UC Berkeley offers graduate psychology programs through its Department of Psychology (PhD) and Graduate School of Education, which includes an MA and PhD in Cognition and Development with tracks in school psychology. The university holds institutional accreditation from WSCUC and is the flagship campus of the University of California system, located in Berkeley, California.
UC Berkeley is the flagship campus of the University of California system, founded in 1868 in Berkeley, California. The university enrolls more than 46,000 students across 15 colleges and schools, including dedicated schools for education, business, law, and public policy.
UC Berkeley Accreditation Details
UC Berkeley holds regional institutional accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), which serves senior colleges and universities in the western United States. The university has maintained continuous accreditation since 1949 and undergoes periodic peer review to retain it.
At the program level, the American Psychological Association (APA) accredits doctoral programs in professional psychology. Check the APA Commission on Accreditation’s directory for the current accreditation status of UC Berkeley’s doctoral programs before applying.
Application Requirements
UC Berkeley requires a bachelor’s degree and a minimum GPA of 3.0 for graduate admission, though most admitted applicants exceed that threshold by a significant margin. Three letters of recommendation are required from professors, research supervisors, or others who can speak to the applicant’s academic or professional work. Unofficial transcripts are accepted at the application stage. Official transcripts are only required after an offer of admission is extended. The GRE is not required for the Psychology PhD program.
Individual graduate programs set their own additional requirements. Review each program’s admissions page on the Berkeley website for current prerequisites, statement prompts, and any required supplemental materials.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition at UC Berkeley varies by California residency status. California residents pay the standard fees. Students from outside California pay a nonresident supplemental tuition surcharge on top of those fees. Tuition rates change annually. Verify current figures on the UC Berkeley graduate fees page before applying.
Graduate students can apply for federal financial aid through the FAFSA, which determines eligibility for loans and grants. Doctoral students in research programs are often funded through teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or fellowship awards, which typically cover tuition and provide a stipend.
Psychology Programs at UC Berkeley
Berkeley offers graduate-level psychology training through two separate academic units: the Department of Psychology and the Graduate School of Education.
PhD in Psychology
The Department of Psychology offers a research-intensive doctoral program across six areas: Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, Clinical Science, Cognition, Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental, and Social-Personality Psychology. The program does not award a terminal master’s degree. Admission is highly competitive. The 2025 entering class had an overall admission rate of approximately 2.4%, with Clinical Science the most competitive area at roughly 1.1%. Students interested in comparing doctoral psychology programs in California can browse Berkeley alongside other options.
Cognition and Development (MA and PhD)
The Graduate School of Education’s Cognition and Development program offers both a master’s and a doctoral degree. Students can concentrate in human development and education, mathematics and science education, or school psychology. The school psychology track prepares graduates to work with students across a range of developmental and learning needs.
Faculty members advise students on thesis and dissertation projects. The joint MA/PhD option lets students complete both degrees within a single continuous program of study. Students comparing master’s-level options can also explore master’s programs in psychology in California.
Compare accredited psychology programs by state, degree level, and concentration. Application links and tuition data included.