Psychology - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

PAS Building

Psychology, Anthropology and Sociology (PAS) Building on Waterloo's South Campus, across from Laurel Creek.

Dive into our PhD program and turn your curiosity in experimental psychology into groundbreaking research.

Work side-by-side with expert faculty, creating research that matters. Along the way, expand your knowledge and skills through diverse courses and projects and gain the skills needed to succeed in academia and industry.

Research areas and degree options

  • Clinical: receive training in research and clinical practice for professional roles in clinical research, psychological assessment, clinical supervision, and more.
  • Cognitive: investigate how the mind works and the mental processes that underlie how people acquire, store, transform, and communicate information.
  • Cognitive neuroscience: combine the areas of brain science and cognitive psychology to map higher-level cognitive functions and investigate brain architecture and neuronal processing.
  • Developmental: study the systematic change across the lifespan and focus on cognitive, social-cognitive, and language development in infancy and early childhood.
  • Industrial-organizational: focus on the impact of government influences, consumer awareness, and the changing nature of the workforce on individuals and organizations.
  • Social: examine social movements, injustice, racism, and cultural divides to highlight how social context and individual differences shape human behaviour.

Program overview

Department/School: Psychology
Faculty: Faculty of Arts
Admit term(s): Fall (September - December)
Delivery mode: On-campus
Program type: Doctoral, Research
Length of program: 48 months
Registration option(s): Full-time
Study option(s): Thesis

Application deadlines

  • December 1 (for admission in September)*

Note: All relevant documents pertaining to your application must be uploaded by December 1.  See the Department of Psychology - Application procedures page for detailed information.

Key contacts

Evan Risko
Associate Professor; Associate Chair Graduate Affairs
efrisko@uwaterloo.ca

Admission limitations

Due to funding restrictions, the Faculty of Arts is currently limiting the number of international students we can admit. Please contact the department's Associate Chair, Graduate Studies prior to applying to discuss your interest in this program.

Supervisors

  • All students admitted to the Psychology PhD program must have a supervisor at the time of admission.
  • Review finding a supervisor resources to learn how to reach out to potential supervisors.

Admission requirements

  • A 80% overall standing, or equivalent, in the last two years of study in the previous degree is the minimum requirement for admission.
  • Candidates applying to the Industrial/Organizational Psychology graduate research field within the program must submit results from the Graduate Record Examination (Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytic scores). These scores are optional for students applying to the Cognitive Neuroscience, Cognitive Psychology, and Developmental Psychology graduate research fields.
  • Please note that in most areas a Master's degree is not required for admission into the PhD program (the exception is Social Psychology and Clinical Psychology).

Degree requirements

Application materials

  • Resume
  • Supplementary information form (SIF)
    • The SIF contains questions specific to your program, typically about why you want to enrol and your experience in that field. Review the application documents web page for more information about this requirement

      If a statement or letter is required by your program, review the writing your personal statement resources for helpful tips and tricks on completion
  • Transcript(s)
  • References
    • Three references are required; academic or professional sources
  • Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable
    • TOEFL 90 (writing 25, speaking 25), IELTS 7.0 (writing 6.5, speaking 6.5)

Tuition and fees