Online PhD Psychology Programs

Graduate Doctoral Degrees in Psychology by Distance Learning

Online PhD psychology programs usually take five to seven years of study after completion of a bachelor's degree. A dissertation based on original research completes the PhD. Several degrees, including a clinical psychology PhD and counseling psychology PhD, require a year of internship.

Colleges that offer Doctorate and PhD Psychology Programs by Distance Learning

Walden University offers the following online PhD psychology programs and post graduate in psychology certificates:

• PhD in Psychology - Clinical Psychology
• PhD in Psychology - Counseling Psychology
• PhD in Psychology - Forensic Psychology
• PhD in Psychology - General Psychology
• PhD in Psychology - Health Psychology
• PhD in Psychology - Organizational Psychology
• PhD in Psychology - Educational Psychology
• PhD in Psychology - General Educational Psychology
• PhD in Psychology - General Research Evaluation
• PhD in Psychology - Social Psychology
• Post-Doctoral Psychology Certificate - Clinical Child Psychology
• Post-Doctoral Psychology Certificate - Online Teaching

University of the Rockies - Online accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, University of the Rockies Online teaches how to integrate applications of psychology with elements of business and leadership, enabling learners acquire a unique background that enhances their employment options. University of the Rockies offers the following accredited online PhD psychology programs:

• Doctor of Psychology - Business Psychology
• Doctor of Psychology - Criminology and Justice Studies
• Doctor of Psychology - Educational Leadership
• Doctor of Psychology - Evaluation, Research & Measurement
• Doctor of Psychology - Executive Coaching
• Doctor of Psychology - Health and Wellness Psychology
• Doctor of Psychology - International Leadership
• Doctor of Psychology - Mediation and Conflict Resolution
• Doctor of Psychology - Mental Health Administration
• Doctor of Psychology - Non-Profit Management
• Doctor of Psychology - Organizational Consulting
• Doctor of Psychology - Organizational Diversity
• Doctor of Psychology - Organizational Leadership
• Doctor of Psychology - Sports and Performance Psychology

Northcentral University offers the following accredited online PhD psychology degrees:

• PhD in Psychology - Gender Studies
• PhD in Psychology - General Psychology
• PhD in Psychology - Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine
• PhD in Psychology - Industrial Organizational Psychology
• PhD in Business Administration - Industrial Organizational Psychology
• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Industrial/Organizational Psychology

University of Phoenix offers the following online psychology PhD program:

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Argosy University Online is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI). Argosy University offers the following online PhD psychology program:

• Doctor of Education in Counseling Psychology

PhD in Psychology Education and Training

PhD programs offer general psychology or specializations such as clinical psychology (PsyD), school psychology, counseling psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, or business psychology. Other doctoral programs focus on executive coaching, non-profit management, organizational research, or evaluation statistics. A doctoral program may focus on a particular approach to psychology, such as behavioral, cognitive, psychoanalytic, or biological.

If you want to work in private practice or in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, or school psychology you will need a license or certification in addition to the doctoral degree. Requirements for the licensure vary by state.

Admission into PhD psychology programs is very competitive. All PhD programs require a master's degree from an accredited college or university. Some programs require an undergraduate or masters degree in psychology, while others prefer some coursework in basic psychology plus courses in physical sciences, social sciences, math, and statistics.

In addition to mastering your coursework, PhD in psychology graduates must be sensitive, compassionate, mature, patient, and stable especially if they plan to work directly with people. To work as a research psychologist, one must be detail-oriented and able to work both independently and as part of a team.

Online Psychology PhD Programs

An online PhD psychology degree program allows you to advance your career without disrupting your life. You can continue to work while you study online at a university in a distant city. In addition, studying online gives you access to the most current research in your field. The time it takes to complete an online psychology PhD degree will depend on the specialization, course load and may differ from one online college to another.

Online PhD psychology degree specialties are the same as the ones offered through on-campus programs. Many PhD psychology programs offer students the opportunity to create an individualized multidisciplinary course of study that combines psychology with education, business, or human services. In addition most online psychology PhD programs have some residency requirements. Certain schools offer the residency programs at locations around the country, while others offer them only at their main campus.

Careers and Salaries with a Psychology Doctoral Degree

The best psychology jobs require a PhD. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects faster than average employment growth for psychologists, especially those with a doctoral degree in an applied specialty such as school psychology or counseling psychology. Psychologists trained in quantitative research methods and computer science will have an additional competitive edge. About one-third of psychologists are self-employed.

Graduates with a PhD in psychology may teach at universities; work in hospitals, physician offices, or clinics; or enter into private practice. They may provide clinical services or work in consulting, research, or program evaluation. They may pursue administrative positions in higher education, business, or the military.

Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists provide direct services to individuals and groups. According to BLS, the employment services industry paid the most to psychologists in these specialties, where the mean annual wage for was $70,190 in May 2008.

Industrial-organizational psychologists apply psychology principles to the workplace in order to improve productivity and work life. BLS reported a mean annual wage of $86,460 for this specialty, with scientific research and development services as the top paying industry.

The mean annual wage for all other salaried psychologists was $90,460 in May 2008, with physician offices paying the highest salaries.

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