Psychology Schools in Arizona
Choosing a psychology program can be daunting, especially with the many choices available. Psychology programs in Arizona generally allow students to focus on general psychology or to concentrate on a specific area, such as cognitive psychology. The following guide to graduate and undergraduate psychology programs in Arizona features essential information that will help you make an informed decision as to which psychology program is the best for your career goals. Students looking for a flexible, affordable alternative to a traditional psychology program may opt for an online program. These types of programs afford students the opportunity to earn their degree on campus or to complete their degree entirely online.
Quick Facts
- There are 19 not-for-profit colleges and universities with psychology degree programs in Arizona.1
- 4 schools offer an associate’s degree in psychology.1
- 13 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in psychology.1
- 10 schools offer a master’s or advanced degree in psychology.1
- 2 schools ranked in Kiplinger’s Best College Values for 2019.2
- 2 schools ranked in the Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Psychology Majors for 2018.3
- 1 school ranked in PsychologyDegree411’s Top Schools with Online Psychology Programs.4
- 2 schools ranked in Times Higher Education’s Best Universities for Psychology 2019.5
For not-for-profit colleges and universities with psychology degree programs.
Top-Ranked Schools with Psychology Programs in Arizona
Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019*
- Arizona State University-Tempe (#239)
- Arizona State University-West (#274)
*Institution-wide ranking.
Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Psychology Majors for 2018
- Prescott College
- University of Arizona
PsychologyDegree411’s Top Schools with Online Psychology Programs
- Arizona State University (#9)
Times Higher Education Best Universities for Psychology 2019
- Arizona State University (#49)
- University of Arizona (#92)
Read further to learn more about several specific psychology programs offered in Arizona, including profiles of several popular programs at the state’s leading universities.
Schools in Arizona with Psychology Programs
Traditional Undergraduate Programs
Northern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University offers both a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Science (BA) in Psychology. Students opting for the BA must provide evidence of proficiency in a second language. The undergraduate psychology programs, which consist of 120 credits each, generally take four years to complete with 41 credits in the psychology major. Psychology majors, who plan to pursue graduate study, are encouraged to take research-oriented courses and to undertake a summer research internship. Students may also want to join the on-campus Psychology Club and the campus chapter of Psi Chi. Short and long-term study abroad opportunities, including in Peru, are also available for psychology majors.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Prescott
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Prescott offers a few undergraduate programs in psychology, including a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Industrial Psychology & Safety, a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Human Factors Psychology, and a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Forensic Psychology. The BS in Industrial Psychology & Safety combines physiology and applied psychology and teaches students hands-on methods of creating systems that will increase safety and decrease human error in a variety of fields. One hundred and twenty credit hours are required and courses include Statistics for Organizational Analysis and Research, Human Factors and Ergonomics I, Sensation, Perception, and Cognition, Management of Production and Operations, and Human Reliability and Safety Analysis.
Traditional Graduate Programs
Midwestern University
Midwestern University offers a PsyD in Clinical Psychology on its Glendale campus. The PhD program is based within a medical school which gives students broad exposure to working in a healthcare environment and interacting with other healthcare professionals. The curriculum includes research forums, community outreach, and other opportunities for involvement. The program follows a practitioner-scholar model of training based on evidence-based interventions, diagnostics, and assessments. Students complete a clerkship, a practicum, and an internship as their skills develop, providing real-world experience and learning opportunities. Throughout their studies, student competencies are assessed based on a growing portfolio of work. The program typically takes four to five years to complete.
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona introduced an Accelerated Master of Arts in Psychology program in 2012. The program allows students to complete undergraduate studies and earn the Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology during the fifth year of study. The 30-credit graduate program provides students with the necessary foundation to pursue doctoral study or to seek positions in the research industry, science journalism, pharmaceutical companies, or government organizations. Graduate students are required to attend psychology colloquium and to complete a six-credit master’s report. Only current students at the University of Arizona are eligible to apply. Psychology majors are encouraged to apply to the program in the junior year.
Online Psychology Programs
Ottawa University
Ottawa University offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Psychology that provides students with the fundamental skills and knowledge needed for entry-level careers in healthcare, social services, human resources, and related fields. Students have the option of adding a concentration in communication to the psychology major and may be eligible to add minors such as Health Care Management or Human Services to their program of study. Typical courses include Developmental Psychology, Psychology of Abnormal Behavior, Research Design and Analysis, and History and Systems of Psychology. Up to 80 credit hours of past college experience and qualifying experiential learning may be transferred into the program and counted towards the degree.
Arizona State University
Arizona State University features an online graduate program leading to a Master of Science (MS) in Psychology. The 33-credit program prepares students for doctoral study and to work in research-based psychology fields upon graduation. A broad range of psychology electives is offered in such areas as affective science, developmental psychology, legal psychology, and abnormal psychology. Psychology students planning to pursue doctoral study may choose to complete an applied project during the second year of the program. All students must pass a written comprehensive exam. All applicants must submit GRE scores and must have completed research methods and statistics courses at the undergraduate level.
EPPP Pass Rate and Accreditation Information for Psychology Programs in Arizona
The table below is designed to help you compare not-for-profit psychology schools in Arizona on a variety of factors. Clicking on the arrows in the top row allows you to sort the table. In addition to factors such as focus areas offered and tuition costs, accreditation is an important consideration when researching psychology programs. Depending on the type of program and the ultimate career path you are considering, accreditation from the American Psychological Association (APA), the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Education Programs (CACREP), or the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) can make it easier to become licensed in your desired area of practice. For more information on these accreditations, see our overview of accreditation for psychology programs. You should also ensure that the program you are considering will meet the licensure requirements in the state where you wish to practice. The Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP), a licensing exam administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), is required in most US states in order to qualify for psychologist licensure. The EPPP results shown below are provided are for the exam period from February 1, 2015 to March 21, 2017.6 Only results from APA-accredited or ASPPB-designated doctoral programs with at least four test-takers during the exam period are included.6
| School | BA/BS Program | Graduate Program | Online Psych Program | National Accred.* | Grad Rate** | EPPP Pass Rate6 | Number Taking6 | College Factual Under- grad Rank7 | US News Grad Rank8 | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Christian University | Yes | No | No | — | 47% | — | — | — | — | $27,440 |
| Arizona State University-Polytechnic | Yes | Yes | No | — | 57% | — | — | — | — | $12,011 |
| Arizona State University-Tempe | Yes | Yes | No | APA | 69% | 100% | 10 | 120 | 39^ | $13,731 |
| Arizona State University-West | Yes | Yes | Bachelor’s, Master’s | — | 70% | — | — | — | — | $9,742 |
| Dine College | Yes | No | No | — | 17% | — | — | — | — | $8,673 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | Yes | No | No | — | 65% | — | — | — | — | $33,258 |
| Midwestern University | No | Yes | No | APA | N/A | 77% | 17 | — | — | N/A |
| Northern Arizona University | Yes | Yes | Bachelor’s | APA, CACREP, NASP | 52% | 57% | 7 | — | — | $14,882 |
| Ottawa University | Yes | Yes | No | — | N/A | — | — | — | — | N/A |
| Phoenix Seminary | No | Yes | No | — | N/A | — | — | — | — | N/A |
| Prescott College | Yes | Yes | No | — | 39% | — | — | — | — | $22,968 |
| Trine University | Yes | No | No | — | N/A | — | — | — | — | $14,208 |
| University of Arizona | Yes | Yes | Bachelor’s | APA, CACREP, NASP | 64% | 100% | 10 | 140 | 45^ | $15,594 |
| University of Arizona-South | Yes | No | No | — | N/A | — | — | — | — | N/A |
Schools marked with a caret (^) in US News Best Graduate Psychology Programs ranked in a tie with other programs in their respective positions.
*See our guide to psychology program accreditation for more information on these accrediting bodies.
**The graduation rate is for first-time, full-time undergraduate degree- or certificate-seeking students who began studies in Fall 2012 and is calculated based on the percentage of students earning their degree or certificate within 150% of the normal time for program completion.1
Schools with Psychology Degree Programs in Arizona
Note: Student Reviews are based on the experiences of a few individuals and it is unlikely that you will have similar results. Please review the “Data, Student Reviews and Other Information” section in our Terms of Use and Disclaimers.
Arizona State University
411 North Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85004
https://www.asu.edu/
Student Review: “The Arizona State University psychology program was a great experience. Even though I was an online student I felt that I had a great connection to all of my professors. They were all very quick to respond to emails and message boards for any students who needed help or wanted to discuss the material. I also felt that there was a wide variety of classes that were available to me that were interesting and that would help me in my career. I loved that the teachers did their lectures through a PowerPoint with a personal voice recording. It allowed me to listen to particular slides as often as I needed to and it was a fantastic study tool. I would definitely recommend ASU’s online psychology program.” – Student at Arizona State University
Student Review: “Overall ASU has had a reputation of being a “party school” with its great weather and emphasis on having fun, but they have a number of programs that are actually very strong – and psychology is one of them. I was on the five-year program plan (as were many of my friends, unfortunately) and didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I ended up deciding on psychology because it seemed like an interesting field and I thought I might continue on to become a therapist one day. When I went to ASU, Robert Cialdini was the social psychology professor, and he was well known in the industry as being one of the best researchers in the field. I ended up taking my social psych class with Gregory PM Neidert, which turned out to be a very difficult class (I’ve never met anyone that would write a multiple-choice test with over 9 options!) but ended up passing with flying colors. For those that are interested in graduate study, and frankly just to graduate, statistics are a must, and there are ample opportunities to get experience by volunteering to help with graduate research tasks. Overall I think ASU has a fine psychology program and is a great program if you are interested in pursuing the field.” – Student at Arizona State University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Prescott
3700 Willow Creek Rd
Prescott, AZ 86301-3720
(928) 777-6600
http://prescott.erau.edu/
Northern Arizona University
S San Francisco St
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
(928) 523-9011
nau.edu
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721
(520) 621-2211
http://www.arizona.edu/
References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-best-college-values-college-finder/index.php#Table
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 382 Colleges, 2018 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2017.
4. PsychologyDegree411 Top Schools with Online Psychology Programs: https://www.psychologydegree411.com/degrees/online/
5. Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019 – Psychology: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2019/subject-ranking/psychology
6. The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, Psychology Licensing Exam Scores by Doctoral Program: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.asppb.net/resource/resmgr/eppp_/2017_Doctoral_Report.pdf
7. College Factual, Best Colleges Offering Degrees in Psychology (Nationwide): https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/psychology/rankings/top-ranked/#
8. US News & World Report Best Graduate Psychology Programs: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/psychology-rankings