The Best Online Doctorate in Psychology Programs

The need for psychologists is growing at an astonishing rate of 14%, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). As more insurance companies cover mental health treatment, more patients can seek treatment, which leads to increased demand for qualified professionals. A doctoral degree in psychology prepares graduates to help these patients. However, there are many other career paths available: Degree holders can also work as professors, researchers, or healthcare managers. In all cases, this degree prepares a student for a challenging, impactful, and stable career.

For more degree and career info, jump to:

• Choosing a Online Doctoral Program in Psychology
• What Else Can I Expect From an Online Doctorate in Psychology Program?
• Careers with a Doctorate in Psychology

The Best Online Doctorate in Psychology Programs

Online Doctorate in Psychology Degree Program Ranking Guidelines: We selected the degree programs based on the quality of program and range of courses provided, as well as school awards, rankings, and reputation.

RANKING METHODOLOGY

Methodology for College Rankings

The motto of TheBestSchools.org is Finding the best school for you. Here is how we do it:

The value of any ranking list of schools and/or degree programs depends on having a methodologically sound assessment of each school’s/program’s characteristics, especially insofar as these can be objectively measured. A college or university is a complex entity, with numerous factors to consider, and distilling these down to the place where meaningful comparisons can be made to form a defensible ranking list becomes part science and part art.

To meet this challenge—and thereby provide you with the most useful and insightful educational rankings on the Internet — TheBestSchools.org formulates our rankings based on five informational categories (six, when considering online schools). The major metrics and qualities for which we rank are these (with expanded, detailed considerations and weights listed):

1. Academic excellence based on a school’s curriculum generally or within the selected discipline [weight = 25%]

• Weighs school against known leading schools in that discipline
• Weighs number of core curricula listed as advanced courses within that discipline and compares against introductory courses
• Weighs school’s curriculum against known knowledge needs of major employers in that discipline
• Considers number and types of specializations offered within that discipline
• Considers faculty expertise in that discipline
• Considers range of electives within that discipline
• Considers quality of online environment offered to students (if applicable), particularly within that discipline

2. Strength of faculty scholarship [weight = 25%]

• Considers education background of the faculty
• Considers years of faculty experience both inside and outside of academia.
• Considers faculty membership and leadership within relevant, prominent associations
• Considers academic papers published by faculty in relevant, prominent periodicals
• Considers awards and recognitions given to faculty members from prominent organizations and from other sources

3. Reputation [weight = 20%]

• Considers a school’s reputation among academic peers and employers regarding the following:
  • Faculty
  • Curriculum
  • “Freshness” of academic knowledge
  • Adaptability to changes in employment sectors
  • Suitability of graduates for the workplace

4. Financial aid [weight = 10%]

• Mandatory: Requires full accreditation from an agency endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and listed on the federal register to accept student federal financial aid
• Considers range of school-sponsored financial aid such as scholarships and grants

5. Range of degree programs [weight = 20%]

• Considers range of degree levels: associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral and professional
• Considers range of degree subjects offered, such as art & design, computers & technology, education & teaching, criminal justice, and business

6. Strength of online instruction methodology (if applicable) [weight = 25%; subtract 5% from each of the above for online schools/programs]

• Considers the following of the online classes:
  • Types of online technology used to deliver content
  • Pedagogy style: asynchronous, synchronous, or both (depending on the degree)
  • Extent and quality of the online, community learning environment, including options for communication, interactivity, and collaboration between students and also between students and instructors
  • Variety, breadth, and depth of coursework, and its support, including project options and online tutoring
• Considers the following of instructors:
  • Extent of training for teaching within an online learning environment
  • Amount of timely, consistent feedback to students
  • Extent of collaboration with prospective employers to ensure suitability of instructional materials for achieving desired skills
  • Ratio to number of students in a class
• Number and quality of internships in a student’s geographical area for applicable degrees

Because students tend to review a variety of information when choosing a school, the weight a student gives any one criterion will vary. For instance, it’s not enough to offer a carefully constructed ranking of great schools if many are too expensive or too difficult to get into.

To better serve the needs of prospective students, we are therefore increasingly offering filters that help you better use our rankings to find the schools that match your specific needs. These supplement our ranking criteria and include:

• Accreditation
• Public or private status
• Acceptance rate
• Retention rate
• Graduation rate
• ACT/SAT requirements
• Cost in-state / out of state
• Undergrad, grad, or both offered
• Region
• State
• City

Get the best rankings here AND get them to suit your personal needs. That’s TheBestSchools.org advantage!

If you have any questions about our ranking methodology, please contact us.

Citations: For a broader account of our ranking methodology, especially as it relates to TheBestSchools.org's underlying educational philosophy and, in other ranking articles, looks beyond academic excellence (as here) to such factors as return on investment or incidental benefit, see our article "Ranking Methodology: How We Rank Schools at TBS." Reputation of schools and degree programs can at least in part be gauged through the school or department's publishing activity, citations, and desirability. At TheBestSchools.org, we keep track of such social and peer validation: "Making Sense of College Rankings." For nuts-and-bolts information about colleges and universities, we look to the National Center for Education Statistics and especially its College Navigator. Insofar as salary and inflation data are relevant to a ranking, we look to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Finally, nothing beats contacting schools and degree programs directly, which our researchers often do, with the result that all the entries in this article should be considered as belonging to this citation!

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Alphbetically Arranged

  California Southern University

Los Alamitos, California

Established in 1978, California Southern University is a private, for-profit institution that offers associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Distance learners can earn their doctorate in psychology online. Over the course of 66 credit hours, a doctoral project, a practicum, and an internship, students take clinically focused classes that emphasize counseling and therapy techniques. All courses can be completed online, while the practicum must be done at approved local sites. The one-year, 1,500-hour internship is optional, but helps students meet qualifications for licensure in many states.

The online PsyD program meets the educational requirements set by the California Board of Psychology. Students interested in clinical psychology are prepared to sit for licensure exams in California upon graduation. Incoming students may transfer up to 30 credits toward their degree. Full-time students can typically complete all graduation requirements in four years.

  Fielding Graduate University

Santa Barbara, California

Located in Santa Barbara and established in 1974, Fielding Graduate University offers several distance learning programs in psychology, education, and organizational studies. Students can earn a online Ph.D. in psychology in six years. Degree candidates choose from concentrations in forensic psychology, health psychology, neuropsychology, parent-infant mental health, and social justice and diversity. Courses are offered online. However, completion of the degree requires attending occasional residential meetings.

Training in quantitative and qualitative methodologies prepare learners to make scholarly contributions to the field, and students must complete an original research project and produce a dissertation at the end of the program. Applicants submit a current curriculum vitae, critical-thinking writing sample, statement of purpose, and three letters of recommendation. Additionally, application requirements include a bachelor's degree, minimum 3.0 GPA, and copies of official transcripts. Transfer students may be eligible for reduced degree requirements, course credit, or waivers of coursework. In total, online learners need 179 semester credits to graduate.

  Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

MSU is a public research university with over 50,000 students. Distance learners can earn a Ph.D. in educational psychology and educational technology in a hybrid, cohort-learning format. This degree is completed in five years: during fall and spring semesters, students take one online course, and in the summer, they complete two in-person courses. Students may begin only during the summer semester of even years, so applications are due on December 1 of odd years.

Applicants must possess a master's degree, submit their GRE scores, and must have a minimum 3.5 GPA. MSU expects online Ph.D. psychology students to have strong research skills and takes into account the integrity and research requirements of applicants' master's degree programs. Graduates from master's programs that did not emphasize research or require a master's thesis may be offered admission on a provisional basis.

  Saybrook University

Oakland, California

At Saybrook University, degree candidates can earn a Ph.D. in psychology. This is a hybrid program with synchronous courses built around scholarship in existential, humanistic, and transpersonal psychology. The majority of class requirements are completed online with periodic in-person residential conferences or intensives. Students may choose from optional specializations in consciousness, spirituality, and integrative health; creativity study; existential, humanistic, and transpersonal psychology; or psychophysiology. Those who do not declare a specialization follow a general psychology curriculum.

Full-time degree seekers should expect to spend 5-7 years completing the course sequence of 68-83 doctoral core credits or, with previous master's degree transfer credit included, 128-143 total credits. Incoming online Ph.D. psychology students can transfer up to 12 credits in the psychology discipline. Applicants should have a master's degree and 3.0 GPA or higher from their last degree-granting institution.

  Southern California Seminary

El Cajon, California

The online doctor of psychology program at Southern California Seminary prepares students for ministry opportunities in the local church, private practice counseling, and service in organizational or institutional settings. The school's unique blend of theology and psychology provides distance learners with the skills to counsel individuals, families, and communities in church-based and secular environments. Learners may take specific training courses for licensure preparation in sexuality, substance abuse, child/spouse abuse, or elder care. All students complete 12 credits of dissertation research. A doctoral internship, with a minimum of 500 clinical hours, is required for graduation.

All courses, except for one intensive and one lab, are completed online. By the end of the second year, online Ph.D. psychology students undergo an in-person evaluation with their professors. Poor grades or reviews can result in a student's removal from the program. Applicants must submit a reference letter from a pastor or chaplain, official college transcripts, an essay, and a master's-level writing sample.

  The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

The Chicago School offers a Ph.D. in international psychology that prepares distance learners for leadership positions in multinational organizations. Graduates of this cohort program work in government agencies, not-for-profit organizations, and international businesses. Degree seekers choose from concentrations in organization and systems or trauma services. All students must participate in two 9-day field experiences at international destinations under professor supervision. Additional doctoral degree options at the Chicago School include concentrations in general psychology, business psychology, and applied behavior analysis.

Applicants for the online Ph.D. in psychology should have three or more years of experience in the field with a master's degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Previous transcripts should show evidence of at least three courses of undergraduate or graduate coursework in psychology with a "C" grade or better. Students planning to pursue the trauma services concentration must hold a master's degree in a counseling-related field. Applicants must also submit their official GRE scores for admission. Depending on a student's previous academic record and transfer credits, full-time students can complete this degree in as few as three years.

  Touro University Worldwide

Los Alamitos, California

Distance learners can pursue a doctoral degree in human and organizational psychology online at Touro University Worldwide. Students use applied psychology principles and evidence-based approaches to solve problems and explore research questions. Degree candidates complete 66 course credits and a dissertation. There is no residency, practicum, or internship required for graduation. Instead, TUW students engage in a guided dissertation research and writing process that consists of 27 credits. The convenient eight-week, accelerated courses are accessible from anywhere in the world and do not require textbooks.

Applicants for this online Ph.D. psychology program must have a master's degree from an accredited institution with a minimum 3.4 GPA. Applications should also include an outline of careers goals, a short biography, two letters of recommendation, official transcripts, and doctoral entrance essay. The GRE is not required. Active military, veterans, and their spouses and children receive a significant tuition discount.

Choosing a Online Doctoral Program in Psychology

No two American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited doctoral psychology programs are identical. Students should evaluate each program's curriculum, as each school offers unique courses and concentrations geared toward specific professions. Some universities offer specializations like educational psychology, substance abuse, trauma, sports psychology, and management. Learners with a firm understanding of their professional goals should choose programs with appropriate course offerings. Some universities, however, do not offer concentrations, instead using dissertations to allow students to define their interests.

Many programs offer core courses like ethics, psychology practice law, mental health assessments, and group counseling methods. Some universities also offer classes that develop professional skills, including courses in research methods and pharmacology. Some schools integrate practicum requirements into their programs to train students to become licensed counselors. Online students who attend school out of state should ensure that program requirements meet their home state regulations.

What Else Can I Expect From an Online Doctorate in Psychology Program?

Ph.D. psychology online programs that are APA-accredited vary. Examine each program's curriculum to determine whether they have any in-person requirements like a practicum course or on-campus residencies.

Concentrations Offered for an Online Doctoral Degree in Psychology

• Educational Psychology:
  In this concentration, students examine learning practices from infancy through adulthood. Courses blend education and psychology research with subjects like educational philosophy, program evaluation, and human development in education. Graduates can teach and create educational policy.
  • Careers this concentration prepares for: Education administrators, test creators, and professors
• Substance Abuse:
  This concentration helps learners understand the psychological and physiological mechanisms of addiction. Students study treatment methods. Graduates may work in academia to find new treatments or as clinicians and rehabilitation therapists.
  • Careers this concentration prepares for: Substance abuse counselors, rehabilitation managers, and professors
• Sports Psychology:
  This concentration often includes courses in coaching, motivation, and emerging research in sports psychology. Graduates can help professional athletes recover mentally from injuries, use cognitive strategies to enhance performance, and cope with stressors.
  • Careers this concentration prepares for: Sports psychologists, researchers, and professors

Curriculum for an Online Doctoral Degree in Psychology

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Careers with a Doctorate in Psychology

Although a Ph.D. in psychology online is a specialized program, learners can pursue several different career paths. A professional with an online Ph.D. in psychology can become a psychologist, college professor, or mental health services manager, among other careers.

1. Psychologists:
   As psychologists, doctoral graduates work in clinical settings, including hospitals, in-patient facilities, and offices. Some psychologists go into business with a private practice. With an online psychology Ph.D. degree, a professional can help patients overcome mental health problems like anxiety, depression, addiction, and bipolar personality disorder.
   • Median Annual Salary: $77,030
   • Projected Growth Rate: 14%
2. Postsecondary Teachers:
   Some graduates from online Ph.D. psychology APA-accredited programs become university professors. These professionals train new psychologists and conduct research. Postsecondary educators enjoy stable careers in a fast-growing sector as more people attend college.
   • Median Annual Salary: $76,000
   • Projected Growth Rate: 15%
3. Medical and Health Services Managers:
   Mental health departments, residential behavior centers, and outpatient facilities need qualified individuals to oversee them. Online Ph.D. programs in psychology prepare professionals to take on these roles with a firm understanding of what employees need to help patients.
   • Median Annual Salary: $98,350
   • Projected Growth Rate: 20%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Last Updated: November 15, 2018