PhD in Psychology in College Park United States | University of Maryland, College Park

The field of psychology encompasses an exceptionally wide scope, examining mental processes and behaviors across various scales - from microscopic cellular interactions to complex societal systems, from individual cases to collective cultural dynamics, and across diverse species from invertebrates to humans. Certain aspects intersect with biological sciences while others align with social sciences. As progress in analytical techniques, methodologies, and theories in one specialty increasingly impacts other domains, psychologists are working more collaboratively with researchers in adjacent fields, giving rise to innovative interdisciplinary subfields that merge biological and social scientific perspectives. Our academic department exemplifies this rich diversity of approaches and cross-disciplinary partnerships. To reflect this reality, we've structured our graduate training into five distinct Ph.D. specialties: Clinical Psychology (CLIN), Cognitive and Neural Systems (CNS), Counseling Psychology (COUN), Developmental Psychology (DEV), and Social, Decision, and Organizational Science (SDOS). Interdisciplinary research projects bridging these specialties are frequent, and we actively promote cross-specialization training for our students. Both our Clinical and Counseling Psychology doctoral programs hold accreditation from the American Psychological Association. Additionally, our School Psychology program, also APA-accredited, operates through the College of Education.