does stanford offer a phd in psychology

Undergraduate Program

The Department of Psychology undergraduate program offers excellent training in how to understand human behavior using scientifically rigorous methods.

A judicious selection of Psychology courses can provide an excellent background for those of you planning careers in Business, Education, Law, Medicine, and Social work as well as Psychology. The Faculty Advisors and the Student Services Office can help you select courses that will provide a strong foundation for your career goals.

The Psychology major and minor offer students a variety of opportunities for active involvement. For those of you who choose Psychology as a department, we hope you will take advantage of the many opportunities it provides for direct involvement in ongoing research, such as participating in our active undergraduate psychology association (SUPA), and designing and conducting your own studies through our Senior Honors Program.

We hope that this section of our website will stimulate your curiosity, answer many of your initial questions, and better prepare you to consider and explore the rich possibilities that a Psychology major or minor may offer.

Students with an interest in the field or undecided on pursuing a major or minor in Psychology are welcome to join our  Psych Interest mailing list  to receive updates on the latest informational and educational events happening in our department. 

For questions about the Psychology major or minor, please contact our Student Services Officer, Andrea Sims, at  asims [at] stanford.edu (asims[at]stanford[dot]edu) . The current Director of Undergraduate Studies is Professor James Gross.

Frequently Asked Questions for PhD Applicants

If you have questions about the application process, please consult the Application FAQ

Program FAQ

• When is the application deadline?  December 7, 2023 11:59 PM PST is the application deadline for Autumn 2024-2025.
• I will have just earned my bachelor’s degree before starting graduate study at Stanford. Should I apply to the MS or the PhD program?  You should apply to the degree program that can fulfill your ultimate degree goal. For example, if obtaining a PhD is your ultimate goal, you should apply directly to the PhD program.
• Do I need to have a master’s degree before applying to the PhD program?  No; the minimum degree requirement is a bachelor’s degree. Students who enter the PhD program may opt to pursue the master’s degree along the way to earning the PhD.
• If I apply to the PhD program but do not get admitted, will I be considered for the MS program?   The Electrical Engineering Department does not consider PhD applicants not admitted into the PhD program for the MS program. 
• If I am admitted and enrolled in the MS program, may I enter the PhD program later?  Admission to the PhD program is possible only through the  annual general admissions process . Current MS students must reapply through this process to be considered for the PhD program.
• May I apply for a start term other than autumn? No; applications are reviewed on an annual basis for autumn quarter start only.
• How long does it take to complete the PhD?  Typical completion time for the PhD program is 5-7 years.
• How important is it to contact faculty before I apply?  Contact with faculty members is not a required part of the application process nor does it guarantee admission to our graduate program. Admissions decisions are made by the Admissions Committee, not by individual faculty members.
• Is financial assistance available for PhD students?  Yes; all PhD students who maintain satisfactory academic progress receive full financial support for the duration of the doctoral program. For more information, please see  Financial Assistance for PhD Students .
• What are the minimum GPA requirements for admission?  Applicants do not need to meet any minimum grade point average (GPA) to secure admission, and we do not release information about average GPAs of admitted students. As a guideline, successful applicants typically earn undergraduate cumulative GPAs among the top of their class. However, please keep in mind that admission to our graduate programs depends on a combination of factors, and all areas of a student’s application are weighed when applications are reviewed.
• Am I eligible to apply if my undergraduate major is not Electrical Engineering?  Yes; students who meet the minimum degree requirements with a strong technical background in engineering, physical sciences, or mathematics are welcome to apply. A bachelor's degree in electrical engineering is not strictly required.
• Are specific prerequisite courses required for admission?  No; we advise prospective applicants to review the  EE Graduate Handbook  and the  Stanford Course Catalog  to evaluate what prerequisites are needed for graduate-level courses in your area(s) of interest.
• What is the minimum level of study required of international applicants from an academic institution outside of the U.S.?  Please refer to  Stanford Graduate Admissions | International Applicants  for eligibility guidelines related to study outside of the U.S.
• What is the process for transferring to the PhD program from another institution?  Students who wish to transfer to our PhD program from another institution must complete the same application procedure as new applicants. If you are admitted and enrolled, you may request to transfer up to 45 units of coursework from your previous institution toward the PhD degree requirements at Stanford, by following the procedures for  Graduate Residency Credit . Students must complete one quarter at Stanford before requesting to transfer units, and all transferred units are subject to approval by the Registrar’s Office.
• If I am admitted to a EE graduate program, can my admission be deferred?  The Department greatly discourages deferral of matriculation dates.  Deferrals are granted only to PhD applicants, and only in exceptional circumstances such as for US military service or visa issues for students arriving from designated countries.  Admitted students wishing to defer admission must send a written request (along with documentation if possible) to  [email protected] . Requests will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. MS and Coterm applicants cannot defer admission dates.

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PGSP - Stanford PsyD Consortium Program Frequently Asked Questions

1.     I am interested in applying to both Palo Alto University’s Pacific Graduate School of Psychology PhD Clinical Psychology  program and the PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium.  Do I need to submit two different Statements of Purpose?

Yes, although both programs are committed to training clinical psychologists, the programs have different strengths, training missions, structure, and faculty. When applying to the Consortium please ensure that you have provided a personal statement referencing the specific aspects of the PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium that will help you realize your career goals.

2. How many admissions offers are made? How many applicants do you admit? 

This information can be found on the data table below.

3. Do PGSP-Stanford PsyD students have access to the specialty tracks in the PhD program (e.g., Forensic, Neuropsychology, Meditation, Psychology and the Law)?

The PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium is a rigorous full-time program with three years of full-time coursework. As such, it is a rare exception that a student is in the position to take extra coursework outside of the PsyD curriculum.

5.     Does the PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium have electives? 

Yes, even though the program follows a cohort model in general, students have an opportunity to take electives in their third year. Adult or child-focused electives are available. See our Course Descriptions  for details.  

6.     Does the PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium offer fellowships?

Yes, we have a limited number of fellowships that we distribute based on several broadly defined criteria including merit, diversity, and financial need. More information will be provided upon recieving an interview. 

7.     What is the difference between the Early Consideration and General Consideration application process?

There is no difference in the application process itself aside from the application deadlines. Applicants who do complete their materials in time to make the Early Consideration deadline may be invited to interview and extended an offer of admission prior to the April 1 deadline, however, and it is strongly recommended that applicants who consider the Consortium to be their top-choice program apply by the Early Consideration deadline.

8.     Are there teaching or research assistantships available to students?

The program does have several teaching assistantships available to students after they complete the first year of the program. Teaching assistantships are granted on a course-by-course basis, and students may apply for more than one during their time in the program. Unlike traditional PhD programs, we do not offer formal research assistantships. Several faculty in the program have research grants, though, and do hire student assistants as part of their ongoing research projects. Students interested in pursuing this type of experience are encouraged to contact the faculty member they want to work with to determine availability.

9.    I have a masters degree. Do you have a transfer credit policy?

TRANSFER CREDIT POLICY

Graduate Level: Only graduate-level courses are acceptable for transfer credit. A graduate-level course is any course for which a student received graduate credit at their previous institution(s). This may include graduate-level courses the student took as an undergraduate.

Acceptable Grades: A grade of “B” or better is required in the graduate-level course to be eligible for transfer credit.

Accreditation: Previous graduate work must have been completed at a regionally accredited institution.

Deadline for Requesting Transfer Credit: Requests for review of transfer credit must be submitted by Aug 1 of the year the student plans to enroll in the Consortium

Maximum Credit Awarded: A maximum of eight (8) units per quarter may be transferred, for a maximum of 24 units transferred into the Psy.D. program.

Transfer Unit Equivalencies: A student will be awarded the number of units the transferred course is equal to at Palo Alto University, which uses a quarter system. A transferred course must equal or exceed the number of units of the corresponding PsyD course. Multiple courses and their syllabi may be combined to meet eligibility for a Consortium course if the total units earned and content covered are determined equivalent.

Time Limit for Transfer Credit: In order to be eligible for transfer credit, the course must have been completed within five years of the student’s matriculation at Palo Alto University.

Transferable Courses: Only foundational courses are eligible to be met by approved transfer credit. Students applying for review of transfer coursework should indicate which course(s) they are applying to waive.

Appeals and Exceptions: A student may appeal transfer credit decisions in writing to the Curriculum Committee. Appeals must be submitted within one week after the incoming student is notified of the outcome of their transfer credit application.

Please note that because the PsyD program is billed on a flat rate, quarterly tuition schedule, transfer, or waiver of units will not result in a reduced tuition rate. Additionally, because of our cohort model with required courses in each quarter, your time to completion of the program will not be reduced; however, students who are allowed to waive required coursework will have the luxury of more time available for supplemental practica, research assistantships, paid employment, etc.

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Psychology at Stanford University

Go directly to any of the following sections:

• Available Degrees
• Student Demographics

Psychology Degrees Available at Stanford

• Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology
• Master’s Degree in Psychology
• Doctorate Degree in Psychology

Stanford Psychology Rankings

The psychology major at Stanford is not ranked on College Factual’s Best Colleges and Universities for Psychology. This could be for a number of reasons, such as not having enough data on the major or school to make an accurate assessment of its quality.

Popularity of Psychology at Stanford

During the 2020-2021 academic year, Stanford University handed out 49 bachelor's degrees in psychology. This is a decrease of 6% over the previous year when 52 degrees were handed out.

In 2021, 5 students received their master’s degree in psychology from Stanford. This makes it the #629 most popular school for psychology master’s degree candidates in the country.

In addition, 9 students received their doctoral degrees in psychology in 2021, making the school the #211 most popular school in the United States for this category of students.

Stanford Psychology Students

Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the psychology majors at Stanford University.

Stanford Psychology Bachelor’s Program

The psychology program at Stanford awarded 49 bachelor's degrees in 2020-2021. About 31% of these degrees went to men with the other 69% going to women.

The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor's in psychology.

Stanford Psychology Master’s Program

All of the 5 students who graduated with a Master’s in psychology from Stanford in 2021 were women.

The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Stanford University with a master's in psychology.

Psychology Majors

Psychology students may decide to major in one of the following focus areas. Individual majors may not be available for all degree levels.

• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• Image Credit: By Pere Joan under License

More about our data sources and methodologies .

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