Department of Psychology

The Psychology Department at the University of Kansas

Our mission is to further our understanding of behavior and the physiological, cognitive, and social processes associated with behavior. Psychology is also the profession that applies the science of behavior to practical problems, such as clinical, psychological disorders. This mission includes the discovery and dissemination of principles pertaining to both individual and group psychological functioning and its development. In addition to doing this critical research, we expend great effort in training students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels so that these students will be well equipped with the knowledge and methods that will place them at the forefront of progress across a broad range of the psychological disciplines.

Psychology Undergraduate Program

Students have many reasons for wanting to major in psychology. Some are simply fond of observing the behavior of others around them, fascinated with the results of their observations and curious to learn why people behave as they do. Some plan to become psychologists themselves or to enter one of the many professions where a background in psychology can be useful -- such as, business, teaching, medicine, nursing, law, social work, the ministry, counseling, student services, child development, administration, or human resources.

Psychology Graduate Program

We offer a single doctoral degree which may be earned in one of the following programs: brain, behavior, and quantitative science, clinical psychology, or social psychology. Students admitted to one of these programs enter with the expectation of continuing graduate study through the Ph.D. as the department does not admit terminal master's students.

A separate clinical child psychology training program has been developed for doctoral students in an interdepartmental program with the Department of Applied Behavioral Science. For more information regarding the clinical child psychology program, please visit their website.