Psychology Graduate Program

At the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, students pursue a PhD in Psychology. As part of this process, students complete coursework and write a master’s thesis, leading to completion of an MA degree (our program does not offer a terminal MA degree). During their time in the Department of Psychology, students have the opportunity to gain a broad understanding of psychology by completing courses across a range of psychological disciplines.

Students will also receive training in research methods and statistics in preparation for developing and conducting their own research projects. The emphasis on using scientific methods to study psychology serves to enhance students' critical thinking and reasoning skills, and results in rigorous research projects that add to the theoretical body of knowledge in each field. Projects may also contribute to real-world settings by translating knowledge into practices that promote health and well-being throughout the lifespan.

Graduates of our program are competitive in many different types of positions, in both public and private sectors. Additionally, some of our graduates pursue additional training in post-doctoral positions. Furthermore, all graduate programs are designated in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) as  STEM programs. This allows international students to apply for a 24-month extension of their postdoctoral training through the STEM OPT Extension program to allow a wider range of postdoctoral fellowship opportunities for our graduates.