Graduate Education

UConn’s Department of Psychological Sciences is a vibrant community where graduate students learn about the mind, brain, and behavior at all levels of analysis, from individual neurons to group relationships.


The Department of Psychological Sciences offers a Ph.D. program with eight areas of concentration, along with three interdisciplinary graduate certificates. Students in these programs use the scientific method to generate knowledge and gain professional skills through research, teaching, public engagement, and clinical experiences.
 

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Programs at a Glance

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Ph.D. Concentrations

Ph.D. Program

Our Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Psychological Sciences offers students advanced study and training. Students can choose a concentration in one of eight specializations that align with the Department’s research strengths. The Ph.D. program is offered on the UConn Storrs campus and is open to full-time students. Students admitted into the Ph.D. program receive a graduate assistantship for research or teaching, which includes a tuition waiver, stipend, and other benefits.
 
Learn more about the psychological sciences Ph.D. program.

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Certificate Program Options

Graduate Certificates

We offer three interdisciplinary graduate certificate programs in Quantitative Research Methods, Health Psychology, and Occupational Health Psychology. These programs allow students to gain specialized training that will complement their existing degrees. They are open to students currently enrolled in a UConn graduate program and to external applicants.
 
Learn more about the Department's graduate certificate programs.

The UConn Advantage

The University of Connecticut is among the top 25 public universities in the nation. Situated in beautiful New England, the Storrs campus offers recreation, museums, galleries, 24-hour study rooms, student organizations, theaters, and nationally-ranked sports teams. It is conveniently located between Boston, New York City, Providence, and Hartford, with regular express shuttles to Hartford and commercial bus service to Boston and New York.

Learn more about campus life.

Training Programs

Graduate students in the Department of Psychological Sciences can participate in the following interdisciplinary training programs, designed to provide training, support, and community around specialized topics.

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Communication (CNC-CT) training program is funded by a T32 award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The goal of this program is to train the next generation of PhD and postdoctoral scholars to bridge basic and translational approaches to the cognitive neuroscience of communication.

The Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Fellowship Program supports graduate students enrolled in Ph.D. in psychological sciences concentration in language and cognition. Students can apply for fellowships and participate in activities designed to develop skills in research and college-level instruction. This training grant is supported by the Department of Education and administered by the UConn Department of Psychological Sciences.

The Neurobiology of Language (NBL) training program was launched with funding from the National Science Foundation. It fosters interdisciplinary research and graduate training across cognitive (linguistics, psychology, communication disorders) and biological (behavioral and molecular neuroscience and genetics) approaches to language. Ph.D. students can apply to enroll in the program to earn the Graduate Certificate in Neurobiology of Language.

The Science of Learning and Art of Communication (SLAC) training program is funded by a National Science Foundation Research Traineeship grant. It fosters interdisciplinary research and graduate training related to learning, involving many Ph.D. programs at UConn (psychological sciences; education; neuroscience; genetics and genomic sciences; linguistics; speech, language, and hearing sciences). For more information please contact charlotte.nelson@uconn.edu.

The Transdisciplinary Convergence in Educational Neuroscience Doctoral (TRANSCEND) training program is funded by NSF. It prepares diverse cohorts of trainees with the technical and professional skills needed to excel in the 21st-century STEM workforce within and outside of academia. Participating Ph.D. programs in the Department of Psychological Sciences include clinical psychology; developmental psychology; and language and cognition. Applicants must be sponsored by a faculty mentor.

Resources for Prospective Graduate Students


Faculty

Faculty in the Department of Psychological Sciences are not just experts in their fields; they are engaged educators and mentors to graduate students. Browse our faculty directory.

Funding and Financial Support

Most students admitted into the Ph.D. program receive a graduate assistantship for research or teaching. The assistantship includes a tuition waiver, stipend, and a range of other benefits. Students can also apply for other scholarships, fellowships, and awards based on financial need and academic merit. Learn more about graduate funding and financial support.

Graduate Research

The Department receives more than $12M annually in new federal funding for research and is consistently ranked in the top 15 psychology departments for total research and development spending by the National Science Foundation. Our graduate students are highly involved in faculty research. In the 2018-19 academic year, 70% of faculty publications (three books, 14 book chapters, and 145 journal articles) included students as primary or co-authors. Learn more about our research programs.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Department of Psychological Sciences encourages and respects diversity in all aspects of our work. We value diversity in multiple forms (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical ability, religious and political belief) across students, faculty members, and staff. We are committed to being a vibrant intellectual community characterized by collegiality, integrity, trust, open-mindedness, intellectual exchange, and diversity. We strive to educate the public on the power of science as a tool for the public good. Find diversity, equity, and inclusion resources for graduate students.

Mentorship Principles and Values

We are committed to mentoring and advising graduate students throughout their careers in the Department. Our Graduate Student Mentorship Value and Commitment Statement articulates our core values related to mentorship and advising. It also outlines an accountability framework to ensure that students have resources throughout their careers that promote their ability to thrive.

International Students

The Department of Psychological Sciences welcomes students from every ethnicity and geographical background. Our Ph.D. programs benefit greatly from the intellectual and cultural contributions of our international graduate students. About 10% of our applicants are international, and we strive to provide them with a supportive, open, and stimulating environment.

Learn more about International Student requirements on the Graduate School’s website.

Learn more about UConn’s International Student and Scholar Services.

Careers and Outcomes

Graduates of our programs go on to exciting careers in academia, industry, and beyond. The Department and the University offer professional development resources that are specially tailored to help graduate students find professional opportunities and land top jobs after they graduate. Learn more about graduate outcomes and career resources.