Program Overview

Introduction to the Doctoral Program

The Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland has a strong core of dedicated, nationally and internationally known faculty with wide-ranging interests. Students are accepted into one of the specialty areas: Clinical, Cognitive and Neural Systems (CNS), Counseling, Developmental, or Social, Decision, and Organizational Science (SDOS). Each area offers a range of subspecialties and educational opportunities that combine expertise across several areas. The Department's doctoral programs in both Clinical and Counseling are accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).

About the Doctoral Program

The Department has a strong core of dedicated, nationally and internationally known faculty who have wide-ranging interests. There are 36 full-time faculty members in the Department. The Department of Psychology is one of ten programs and departments in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSOS). Students are accepted into the following specialty areas:

• Clinical (CLIN)
• Cognitive and Neural Systems (CNS)
• Counseling (COUN)
• Developmental (DEV)
• Social, Decision and Organizational Science (SDOS)

Each area offers a range of subspecialties and educational opportunities that combine expertise across several areas. The Department's doctoral programs in both Clinical and Counseling are accredited by the American Psychological Association.

Program Goals and Objectives

The Department and all its specialty areas share the goal of educating graduate students to conduct research and scholarship. The Clinical, Counseling and Industrial/Organizational areas train students within a scientist-practitioner model for professional careers in human services delivery. The Department focuses on training students who will create, evaluate, and apply scientific knowledge.

Graduate Student Mentorship Policy

The Department developed a Graduate Student Mentorship Policy to articulate our collective commitments to graduate student mentorship/advising that centers core values of the department and creates an accountability structure to ensure that students are given mentorship and resources throughout their graduate program, promoting their ability to thrive.

Specialty Areas

Graduate study in the Psychology Department is organized into five Ph.D. programs/Specialty Areas. Each program offers a range of subspecialities and each has its own degree requirements. The five specialty areas are:

• Clinical (CLIN)
• Cognitive and Neural Systems (CNS)
• Counseling (COUN)
• Developmental (DEV)
• Social, Decision and Organizational Science (SDOS)

Program Structure

The Department of Psychology offers only a full-time, day program. Students are required to attend classes and conduct research. Generally, students are not permitted to hold off-campus employment unless such employment is critical to the student's education. Such employment must be approved by the student’s specialty area. Students in any of the doctoral programs can earn an M.S. degree en route to the Ph.D. The exception is for students interested in pursuing a Master's degree in Clinical Psychological Science or Industrial Organizational Science. These students can apply for the MPS Program in Clinical Psychological Science and the MPS in Industrial Organizational Science.