The Department of Psychology at Penn State has over 40 faculty committed to providing exceptional graduate instruction and supervision, a dynamic community of over 100 graduate students across five areas of study, and a departmental culture conducive to intellectual growth and scholarship.
In addition to a solid academic grounding, the department is committed to the comprehensive professionalization of our students. Towards this end, faculty are increasingly active in providing coursework, consultation, and other support to help students learn grant- writing and funding-related skills, which strengthens competitiveness on the job market. The department also has a reputation for producing fine teachers, and our teaching assistantships are part of our pedagogical program. Our success in these efforts is reflected in the excellent placements our graduates receive after completing their degrees.
One of the strengths of our program is that graduate students are considered colleagues. The goal of the program is to train students in the necessary skills to be excellent independent scholars. One way that we achieve this goal is by integrating students from the very beginning into research. Another attractive aspect of our program is that it is flexible. You will work out the details of your individual program individually in collaboration with your advisor and with other members of your area.