Online Ph.D. in Psychology

Liberty University developed the 100% online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Psychiatric Mental Health program to help nursing professionals get specialized mental health training to meet all their patients' needs, not just their physical ailments. For nursing professionals with an M.S. in Nursing, Nurse Practitioner certification and experience in the field, this program will provide advanced training in nursing administration, nursing care best practices and mental health. Graduates also will be prepared to obtain additional, specialized certifications such as the American Nurse Credentialing Center Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner national exam. Coursework includes theoretical application for advanced practice nursing, clinical psychopharmacology, psychotherapeutic theories, frameworks and modalities, nursing research, and policy and ethics. The online DNP can be completed in as little as 2 years, but must be completed within 5 years. Courses are taught in 8-week cycles. A total of 58 credit hours is needed to graduate, including 27 in core courses, 17 in the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner cognate, and 14 in project and practicum courses. Academic advisers help online students with registration, financial aid, class enrollment and degree completion planning. DNPs open up career opportunities, including psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, nursing administrator, clinical researcher and social service programs. The program, which is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, is currently accepting only students who are Virginia residents.

The online Doctorate of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision at Adams State University prepares graduates to work as counselor educators, supervisors, researchers and practitioners in diverse academic and clinical settings. Applicants and admitted students must attend selection interviews and new student orientation, respectively. Prospective students are evaluated on academic aptitude for doctoral-level study, previous professional experience, fitness for the profession (including self-awareness and emotional stability), oral and written communication skills, cultural sensitivity and awareness and potential for scholarship, professional leadership and advocacy. In addition to becoming skilled in advanced clinical counseling, program graduates will also be able to supervise counselors and counseling students, conduct research, write for professional publications and become counseling leaders, mentors, practitioners and consultants. Courses include Quantitative Research Methods, Supervision and Consultation, Advanced Multicultural Issues, Advanced Group Counseling, Data Analysis, and Advanced Assessment. Students also participate in practicums and internships. Students typically enroll in 6 credit hours per semester and cohorts begin every fall semester. The 66-credit program requires 4 1-week summer residencies. To graduate, students must maintain a 3.0 GPA and complete a written comprehensive exam and a research project/dissertation. Graduation from the program doesn't equate to a professional license. Students must obtain a professional counseling license and/or appropriate certifications prior to, or during their first 2 years as a doctoral student. All program participants are assigned an academic advisor who is a faculty member in the Counselor Education Department. Advisors participate in student orientation, provide academic and career advisement and offer professional counseling referrals for students in need. The Ph.D. Counselor Education and Supervision program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

Penn State strives to offer graduate students a uniquely empowering experience. The more than 40 faculty members in the Penn State Department of Psychology work closely with students not only in facilitating the delivery of coursework, but in consulting with students on enhancing their professional development in order to be more competitive in the workplace, including grant writing and other funding-related activities. Graduate students may also take advantage of teaching assistantships, as the department is known as a strong producer of psychology faculty. The department treats graduate students like colleagues, frequently integrating students into research activities and sending them into the community to put their skills to work. A Ph.D. in psychology at Penn State may be earned in one of 5 program areas: clinical (including adult and child-clinical), cognitive, developmental, industrial/organizational and social. Prospective students must choose one upon applying, and the path may only be changed with faculty approval. Students admitted into this on-campus program work one-on-one with faculty to devise the details of their individual programs, which includes a major and a minor (which may be one of the other four psychology paths or another subject altogether). For certain students, Penn State's dual-degree programs in psychology may also be appealing. These two programs combine doctoral studies in psychology for Ph.D. candidates with either women's studies or language science, providing students the opportunity to graduate with Ph.D.s in two subjects and extend their psychology work. Although programs are highly flexible and developed by students and faculty, basic curriculum requirements include English language, statistics, 18 credits of major area course work, a breadth requirement and research. Typically, programs last 4-5 years. In order to graduate, students must remain in good standing, meaning that no failing grades are earned during program courses and that grades lower than B+ are not received in multiple courses. The majority of students accepted into Penn State's highly selective graduate program in psychology have earned undergraduate degrees in psychology; those from other disciplines are accepted, but applicants should have some background in psychology. Applicants must submit sample papers to demonstrate their writing skills, as well as statements of purpose, and they should have taken the general GRE (there is no minimum score requirement). The psychology subject test is also strongly recommended for those interested in the clinical program, especially for those who did not major in psychology in undergrad.

Students looking to earn a doctoral degree in psychology in a convenient, accelerated delivery method may find Tuoro University Worldwide's online Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in human and organizational psychology an attractive option. This 100% online program offers students: 1) the opportunity for an accelerated admissions process that requires no GRE scores; 2) an accelerated pace comprised of 8-week course terms; 3) no requirement for residency; and 4) an affordable online tuition of $700 per semester credit unit. This professionally oriented program prepares students to design evidence-based solutions in the profession of psychology, and it emphasizes practice over theory. Students may select one of three concentrations: organizational, leadership or industrial psychology. The program begins with courses in theory and research, then quickly shifts toward putting theory into practice; once required courses are completed, students begin constructing proposals (pre-dissertation) and their dissertations. Each student works with a faculty dissertation chair and a committee, all of whom assist the student with completing the dissertation. The 66-credit program (including dissertation) provides students with faculty research guidance, and faculty are scholar-practitioners who currently work in the field. Students should note that this degree does not prepare students for any type of licensure. The program is intended to be completed in 5 sessions; those who need more time must pay continuation course tuition of $500, which earns no credit and does not qualify for financial aid. To apply for the program, applicants must possess master's degrees where they earned cumulative GPAs of 3.4 or greater. Following that, students submit their applications with transcripts from all institutions attended, two letters of recommendation (academic and professional) and a doctoral entrance essay that presents, in narrative form, the student's biographical information, career plan and goals in pursuing this degree. Once students are admitted, they have access to advisers who serve as coaches, regularly monitoring academic activity and meeting with students once per session to review their educational plans. They can assist students with developing individualized degree plans and provide advice on courses. Students also have access to career resources, to assist students with networking or finding jobs and internships.

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles provides several master's and doctoral-level programs in psychology specialties. Its 5 Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) offerings cover subjects related to psychology, including applied behavioral analysis, business psychology, international psychology and organizational leadership, but its only Ph.D. directly offered in psychology is a post-master's behavior analysis specialization program. This full-time, 5-year program offered on the Los Angeles campus prepares graduates to pursue careers as behavior analysts and licensed psychologists, or they may also go on to work as teachers, administrators, researchers or clinicians. The coursework in this program is taught by practitioner faculty, and it emphasizes the study of behavioral principles to affect positive behavior change. A sampling of courses includes applied behavioral analysis, psychological assessment and intervention, and critical analysis of research in verbal behavior. Though not all states require behavior analysts receive licenses, including California, this program is designed to prepare students to pursue (with further coursework and supervised professional experience) licensure with the California Board of Psychology. The Chicago School's Los Angeles campus enjoys a diverse, urban location that offers psychology students proximity to numerous hands-on, career-relevant opportunities for professional development and community service. Students work closely with faculty to provide services to real clients, such as therapy, law-enforcement training or management consulting, or they may apply knowledge gained in their programs to assist local service agencies or advocacy groups. Students in the Ph.D. in psychology program also gain hands-on learning experience in The Chicago School's ConCISE (CONsulting within Southern California's Communities through Innovation, Service and Education), a student-run firm providing human capital consulting to businesses and nonprofit organizations. Because of its professional focus, The Chicago School asks applicants to submit, resumes or curriculum vitaes, along with their applications, as well as an essay, transcripts from all colleges attended and 3 letters of recommendation. Application is open to anyone who has earned a master's degree in psychology, education, behavior analysis or a related degree recognized by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) and either holds a current Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification, or has completed the BACB-approved courses required to qualify for the BCBA exam.