North Carolina has 11 APA-accredited doctoral psychology programs at nine institutions, offering both PhDs and PsyDs. Specializations span clinical, school, and health psychology. Most programs take five to seven years to complete and include a required pre-doctoral internship. Many are designed to meet North Carolina’s education requirements for psychologist licensure.
The programs listed here span nine institutions and include both PhDs and PsyDs, a broader field than many applicants expect from a single state. Two PsyD programs joined the APA-accredited list in 2022 and 2024, bringing the state total to eleven. Before comparing schools, it’s worth settling the PhD-vs-PsyD question first. The next section covers the key differences.
PhD vs. PsyD in Psychology
Both degrees lead to psychologist licensure and require passing the EPPP, the national licensing exam. The difference is in training philosophy. PhD programs follow a scientist-practitioner or clinical-science model. Research carries more weight, coursework leans toward methodology and empirical inquiry, and funding through assistantships is more common. PsyD programs follow a practitioner-scholar model. Clinical training takes priority; the path to supervised practice is more direct, and programs are more often tuition-funded.
Seven of the nine accredited institutions in North Carolina offer PhDs. Appalachian State and Western Carolina offer PsyDs. For a full breakdown of how the two paths compare on cost, training, and career outcomes, see our guide to the PsyD vs. PhD in psychology.
North Carolina Programs at a Glance
All programs listed below are accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation.
| School | Degree | Focus | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State University | PsyD | Clinical Psychology | Boone, NC |
| Duke University | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Durham, NC |
| East Carolina University | PhD | Clinical Health Psychology / School Psychology | Greenville, NC |
| NC State University | PhD | School Psychology | Raleigh, NC |
| UNC Chapel Hill | PhD | Clinical Psychology / School Psychology | Chapel Hill, NC |
| UNC Charlotte | PhD | Clinical Health Psychology | Charlotte, NC |
| UNC Greensboro | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Greensboro, NC |
| UNC Wilmington | PhD | General Clinical Psychology | Wilmington, NC |
| Western Carolina University | PsyD | Clinical-School Psychology | Cullowhee, NC |
Appalachian State University
PsyD in Clinical Psychology
Appalachian State’s PsyD program in Clinical Psychology focuses specifically on training psychologists to serve rural and underserved populations, shaped by the university’s location in western North Carolina. The program follows a practitioner-scholar model, with an emphasis on evidence-based assessment and psychotherapy across the lifespan. Training spans four years of full-time, on-site coursework and supervised clinical experience, plus a required year-long pre-doctoral internship. The program admits approximately six to eight students per year and provides graduate assistantship support for all incoming students.
Accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (CoA), accredited on contingency (effective February 2024)
Boone, NC | Program website
Duke University
PhD in Psychology, Clinical Psychology
Duke’s doctoral program in psychology offers several concentration tracks, all leading to a PhD in Psychology. The clinical track covers three core areas: adult clinical, child clinical, and health psychology. Training follows the scientist-practitioner model, with a strong clinical-science orientation. Duke’s clinical program is a member of the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science and holds dual accreditation from the APA Commission on Accreditation and the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS). The program is highly selective and follows a mentorship model, with students admitted to work with specific faculty members.
Accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (CoA) and Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS)
Durham, NC | Program website
East Carolina University
PhD in Health Psychology, Clinical Health Psychology Concentration
East Carolina University’s doctoral program awards a PhD in Health Psychology. Students choose one of three concentrations at the application stage. Clinical health psychology is one of them. The clinical concentration runs approximately five years, starting from the bachelor’s degree, and includes a required year-long pre-doctoral internship. Training combines lifespan health psychology with clinical science, placing students in settings ranging from the department’s on-campus PASS Clinic to primary care, cardiology, family medicine, and pediatric practices. The program is accredited as a clinical psychology program.
PhD in Health Psychology, Pediatric School Psychology Concentration
ECU’s pediatric school psychology concentration leads to the same PhD in Health Psychology and is accredited as a school psychology program. It prepares doctoral-level school psychologists to work with children, families, and professionals across public school and healthcare settings. Graduates meet educational requirements for North Carolina Psychology Board licensure as a licensed psychologist and health services provider, and are also eligible for school-level licensure through the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (CoA), Clinical Health Psychology and Pediatric School Psychology concentrations
Greenville, NC | Program website
NC State University
PhD in School Psychology
NC State’s school psychology doctoral program holds dual accreditation from the APA Commission on Accreditation and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). The program doesn’t offer a separate master’s degree. Students complete master’s requirements as part of the doctoral track. The full program typically takes about four years beyond the bachelor’s, including a master’s thesis, a full-year pre-doctoral internship, and a doctoral dissertation. Graduates are eligible for health service provider psychologist licensure and can pursue the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential through NASP. For a broader look at cost and funding across school psychology doctoral programs nationally, see our list of affordable school psychology programs.
Accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (CoA) and National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
Raleigh, NC | Program website
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
PhD in Clinical Psychology
UNC Chapel Hill’s clinical psychology doctoral program admits students directly from undergraduate study. The first two years follow a shared course sequence covering the theoretical and clinical foundations of the specialty, during which students also complete their master’s thesis. Advanced study, practicum work, and a required full-year pre-doctoral internship follow. The program typically runs four to five years.
PhD in School Psychology
UNC Chapel Hill’s school psychology doctoral program is housed in the School of Education and prepares scientist-practitioners to support children and youth across educational, clinical, and community settings. Graduates are prepared for licensure eligibility as a psychologist with both the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the North Carolina Psychology Board.
Accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (CoA)
Chapel Hill, NC | Clinical Psychology program website | School Psychology program website
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
PhD in Health Psychology, Clinical Health Psychology Concentration
UNC Charlotte awards a PhD in Health Psychology, with clinical health psychology as one of three specialty concentrations. Students are admitted directly from undergraduate study and complete master’s and doctoral requirements within the same program. The clinical concentration prepares graduates to work as licensed health service providers in psychology, with training spanning both clinical and health psychology. Requirements include a master’s thesis, a written comprehensive exam, a doctoral dissertation, and a year-long pre-doctoral internship. The clinical concentration typically takes about six years to complete.
Accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (CoA)
Charlotte, NC | Program website
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
PhD in Clinical Psychology
UNC Greensboro’s clinical psychology doctoral program follows the scientist-practitioner model, preparing graduates for roles in both research and clinical practice. The program requires an MA in psychology as a prerequisite. Students can complete the MA at UNCG and continue directly into the doctoral program, or enter with an MA from another institution. Doctoral training adds coursework, clinical specialty courses, practicum placements, and a required year-long pre-doctoral internship. The combined MA-to-PhD path typically spans five to six years from the bachelor’s degree.
Accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (CoA)
Greensboro, NC | Program website
University of North Carolina Wilmington
PhD in General Clinical Psychology
UNCW’s General Clinical Psychology PhD program follows a scientist-practitioner model and prepares graduates for licensure as doctoral-level psychologists. The program typically admits three to four students per year and includes supervised clinical training through the department’s on-campus General Psychotherapy and Assessment Clinic (GPAC), as well as community-based practicum sites. A required year-long pre-doctoral internship is included. The program received full APA accreditation in 2025, after initially receiving contingency accreditation in 2021.
Accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (CoA)
Wilmington, NC | Program website
Western Carolina University
PsyD in Health Service Psychology, Combined Clinical-School
Western Carolina University offers a PsyD in Health Service Psychology with a combined clinical-school training model and a post-master’s entry structure. Applicants must hold an MA or Specialist degree before admission. The program takes approximately three years to complete beyond the master’s degree and includes a 2,000-hour pre-doctoral internship. Students choose a concentration in either clinical or school psychology. Like Appalachian State, WCU’s program emphasizes training for rural and underserved populations in the western NC region.
Accreditation: APA Commission on Accreditation (CoA), accredited on contingency (effective March 2022)
Cullowhee, NC | Program website
North Carolina’s doctoral psychology programs span nine institutions and include a mix of PhDs and PsyDs, clinical and school specializations, and programs ranging from highly research-intensive to practice-focused. Program requirements shift over time, so verify current details directly with each school. For the licensure side of the equation, our guide to state licensing requirements for psychologists covers what the North Carolina Psychology Board requires before you can practice. To compare tuition and funding options across a wider national pool, see our guide to affordable clinical psychology doctoral programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many APA-accredited doctoral psychology programs are in North Carolina?
North Carolina has 11 APA-accredited doctoral psychology programs at nine institutions: Appalachian State University, Duke University, East Carolina University (two programs), NC State University, UNC Chapel Hill (two programs), UNC Charlotte, UNC Greensboro, UNC Wilmington, and Western Carolina University. This count reflects the 2025 APA doctoral program list. Confirm current accreditation status at accreditation.apa.org before applying, since standing can change.
What’s the difference between a PhD and a PsyD in psychology?
A PhD program weights research training more heavily, following a scientist-practitioner or clinical-science model. A PsyD program is practitioner-focused, with more clinical hours and a lighter research component. Both require passing the EPPP for psychologist licensure. North Carolina has both: Appalachian State and Western Carolina offer PsyDs. The remaining seven institutions offer PhDs. For a fuller comparison, see our guide to the PsyD vs. PhD in psychology.
Do these programs meet North Carolina’s psychologist licensure requirements?
Many APA-accredited doctoral programs are designed to meet North Carolina’s education requirements for psychologist licensure, but program completion alone doesn’t satisfy all board requirements. Licensure also depends on supervised experience hours and passing the EPPP. Applicants should confirm current requirements directly with the North Carolina Psychology Board. See our overview of state licensing requirements for psychologists for context on what state boards typically require.
How long does a doctoral program in psychology take to complete?
Most doctoral psychology programs in North Carolina take five to seven years to complete, starting from a bachelor’s degree, though WCU’s PsyD is a post-master’s program that adds approximately three years to an existing MA. All programs include a required year-long pre-doctoral internship as part of the total time. PhD programs that admit students directly from undergraduate study (the norm for most schools listed here), typically running five to six years.
Are there online doctoral psychology programs in North Carolina?
The APA-accredited doctoral programs listed here are campus-based programs with clinical training and practicum requirements that rely on in-person attendance. APA-accredited doctoral programs in clinical, school, and counseling psychology generally require residency due to the supervised clinical hours involved. Applicants interested in more flexible options should contact programs directly and review the APA’s guidance on what accreditation requires of doctoral training models.
Use the tool below to search for accredited psychology programs by state, degree level, and specialty area.