
Psychology

The Ph.D. Program in Psychology encourages students to find creative solutions to critical issues through scholarship and service. The program readies students for meaningful careers in research, teaching, clinical practice, policy, and industry.
Request InformationDegree Offered
Ph.D. in Psychology
Full-time
10 Training Areas
Admissions Deadlines
December 1 for fall enrollment
(No spring enrollment)
Please note: In accordance with CUNY's guidelines surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Psychology Executive Office will be working partially remote for the foreseeable future.
Please see the Graduate Center’s official Covid-19 information and safety guidance page for additional information and resources.
The Psychology program spans 10 distinct training areas. Each one allows students to focus on a specific area of interest. Students become part of an active and diverse community, participating in interdisciplinary research and programs. The program promotes human welfare and service to society while fostering student growth and development.
To contact us, visit our governance page for important contacts.

Our Program
The Psychology curriculum includes 60-90 credits of coursework, a first and second examination, and completion of a dissertation that embodies original research. Each training area has its own program requirements. As a part of The Graduate Center, students take advantage of a variety of interdisciplinary concentrations, research centers and institutes, and other specialized programs throughout The Graduate Center that are relevant to psychology.
Curriculum
Our Faculty
Our faculty are top scholars in their fields of study, as well as journal editors and leaders of professional societies and organizations. The faculty work closely with students in courses, through research, and as advisers. Faculty and their labs are based on eight campuses throughout the CUNY system, with courses offered at The Graduate Center, as well as Baruch College, Brooklyn College, City College, Hunter College, John Jay College, Queens College, and the College of Staten Island.
Faculty
Student Support
Our students become thoughtful scholars and lifelong learners. The Psychology program and its Executive Office are committed to seeing students succeed and to creating avenues for professional development. They offer many means of support, including comprehensive forms and procedures and student resources.
Forms and Procedures
Events and Accomplishments
Joining the Ph.D. Program in Psychology means becoming part of a vibrant community of ambitious scholars. Student leaders organize a series of cross-CUNY events with distinguished speakers, including the Teaching of Psychology conference and Psychology Student Research Day. Learn more about the activities and achievements of our students, faculty, and alumni in our program news.
News and EventsPsychology Announcements and Alerts
More Like ThisCongratulations to Shivani Shah for being selected as a finalist for the DEIA Excellence in Research Grant
Congratulations to Psychology Ph.D. student Shivani Shah (Industrial/Organizational Psychology training area) on being selected as a finalist for the DEIA Excellence in Research Grant.
- Congratulations/Kudos
Paper on Elevating Black Scholars' Contributions to Developmental Science in American Psychologist'
Congratulations to Professor Martin D. Ruck (Psychology, Urban Education) and alumni Isabelle M. Elisha (Ph.D. ’16, Psychology), associate director for the psychology program at the CUNY School of Professional Studies, and Juliana E. Karras (Ph.D. ’18, Psychology), an assistant professor at San Francisco State University, whose paper “Looking Within: Elevating Black Scholarly Contributions to Empirical Approaches in Developmental Science” was published in the May-June issue of American Psychologist.
“Through examinations of the psychological effects of Blackness on the development of cognition, competence, identity, and social functioning, Black psychologists outline pathways and provide tools for ecological culturally rooted methodologies,” they write. “These multidisciplinary approaches run in contrast to dominant trends in the field and thus broaden developmental science’s reach and influence. In the 1950s, developmental research by Black psychologists was instrumental to the fight for civil rights. Today, it continues to provide a basis for advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.”
- Congratulations/Kudos
Congratulations to Dr. Puleng Segalo for being awarded the Annual GC Graduate of the Last Decade Award.
- Announcement
Congratulations to Dr. Anna Stetsenko on receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Educational Research Association
Congratulations to Dr. Anna Stetsenko, professor at The Graduate Center of CUNY (Developmental Psychology Training Area), on receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Educational Research Association (AERA).
- Congratulations/Kudos
Psychology Spotlights
Our Sciences Spotlight series profiles students, faculty, and alumni associated with GC Sciences programs. Learn about our community:
Recent News
Oct 2, 2023
Sitting Down With Joshua Brumberg, Interim President, Scientist, and Sports Fan
The Gradate Center’s new interim president, a familiar face to many, shares his priorities and what has shaped them.
- GC Stories
Sep 28, 2023
Wild Asian Elephants Display Unique Puzzle-Solving Skills
A new study tests elephants’ abilities to innovate and circumvent barriers to food sources.
- GC Stories
- Press Release
- Research News
- Student News
Sep 8, 2023
From Trade School to a Psychology Ph.D.
For first-year Ph.D. student Sean Bennett, life experience planted the seeds of scholarship.
- GC Stories
- Student News
Sep 1, 2023
Professor Matt Brim Will Lead CLAGS: The Center for LGBTQ Studies
The former board member sees an opportunity to explore issues of class and race through dialogue and collaboration.
- GC Stories
- Faculty News
Upcoming Events
Clinical Psychology Admissions Data
View student admissions, outcomes, and other data.
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