If you’re comparing psychology doctoral programs in New York, the state has 22 institutions offering APA-accredited PhD and PsyD programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology. Fordham and NYU also run separate non-APA research PhDs alongside their accredited tracks. Most accredited programs run five to seven years, including a year-long clinical internship.
New York’s psychology doctoral landscape includes 22 institutions offering APA-accredited programs, clustered in two very different environments: dense, clinically rich New York City campuses like Fordham, Yeshiva, and NYU, and research-heavy SUNY and upstate campuses in Buffalo, Albany, Binghamton, and Rochester. Both settings can lead to the same doctoral credential, but a couple of schools also run separate non-accredited research tracks worth knowing apart from their accredited programs. Before comparing individual schools, it helps to settle the one decision every applicant faces first: PhD or PsyD.
PhD or PsyD in Psychology: Which Should You Choose?
Both degrees lead to licensure and require passing the EPPP, but they’re built for different students. A PhD follows the scientist-practitioner or clinical-science model. It’s research-weighted, usually funded through teaching or research assistantships, and fits students who want an academic career alongside clinical work. A PsyD follows the practitioner-scholar model. It’s weighted toward clinical training over original research and is more often funded by students than by the program. Either path involves meeting the same broad doctorate in psychology requirements: extensive research training alongside the theoretical and applied coursework New York requires for licensure.
If you’re still working through how a PhD and PsyD in psychology actually differ, that decision should come before you start comparing individual New York schools, since it narrows the list fast. Several programs below offer only one of the two.
Psychology Doctoral Programs in New York at a Glance
Every school below has at least one program accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation. Fordham and NYU also run separate non-APA research PhDs alongside their accredited programs, noted in their table rows. Click a school name to jump to its full listing.
| School | Degree | Focus | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelphi University | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Garden City, NY |
| Alfred University | PsyD | School Psychology | Alfred, NY |
| Binghamton University (SUNY) | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Binghamton, NY |
| The City College of New York (CUNY) | PhD | Clinical Psychology | New York, NY |
| Fordham University | PhD | Clinical Psychology (APA); non-APA research tracks are also offered | Bronx, NY |
| The Graduate Center, CUNY | PhD | Clinical Psychology (Neuropsychology) | New York, NY |
| Hofstra University | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Hempstead, NY |
| John Jay College & The Graduate Center, CUNY | PhD | Clinical Psychology (Forensic) | New York, NY |
| Long Island University, Brooklyn | PhD | Psychology | Brooklyn, NY |
| Long Island University, C.W. Post | PsyD | Clinical Psychology | Brookville, NY |
| The New School | PhD | Clinical & Social Psychology | New York, NY |
| New York University | PhD | Clinical/Counseling (APA); non-APA research tracks are also offered | New York, NY |
| Pace University | PsyD & PhD | School-Clinical Child Psychology; Clinical Psychology | New York, NY |
| Roberts Wesleyan University | PsyD | School/Clinical Psychology | Rochester, NY |
| St. John’s University | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Queens, NY |
| Stony Brook University (SUNY) | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Stony Brook, NY |
| Syracuse University | PhD | Clinical & School Psychology | Syracuse, NY |
| Teachers College, Columbia University | PhD | Clinical, Counseling & School Psychology | New York, NY |
| University at Albany (SUNY) | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Albany, NY |
| University at Buffalo (SUNY) | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Buffalo, NY |
| University of Rochester | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Rochester, NY |
| Yeshiva University | PhD & PsyD | Clinical & School Psychology | New York, NY |
Adelphi University
Adelphi’s Gordon F. Derner Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies opened in 1972 as one of the first university-based psychology schools in the country. Its doctoral program in clinical psychology starts students in diagnostic testing labs during year one, moves into an eight-hour externship in year two, and builds to a 16-hour externship by year three before students apply for a fifth-year internship.
Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology
Coursework combines core psychology classes, clinical theory, and supervised clinical practice, with an ongoing case conference running from the second year through graduation.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation, Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Programs are also registered by the New York State Education Department (NYSED).
Location: Garden City, NY. Program website
Alfred University
Alfred’s College of Professional Studies offers a practitioner-scientist PsyD in School Psychology, a three-year program plus a full-time doctoral internship year. Students earn a master’s degree after their first two years, then complete a dissertation before finishing.
PsyD in School Psychology
Graduates are eligible to apply for licensure as both psychologists and school psychologists at the state and national levels. Applicants need a bachelor’s degree or higher in a psychology-related area; students transferring in with an existing school psychology master’s from another university should contact the program directly.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation, Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Location: Alfred, NY. Program website
Binghamton University (SUNY)
Binghamton’s Clinical Psychology PhD trains students as “junior colleagues” alongside faculty, combining coursework, research training, and clinical skill-building. Students present at conferences, publish research, and take on manuscript review and grant-writing as part of their training.
Clinical Psychology, PhD
Admission requires a bachelor’s degree, a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0, three letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and GRE scores.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation, Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Location: Binghamton, NY. Program website
The City College of New York (CUNY)
CCNY’s Department of Psychology trains students through fieldwork, independent study, and coursework spanning social, cultural, and clinical influences on behavior, with support from the school’s Psychology Advisement Support System.
PhD in Clinical Psychology
The program prepares students for research, teaching, and clinical practice, with faculty and labs spread across CUNY’s Graduate Center campuses.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation. Programs are also registered by the New York State Education Department (NYSED).
Location: New York, NY. Program website
Fordham University
Fordham’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences runs three doctoral psychology tracks. The Clinical Psychology PhD admits students to the department rather than a specific faculty lab, giving room to change research direction during the program. The Applied Developmental Psychology PhD has drawn national recognition for its research and its role in shaping graduate education standards in the field. The Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology PhD trains students in statistical and psychometric methods for research, teaching, and consulting careers.
PhD in Clinical Psychology
More than 50 years of clinical training experience, a diverse faculty, and the flexibility to work across labs during the dissertation phase.
PhD in Applied Developmental Psychology
Focuses on cognitive and social development as shaped by family, school, and neighborhood, combining lab and applied research settings.
PhD in Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology
A research-oriented track that requires a general psychology background and prepares graduates for academic and industry statistics and consulting roles.
Accreditation: Of Fordham’s three doctoral tracks, only the Clinical Psychology PhD is accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation. The Applied Developmental Psychology and Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology PhDs are non-APA research programs, similar to NYU’s research tracks below. Fordham is also institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Location: Bronx, NY. Program website
The Graduate Center, CUNY
The Graduate Center’s Clinical Psychology program, based at Queens College, focuses on brain-behavior relationships alongside standard clinical training. Students complete at least three years of supervised clinical externships, starting at the program’s own Queens College Psychological Center, plus a master’s thesis, a one-year full-time internship, and a dissertation.
Clinical Psychology, PhD
The program endorses the Houston Conference training model for its neuropsychology specialization. It requires students to pass the first and second doctoral exams, plus the Clinical Competency Exam, before applying for an internship.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation
Location: New York, NY. Program website
Hofstra University
Hofstra’s Clinical Psychology PhD builds a research foundation in psychopathology through lectures, readings, and role-play training, as well as supervised practicum work in the school’s Psychological Evaluation, Research, and Counseling clinic.
PhD in Clinical Psychology
All students complete a year-long research design course and an original research project, many of which are presented at national conferences.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation, Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Location: Hempstead, NY. Program website
John Jay College of Criminal Justice & The Graduate Center, CUNY
John Jay’s Clinical Psychology PhD, run jointly with the CUNY Graduate Center, follows the scientist-practitioner model with a required specialty in clinical forensic applications, reflecting John Jay’s criminal justice focus. The program trains students for clinical work that crosscuts with forensic settings, including hospitals, jails, and mental health centers.
Clinical Psychology, PhD
Requires a minimum of 90 credits, a dissertation, and a one-year clinical internship. The program was re-accredited by the APA for a full 10-year term in 2025.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation
Location: New York, NY. Program website
Long Island University, Brooklyn
LIU Brooklyn’s PhD in Psychology, housed in the Richard L. Conolly College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, leans on psychodynamic approaches while integrating multiple theoretical perspectives. Students complete 90 graduate credits, three years of practicum training, an independent research project, and a full-time 12-month clinical internship.
PhD in Psychology
Admission requires a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, a 3.2 GPA, and at least 15 psychology credits. The program has historically required GRE general scores as well; check directly with LIU Brooklyn for current testing requirements, since GRE policies at psychology programs nationwide have shifted in recent years.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation. Programs are also registered by the New York State Education Department (NYSED).
Location: Brooklyn, NY. Program website
Long Island University, C.W. Post
LIU Post’s Doctor of Psychology program trains clinical psychologists to work with underserved populations, and students can choose a concentration in Applied Child, Family Violence, or Serious Mental Illness. The five-year, full-time program moves from classroom training and externships in year one to supervised work in LIU Post’s own Psychological Services Center in year two, then closely supervised externships across the New York-New Jersey area in years three and four.
Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)
Applicants need a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a competitive GPA, at least 18 psychology credit hours including statistics and research methods, and a competitive GRE score.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation (currently on probation) and Middle States Commission on Higher Education (institutionally accredited). Applicants should ask the program directly about the probation status and its expected resolution timeline before enrolling.
Location: Brookville, NY. Program website
The New School
The New School for Social Research’s psychology PhD encourages research into the political, social, and cultural forces that shape behavior. Students choose between the Cognitive, Social, and Developmental Psychology track or the Clinical Psychology PhD, with an interdisciplinary structure connecting the two.
PhD in Clinical Psychology
Applicants must submit GRE scores as part of the admission process.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation, Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Location: New York, NY. Program website
New York University
NYU’s APA-accredited doctoral program is the Clinical/Counseling Psychology PhD, housed in the Department of Applied Psychology at the Steinhardt School. Separately, NYU’s Arts & Science psychology department runs two additional research PhDs, Cognition and Perception and Social Psychology, that the APA does not accredit. Those two prepare students for academic and research careers rather than direct clinical licensure. NYU does not offer a PsyD.
Clinical/Counseling Psychology, PhD
A scientist-practitioner program requiring 69 to 72 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree, with 18 prior psychology credits, including statistics as a prerequisite. The program does not consider GRE scores even if submitted. Training culminates in a dissertation and a year-long, full-time clinical internship, and graduates are eligible to sit for New York’s psychology licensing exam.
PhD in Cognition & Perception (non-APA research track)
Students work closely with other departments to study mental processes tied to perception and cognition.
PhD in Social Psychology (non-APA research track)
Students work primarily with one faculty mentor but are also required to work in at least one other lab to build breadth of training.
Accreditation: The Clinical/Counseling Psychology PhD is accredited by the American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation. The PhDs in Cognition & Perception and Social Psychology are not APA-accredited; all three are institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Location: New York, NY. Program website (Clinical/Counseling) · Program website (Cognition & Perception, Social Psychology)
Pace University
Pace’s Dyson College of Arts and Sciences offers two doctoral programs in psychology. The combined School-Clinical Child Psychology PsyD and M.Ed. pairs general psychology practice training with a school psychology specialization, with supervised counseling placements through private and public schools in the New York City area. A newer Clinical Psychology (Health Care Emphasis) PhD, which admitted its first cohort in 2019, is a 101-credit, five-year program built on the Boulder scientist-practitioner model with a focus on health service delivery.
School-Clinical Child Psychology, PsyD
New York licensure for general psychology practice requires completing an APA-accredited doctoral program, supervised professional experience, and passing the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). This combined degree is designed to meet New York’s educational requirements for licensure and is registered by the New York State Education Department (NYSED).
Clinical Psychology (Health Care Emphasis), PhD
The GRE is optional for admission. The program received accreditation on contingency from the APA in January 2025.
Accreditation: Both programs are accredited by the American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation (the Clinical PhD on contingency as of 2025). Pace is also institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Location: New York, NY. Program website (PsyD) · Program website (PhD)
Roberts Wesleyan University
Roberts Wesleyan’s Doctorate in School/Clinical Psychology PsyD uses a combined-integrated model, blending clinical and school psychology training throughout the curriculum with practicum experience in both settings. The program runs four years of residency followed by a one-year internship, and every admitted student receives a $30,000 program scholarship.
School/Clinical Psychology, PsyD
Students can choose after year three to finish in clinical settings only and forgo school psychology certification. The GRE general test is required for admission.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation (through November 2033), National Association of School Psychologists (through August 2030), Middle States Commission on Higher Education institutionally.
Location: Rochester, NY. Program website
St. John’s University
St. John’s Clinical Psychology PhD builds a broad core curriculum covering assessment, diagnosis, and treatment across settings that range from hospitals and public service to private practice and school-based work. Students can concentrate more heavily in clinical psychology through coursework in early intervention and treatment, including the overlap between psychiatry and psychology, while staying within the same degree program.
Clinical Psychology, PhD
Coursework combines professional experience, scholarly research, and classroom instruction to prepare graduates to pursue New York licensure through NYSED and the EPPP.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation, Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Location: Queens, NY. Program website
Stony Brook University (SUNY)
As part of the SUNY system, Stony Brook offers in-state residents doctoral training at public tuition rates. The Clinical Psychology PhD covers a broad range of general topics, with students working across age groups, demographic groups, and socioeconomic levels through on-campus labs, off-campus affiliations, and supervised clinical experience. As of the most recent APA accreditation cycle, the program’s status is listed as accredited-inactive, meaning it is not currently admitting new trainees. Prospective applicants should confirm their current admission status directly with the program before applying.
Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology
Prepares students for intervention, diagnosis, and treatment across a wide range of post-graduation settings.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation, currently accredited-inactive (not admitting new trainees). Also institutionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Location: Stony Brook, NY. Program website
Syracuse University
Syracuse’s Department of Psychology runs two doctoral tracks. The School Psychology PhD focuses on developmental research and school-based intervention, including bullying prevention and post-crisis response, paired with supervised school psychology experience. The Clinical Psychology PhD trains students to deliver clinical services across varied populations and settings, combined with off-campus supervised experience and on-campus research or teaching roles.
School Psychology, PhD
Combines developmental coursework, supervised school-based experience, and on-campus research.
Clinical Psychology, PhD
Requires off-campus supervised clinical experience alongside a research assistantship, teaching assistantship, or fellowship.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation, Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Location: Syracuse, NY. Program website
Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College’s Counseling and Clinical Psychology Department runs three doctoral tracks. The Clinical Psychology PhD focuses on diagnosis and treatment across settings shaped by geographic and economic factors, with at least one supervised off-campus clinical placement. In contrast, the Psychology PhD program emphasizes self-actualization over diagnosis and includes an internship. The School Psychology PhD, built through partnerships with New York-area schools, prepares students to address bullying, abuse, and developmental issues affecting K-12 students, capped by a supervised school placement and internship.
Clinical Psychology, PhD
Students typically pursue an on-campus research or teaching assistantship alongside their clinical placement.
Counseling Psychology, PhD
Includes a counseling internship in addition to core clinical coursework.
School Psychology, PhD
Concludes with a supervised counseling observation and internship at a partnered school.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation, Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Location: New York, NY. Program website
University at Albany (SUNY)
Albany’s Clinical Psychology PhD trains students in early detection and treatment of both mild and serious disorders, with the school’s autism center adding coursework in early autism detection, treatment options, and family communication.
Clinical Psychology, PhD
Many faculty maintain their own labs, giving doctoral students direct research involvement alongside coursework.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation, Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Location: Albany, NY. Program website
University at Buffalo (SUNY)
Buffalo’s Department of Psychology runs a Clinical Psychology PhD alongside a combined counseling and school psychology track. Both prepare graduates to sit for New York’s psychology licensing exam pathway through NYSED and the EPPP.
Clinical Psychology, PhD
Students train extensively in DSM-5 diagnosis and complete at least one supervised clinical placement, alongside a research assistantship or teaching role.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation, Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Location: Buffalo, NY. Program website
University of Rochester
Rochester’s Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology offers a Clinical Psychology PhD program focused on early intervention, referral, and treatment of both common and rare psychological disorders. Most doctoral students work as research assistants in the department’s on-campus labs.
PhD in Clinical Psychology
Combines a supervised internship with on-campus research, building toward post-graduation eligibility for licensure.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation, Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Location: Rochester, NY. Program website
Yeshiva University
Yeshiva’s Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology runs three doctoral tracks. The Clinical Psychology PhD with a Health Emphasis examines the link between physical disease and psychological disorder alongside standard clinical training. The Clinical Psychology PsyD is a 114-hour program built around general psychological health and treatment, with a full-time internship in the final year. The Clinical and School Psychology PsyD combines both specializations and focuses on identifying developmental and behavioral issues in academic settings.
Clinical Psychology (Health Emphasis), PhD
Requires a full-time internship and numerous observed clinical experiences.
Clinical Psychology, PsyD
Students move from on-campus research early in the program into part-time internships and, in year five, a full-time internship.
Clinical and School Psychology, PsyD
Supervised experiences typically take place in school or academic settings during the final year.
Accreditation: American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation, Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Location: New York, NY. Program website
Twenty-two schools offering APA-accredited programs in an area lot to sort through. Still, the PhD-versus-PsyD decision and a look at each program’s accreditation and focus area should quickly narrow the list. From there, a doctorate in psychology can lead to a wide range of well-paying psychology careers, from government research and academia to clinical roles and launching a private practice, well beyond the therapy-office image most people start with.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many psychology doctoral programs does New York have?
New York has 22 institutions offering APA-accredited psychology doctoral programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology, spanning both PhD and PsyD degrees. Fordham and NYU also each run a separate non-APA research PhD track alongside their accredited programs. Schools are split between New York City institutions and SUNY and private campuses upstate.
Does NYU have a PsyD program?
No. NYU doesn’t offer a PsyD. It does have an APA-accredited Clinical/Counseling Psychology PhD through its Steinhardt School, which is the licensure-track program. Separately, NYU’s psychology department also runs two non-APA research PhDs, Cognition and Perception and Social Psychology, which are academic tracks rather than clinical training. If you want a PsyD specifically, Yeshiva University, LIU Post, Alfred University, Pace University, and Roberts Wesleyan University all offer one in New York.
What’s the difference between a PhD and a PsyD in psychology?
A PhD is research-weighted and follows the scientist-practitioner model, while a PsyD is clinically weighted and follows the practitioner-scholar model. Both lead to licensure and require passing the EPPP. See our full PsyD vs PhD breakdown for the details that matter most for career planning.
What do I need to become a licensed psychologist in New York?
New York licensure generally requires a doctoral degree from an APA-accredited program that meets New York State Education Department education requirements, supervised professional experience, and a passing score on the EPPP. Requirements can shift, so confirm current standards directly with New York’s state licensing board before applying.
How long do psychology doctoral programs in New York take?
Most PhD programs run five to seven years, including a year-long clinical internship. PsyD programs typically run for four to six years and end with a full-time internship year.
Select a school above or browse New York psychology programs by focus area to compare application requirements, accreditation, and program length side by side.