APA-accredited psychology PhD programs in Colorado span clinical, counseling, and school psychology across six universities, with two additional PsyD tracks. Most take five to seven years and require a year-long predoctoral internship. Many are designed to meet Colorado’s DORA education requirements for psychologist licensure, though applicants should confirm current standards with the state board.
Colorado’s APA-accredited doctoral psychology programs span clinical, counseling, and school psychology and are taught at six universities from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs. If you’re new to the field, it helps to know what a clinical psychologist’s day-to-day work looks like before comparing PhD and PsyD tracks. Every applicant faces the same initial decision: whether a research-focused PhD or a practice-focused PsyD aligns with their career goals.
Choosing Between a PhD and a PsyD
Both degrees lead to licensure as a psychologist in Colorado and require passing the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). A PhD follows a scientist-practitioner or clinical-science model, weighted toward research, and is often funded through teaching or research assistantships.
A PsyD follows a practitioner-scholar model, weighted toward clinical training and direct patient care, and is more often funded through tuition. Neither path is inherently better. The right one depends on whether you’re drawn to research or to supervised clinical practice. For a full look at how the two credentials compare, see our guide to choosing between a PsyD and a PhD.
Colorado Psychology Doctoral Programs at a Glance
Every program listed below is accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation.
| School | Degree | Focus | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado State University | Clinical PhD | Clinical Psychology | Fort Collins, CO |
| University of Colorado Boulder | Clinical PhD | Clinical Psychology | Boulder, CO |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | Clinical PhD | Clinical Psychology (Geropsychology) | Colorado Springs, CO |
| University of Colorado Denver | Clinical PhD | Clinical Health Psychology | Denver, CO |
| University of Colorado Denver | School PsyD | School Psychology | Denver, CO |
| University of Denver | Clinical PhD | Clinical Psychology (Child Emphasis) | Denver, CO |
| University of Denver | Clinical PsyD | Clinical Psychology | Denver, CO |
| University of Denver | Counseling PhD | Counseling Psychology | Denver, CO |
| University of Denver | School PhD | School Psychology | Denver, CO |
| University of Northern Colorado | Counseling PhD | Counseling Psychology | Greeley, CO |
| University of Northern Colorado | School PhD | School Psychology | Greeley, CO |
Colorado State University
Colorado State University’s Department of Psychology, part of the College of Natural Sciences in Fort Collins, offers a PhD in Clinical Psychology built on a clinical-scientist training model.
PhD in Clinical Psychology
The program is based on the reciprocal integration of research and clinical practice, with each informing the other to advance clinical science. Students complete academic coursework, research training through coursework and faculty mentorship, and clinical training through practica, working toward becoming clinical scientists who can apply a range of clinical techniques.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation.
Location: Fort Collins, CO. Program website.
University of Colorado Boulder
The Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder houses a Clinical Psychology PhD program with continuous APA accreditation.
PhD in Clinical Psychology
The program trains clinical scientists to conduct and apply research to understand, assess, prevent, and treat emotional and behavioral problems. Students complete broad coursework across psychology and interdisciplinary training, working in the program’s own clinical and research facilities. CU Boulder doesn’t offer a terminal master’s degree, but most students earn an MA on the way to the PhD. The minimum time to completion is five years, though many students take longer.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation.
Location: Boulder, CO. Program website.
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
The Psychology Department at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs offers a Clinical Psychology PhD built on the scientist-practitioner model, with a curricular emphasis in geropsychology.
PhD in Clinical Psychology
The program trains students in mental health diagnosis, assessment, and intervention with older adults, alongside general clinical training. The program typically takes five years in residence, with a sixth year allocated to the required predoctoral training at an off-site mental health setting. Along the way, students complete 126 credit hours, a comprehensive examination, and a dissertation.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation.
Location: Colorado Springs, CO. Program website.
University of Colorado Denver
The University of Colorado Denver offers two APA-accredited doctoral programs, one in clinical psychology and one in school psychology.
PhD in Clinical Psychology (Clinical Health Psychology Emphasis)
Housed in the Department of Psychology on the Downtown Denver campus, with clinical training opportunities at the Anschutz Medical Campus, the program follows a scientist-practitioner model focused on the psychological factors in physical health and medical conditions. Students complete a master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation, pass a clinical competency examination, and complete a pre-doctoral program. The program typically takes five to six years.
PsyD in School Psychology
The 100-credit-hour program prepares culturally responsive school psychologists through a practitioner-scholar model and offers an optional bilingual Spanish-English concentration. See our FAQ on school psychologist education requirements for a broader look at the path. Graduates are eligible for school psychologist licensure through the Colorado Department of Education and psychologist licensure through the Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation. The National Association also approves the PsyD in School Psychology of School Psychologists.
Location: Denver, CO. Clinical PhD program website | School PsyD program website.
University of Denver
The University of Denver houses four APA-accredited doctoral psychology programs, split across its Department of Psychology, its Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP), and its Morgridge College of Education.
PhD in Clinical Psychology (Child Emphasis)
Based in the Department of Psychology, this program follows a clinical-science model focused on the causes, treatment, and prevention of psychopathology in children and adolescents. Students train in-house through the Center for Child and Family Psychology and the Developmental Neuropsychology Clinic, and complete clinical externships at local medical centers and community mental health centers.
PsyD in Clinical Psychology
Housed in GSPP, this was one of the first PsyD programs in the country and has held continuous APA accreditation for decades. The practitioner-scholar model emphasizes academic coursework alongside in-house and community-based clinical work, with specialty tracks available in areas such as health, forensic, and military psychology.
PhD in Counseling Psychology
Based in the Morgridge College of Education, the program develops insightful, self-reflective practitioners through coursework in counseling theory, research methods, career counseling, and individual and group counseling. Students gain supervised clinical experience through faculty-run research labs and the on-campus Counseling and Educational Services Clinic.
PhD in School Psychology
Also based in the Morgridge College of Education, the program follows a scientist-practitioner model with a hands-on, graduated approach to field placements, and awards a Master of Arts along the way to the doctorate. Coursework covers developmental, psychological, and learning theories, as well as legal, ethical, and professional standards of practice.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation. The National Association also approves the PhD in School Psychology of School Psychologists.
Location: Denver, CO. Clinical PhD (Child Emphasis) program website | Clinical PsyD program website | Counseling PhD program website | School PhD program website.
University of Northern Colorado
UNC’s College of Education and Behavioral Sciences in Greeley offers two APA-accredited doctoral programs, both built on the scientist-practitioner model.
PhD in Counseling Psychology
The program prepares psychologists for private practice, mental health centers, healthcare facilities, and academic settings. Students complete rigorous research methodology coursework and a doctoral dissertation, and gain supervised experience administering psychological assessments, including the MMPI-2, Wechsler, and Rorschach.
PhD in School Psychology
The program prepares school psychologists to assess the intellectual, emotional, physical, and social development of children and to design academic interventions. Students complete 130 credits, including a minimum of 1,500 hours of school psychology internship and 16 semester hours of dissertation research, and earn a Foundations of Professional Psychology MA on the way to the PhD.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation. The National Association also approves the PhD in School Psychology of School Psychologists.
Location: Greeley, CO. Counseling PhD program website | School PhD program website.
Program details, admission requirements, and application deadlines change from year to year. Confirm current information directly with each school, and check APA’s accreditation database for the most up-to-date status before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to earn a PhD or PsyD in psychology in Colorado?
Most Colorado programs take five to seven years after a bachelor’s degree, including a year-long predoctoral program. Some programs award a master’s degree along the way, while others require you to hold one before you apply.
Does APA accreditation cover master’s programs in psychology?
Mostly no. The APA Commission on Accreditation primarily accredits doctoral programs, as well as predoctoral and postdoctoral residencies, in clinical, counseling, and school psychology. APA CoA now accredits a small number of master’s programs in health service psychology as well, but this article focuses on the APA-accredited doctoral programs available in Colorado.
What exam do psychologists need to pass to get licensed in Colorado?
Colorado requires two exams: the national Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) and the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination, both administered through the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). Many APA-accredited doctoral programs are designed to meet Colorado’s licensure requirements, though applicants should confirm the current standards directly with the state board. Licensure rules vary by state, so if you’re weighing options beyond Colorado, see our state-by-state breakdown of psychologist licensing rules.
Should I choose a PhD or a PsyD?
It depends on your career goals. A PhD suits students interested in research, academia, or a scientist-practitioner career. A PsyD suits students focused primarily on clinical practice and direct patient care. Both lead to licensure as a psychologist in Colorado.
Are there online APA-accredited doctoral psychology programs in Colorado?
No fully online APA-accredited doctoral programs currently exist in Colorado. All six programs listed above require substantial in-person components, including clinical practica, supervision, and dissertation defenses.
Select your state below to find accredited psychology programs, application links, and licensing requirements for your jurisdiction.