Psychology, Ph.D.

• A statement of purpose.
• A Psychology Interests and Applicant Summary Form.
• Three letters of recommendation.
• GRE scores optional (see Psychology Admissions website for more information.)
• A GPA Worksheet with an upper-level undergraduate GPA of 3.40 or better.

Total Minimum Hours: 42 Credit Hours

Students must successfully complete all requirements noted in the Catalog section for the M.A. in Psychology, or have earned its equivalent master’s degree, with a minimum GPA of 3.00. In addition, students must successfully complete the requirements listed below. A minimum grade of B- is required for all courses.

Taken as part of the master’s (30 credit hours minimum; not included in 42 Ph.D. credit hours):

• Core – 7 Credit Hours 
• Concentration Requirements – 10 Credit Hours minimum*
• Electives – 3 Credit Hours Minimum*
• Thesis – 4 Credit Hours
• Practicum - 2 Credit Hours (Clinical Concentration Only)

*Concentration and elective hours vary; students take necessary coursework in the concentration and/or electives to meet the total minimum of 30 credit hours required for this major.

In addition to the requirements for the master’s degree the following are required for completion of the doctorate (42 credit hours minimum):

• Concentrations – 18 Credit Hours Minimum*
• Tools or Research– 6 Credit Hours Minimum
• Electives – 6 Credit Hours Minimum*
• Practicum (Clinical Concentration only)
• Dissertation – 12 Credit hours Minimum​

A given course may only fulfill one requirement.

* Concentration and elective hours vary by concentration; students take necessary coursework in the concentration and/or electives to meet the total minimum of 42 credit hours required for this major.

Completed as part of the master’s requirements. Students with a completed master’s will meet with the Graduate Director to ensure that all of the course requirements for the M.A. in Psychology at USF have been satisfied.

Students apply to and enroll in one of the following three concentrations for the Ph.D.:

Concentration requirements in the Master’s Degree must be completed in addition to the courses below:

Concentration requirements in the Master’s Degree must be completed in addition to the courses below:

Concentration requirements in the Master’s Degree must be completed in addition to the courses below:

Students complete tools of research in the area of the concentration, selected in consultation with their Major Professor. These requirements are in addition to any Master’s requirements.  Students wishing to fulfill this methods requirement with any course not listed here must submit a request to their major professor.

Students select one course from each of the categories below (Multivariate and Psychometrics) and one course (3 credit hours) from the list of Shared Options below.

Students are required to complete nine (9) credit hours.  In addition to the Shared Options below, a tools course requirement may be met by any of the following:

Students complete six (6) Credit hours from the Shared Options below.

If not already taken as part of the above requirements, the (remaining) tools requirements within any of the three concentrations may be satisfied with the following courses:

Students complete elective courses in their concentration area, or acceptable alternatives, selected in consultation with the Major Professor.  
Approval of courses is the responsibility of the student’s major professor, area director, and Graduate Program Committee.

Examples of electives:

Successful completion of the Ph.D. Comprehensive Qualifying Exam  is required for Admission to Candidacy.  Students in the Clinical Psychology or Cognition, Neuroscience, and Social Psychology Concentrations also have the option of completing a comprehensive major area paper to meet this requirement. 

Additional information is available in the Graduate Student Handbook