Nine APA-accredited psychology doctoral programs in Georgia span five universities, offering research-focused PhD degrees in clinical, counseling, and school psychology alongside practice-focused PsyD degrees in clinical psychology. Most take five to seven years and include a year-long predoctoral internship. Many are designed to meet Georgia’s education requirements for psychologist licensure, though applicants should confirm current standards with the state board.
Psychology doctoral programs in Georgia span five universities, from Emory’s research-intensive clinical science model to Georgia Southern’s practitioner-scholar program built around rural mental health access. Programs are housed in psychology departments, colleges of education, and health professions schools, and each path leads to a different mix of research training and clinical practice. Before comparing individual programs, it helps to understand the core decision every applicant faces: PhD or PsyD.
PhD vs. PsyD: Which Doctoral Path Fits Your Goals?
Both degrees lead to psychologist licensure, and both require passing the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). The real difference is the training model, not the endpoint. Read more on deciding between a PsyD and a PhD in psychology, or see how PhD and PsyD paths work nationally for context beyond Georgia.
A PhD follows a scientist-practitioner or clinical-science model, weighted toward research and original dissertation work, and is more often funded through graduate assistantships. A PsyD follows a practitioner-scholar model, weighted toward clinical training and applied practice, and is more often tuition-funded. Georgia’s PhD programs are at Emory, Georgia State, and the University of Georgia. Its PsyD programs are located at Georgia Southern University and Mercer University.
Georgia Psychology Doctoral Programs at a Glance
Every program below is accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation. Select a school name to jump to its full program details.
| School | Degree | Focus | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emory University | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Atlanta, GA |
| Georgia Southern University | PsyD | Clinical Psychology | Statesboro, GA |
| Georgia State University | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Atlanta, GA |
| Georgia State University | PhD | Counseling Psychology | Atlanta, GA |
| Georgia State University | PhD | School Psychology | Atlanta, GA |
| Mercer University | PsyD | Clinical Psychology | Atlanta, GA |
| University of Georgia | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Athens, GA |
| University of Georgia | PhD | Counseling Psychology | Athens, GA |
| University of Georgia | PhD | School Psychology | Athens, GA |
Emory University
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Clinical Psychology
Emory’s Department of Psychology, in Druid Hills just outside downtown Atlanta, builds its Clinical Psychology PhD on a clinical science model, weighted toward assessment, etiology, diagnosis, treatment intervention, and psychopathology. Students work with a faculty research mentor throughout the program, complete a supervised clinical practicum through the Psychological Center or Atlanta-area mental health facilities, and take on a one-semester teaching associateship for an undergraduate course. Most students finish in five to six years.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation, Academy of Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS)
Location: Atlanta, GA. Program website.
Georgia Southern University
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology
Georgia Southern’s PsyD, based in Statesboro, trains practitioner-scholars with a deliberate focus on rural and underserved communities across the Southeast. The program requires a minimum of 112 credit hours, three years of practicum placements, a written and oral Clinical Qualifying Examination, a dissertation, and a 12-month, 2,000-hour predoctoral internship. Coursework builds sequentially, starting with foundational psychotherapy and assessment courses before moving into more advanced practice and consultation training.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation
Location: Statesboro, GA. Program website.
Georgia State University
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Clinical Psychology
Georgia State’s Clinical Psychology PhD follows a scientist-practitioner model, with hands-on training at the on-campus Psychology Training Clinic for Research, Therapy, and Assessment and the Regents Center for Learning Disorders. Students can pursue a dual-training track in Clinical-Neuropsychology and Behavioral Neuroscience or in Community-Clinical Psychology, with clinical placements serving multicultural children, adolescents, and adults across metro Atlanta.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Counseling Psychology
The Counseling Psychology PhD pairs coursework with a graduate research assistantship that offsets tuition costs, and classes sit near five APA-accredited predoctoral internship sites in downtown Atlanta. Students complete a practicum experience, a dissertation, and supervised teaching of undergraduate psychology courses on the way to a scientist-practitioner degree.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in School Psychology
The School Psychology PhD trains practitioners to apply psychology to school-based learning, emotional, and behavioral concerns, preparing graduates for roles in schools, clinics, hospitals, universities, and government agencies. The degree requires a minimum of 74 credit hours (68 for students entering directly from a bachelor’s degree), including a 2,000-hour predoctoral internship and a dissertation.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation (all three programs). The School Psychology PhD is also approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
Location: Atlanta, GA. Program websites: Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, School Psychology.
Mercer University
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology
Mercer’s PsyD, housed in the College of Health Professions on the Cecil B. Day Graduate and Professional Campus in Atlanta, follows a practitioner-scholar model with a health psychology emphasis, preparing graduates to work as part of integrated healthcare teams. The five-year program includes three years of practicum in the metro Atlanta area and a 2,000-hour predoctoral internship. Students can add a Master of Public Health alongside the PsyD.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation
Location: Atlanta, GA. Program website.
University of Georgia
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Clinical Psychology
Housed in the Department of Psychology within the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, UGA’s Clinical Psychology PhD follows a clinical science model, building research competence alongside applied clinical skill. Students train at the Institute for Behavioral Research, the Bioimaging Research Center, and the on-campus Psychology Clinic, and complete at least five years of on-campus study.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Counseling Psychology
UGA’s Counseling Psychology PhD sits in the Department of Counseling and Human Development Services within the Mary Frances Early College of Education. The program follows a scientist-practitioner model and prepares graduates as health service psychologists, with training tracks available in supervision, assessment, teaching, or clinical health. Applicants need a completed or in-progress master’s degree, and the program requires three years of on-campus study plus a one-year APA-accredited internship.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in School Psychology
The School Psychology PhD, also based in the College of Education, trains practitioners for work with school-aged children and adolescents across educational settings. The five-year program includes core educational psychology coursework, six clinical practicum placements, a master’s thesis, a dissertation, written and oral comprehensive examinations, and a 2,000-hour full-time internship.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation (all three programs). The School Psychology PhD is also approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
Location: Athens, GA. Program websites: Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, School Psychology.
Every program on this list requires in-person coursework and supervised clinical practicum hours. None currently offer a fully online path to the degree, since doctoral-level clinical training in Georgia depends on on-site placements. Whichever program you’re weighing, confirm current admissions cycles and requirements directly with the department before applying. If you’re set on a master’s instead of a doctorate, see Georgia’s master’s-level psychology programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many APA-accredited doctoral psychology programs are in Georgia?
Georgia has nine APA-accredited doctoral psychology programs across five universities: Emory University, Georgia Southern University, Georgia State University, Mercer University, and the University of Georgia. They span PhD degrees in clinical, counseling, and school psychology, along with PsyD degrees in clinical psychology.
Should I choose a PhD or a PsyD to become a psychologist in Georgia?
Both degrees lead to licensure eligibility and require passing the EPPP. Choose a PhD if you want a research-weighted, scientist-practitioner, or clinical-science training model, often funded through an assistantship. Choose a PsyD if you want a clinical-practice-weighted, practitioner-scholar model, which is more often tuition-funded.
Are there online doctoral psychology programs in Georgia?
No. Every APA-accredited doctoral psychology program in the state requires in-person coursework and clinical practicum hours, and none currently offer a fully online option.
What do I need to become a licensed psychologist in Georgia?
Georgia requires a doctoral degree from an APA-accredited program and supervised postdoctoral experience, plus passing scores on three exams: the national EPPP, Georgia’s own Jurisprudence Examination, and an oral examination before the Georgia State Board of Examiners of Psychologists. Specific hour requirements and exam details can shift, so confirm current standards with the psychologist licensing requirements by state before you apply.
Select your state below to find accredited psychology programs, application links, and licensing requirements for your jurisdiction.