The University of Florida offers an on-campus BS in Psychology and an online-only BA through UF Online, both through its Department of Psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. UF hosts three separate PhD programs in psychology across three colleges, all three APA-accredited. The university is accredited by SACSCOC and located in Gainesville, FL.
Founded in 1853 and a member of the Association of American Universities, the University of Florida is one of the nation’s preeminent public research institutions. The Department of Psychology operates on a faculty-mentorship model, pairing doctoral students with individual researchers from the first semester of enrollment. Psychology programs at UF are spread across three colleges, each with its own admission process and program focus. Students comparing options can also browse doctoral psychology programs at other Florida schools.
Accreditation Details
The University of Florida is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Three psychology doctoral programs at UF hold APA accreditation. The PhD in Counseling Psychology is accredited through the Department of Psychology (CLAS). The PhD in Clinical Psychology, housed in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology in the College of Public Health and Health Professions, has been continuously APA-accredited since 1953. The PhD in School Psychology through the College of Education is also APA-accredited and approved as a Nationally Recognized Program by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). The Behavior Analysis doctoral training program is approved by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB).
Application Requirements
The Department of Psychology (CLAS) does not require GRE scores for domestic PhD applicants. Applications are due by December 1 for fall entry. Recent entering graduate classes have averaged a 3.8 GPA. Applicants submit a resume or CV, three letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose identifying a preferred faculty mentor. The program runs on a mentor-match model, so fit with a specific researcher matters as much as raw credentials.
The Department of Clinical and Health Psychology operates its own separate admissions process through the College of Public Health and Health Professions. Check its program page for current deadlines and requirements. The School Psychology PhD in the College of Education interviews candidates in late January for fall enrollment.
Undergraduate applicants to the psychology major apply through UF’s standard admissions process. The BA and BS programs share the same core coursework. The BS requires additional credits in mathematics, statistics, and biological science.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For the 2024–25 academic year, graduate tuition at UF runs approximately $449 per credit hour for Florida residents and $1,139 per credit hour for out-of-state students. PhD students admitted to the Department of Psychology (CLAS) receive a nine-month teaching or research assistantship with a stipend and full tuition waiver, renewed annually for up to five years for students in good standing. Multi-year fellowships are available through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the university, and the NIH.
Undergraduate tuition for Florida residents is $6,381 per year. Students can apply for federal financial aid through FAFSA, and UF’s Office of Student Financial Aid coordinates additional scholarship and grant opportunities.
Psychology Programs at the University of Florida
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
The BS in Psychology is the on-campus degree offered through the Department of Psychology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Students choose one of three specializations: Integrative Psychology, Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, or Behavior Analysis. Each requires coursework in psychology, statistics, mathematics, and biology. Students interested in graduate school are encouraged to pursue research experience through the department’s individual work courses.
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
The BA in Psychology is available exclusively through UF Online, with no on-campus requirement other than graduation. It covers the same four core curriculum areas as the residential BS and is structured around the Integrative Psychology specialization. Students who are already working, transferring, or prefer a fully online path often find this the more practical option among UF’s psychology offerings.
PhD in Psychology and PhD in Counseling Psychology (Department of Psychology, CLAS)
The Department of Psychology offers two separate 90-credit doctoral programs. The PhD in Psychology covers four specialization areas: Behavior Analysis, Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Psychology, and Social Psychology. The PhD in Counseling Psychology is a separate program with its own APA accreditation. Students curious about what counseling psychology as a specialty entails can review our overview before applying. Both programs admit through the same mentorship model. Applicants identify a preferred faculty mentor in their statement of purpose, and matching with a specific researcher is the most important factor in the admissions decision. Neither program leads to a terminal master’s degree. An MS is awarded along the doctoral track for students who reach that milestone. No online graduate option is available in either program. For current faculty profiles and program details, visit UF’s Department of Psychology graduate program page.
PhD in Clinical Psychology (Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, PHHP)
UF’s Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, housed in the College of Public Health and Health Professions, offers a PhD in Clinical Psychology accredited by the APA-CoA continuously since 1953. The program follows the scientist-practitioner model and includes organized concentrations in Clinical Health Psychology, Clinical Child/Pediatric Psychology, Neuropsychology, Neurorehabilitation and Clinical Neuroscience, and Cognitive and Emotion Neuroscience. This is a separate department with its own admissions process. Prospective students apply directly to the College of Public Health and Health Professions.
PhD in School Psychology (College of Education)
The School Psychology Program in the College of Education offers an on-campus PhD requiring 120 graduate credit hours, including a year-long predoctoral internship and early research experience. The program is APA-accredited and approved as a Nationally Recognized Program by NASP. Students complete a minimum of 1,500 internship hours in K–12 schools, clinics, and hospital settings across Florida and nationally. Applications for fall entry interview in late January. This program is housed in a separate department from the main Department of Psychology.
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