There’s only one place to find psychology doctoral programs in North Dakota: the University of North Dakota, with PhD tracks in Clinical and Counseling Psychology. Both run four to six years, including a yearlong internship. North Dakota requires a doctoral degree from an APA- or CPA-accredited program for licensure, so confirm current standards with the state board.
If you want to become a psychologist without leaving North Dakota, the University of North Dakota is the whole list. That’s not a typo, and it’s not us being lazy with research. North Dakota’s mental health provider shortage runs deepest in rural counties outside Fargo, Bismarck, and Grand Forks, and every path to independent practice as a psychologist starts with a doctoral degree from an accredited program. Before you apply anywhere, you’ll want to settle one question first: PhD or PsyD?
PhD or PsyD? Here’s How to Choose
Both degrees lead to the same destination, licensure as a psychologist, and both require passing the EPPP, the national exam state boards use to test clinical knowledge. Where they split is the training model. A PhD follows a scientist-practitioner model, leans harder into research and a dissertation, and is more often funded through a graduate assistantship. A PsyD follows a practitioner-scholar model, leans harder into clinical training, and is more often funded through tuition.
In North Dakota, that choice gets made for you. The only in-state APA-accredited option is a PhD. If a PsyD is what you’re after, you’re looking out of state, since no North Dakota institution currently holds APA accreditation for one. Our guide on how the PhD and PsyD actually differ breaks down the tradeoffs in more depth if you’re still weighing your options.
North Dakota Psychology Doctoral Programs at a Glance
Here’s the complete list of psychology doctoral programs in North Dakota, both accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation.
| School | Degree | Focus | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Dakota | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Grand Forks, ND |
| University of North Dakota | PhD | Counseling Psychology | Grand Forks, ND |
University of North Dakota
UND is the state’s flagship university, sitting in Grand Forks, and it’s home to both of North Dakota’s APA-accredited psychology doctoral programs. Neither one wants a part-time student. Both are full-time, residential, scientist-practitioner PhDs, and both keep the admitted class small on purpose. See UND’s full program profile for tuition, admissions, and application details.
PhD in Clinical Psychology
UND’s Clinical Psychology PhD keeps roughly 40 students in training at any given time, spread across a faculty of eight. That small ratio matters when you consider the admissions math: the program gets over 100 applications a year and admits about seven. Training runs through several years of supervised practicum, a full-time internship, and both a master’s thesis and a PhD dissertation along the way. Foundation coursework covers advanced social psychology, advanced cognitive psychology, physiological psychology, diversity psychology, and the history of psychology. The program also runs the INPSYDE scholarship track, which UND says has produced more Native American and First Nations PhD recipients in clinical psychology than any other APA-accredited program in the country. This program has held APA accreditation since 1969.
PhD in Counseling Psychology
UND’s Counseling Psychology PhD runs on the same scientist-practitioner model, with a heavier multicultural and social justice emphasis built into the curriculum. No GRE is required, and hasn’t been since 2021. Degree requirements include coursework in counseling psychology, supervised practicum experience, comprehensive exams, a specialization area, a social justice project, and a dissertation, on top of a yearlong internship. The program’s most recent accreditation review wrapped up in July 2021, and it earned a full ten years of accredited status from that review, putting its next scheduled site visit in 2031.
If you’re eyeing an online or out-of-state doctoral program instead, don’t skip the accreditation check. Review North Dakota’s psychology licensure requirements before you apply anywhere else: the state board recognizes doctoral degrees only from APA- or CPA-accredited programs, with no other accrediting body accepted, so a degree without one of those two won’t clear the bar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does North Dakota have an APA-accredited PsyD program?
Not right now. The University of North Dakota is the state’s only APA-accredited doctoral psychology program, and both of its tracks are PhDs, in Clinical Psychology and Counseling Psychology. If a PsyD is the degree you want, you’ll need to look at programs outside the state.
Which agency licenses psychologists in North Dakota?
The North Dakota State Board of Psychologist Examiners handles psychologist licensure in the state. Applicants need a doctoral degree from an APA- or CPA-accredited program, since the board doesn’t recognize any other accrediting body, plus supervised experience and a passing score on the EPPP.
How long does a psychology doctoral program in North Dakota take?
Plan on four to six years for either of UND’s PhD programs, per UND’s own program pages. That includes coursework, practicum training, a yearlong internship, and a dissertation, plus comprehensive exams and a specialization area for Counseling Psychology. Clinical Psychology students also complete a master’s thesis along the way.
Can I become a licensed psychologist in North Dakota with an online doctoral degree?
You can, as long as the program holds APA or CPA accreditation, but that’s a short list nationally, and it changes over time. The North Dakota State Board of Psychologist Examiners doesn’t recognize any other accrediting body, and that rule applies to online and out-of-state programs the same as in-state ones, so check a program’s current accreditation status before you enroll, not after.
Select your state below to find accredited psychology programs, application links, and licensing requirements for your jurisdiction.