Psychology doctoral programs in Utah are offered by four APA-accredited schools: Brigham Young University, Southern Utah University, the University of Utah, and Utah State University. Three grant the PhD in clinical, counseling, or school psychology, while Southern Utah University offers the state’s only PsyD. Most take five to seven years, and licensure afterward requires 4,000 hours of supervised experience plus the EPPP.
Four universities offer psychology doctoral programs in Utah accredited by the American Psychological Association: Brigham Young University, Southern Utah University, the University of Utah, and Utah State University. Between them, prospective psychologists can pursue a PhD in clinical, counseling, or school psychology, or the state’s only PsyD, each preparing graduates for licensure through Utah’s Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL). Before comparing programs, it helps to understand the difference between the two most common doctoral tracks in psychology.
PhD vs. PsyD: Which Doctoral Track Fits Utah’s Programs
Three of Utah’s four APA-accredited doctoral programs grant the PhD, and one, at Southern Utah University, grants the PsyD. Both degree types lead to the same starting point: eligibility to sit for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) once a state’s education and supervised-experience requirements are met. The PhD follows a scientist-practitioner or clinical-science model, weighted toward research and dissertation work, and is more often funded through teaching or research assistantships.
The PsyD follows a practitioner-scholar model, weighted toward clinical training with less emphasis on original research, and is more often self-funded through tuition. Southern Utah University’s PsyD holds APA accreditation on contingency, meaning it meets the APA’s standards but continues to submit outcome data as a newer program. Readers weighing the two tracks in general can compare the differences between a PsyD and a PhD in psychology in more detail.
Utah Psychology Doctoral Programs at a Glance
All four programs below are accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation. Select a school name to jump to its full program details.
| School | Degree | Focus | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brigham Young University | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Provo, UT |
| Brigham Young University | PhD | Counseling Psychology | Provo, UT |
| Southern Utah University | PsyD | Clinical Psychology | Cedar City, UT |
| University of Utah | PhD | Clinical Psychology | Salt Lake City, UT |
| University of Utah | PhD | Counseling Psychology | Salt Lake City, UT |
| University of Utah | PhD | School Psychology | Salt Lake City, UT |
| Utah State University | PhD | Combined Clinical/Counseling Psychology | Logan, UT |
| Utah State University | PhD | School Psychology | Logan, UT |
Brigham Young University
BYU’s psychology doctoral programs are housed in Provo, UT, across two departments, and the university’s sponsorship by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shapes both programs, including an Honor Code and an integration of spiritual and religious issues into coursework.
Clinical Psychology PhD
BYU’s Department of Psychology offers a five-year Clinical Psychology PhD open to applicants with a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Students complete 118 credit hours across research, general, and clinical core coursework and a clinical practicum, followed by a full-time internship in the fifth year. The program allows optional specialization in clinical child/adolescent/family psychology, clinical neuropsychology, or clinical health psychology. This program is accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation.
Counseling Psychology PhD
Offered through BYU’s Counseling Psychology and Special Education (CPSE) department, this PhD follows the scientist-practitioner model and requires a minimum of 132 semester hours, including coursework, practicum and clerkship credit, dissertation credit, and a year-long, full-time internship. The program integrates professional and ethical training with BYU’s emphasis on spiritual and religious perspectives in counseling practice. This program is accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation.
Southern Utah University
SUU, in Cedar City, UT, offers Utah’s only PsyD, built around training psychologists to serve rural and underserved communities in southern Utah and the surrounding region.
Clinical Psychology PsyD
This full-time, in-residence program follows the practitioner-scholar (Vail) model, weighted toward clinical training over original research, with practicum placements in schools, residential treatment centers, community mental health settings, and rural and tribal health centers. The program received APA accreditation on contingency on November 12, 2025, meaning it meets the APA’s Standards of Accreditation for Health Service Psychology while continuing to submit outcome data as a newer program. Graduates are treated as graduates of an accredited program for licensure and internship purposes.
University of Utah
The University of Utah, in Salt Lake City, offers three APA-accredited doctoral programs in psychology across two departments, from clinical psychology to counseling and school psychology, along with funding, internships, and respecialization options for students who want to shift specializations after starting the program.
Clinical Psychology PhD
Run by the Department of Psychology, this program follows a clinical-science model that emphasizes research alongside clinical training, with cross-area specialization available in developmental psychopathology, sexuality, and the biological bases of behavior. Students first complete Psychology Master’s requirements, 30 to 36 semester hours, by the end of the third year, before advancing to doctoral coursework, a qualifying exam, and dissertation work. This program is accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation.
Counseling Psychology PhD
Housed in the Department of Educational Psychology, this program follows the scientist-practitioner model and prepares graduates for work in academia, medical and hospital settings, managed care, and corrections. Students complete coursework in the Behavioral Science Core, the Psychology Practitioner Core, and a Special Proficiency Area, plus a year-long internship in the program’s fifth and final year. This program is accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation.
School Psychology PhD
Also housed in the Department of Educational Psychology, this program offers specialization in neuropsychology or consultation and intervention, with additional training available through the university’s Autism Training Grant. Coursework spans psychoeducational assessment, intervention strategies, and professional school psychology, alongside a dissertation. This program is accredited by both the APA Commission on Accreditation and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).
Utah State University
USU, in Logan, UT, restructured its doctoral psychology training in recent years. What was once a single combined Clinical/Counseling/School specialization is now two separate APA-accredited PhD specializations: Combined Clinical/Counseling and a standalone School Psychology track.
Combined Clinical/Counseling Psychology PhD
This specialization trains doctoral-level health service psychologists through an integrated approach to clinical and counseling psychology, with training across a broad range of problem areas, populations, and treatment settings. The program is affiliated with the American Indian Support Project, one of the country’s programs for training and mentoring American Indian psychologists. Full-time, in-residence enrollment is required, and students typically spend five years on campus before a required internship. This program is accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation.
School Psychology PhD
Established as its own specialization in the 2018-19 academic year, this program prepares psychologists to work in schools, clinics, hospitals, and other community settings, with training grounded in the scientist-practitioner model and a focus on assessment, intervention, and consultation at the individual and systems levels. This program is accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation.
Utah’s four doctoral programs cover clinical, counseling, and school psychology through the PhD, plus one PsyD option at Southern Utah University. Applicants choosing between them should weigh each program’s training model, funding structure, and specialization tracks against their own career goals before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Utah have an APA-accredited PsyD program?
Yes. Southern Utah University’s PsyD in Clinical Psychology received APA accreditation on contingency in November 2025, making it the state’s only PsyD among Utah’s four APA-accredited doctoral psychology programs. The other three, at Brigham Young University, the University of Utah, and Utah State University, are all PhDs.
How long does it take to become a licensed psychologist in Utah?
The doctoral programs themselves typically run five to seven years, including a year-long internship. After graduating, Utah requires 4,000 hours of supervised professional experience, split between pre-doctoral and post-doctoral training, before candidates can sit for the EPPP, which requires a minimum score of 500, and the state’s psychology law and ethics exam. Applicants should confirm current state licensing requirements for psychologists with the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing.
Can I become a licensed psychologist in Utah with only a master’s degree?
No. Licensure as a psychologist in Utah requires a doctoral degree from an APA-accredited program. The exception is school psychology: practitioners can work in Utah’s K-12 schools with a master’s or an education specialist (EdS) degree, licensed through the Utah State Board of Education rather than DOPL.
What is the job outlook for psychologists in Utah?
Projections Central estimates 50% growth for clinical and counseling psychologists in Utah between 2022 and 2032, with an average of 140 job openings per year, among the fastest projected growth rates of any state.
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), reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed June 2026.