Psychology doctoral programs in Louisiana consist of four APA-accredited PhD tracks in clinical, school, and counseling psychology, offered through Louisiana State University, Louisiana Tech University, and Tulane University. Most run five to seven years and include a full-time clinical internship. Graduates pursue licensure through the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, which requires the EPPP along with supervised practice hours.
Louisiana’s psychology doctoral landscape runs through three universities, each holding accreditation from the American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation for training in clinical, school, or counseling psychology. All three sit in communities shaped by Louisiana’s distinct Creole and Cajun culture and its documented shortage of licensed mental health providers, giving doctoral students plenty of hands-on clinical experience along the way. Before comparing programs, it helps to know how the two doctoral tracks differ, since that choice shapes which programs even belong on your list.
PhD vs. PsyD: Which Track Fits Your Goals?
Both the PhD and PsyD lead to eligibility for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), the national licensing exam recognized by every state board. The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) follows a scientist-practitioner or clinical-science model, with heavier emphasis on original research and a dissertation. PhD students are also more often funded through research or teaching assistantships that offset tuition.
The Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) follows a practitioner-scholar model weighted toward clinical training and applied coursework rather than a dissertation-length research project. Psychology students more often pay tuition directly instead of through assistantship funding. Every actively enrolling psychology doctoral program in Louisiana today is a PhD program. For a full breakdown of admissions, coursework, and career paths for each track, see this guide on how PhD and PsyD tracks differ.
Louisiana Psychology Doctoral Programs at a Glance
These four psychology doctoral programs in Louisiana are all accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation, according to the APA’s official list of accredited programs dated October 18, 2025. Select a school name to jump to its admissions and training details.
| School | Degree | Focus | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana State University | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Baton Rouge, LA |
| Louisiana State University | PhD | School Psychology | Baton Rouge, LA |
| Louisiana Tech University | PhD | Counseling Psychology | Ruston, LA |
| Tulane University | PhD | School Psychology | New Orleans, LA |
Louisiana State University
LSU’s Department of Psychology sits on the university’s Baton Rouge campus along the Mississippi River and offers two APA-accredited doctoral tracks: Clinical Psychology and School Psychology.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Clinical Psychology
Built on the Boulder scientist-practitioner model, this program trains clinical scientists who can evaluate research from a scientist’s perspective and apply it directly to clinical practice. Students complete a master’s thesis on the way to the degree, then a doctoral dissertation and a full-time, one-year clinical internship before graduating.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation.
Baton Rouge, LA. Program website.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in School Psychology
This program takes a behavioral and ecological approach, training school psychologists to work as agents of change for kids within their families, schools, and communities. It’s also one of the few school psychology doctorates with a course sequence approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board for students pursuing behavior-analyst certification alongside their degree.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).
Baton Rouge, LA. Program website.
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech’s Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences is located on the university’s Ruston campus and offers an APA-accredited PhD in Counseling Psychology grounded in the scientist-practitioner model.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Counseling Psychology
This 118-credit-hour program trains culturally competent psychologists equipped to serve diverse and underserved communities, a priority given Louisiana’s shortage of rural mental health providers. It’s one of the few hybrid doctoral programs in the field: coursework runs online while practicum placements, assistantships, and the required dissertation happen in person. The workload is so intensive that outside employment isn’t feasible during the program.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation.
Ruston, LA. Program website.
Tulane University
Tulane’s Department of Psychology sits a few miles from the French Quarter in New Orleans and offers an APA-accredited PhD in School Psychology grounded in an ecological training model.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in School Psychology
This four-year program prepares school psychologists to account for the biological, social, economic, and cultural factors that shape child development, with training across diverse urban and rural school communities. Students can pursue a subspecialization in trauma-focused practice, aimed at children coping with the emotional and behavioral effects of trauma exposure.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation.
New Orleans, LA. Program website.
Louisiana’s need for licensed mental health providers isn’t going away. Projections Central estimates employment of clinical and counseling psychologists in Louisiana will increase from 370 positions in 2022 to 410 positions in 2032, a 10.8% increase, with about 20 average annual openings statewide. For most applicants, the deciding factor among these four programs comes down to which specialty area and training model best fit the career they’re picturing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many psychology doctoral programs does Louisiana have?
Louisiana has four APA-accredited psychology doctoral programs, all PhDs, spread across three universities: Louisiana State University (Clinical Psychology and School Psychology), Louisiana Tech University (Counseling Psychology), and Tulane University (School Psychology).
Does Louisiana have a PsyD program?
Not currently. The Chicago School’s Clinical PsyD program in New Orleans is listed by the APA Commission on Accreditation as Accredited, Inactive, meaning it is not currently admitting students. Every doctoral psychology program actively enrolling students in Louisiana today is a PhD program. Applicants set on a PsyD often look at neighboring states or fully online APA-accredited options instead.
Do these programs qualify graduates for licensure as psychologists in Louisiana?
Graduating from an APA-accredited doctoral program is one piece of the puzzle. Candidates also need supervised practice hours and a passing score on the EPPP before applying to the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists. Requirements can shift, so confirm current standards directly with the board or review this overview of how psychologist licensing requirements work by state.
What are the job prospects for psychologists in Louisiana?
The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) reports a median annual wage of $71,330 for clinical and counseling psychologists in Louisiana (May 2025). Projections Central estimates the occupation will grow from 370 positions in 2022 to 410 positions in 2032, a 10.8% increase, with about 20 average annual openings.
Are any of these programs available fully online?
No. Louisiana Tech’s Counseling Psychology PhD runs coursework online but still requires in-person practicum and assistantship work, and every program on this list requires in-person supervised clinical training regardless of format. A fully remote doctoral program in psychology isn’t available in Louisiana right now.
Select your state below to find accredited psychology programs, application links, and licensing requirements for your jurisdiction.
2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary data and Projections Central 2022-2032 job growth forecasts for Psychologists (including Clinical & Counseling, Industrial-Organizational, and School Psychologists) and Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors, reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed June 2026.