Program Description
Lehigh's program provides you with the opportunity to pursue an M.S. or Ph.D. in Psychology that is distinctive, interdisciplinary, and research-focused. We pride ourselves on our student-centered environment that promotes independent thinking, collaboration with fellow researchers, and fulfilling scholarly work.
Our program trains you to become a methodologically sophisticated researcher who is capable of independently conducting studies that make important contributions to your field and/or solve applied problems. We are committed to providing a supportive, enriching research environment. Students work closely with one or multiple faculty members and gradually develop into independent researchers.
Students may complete a concentration in one of the following areas:
- Cognitive psychology
- Developmental psychology
- Social psychology
A graduate degree in psychology at Lehigh provides:
- State-of-the-art and well-equipped psychological research laboratories;
- The opportunity to collaborate across departments, programs, and colleges in research (such as Health, Medicine, and Society, Cognitive Science, and the College of Business and College of Education);
- Multiple opportunities to gain teaching experience;
- A small faculty-student ratio, close faculty-student collaboration, and a congenial atmosphere.
The department accepts mainly Ph.D. students, but also offers an M.S. for a few well-qualified students each year. Ph.D. students will traditionally obtain a master’s degree in the process of working for their doctorate. Our review of applications has always been holistic: We carefully consider all available information in each student’s application–not just grades or scores on a test–in an effort to predict whether that student is likely to thrive in our program. Students admitted to the Ph.D. program are guaranteed 5 years of financial support, which should be a sufficient amount of time to complete the degree.
Graduates of our program pursue careers in academic settings (e.g., Postdoctoral Researchers, Assistant Professors, Institutional Research Support) and non-academic settings (e.g., Human Factor Specialists, Statisticians, Research Psychologists at Consulting Firms and Government Agencies). Our program prepares students for both career trajectories, because we train students to become independent scholars with methodological and statistical expertise who can carry out research in a variety of settings and skillfully teach and persuasively communicate knowledge to diverse audiences.
Research
Our graduate students regularly publish research done in collaboration with their faculty and graduate student collaborators. These publications appear in top journals such as Child Development, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, and many more.
Application Requirements
M.S., Psychology
- Completed online application
- Official transcripts
- 2 letters of recommendation
- GRE test scores are not required
- If applicable, English language proficiency test scores - Review full policy here
Non-Degree, Psychology
A bachelor’s degree from an approved institution with an overall grade point average of at least 3.0. Applicants with undergraduate GPAs below 3.0 may be admitted with the approval of the department in which they wish to take courses.
Ph.D., Psychology
- Completed online application
- Official transcripts
- 2 letters of recommendation
- GRE general test scores are not required
- If applicable, English language proficiency test scores - Review full policy here
Financial Aid
- Teaching Assistantships – Includes Stipend and Tuition
- Research Assistantships - Includes Stipend and Tuition
- Fellowships (Department/College/University - Includes Stipend and Tuition
- Scholarships - Tuition Only
