University of California, Irvine

Program Information

Degree Offered

Ph.D. - Psychology and Social Behavior w/ specializations

Format: Campus

Program Description:

The Department of Psychology & Social Behavior offers a broadly oriented graduate degree program that leads to the Ph.D. in Psychology and Social Behavior. Graduate study in our Ph.D. program will provide students with a foundation for a primary, or major, specialization in one of four core areas: health psychology, developmental psychology, social/personality psychology, and psychopathology/ behavioral disorders. Students select another area as a secondary, or minor, field of specialization. Our program seeks to provide students with a foundation of the theories, methods, and knowledge base of these four core areas in order to understand the antecedents and developmental course of adaptive or maladaptive behavior in diverse sociocultural contexts. An additional objective of our program is to provide training in the translation of basic research to guide the formulation and evaluation of social interventions, programs and policies that have the potential to promote health and well-being. Specializations are available in: Developmental Psychology, Health Psychology, Social/Personality Psychology & Psychology and Law.

Graduate students in our doctoral program acquire a strong foundation in theory, research methods, advanced statistics, as well as in the classic and contemporary issues of their respective fields. Students collaborate with faculty on research from the very beginning of their graduate training and are encouraged to gain research experience with more than one faculty member. As their interests and skills develop, students pursue more independent research projects. With 25 full-time faculty to serve as mentors for approximately 70 graduate students, our students enjoy the benefits of a program with an excellent faculty-to-student ratio and with a strong sense of community.

Accreditation:

Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)

Eligibility Requirements:

Some funding opportunities for international students require the passing of a test of their spoken English language; e.g., the TOEFLibt or TSE.

International Student Requirements:

All international students are welcome to apply to our program. However, as an international student, it is important that you understand our current funding situation in the State of California, we do not have any fellowships available for international students. Such students must pay, each quarter, both fees (currently about $12,000 USD per year) and tuition (currently about $26,000 USD per year). Although our program has some funding opportunities for which students may be eligible (e.g., teaching assistant positions) that come with stipends and fee remissions, these opportunities do not cover tuition costs. Thus, unfortunately at the present time, all international students must, for the duration of their graduate training in our program, be prepared to cover their own tuition even if the department provides a fee fellowship, stipend, or other employment opportunity to the student. Of note, tuition costs decrease by 75% once a students advances to candidacy.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Financial Aid Offered: No

Classification: Doctoral/Research Universities - Extensive

Institution Sector: Public

Locale: Midsize City

Size & Settings: 20,000 and above