement, and program fit.

Successful applicants to the program typically have:

• an overall grade point average in upper division (junior and senior) academic classes above 3.5 (on a 4-point scale)

There is no foreign language requirement for the Ph.D. degree.

The applicant's record, as described in the statement of purpose and letters of recommendation, should indicate a commitment to research. Students considering application to the program are encouraged to gain research experience with their undergraduate faculty mentors in their junior and senior years.

Students are required to submit a statement of purpose, which should include descriptions of research experience and research interests. This program emphasizes the benefits of individualized attention and close faculty-student interaction, both of which are facilitated by a suitable match between the applicant's interests and the faculty's research expertise. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek some familiarity with the research of faculty members with whom they might like to work and note these in the statement of purpose.

Letters of recommendation that include specific details of personal interactions with the applicant, particularly in classroom and research settings, are more informative than letters that include only abstract generalizations about the applicant.

Satisfaction of minimal standards does not, however, guarantee admission. Since the number of qualified applicants far exceeds the number of places available, many well-qualified applicants cannot be accommodated.

Financial Support

The Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences is committed to providing financial support for all qualified graduate students in our programs through competitive support packages. Students who are considered for admission to the Ph.D. program are considered for all forms of campus-based support. The department typically guarantees a minimum of 15 quarters (through the end of the 5th year) of financial support to all students admitted to the Ph.D. program. Students may receive some combination of an assistantship, fee fellowship, and fellowship stipends.

Quarterly teaching assistantships (TA) and graduate student research (GSR) assistantships are the most common forms of support for students. Both assistantships provide a monthly salary, payment of in-state fees, and health insurance benefits. Non-Resident Tuition for 1st year graduate students that come to UCSB from outside of California (both domestic and international) will also be paid for by the department through a teaching assistantship or graduate student research assistantship. At the end of the first year, all out-of-state students are required to declare California residency. Nonresident students are required to declare California residency after their first year.

All students are encouraged to apply for fellowships offered by outside agencies, including:

• American Psychological Association
• Ford Foundation
• National Science Foundation
• U.S. Public Health Service

Interested undergraduates should start their preparations early in their senior year. Our students have an impressive success rate in securing fellowships, both on and off campus. Continuing graduate students are also eligible to apply for campus fellowships to supplement their teaching or research assistantship income.

For complete information on financial options as a graduate student, visit the Graduate Division .

How to Apply

Applications to the Ph.D. program are accepted for the fall quarter only. Admission is to the Ph.D. program only.

The Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences is an experimental psychology program that trains experimental psychologists for research and teaching positions in academic settings and for research careers in the private sector. If you are interested in a clinical, counseling psychology program, see the  Graduate School of Education .

Application Information

You must apply directly  online . Visit  Graduate Division  for more information on completing the application, fee waivers, and updating the application after it has been submitted.

International Applicants

International students from non-English speaking nations must demonstrate proficiency in the English language.

Application Deadline, Fees, & Fee Waivers

All application materials must be submitted by December 1. Applications are only considered for the fall quarter of each year. No late applications will be accepted.

All applications require a non-refundable application fee of $120 for domestic applicants and $140 for international applicants. Graduate Division will not process your application until the application fee has been received. A limited number of  application fee waivers  are available to qualified U.S. citizens and permanent residents who demonstrate evidence of financial need or proof of participation in an undergraduate research program. McNair Scholars and California Alliance for Minority Participation (CAMP) applicants are among those eligible. Fee waivers are not available to international applicants.

Required Application Materials

Submit ALL materials in the  online application

• Three letters of recommendation

Transcripts

• GRE  NOT REQUIRED  for Fall 2023 admissions cycle
• Scholarly writing sample, preferably in APA format. No page limit (submitted in the online application).

Statement of Purpose

Personal History and Diversity Statement

Resume or CV

• TOEFL scores (if applicable)

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required. You will be asked to supply the name, email address, and current institution of each recommender. The online application will then provide instructions to each of your recommenders via email. Letters that include specific details of personal interactions with the applicant, particularly in classroom and research settings, are more informative than letters that include only abstract generalizations about the applicant. Letters of recommendation must be received by December 8. Applications that do not have three letters of recommendation will not be considered after this date. Do not wait until the last minute to request a letter.

You must submit transcripts from every higher education academic institution that you have attended. Final/official transcripts will be required for all applicants who are admitted and have indicated their intent to enroll at UCSB by submitting a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR). Remove your Social Security number by crossing/blacking out numbers before uploading (if applicable). Check with the  Graduate Division website  for more information on uploading transcripts.

Scholarly Writing Sample

Submit a scholarly writing sample, preferably in APA style, that best demonstrates your writing and research abilities. There is no page requirement. This writing sample should be an example of your academic work and is not to be confused with the Statement of Purpose  or  the Personal History and Diversity Statement, which you also must submit (more information below). 

Give a brief statement outlining your reasons for undertaking a graduate program, your particular area of specialization within the major field, your past academic work, and your plans for future occupation or profession. Include any additional information that may assist the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and aptitude for graduate study at UCSB. There is no page requirement, but most statements are 2-3 pages long . 

The Personal History and Diversity Statement must be written in narrative (essay) form without duplicating content from the Statement of Purpose. UC Santa Barbara is interested in a diverse and inclusive graduate student population. Please describe any aspects of your personal background, accomplishments, or achievements that you feel are important in evaluating your application for graduate study. For example, please describe if you have experienced economic challenges in achieving higher education, such as being financially responsible for family members or dependents, having to work significant hours during undergraduate schooling or coming from a family background of limited income. Please describe if you have any unusual or varied life experiences that might contribute to the diversity of the graduate group, such as fluency in other languages, experience living in bi-cultural communities, academic research interests focusing on cultural, societal, or educational problems as they affect under-served segments of society, or evidence of an intention to use the graduate degree toward serving disadvantaged individuals or populations. The Personal History and Diversity Statement must have a minimum word count of at least 250 words.

List your positions of employment or volunteer work/community service since high school, either full or part-time, including the hours per week worked and the nature and dates of employment or service.

GRE Scores (Not Required)

For the Fall 2023 admission cycle, the GRE is  NOT  required. 

TOEFL Scores

A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score is required for international students from non-English speaking countries, except those who have completed an undergraduate or graduate education at an institution whose primary language of instruction is English. The university minimum TOEFL score is 80 internet-based test, 550 for paper-based test or IELTS overall band score of 7. The UCSB institution code is 4835. The online application requires you to enter the test date and sixteen digit registration number found on your official report of scores from ETS.

How to Submit Documents

UCSB accepts PDF and Microsoft Word (.doc and .docx) documents for upload in the online application. The maximum file size allowed is 4 MB per document.

What Happens After I Apply?

You can check your  application status online . Final decisions will be made by April.

Satisfaction of minimal standards does not guarantee admission. Since the number of qualified applicants far exceeds the number of places available, many well-qualified applicants cannot be accommodated.

Degree Requirements

Students in the Psychological & Brain Sciences program are required to complete a certain number of courses, research requirements, and milestones in order to be a candidate for the PhD degree.

During the first two years, students take classes, complete research projects, and give an oral presentation. After students pass qualifying exams at the beginning of the third year, they have more flexibility in their schedule and typically begin to devote more time to research and dissertation activities.

Download the PDFs listed at the bottom of this page for further details on requirements.

The graduate program in Psychological and Brain Sciences is highly competitive. We typically admit about 10% of applicants to our program. As the statistics below indicate, our time to degree compares well with national norms and our graduates are very successful in finding employment, in academia and in the private and government sectors.

The Fall 2024 application will open in September  2023 . The deadline to apply is  December 1, 2023 . All letters of recommendation must be received no later than December 8, 2023.

Apply online and view the status of your application:

Apply & View Status

• Progress to Degree
• PhD Requirements
• Statistics Requirements

Psychological & Brain Sciences

University of California, Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9660

Cognition, Perception + Cognitive Neuroscience

Developmental + Evolutionary Psychology

Neuroscience + Behavior

Research Centers

• Support Services

Department History

• Research Participation
• Research Areas
• Current Students
• Alumni PHDs
• Interdisciplinary Programs
• Mini-Con 2023
• Graduate Resources
• Graduate Studies
• Graduate Student Awards
• UC-HBCU Summer Program
• Undergraduate Overview
• Biopsychology Major
• Academic Planning
• Course Information
• Transfer Orientation
• Psychological & Brain Sciences Major
• Research Assistant (99/199)
• Honors Program
• Study Abroad
• Careers & Grad School
• Student Organizations
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Alumni Overview
• Career Placement
• Alumni Council
• News + Events

What are you looking for?

Suggested search, social psychology.

Welcome to Social Psychology at USC!

Social Psychologists study the thoughts, feelings, and actions of individuals as they are influenced by other individuals and by groups. Topics include attitude change, aggression, intergroup relations, judgment and decision-making, safe sex, gender differences, and self-regulation.

The program in Social Psychology at USC trains students in the methodological, statistical, and theoretical tools to study human social behavior. Students work closely with their primary advisor to develop an area of research expertise, while often also developing additional lines of research with other faculty in the department. Our program focuses on the development of strong research skills (including experimental methods, meta-analytic reviews, computational modeling, and statistics) and the application of these research skills to matters of real-world importance (such as sustainability and climate change, reducing intergroup conflict, promoting academic success, and promoting safe sex practices, well-being, and other healthful lifestyle behaviors). We encourage our students to work within other areas of the department to gain additional skills and expertise such as neuroimaging techniques, consumer behavior, behavior genetics, and advanced statistical techniques.

• Skip to main content
• Skip to main navigation
• Undergraduate

Home / About / Research / Social Psychology

• Social Psychology

Social Justice

The social psychology graduate program at UCSC has a unique mission and focus. We use Kurt Lewin's model of "full-cycle" (theory-application-action) social psychology to study a broad range of topics related to social justice. Our students learn to apply psychological theories and data to the analysis and solution of a wide range of social problems. Knowledge gained in action-oriented research leads, in turn, to the development of new theory. We examine justice-related issues in different cultural, political, and policy contexts, through a variety of research methods. Our students are trained in laboratory, field, and survey methods; they are encouraged to attend to issues of race, class, sexuality, ethnicity, gender, and physical ableness, and are steeped in critical theoretical perspectives such as feminist theory. Our graduates go on to successful careers in academia as well as in community, government, and non-profit settings. Our approach to research and training, combined with the quality and competencies of our faculty, make our program among the nation's best for the psychological study of social justice issues. 

A Brief History of Social Psychology at UC Santa Cruz

Commemorating dr. aaronette m. white.

• Educational access
• Poverty and economic justice
• Psychology and law
• Aggression and trauma
• Peace psychology
• Intergroup relations
• Social identity
• Social policy analysis
• Structural inequality
• Intersectionality
• Political psychology
• Cultural psychology
• Critical carceral studies

Faculty Members Focusing on Social Psychology

Courtney Bonam

Heather E. Bullock

Saskias Casanova

Rebecca Covarrubias

Shelly A. Grabe

Phillip L. Hammack

Craig W. Haney

Regina D. Langhout

Julissa Muñiz

Eileen L. Zurbriggen

Emeriti Faculty

Elliot Aronson

Martin Chemers

Thomas Pettigrew 

• History of the Department
• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
• Emergency Action Plan
• Report an accessibility barrier
• Land Acknowledgment
• Accreditation

Last modified: October 9, 2023 128.114.113.82

Search form

Psychological Science Ph.D. Program

Program overview.

The department offers a Ph.D. in Psychological Science, with students specializing in one of 5 areas. Students are trained with a strong foundation in theory, research methods and advanced statistics, as well as in classic and contemporary issues relevant to their specific area.

Students collaborate with faculty on research from the very beginning of their graduate training and are encouraged to gain research experience with more than one faculty member. As student’s interests and skills develop, they pursue more independent research projects.

With 36 full-time faculty to serve as mentors for approximately 80 graduate students, our students enjoy the benefits of a program with an excellent faculty-to-student ratio and with a strong sense of community. Since students work closely with faculty throughout their graduate careers, they regularly have opportunities to co-author conference presentations, journal articles, and book chapters.

Ph.D. students select a primary (major) specialization in one of the following five core areas:

• Affective Science  (not admitting new students at this time)
• Developmental Psychology
• Health Psychology
• Social and Personality Psychology
• Clinical Psychology  (There is a different admissions process for this area. See below for information.)

Specialty 

• Psych and Law

​ For an overview of the curriculum please visit our program information in the UCI catalogue . Please see below for application requirements and instructions for non-clinical areas.

Program Learning Outcomes

Develop Knowledge of the Discipline

• Answer questions concerning history, principles, and theories in the student’s area of specialization (Social/Personality, Health, Development, or Affective Science).
• Discuss central concepts, principles, and ideas in their major area from a broad, historical perspective, including major theoretical constructs, and important emerging themes.
• Master current research within their own area of interest (social/personality psychology, health psychology, developmental psychology, or affective science).  

Research Methods and Statistics

• Master analytical and statistical techniques in psychological research.
• Identify appropriate methods and statistics to address different types of research questions.
• Ability to design studies in their research area.
• Communicate effectively to large and small groups in pedagogical settings in both lecture and discussion formats.
• Identify and effectively deploy suitable digital media for use in all aspects of instruction.
• Assess students effectively, including developing and using appropriate measures.

Scholarly Communication

• Structure a coherent academic argument that rigorously presents and evaluates evidence to support claims.
• Review and cogently synthesize relevant literature.
• Write in a level and style of English consistent with that found in leading academic journals.
• Understand and properly use styles of citing, referencing, and formatting found in psychological research outlets.
• Make clear and cogent oral presentations, including effective use of digital media.
• Cogently summarize their research and its significance for non-specialist audiences.

Professionalism

• Select appropriate conference venues for their research.
• Prepare a presentation suitable for a research conference.
• Prepare manuscripts that meet the standards of psychological research journals and respond appropriately to recommendations for revision.
• Select appropriate fellowship or grant opportunities and prepare competitive proposals.
• Make effective contributions to research teams and lab groups.

Independent Research

• Develop their own research projects that meet high standards of theoretical and methodological rigor.
• Produce scholarship that is comparable in scope and format to articles and books that appear in leading peer-reviewed journals and presses in the field of psychology.
• Supervise research assistants effectively.

Application Requirements for the Ph.D. in Psychological Science

Application requirements and deadline for the Clinical area can be found here. The application deadline for the clinical area is December 1st.

Applications for all other areas (Developmental, Health, Social/Personality) are due December 1st.  Psychological Science applicants will complete an online application  via SLATE. 

PLEASE NOTE - UCI has multiple psychology programs, be sure to select the correct program to avoid a delay in processing your application. If you are interested in Cognitive Neuroscience, please visit the School of Social Sciences.

Statement of Purpose  (essay format, 1200 words maximum)

In your statement of purpose, please describe your aptitude and motivation for graduate study in your area of specialization. We expect applicants to include:

• A description of your background, research experience, current and future research interests, future goals, and how you see yourself fitting in our department.
• The area of interest you plan to pursue (Developmental, Health or Social/Personality) and if you wish to pair an area of interest with a specialty in Psychology & Law .
• Name(s) of the faculty member(s) with whom you are interested in working and why.

Personal History Statement  (essay format, 1200 words maximum)

• Any educational, familial, cultural, economic or social experiences or opportunities relevant to your academic journey
• Challenges and/or obligations you have had to address in order to achieve your educational goals and how you addressed them
• Prior employment, as a student or as a working professional, that is relevant to your pursuit of a graduate degree
• Discuss any leadership roles or plans, outreach, or community service experiences and goals that have or will benefit others or the community
• How your perspectives, activities, or goals have or may contribute to inclusivity and/or broaden your understanding of the experiences of diverse groups of people

We expect applicants to include the following in the context of the above:

• Any experience(s) you have in advocating for diversity in organizations or communities of which you have been a member (3-5 sentences).
• Any significant challenge(s) you have faced and your ability to demonstrate resilience and achievement despite the challenges (3-7 sentences).
• Your interest in an academic career in teaching/research and/or other professional goals and interests you may have (3-5 sentences).
• GRE scores for the upcoming admissions cycle are optional.  We do not require applicants to our graduate program to submit a GRE score report as part of their application. Applicants may choose to submit GRE test scores, and they will be reviewed as one part of the application evaluation. Applications with GRE scores will not be given greater consideration than those without scores. For applicants who wish to include their scores to supplement their application, please note that the Educational Testing Service (ETS) code for UCI is: 4859. Please visit the  Graduate Division Website  for more information.

Transcripts

• Unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended after high school. Applicants must upload unofficial transcripts directly into the online application.

Application Fee

• Fee waivers are available to qualified domestic applicants only. Eligibility to apply for a fee waiver is determined by program participation, US veteran status, or demonstrated financial need based on information requirements specified on the application.

Letters of Recommendation

• Three letters of recommendation . Paper letters will not be accepted. They must be uploaded digitally. These letters should speak to your academic and/or professional achievement, describe your strengths and weaknesses, and comment on your character, integrity and motivation are especially useful. Additional information regarding letters of recommendation can be found  here .

English Language Proficiency Requirement

• All graduate applicants, except those who have earned an undergraduate or master's degree from an institution at which English was the sole language of instruction according to the  World Higher Education Database , are required to demonstrate English proficiency for admissions consideration. If English is not the sole language of instruction listed or if no language is listed at all, the waiver does not apply and the applicant is required to take and pass an approved English proficiency test (TOEFL or IELTS).
• English proficiency for Teaching Assistantship - All international students, including those with Permanent Resident status, who wish to serve as a Teaching Assistant or Teaching Associate must pass an oral English proficiency exam approved by UCI. Exemptions to this exam are ONLY given to students who meet specific criteria listed on the  Graduate Division website for English Proficiency for Teaching Assistantships . For more detailed information on these exams of spoken English proficiency, including the respective passing scores, please review the  English Proficiency Summary Chart.

Program Duration

The normative time-to-degree is six years. 

Financial Support

We offer guaranteed support for the first five years of the program, which includes tuition, most fees, and a stipend. Funding  comes from a variety of sources, including  teaching assistantships ,  graduate student research assistantships , and  fellowships

Information Sessions

Online information sessions will be hosted by UCI Social Ecology representatives and are designed for prospective students to learn more about the Psychological Science Ph.D. programs, application requirements, tuition & funding. Archived information sessions and application workshop registration can be found here .

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If you would like additional information, please review our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) or contact us here.

Request More Information

Follow us on social media

Psychology Headlines

From around the world.

• U.N. Rights Chief Urges States to Act on Slavery Reparations
• Racial Disparities in Healthcare Persist Across the U.S., Report Finds
• Plant and Animal Species Becoming Extinct at Record Pace, Says U.N.
• Team Develops Pea-Sized Brain Stimulator for Use in Human Patients
• White House Strengthens Title IX Sex and Gender Discrimination Rules
• HIV Drugs May Reduce Risk of Alzheimer's Disease
• Most Homeless Americans Are Battling Mental Illness, Review Concludes
• Exercise May Cut Heart Disease Risk 23% by Lowering Stress

Source: Psychology News Center

• Search This Site All UCSD Sites Faculty/Staff Search Term
• Contact & Directions
• Climate Statement
• Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Adjunct Faculty
• Non-Senate Instructors
• Researchers
• Psychology Grads
• Affiliated Grads
• New and Prospective Students
• Honors Program
• Experiential Learning
• Programs & Events
• Psi Chi / Psychology Club
• Prospective PhD Students
• Current PhD Students
• Area Brown Bags
• Colloquium Series
• Anderson Distinguished Lecture Series
• Speaker Videos

Graduate Program

If you are considering applying to a PhD program, you'll have many options. We humbly believe that your best option is UC San Diego Psychology. In fact, there are 17 reasons that support this belief. But in the interest of space, we'll focus on the Top 5 here. If you want to know the other 12, you'll have to come to UC San Diego.

1. Five years fully funded, with TA duties

All of our graduate students, including international students, are fully funded . This means that all tuition and fees are covered and graduate students receive $30,000 in additional support per year. This base level of support is provided by the Department, not individual faculty or student grants, which means that our graduate students can work across labs to collaborate, dabble, and experiment. 

As part of this support package graduate students serve as a teaching assistant (TA) for undergraduate courses during the academic year. Teaching Assistantships  provide students with opportunities to work across research areas, grow their teaching expertise, and build relationships with department faculty and lecturers.

There are other sources of funding from the Department as well, such as a large departmental fund, created by UC San Diego’s own Norman H. Anderson, that supports annual travel to conferences for all graduate students, the McGill Research account, which provides $2,000 in your first year for research-related expenses, and the McGill Post-Advancement Research account which provides $1,000 for additional research-related expenses. 

2. A large campus-wide community

Psychologists at UC San Diego interact with researchers in Human Development, Philosophy, Linguistics, Cognitive Science, and Neuroscience. In Psychology, students in each research area - Cognitive, Social, Developmental, and Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience  (see below) - get together weekly at Brown Bag meetings to discuss their research with other students and faculty. Although we don't train Clinical Psychology graduate students , researchers with an interest in interacting with clinicians can find colleagues and friends in the UC San Diego Medical School. Upshot: We interact with each other a lot. 

3. Holistic review

We care about your research interests and experience - not just your grades and GRE scores . If you have an undergraduate degree and a strong track record of research experience , we want to hear from you ( no previous master’s training is required ) . Sure, we'll look at the numbers, but we're much more interested in your research training and your match to our program. Reach out to us individually and we'll help you figure out whether UC San Diego is the right place for you. 

4. New faces

This year all of our labs are accepting students, but we're especially excited to consider graduate student applicants for our newest labs. New faculty members accepting students include Chujun Lin ,  Dhananjay Bambah-Mukku , and Nadia Brashier . These faculty study topics including social cognition, person perception, computational modeling, neurobiology of social behavior, molecular analysis of neural circuits, and memory and misinformation across the adult lifespan. These, and other faculty, can be checked out here .

5. We're happier

UC San Diego isn't just a productive place to do a PhD. It's a happy place, too. Year-round outdoor meetings. A 5 minute walk to the beach. Cycling, hiking, surfing, and just feeling the warm sun on your face all year round.

To apply to our program, please visit our admissions page for details. The application deadline for Fall 2024 admission is December 6th, 2023.   

Please contact any of us for details on our labs, the application process, or life in San Diego; contact information can be found on our Department website as well as individual lab websites. If you apply, we'll connect you to current PhD students to talk about their experience, who can help you decide which lab is best for you and your interests.

Program Emphases

The Department of Psychology at the UC San Diego, provides advanced training in research in core subfields of Experimental Psychology. Having modern laboratories, an attractive physical setting, and distinguished faculty, both within the Department of Psychology and in supporting disciplines, provides research opportunities and training at the frontiers of psychological science. Our graduate training program emphasizes and supports individual research, starting with the first year of study.

The Department offers the following emphases:

• Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience

Graduate students in the psychology doctoral program may also expand their degree and apply to enroll in interdisciplinary PhD programs after being accepted into our program.

• Financial Support

CA OCD and Anxiety Psychologists

Psychologist , phd (he, him).

Practice at a Glance

San Diego, CA 92108

• Individual Sessions $225
• Pay by Cash, Check, Discover, Mastercard, Visa

Qualifications

• Verified by Psychology Today Licensed by State of California / 34535 Dr. Robert Lyons
• Certificate from UC San Diego/VA San Diego Healthcare System - Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Attended San Diego State University/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology , PhD , Graduated 2022

Specialties and Expertise

Top specialties.

• Obsessive-Compulsive (OCD)
• Trauma and PTSD
• Sleep or Insomnia

2 Endorsements

Client Focus

Participants, communities, treatment approach, types of therapy.

• Acceptance and Commitment (ACT)
• Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
• Cognitive Processing (CPT)
• Exposure Response Prevention (ERP)
• Prolonged Exposure Therapy
• Trauma Focused

Primary Location

Nearby areas.

• San Diego, CA
• San Francisco, CA
• West Hollywood, CA
• Los Angeles
• San Francisco

Neighborhoods

• Mission Valley
• Pacific Heights