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Prerequisites to a Ph.D. Program in Psychology

Applying for admission to a doctoral program in psychology can be overwhelming. With many different of types of programs and different schools, there is an equally wide variety of prerequisites. While not all schools have prerequisite undergraduate coursework, there are several classes that are commonly required for admissions to a Ph.D. program in psychology.

  1. Psychology Prerequisites

    • It's best if the undergraduate coursework of students who hope to pursue an advanced degree in psychology demonstrates an interest and knowledge of psychology. Some schools, such as UCLA, require two undergraduate classes from learning, physiological psychology or perception/cognition, as well as two classes from developmental, social or personality/abnormal classes. Many schools also require a course in statistics, which is imperative for conducting research.

    Science Prerequisites

    • Since many psychology programs have a strong tie to the biological sciences, it is not unusual for schools to require a biology course from undergraduate applicants. A class in biology, zoology or anatomy and physiology is recommended. Sometimes schools may even require coursework in the physical sciences, such as a chemistry or physics class.

    Mathematics Prerequisites

    • Sometimes schools require more than an undergraduate statistics class. The most common math prerequisite tends to be calculus.

    Other Requirements for Admission

    • Most, if not all, doctoral graduate programs in psychology mandate that students must take the GRE before applying. Also, nearly all schools only will admit applicants who hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. In many cases, a master's degree is unneccessary; in fact, many psychology doctoral programs award a master's degree partway through the program.

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