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The doctoral program in Social Psychology at New York University offers training in the scientific study of social psychology and social behavior. To this end, it offers training in the psychological theories, principles, and research methods relevant to understanding human behavior among individuals, groups, and organizations .
Program Vision
Social behavior is best understood from a multi-level perspective. The focal level of analysis often concerns the individual and the situation, with an emphasis on the cognitive, emotional, and motivational processes that drive behavior in social contexts. Our multi-level approach may examined how these processes are shaped by political, societal, and organizational factors, at a higher level, and supported by neural and physiological systems, at a lower level.
Our multi-level perspective is reflected in our methodologies. Students receive training in advanced quantitative methods and in a broad range of approaches such as behavioral experimentation, psychophysiology and cognitive neuroscience, big data (e.g., from social media), experience sampling, online data collection, dyadic measurement, computational modeling, and field studies, to name a few. Members of the program have access to fMRI, EEG/ERP, eye-tracking, and peripheral psychophysiology facilities housed within the Psychology Department.
Finally, we are committed to connecting our research to the real world. Although our questions often focus on basic processes that drive social cognition and motivation, our broader goals are to understand real-life human behaviors and pressing societal issues and to contribute solid scientific knowledge to policy makers and human service providers.
Program Culture and Activities
The NYU social program has a history of a special communal, cooperative spirit, with very high morale among the students and faculty. Moreover, the program culture is constantly evolving, influenced by interactions among current students, postdocs, and faculty, by changes in the broader scientific field, and by events in the world. We hold weekly program meetings (our “brownbag” meeting) that emphasize new findings and lively discussions, and we feature multiple talk series featuring prominent outside speakers (e.g., Social Colloquium, Social Neuroscience Series, Distinguished Lecture Series). Members of the program also enjoy interactions with colleagues in Cognition & Perception, Development, Neuroscience, Applied Psychology, Linguistics, Politics, Philosophy, and the Stern School of Business. Our location in an exciting and central neighborhood in New York City makes it easy for students and faculty to come in early and/or stay late to meet with each other and distinguished visitors.
Graduate study in the Social Psychology program at NYU means being part of an unusually active research culture. We share well-equipped laboratories, and we promote 'open door' relationships between professors and students. Although students typically have a primary home in one professor's laboratory, we require that students work in at least one other laboratory to promote breadth of training in a variety of methodological approaches and research issues. Our goal is to prepare students to be highly competitive in the job market for the type of career they seek, and we are proud of the steady success of our students in obtaining academic positions at top research universities and teaching colleges.
All students accepted into our graduate program are fully funded through the Henry M. MacCracken Program or the NYUAD Global PhD Fellowship.
MacCracken funding is provided through a combination of teaching assistantship, research assistantship, and fellowship, in proportions to be determined. The award package typically includes a full tuition scholarship, comprehensive health insurance and a stipend. Funding is typically guaranteed for five years, although students with substantial graduate credits or a Master's degree may only be guaranteed four years of support.
NYUAD Global PhD Fellowships include full tuition scholarship, health insurance, travel benefits, and a stipend. Funding is for five years, which typically includes two years or less of course work in New York and the remaining at least three years or more of dissertation research in Abu Dhabi. Campus housing in Abu Dhabi is provided free of cost and is available to all Global Fellows.
There is a very limited supply of subsidized housing available for graduate students which is generally used for a subset of each entering class to provide them the opportunity to get settled in New York City during their first year of residence.
NYU Abu Dhabi PhD Program
The Program in Social Psychology maintains a relationship with the Social Psychology faculty at NYU Abu Dhabi. This relationship supports opportunities for collaboration between students and faculty across the New York and Abu Dhabi campuses. Students accepted for the NYU Abu Dhabi Ph.D. program will typically spend two years primarily in New York with multiple visits to Abu Dhabi. During those two years, students complete all or most of their coursework as well as carrying out research in collaboration with an NYU Abu Dhabi advisor and a co-mentor in New York. The subsequent three years are spent in Abu Dhabi completing the dissertation research and any remaining course requirements. For further information on the Global Ph.D. program, click here .
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How to apply phd, clinical/counseling psychology.
This American Psychological Association–accredited doctoral program prepares you to work as a psychologist in colleges, community agencies, clinics, and hospitals. Graduates of this license-qualifying doctoral program are eligible to take the New York State Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology.
Official Degree Title
Application Deadline
Program Information
Admissions Information
Primary Research Mentors
The doctoral program in Clinical/Counseling psychology at NYU is a small, individualized scientist-practitioner training program; thus we pay close attention to the match between the candidate and the program’s faculty and resources. In particular, we seek to admit students whose professional interests align with the program as a whole and whose research interests are well-matched with those of one or more faculty member. Each new student will be matched with a primary research mentor and will also be supported by secondary faculty mentors in other research and clinical roles.
The faculty who are available to serve as primary research mentors for the Fall 2025 admission are:
- Anil Chacko
- Shabnam Javdani
- William Tsai
- A. Jordan Wright
Other faculty are pote ntially available to serve as secondary mentors, so we encourage you to write about your interests and experiences that demonstrate that you are a good match with the program as a whole as well as with your potential primary mentor.
Admissions Requirements
Candidates to this doctoral program require 18 prior credits (or 6 courses) in psychology, including at least one course in statistics.
How to Apply
These instructions and requirements are for all applicants. If you are not a citizen or a permanent resident of the United States, please read the special instructions for international applicants .
Your application will require the following items. The following are acceptable document types for uploads: .pdf, .jpeg, .jpg, .gif, .tiff, .png, .doc, .docx, and bitmap.
1. Prepare Your Application
You are required to upload a copy of your most recent résumé or curriculum vitae as part of your application.
Statement of Purpose
We are looking for students who appreciate and desire a career that includes research and practice, integrating social justice and diversity in both areas. Please speak to this for your career trajectory in a typed - double spaced three to four page statement of purpose which you upload to your application.
Letters of Recommendation
Submit three letters of recommendation. Be sure to request them well in advance of the deadline. Read detailed instructions .
Transcripts
Upload one official copy of transcripts from every postsecondary institution ( college/university ) you have attended or are attending. Please note: This includes transcripts from institutions where you received transfer credits or did not complete a degree. Make sure to request an official copy of the transcript(s) in advance of the deadline.
Transfer Credits
We understand accepted transfer credits may be clearly listed on your degree awarding institution’s transcript. The Office of Graduate Admissions still requires a transcript from the initial credit-granting institution where you took the course(s). Delay in listing and uploading these transcripts can significantly delay the application review process.
Institutions Outside the US or Canada
If you completed or are completing a degree at an institution outside of the US or Canada, you are required to provide a WES or ECE international credentials evaluation. Please review our requirements for translation and a course-by-course evaluation of your transcripts.
See detailed instructions on submitting transcripts .
Not required.
The GRE (both the general test and the GRE subject test) is not a requirement for applications to the Clinical/Counseling Psychology PhD program. Even if GREs are submitted, they will not be considered.
Proficiency in English
See testing requirements .
Interview Date
The interview date for the 2025 cycle is Friday February 7, 2025
Application
Start your application now
After you fill in and upload the required information, you can submit your completed application. Your application must be completed, dated, electronically signed, and submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST of the stated deadline.
Application Fee
You will be prompted to pay a $75 application fee, payable by major credit card only. After submitting your payment, you will see your application status change from “saved” to “submitted.” Please print this screen for your records, as it confirms that your application has been successfully sent to our school. If you have problems submitting your payment, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions. Learn more about our fee waiver policy .
Mailing Additional Items
If any application materials need to be mailed to our office, mail the materials to NYU Steinhardt, Office of Graduate Admissions, 82 Washington Square East, 3rd Floor New York, NY 10003-6680. Please do not mail your materials in binders or folders. Any mailed materials must be received by, not postmarked by, the stated deadline . Only completed applications will be considered and reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt of mailed materials.
Application Policies
Application deadlines are "in-office" deadlines, not postmark deadlines. It is your responsibility to ensure that all materials are in the Office of Graduate Admissions by the appropriate deadline, and we reserve the right to return any application that arrives after the deadline. Only completed applications will be considered. Should a deadline fall on a weekend, the in-office deadline will be the next business day. We advise you to apply early.
Please check the online system to confirm that you have successfully submitted your application. Due to the volume of applications and related materials received, the Office of Graduate Admissions will only contact you if your application was successfully submitted and is deemed incomplete because of missing required materials. Otherwise, you will hear from us when the admissions committee has made its decision.
Deferral policy: NYU Steinhardt does not allow deferrals. Applicants who wish to be considered for a future semester must reapply by submitting a new application with all supporting materials, including letters of recommendation, by the application deadline.
3. Receive Your Admission Decision
You will be notified about your decision by email. Typically, decisions will start going out in late March or early April for fall enrollment. You may learn of your decision before or after this timeline.
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