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Psychology Schools in Texas

The following guide to psychology schools in Texas contains essential information, including several profiles of specific psychology undergraduate and graduate programs, which will help you make an informed decision about the best program for your academic and career goals. Texas’s colleges and universities offer a full spectrum of psychology concentrations in areas including psychological services, school psychology, clinical psychology, and neuropsychology. Students who need a more flexible alternative may want to pursue a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in psychology online.

Quick Facts

  • There are 97 not-for-profit colleges and universities with psychology degree programs in Texas.1
  • 25 schools offer an associate’s degree in psychology.1
  • 69 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in psychology.1
  • 57 schools offer a master’s or advanced degree in psychology.1
  • 4 schools ranked in Kiplinger’s Best College Values for 2019.2
  • 3 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
  • 3 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 Texas

Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019*

  • Texas A&M University (#24)
  • University of Houston (#89)
  • University of Texas at Austin (#8)
  • University of Texas at Dallas (#41)

*Institution-wide ranking.

Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Psychology Majors for 2018

  • Texas A&M University-College Station
  • University of Texas at Austin
  • University of Houston

PsychologyDegree411’s Top Schools with Online Psychology Programs

  • University of Houston (#22)

Times Higher Education Best Universities for Psychology 2019

  • Rice University (#101-125)
  • Texas A&M University (#126-150)
  • University of Texas at Austin (#30)

Keep reading to learn more about several of the popular undergraduate and graduate psychology programs in Texas.


Schools in Texas with Psychology Programs

Traditional Undergraduate Programs

University of North Texas

The University of North Texas awards both the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology and the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology. Students, who plan to pursue a doctoral degree, are encouraged to choose the Bachelor of Science program. Regardless of the degree, psychology majors must complete a total of 35 core and elective psychology credits to fulfill degree requirements. Psychology majors have the opportunity to engage in research with faculty members and oftentimes go on to publish research findings in noted journals of psychology. Eligible students may want to apply for admission to Psi Chi, the national honor society for psychology students.

Texas Tech University

Undergraduates at Texas Tech University may pursue a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology. Students must complete 34 psychology credits and two courses that are writing intensive to fulfill major requirements with the overall program requiring 120 credits over an estimated four years. Psychology courses encompass such topics as the psychology of learning, personality, cognition, and the development of child thinking. The campus also features the student psychology organizations the Psychology Club and Psi Chi. Those students who intend to continue on to doctoral studies may want to engage in research projects or in service activities within the psychology department.

Traditional Graduate Programs

University of Texas at Tyler

The University of Texas at Tyler confers the Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Science with concentrations in neuropsychology. Graduate students may also concentrate in school psychology, which requires a 1,200-hour internship. Students who complete the school psychology concentration will then be eligible to take the license in school psychology exam as given by the Texas State Board of Examiners. Successful applicants to the program must submit GRE scores (average combined scores are typically 1000), three letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose. Graduate students can begin the program in the fall or in the spring semester.

University of Texas at Austin

One of the nation’s largest public universities and the biggest school in the University of Texas System, the University of Texas at Austin’s leading graduate school awards 3,500 doctor’s and master’s degrees each year. The University of Texas at Austin’s Psychology Department offers an undergraduate degree in psychology that provides a solid foundation by teaching contemporary and historical knowledge regarding animal and human behavior. Students earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology learn to think critically and creatively about individual behavior across culture, gender, and age, thus relating psychological principles and theories to everyday living. Trained in statistics and experimental design, psychology students are empowered to evaluate and analyze current research findings and communicate their results in oral and written presentations. While nearly a quarter of UT psychology graduates go on to work in business, 64 percent pursue advanced psychology degrees. The graduate programs in psychology offered at the University of Texas prepare grad students for careers in teaching and scientific research. The PhD program in psychology has several subfields of specialization including Clinical Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, Cognitive Systems, Individual Differences and Evolutionary Psychology, Perceptual Systems, Developmental Psychology, and Social Psychology.

Texas State University

Texas State University features a 38-credit graduate program leading to the Master of Arts (MA) in Psychological Services. Because the program is still relatively new, students do not have the opportunity to concentrate in a particular area. Graduate students must complete such core courses as biological bases of behavior, multivariate statistics, research methods and experimental design, and a two-semester research seminar. A thesis is mandatory. Six elective courses are required, with students able to choose from nearly two dozen electives, such as an internship, industrial social psychology, forensic psychology, psychological therapies, and abnormal psychology. Research opportunities with faculty may also be available.

Online Psychology Programs

University of Texas of the Permian Basin

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB) offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Psychology that can be completed in 120 credit hours. Six start dates are offered across the calendar year, with courses following eight-week formats. The BA in Psychology provides students with a background in empirical research, critical and creative thinking, and the ethical principles of psychological approaches. The faculty who lead the online courses are the same faculty who teach on campus. The 36 credit hours that comprise the psychology core include such courses as Experimental Psychology, Introductory Statistics, Theories of Personality, and Industrial and Organizational Psychology. A senior seminar and honors thesis are also included in the core curriculum. An additional 18 credit hours are devoted to completing a minor; currently, the online options for the minor are Communication or Sociology. Online students enrolled at UTPB receive the same competitive tuition rates whether residents of Texas or another state. Flexible payment options and financial aid are available.

Angelo State University

Angelo State University’s online master’s applied psychology program focuses on teaching students to apply the principles of psychology to solving real-world, practical problems for the general public. The program is designed to prepare students for professional advancement and to teach at the postsecondary level. Admission is open to students with a bachelor’s degree in any discipline, though students with less than 18 credit hours of undergraduate psychology courses must take the graduate-level course Core Concepts in Psychological Science. On average, it takes admitted students two years to complete the MA in Applied Psychology, based on taking nine credit hours each fall and spring semester. Taking online summer courses and/or more than nine credit hours per semester can reduce the time it takes to earn the degree. Angelo State University also offers an online postgraduate certificate in the teaching of psychology that requires 18 credit hours to complete.

EPPP Pass Rate and Accreditation Information for Psychology Programs in Texas

The table below is designed to help you compare not-for-profit psychology schools in Texas 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

SchoolBA/BSGrad Prog.Online Prog.Nat’l Accred.*Grad Rate**EPPP Pass Rate6# Taking6College Factual Under-
grad Rank7
US News Grad Rank8Net Price
Abilene Christian UniversityYesYesBachelor’sNASP67%$27,584
Amberton UniversityNoYesNoN/AN/A
Angelo State UniversityYesYesMaster’s34%$11,558
Austin CollegeYesNoNo70%189$23,041
Baylor UniversityYesYesNoAPA, CACREP, NASP79%100%1098^$35,158
Chicago School of Professional Psychology at DallasNoYesNoN/AN/A
Concordia University-TexasYesNoBachelor’s35%$23,606
Criswell CollegeYesNoNo15%$14,099
Dallas Baptist UniversityYesYesBachelor’s53%$26,731
Dallas Christian CollegeYesNoBachelor’s21%$27,281
East Texas Baptist UniversityYesYesNo35%$21,850
Hardin-Simmons UniversityYesYesNoCACREP48%$21,306
Houston Baptist UniversityYesYesBachelor’s, Master’s40%$21,479
Houston Graduate School of TheologyNoYesNoN/AN/A
Howard Payne UniversityYesNoNo44%$22,493
Huston-Tillotson UniversityYesNoNo23%$15,334
Lamar UniversityYesYesNoCACREP27%$11,510
LeTourneau UniversityYesYesBachelor’s, Master’s61%$23,386
Lubbock Christian UniversityYesYesMaster’s47%$23,407
McMurry UniversityYesNoNo33%$22,516
Midwestern State UniversityYesYesNo42%$10,395
Our Lady of the Lake UniversityYesYesMaster’sAPA37%50%14$18,021
Paul Quinn CollegeYesNoNo20%$12,238
Prairie View A & M UniversityYesYesNo35%$11,646
Rice UniversityYesYesNo95%8350^$23,202
Saint Edward’s UniversityYesNoNoCACREP63%$26,927
Sam Houston State UniversityYesYesBachelor’sAPA, CACREP, NASP52%93%15$12,516
Schreiner UniversityYesNoNo45%$20,847
Southern Methodist UniversityYesYesNoAPA, CACREP78%100%5137$38,562
Southwestern Adventist UniversityYesYesBachelor’s49%$21,426
Southwestern Assemblies of God UniversityYesYesBachelor’s44%$25,171
Southwestern UniversityYesNoNo74%126$27,762
St. Mary’s UniversityYesYesNoCACREP56%$18,113
Stephen F Austin State UniversityYesYesNoCACREP, NASP48%$11,759
Sul Ross State UniversityYesNoNo25%$14,951
Tarleton State UniversityYesYesBachelor’sCACREP46%$12,352
Texas A&M International UniversityYesYesNo46%$7,744
Texas A&M University-Central TexasYesYesNoN/AN/A
Texas A&M University-College Station (Counseling PhD)YesYesNoAPA, NASP82%70%1085$19,118
Texas A&M University-College Station (School PhD)YesYesNoAPA, NASP82%79%1485$19,118
Texas A&M University-College Station (Clinical PhD)YesYesNoAPA, NASP82%100%985$19,118
Texas A&M University-CommerceYesYesNoCACREP, NASP40%$11,796
Texas A&M University-Corpus ChristiYesYesNoCACREP37%$11,381
Texas A&M University-KingsvilleYesYesNo37%$14,329
Texas A&M University-San AntonioYesNoNoN/A$12,994
Texas A&M University-TexarkanaYesYesNoCACREP28%$11,777
Texas Christian UniversityYesYesNo83%58167^$37,344
Texas Lutheran UniversityYesNoNo53%$19,507
Texas Southern UniversityYesYesNo21%$14,741
Texas State UniversityYesYesNoCACREP, NASP55%$13,729
Texas Tech University (Clinical PhD)YesYesNoAPA60%90%10230112^$15,531
Texas Tech University (Counseling PhD)YesYesNoCACREP60%100%10230112^$15,531
Texas Wesleyan UniversityYesYesNo38%$22,694
Texas Woman’s University (Counseling PhD)YesYesNoAPA, CACREP, NASP43%91%11211^$9,324
Texas Woman’s University (School PhD)YesYesNoAPA, NASP43%80%10211^$9,324
Trinity UniversityYesYesNoNASP76%231$28,569
University of DallasYesYesNo66%$25,609
University of Houston (Counseling PhD)YesYesBachelor’sAPA, NASP59%73%1119698^$16,002
University of Houston (School PhD)YesYesBachelor’sAPA, NASP59%33%619698^$16,002
University of Houston-Clear LakeYesYesNoAPA, NASPN/A$10,664
University of Houston-DowntownYesNoBachelor’s20%$7,883
University of Houston-VictoriaYesYesNoCACREP, NASP19%$10,458
University of Mary Hardin-BaylorYesNoNo45%$25,230
University of North Texas (Clinical PhD)YesYesMaster’sAPA53%100%15181^$12,600
University of North Texas (Counseling PhD)YesYesMaster’sCACREP53%93%15181^$12,600
University of North Texas at DallasYesYesNoCACREP30%$7,941
University of St. ThomasYesYesNo57%$20,294
University of the Incarnate WordYesYesBachelor’s49%$24,098
University of Texas at ArlingtonYesYesYes49%190^$12,277
University of Texas at Austin (School PhD)YesYesNoAPA, NASP83%87%238^$14,156
University of Texas at Austin (Counseling PhD)YesYesNoAPA83%83%17828^$14,156
University of Texas at DallasYesYesNo72%131^$9,989
University of Texas at El PasoYesYesNoCACREP39%139148^$7,720
University of Texas at San AntonioYesYesNoCACREP, NASP40%$13,064
University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterNoYesNoAPA, CACREPN/A100%1966^N/A
University of Texas at TylerYesYesNoCACREP45%$12,437
University of Texas of the Permian BasinYesYesBachelor’s41%$9,800
University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyYesYesNoCACREP46%$4,319
Wayland Baptist UniversityYesYesBachelor’s24%$21,593
West Texas A & M UniversityYesYesNo44%$13,325

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 Texas

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.

Abilene Christian University
1600 Campus Ct
Abilene, TX 79601
(325) 674-2000
https://acu.edu/

Student Review: “I really loved the Psychology program at Abilene Christian University. The classes were generally amazing and taught by top quality teachers. One or two of the teachers were not great, but they were by far the exception instead of the norm. I was also able to participate in the department’s PCT program (Professional Career Track), which afforded me several awesome opportunities that your average state school psychology student doesn’t get. For example, I did a summer research internship with the departmental chair, and I got to present my findings at a professional conference. Additionally, I had multiple career/grad school prep sessions through the department. Finally, I had the opportunity to participate in the psychology department’s special study abroad session over one summer, in which we went to Germany and studied the psychology of ideology and talked about everything from Martin Luther, WWII, and the Holocaust to Bonhoeffer and more.” – Student at Abilene Christian University
stars-4

East Texas Baptist University
One Tiger Dr
Marshall, TX 75670
(903) 923-2000
https://www.etbu.edu/

Student Review: “East Texas Baptist University has an excellent psychology program. What makes this program so great and different from other schools is that the campus is small and it’s a private college. This allows ETBU students a lot of one-on-one time with professors. The curriculum was challenging and there were many research papers and projects and I was able to learn so many things that I will use in my future career. What I really enjoyed about the psychology program was the way students were taught how to carry out a research project. Unlike larger colleges, students spend an entire class learning how to carry out a research project. Overall, I really enjoyed being in the psychology program. One aspect of the psychology program that could be improved would be if some of the professors presented information more orderly. Clear guidelines, such as power points, handouts, and following the material in the assigned reading materials is more beneficial for student learning than the random curriculums most of them followed. For example, some of the professors regularly to veered off-topic and only focused on very vague and minute details that should not have been the main focus of our classes.” – Student at East Texas Baptist University
stars-4

Lamar University
4400 South M L King Junior Pkwy
Beaumont, TX 77710
(409) 880-8888
https://www.lamar.edu/

Student Review: “I would have to say my experience at Lamar was, all-in-all, fairly good. I learned a lot and was able to obtain relevant experience within a month of graduation. The professors were always nice and approachable. They were all quite knowledgeable about the subject of psychology. They responded to emails and inquiries extremely quickly, so I never felt behind in my studies. If I had to complain, I’d say that the administration at Lamar needs some work. I often had problems talking to financial aid and there were sometimes a few problems with registration, which were no fault of my own. The administration seemed cold and uncaring, so it was sometimes a little scary if time got short and I still wasn’t able to properly register for classes. The online program is great, with reliable software and quick grading. All-in-all, it’s a great university with qualified professors.” – Student at Lamar University
stars-3

Northeast Lakeview College
1201 Kitty Hawk Rd
Universal City, TX 78148
(210) 486-5000
https://www.alamo.edu/nlc/

Student Review: “The overall experience I have had at Northeast Lakeview College was pretty solid. I took a lot of my classes online and I must say I’m pretty pleased with the outcome so far. Although online classes have their ups and downs, I felt like the courses I took were exactly what I was looking for in my major. The professors were challenging enough to where I would really have to study hard, but not hard enough to where it engulfed my whole life. The professors were always very responsive to e-mails and many of them had actual office hours where you could go to campus for extra help. One feature that I would improve on is the homework system known as Canvas. I would change to Blackboard or a different program like that where it is more user-friendly! Love the courses offered and absolutely love how challenging the professors are!” – Student at Northeast Lakeview College
stars-4

Sam Houston State University
1806 Avenue J
Huntsville, TX 77340
(936) 294-1111
https://www.shsu.edu/

Student Review: “I learned quite a lot from the psychology program at Sam Houston State University. The staff, from assistant professors to the Dean of Humanities and Sciences, was superb – they are all experts in their fields, and they introduced me to aspects of this field that I wasn’t aware of prior to attending. They were also very open to discussion of the field, often encouraging debate and discourse over distinct facets of psychology and its various specific disciplines and their implementations. The university in general also found speakers from various fields to give presentations throughout my tenure at the university, and the psychology department found specific professionals as well. All in all, it was a fantastic program, and anyone interested in studying psychology should consider attending Sam Houston State University.” – Student at Sam Houston State University
stars-5

Texas Lutheran University
1000 W Court St
Seguin, TX 78155
(830) 372-8000
https://www.tlu.edu/

Student Review: “I had a great time attending college at Texas Lutheran University as a psychology major. After acceptance, I was contacted to be part of the honors program which allowed me to take interesting upper-level courses in place of other liberal arts requirements. This program looks great for post-degree programs and you get a special mention during graduation. I was originally a biology major but switched to psychology after taking an introductory psychology course with Dr. Czuchry — a knowledgeable and amusing professor. The biggest advantage of TLU was the small class size. I never had a class with more than 30 other students and was able to really get to know the professors. I was also able to get hands-on research experience conducting experiments in the psychology department. My research experience and glowing recommendations allowed me to get into a PhD program after graduation. Although TLU is fairly expensive (I had to take out loans), I thought I received a great education which prepared me for future studies. Seguin is very small city but is only 45 minutes away from Austin and San Antonio. I highly recommend visiting the campus and considering TLU as a small, private liberal arts college.” – Student at Texas Lutheran University
stars-5

University of North Texas
1155 Union Cir
Denton, TX 76203
(940) 565-2000
https://www.unt.edu/

Student Review: “I completed a bachelor of arts degree in psychology with a minor in social science at the University of North Texas. My experience at the school and within the program was absolutely amazing. My teachers were extremely down-to-earth, helpful and very intelligent. I took classes ranging from experimental methods, which is a statistics-oriented class, all the way to history and systems, which is a class that covers the worldwide history of the field of psychology. The variety and diversity of classes was by far my favorite thing about the program. At the end of my studies, I felt like a very well rounded student with a wide array of knowledge. When I chose to major in psychology, I was worried that my program would be limited to endless psychology classes, each with only a slightly different twist. This variety helped me to maintain focus and interest in my program as there was no redundancy of content. Studying psychology was the perfect choice for me because I have a natural interest in the human brain and child development and the content was very easy to learn and remember. Overall, I feel that my program helped me to prepare myself professionally for the psychology career field with a wide variety of knowledge.” – Student at University of North Texas
stars-5

Student Review: “The psychology program at UNT was a joke. I was a transfer and upon my registration date was given a list of classes to take, only to find out that most of the classes that interested me (industrial/organizational psychology) weren’t even offered at that particular campus, but in Dallas, which cost much more. Also, they explained the requirements for graduation with either a BS or a BA which of course changed in the middle of my senior year and I almost didn’t graduate. My adviser waited until my last semester to tell me that I was 12 hours behind. In order to succeed, I had to load up my last semester with 21 credit hours. Also, most of us who were hoping for a BS were forced to switch to BA due to 1) professors being unwilling to help with the required senior thesis, and 2) the fact that UNT was the only school in the state that required a 3.5 GPA for a BS, — all others required no thesis and at least a 2.0 GPA in psychobiology. Basically, the program is designed to push you to go into counseling vs research.” – Student at University of North Texas
stars-2

University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley
1201 West University Dr
Edinburg, TX 78539
(866) 441-8872
https://www.utrgv.edu/

Student Review: “The University of Texas-Pan American is a very good school. I really enjoyed my career as a psychology student there. The professors are very knowledgeable and I learned a lot from each of the classes I took. I had social anxiety while I was a student, and both the teachers and the college as a whole made sure I was still able to learn and accommodated me so that I could do so along with the other students. Each class was taught by very professional teachers and most if not all of them were available to discuss any questions or address any areas I needed help in in the class. I think for the undergraduate psychology program there, however, there should be more introduction to some sort of practicum and applied skills into the field. For instance, professors should be more ready to answer questions about career choices after graduating.” – Student at University of Texas-Pan American
stars-4

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