PhD Program Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy program is designed to prepare students for various school psychology roles in public school and community settings and for academic careers. It places a strong emphasis on scientific thinking, research design, and statistics; offers advanced practicum experiences in school, hospital, and clinic settings; and allows students to develop expertise in a focused area of study. Numerous clinical, supervision, and teaching experiences are provided, and a year-long internship is required. A research-based thesis and dissertation must be completed. The degree program requires at least 97 semester hours and is usually completed over a 5-year period (see more information in the program handbook). Students and program graduates have been productive in publishing research and other scholarly work in journals, books, and other outlets (see a list of publications at this link). Students have also been highly successful in obtaining APA-accredited internships (see a list of these internships at this link), securing competitive postdoctoral positions (see a list of postdoctoral positions at this link), and becoming both licensed psychologists and credentialed school psychologists. Graduates are employed in public schools, developmental disabilities and medical centers, and universities in Arkansas, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. For more information about the program's admissions, outcomes, and other data, follow this link (School Student Admissions, Outcomes and other Data). Please apply for fall admission by December 1.

The doctoral program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), and it’s accreditation site visit was held in spring 2024. Information about APA accreditation can be found by contacting the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association at the Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation; 750 First Street, NE; Washington, DC 20002-4242; Phone: 202.336.5979; and TDD/TTY: 202.336.6123. The Commission on Accreditation's website is http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/

For more information about the doctoral program, contact program director Dr. Beth Meisinger at bmsinger@memphis.edu.

The University of Memphis Graduate Catalog has important details about admission requirements.