Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Psychology Top Colleges, Syllabus, Distance Learning , Salary 2023

Ph.D. in Psychology is a 3-year full-time doctorate degree in Psychology. In this 3-year program, aspirants learn a total of 9 subjects, 3 in each year. The course mainly focuses on the clinical psychology part and explores the various psychological treatments and methods

The candidates are required to pass their postgraduate degree in psychology with a minimum score of 55% or equivalent marks from a recognised university. Admission to the course is done on the basis of an entrance examination or merit list. Some such exams held in the country are RAT (Research Aptitude Test) and JRF (Junior Research Fellowship).

The total course fee for the program varies between INR 20,000-INR and 1 Lakh. The top Ph.D. Psychology Colleges in India are Amity University, Lucknow, Banaras Hindu University, Awadhesh Pratap Singh University, etc.

Candidates after passing the course are hired in various job profiles such as professors, Clinical psychologists, Educational psychologists, lecturers, etc. The average salary after the completion of the course ranges between INR 1.8 to INR 6.8 LPA.

Table of Contents

Course Highlights
About Ph.D. in Psychology

2.1 Why Study PhD in Psychology?

2.2 Who Should Study PhD in Psychology?

Ph.D. in Psychology Admission Process

3.1 Eligibility

3.2 Admission 2023

3.3 Entrance Exams

Ph.D. in Psychology Syllabus
Ph.D. Psychology Distance Learning
Ph.D. in Psychology Top Institutes
Ph.D. in Psychology Abroad

7.1 USA

7.2 UK

7.3 Canada

7.4 Australia

Ph.D. in Psychology Jobs and Salar
Ph.D. in Psychology FAQs

Ph.D. in Psychology Course Highlights

Tabulated below are some of the major highlights of the course.

Course Level	Doctorate
Duration	3 years
Examination Type	Semester System
Eligibility	Master’s degree with 50% aggregate marks in science.
Admission Process	Counselling after qualification of entrance examination
Course Fee	INR 2,000 to 1 lakh
Average Starting Salary	INR 1 to 12 lacs
Top Recruiting Areas	Colleges, Universities, Healthcare Centers, Private Clinics, Hospitals, Counselling Offices etc.
Job Positions	Clinical Psychologist, Educational Psychologist, Industrial Psychologist, Research Psychologist, Lecturer, Professor and others such.

Ph.D. in Psychology: What is it About?

Psychology as an academic discipline encompassing a wide range of studies including attention, perception, comprehension, emotions, intelligence, personality, relationships, behaviour, and even the subconscious.
Psychology is the study of the mind and behaviour.
Psychologists examine both individual behaviours and the behaviour of groups, working towards understanding human activity, treating mental disorders, and counselling people to help them achieve emotional stability.
Being concerned with social behaviour, Psychology in many ways is related to the social sciences and humanities, such as Anthropology and Philosophy.
They use similar research techniques as these disciplines, including conducting interviews and observing behaviour.
Psychologists assess behavioural and mental function and well-being, and study how human beings relate to each other and also to machines, and work towards improving such relationships.

Know More About Psychology Course

Why Study PhD in Psychology?

There are various reasons as well as advantages for which one can pursue PhD in Psychology. Check them below.

Good Compensation: After completing the PhD course the candidates will be able to earn anything between INR 1.8 to INR 6.8 Per annum. Apart from that the candidates will be able to gain bonuses and other perks that includes provident funds, DA, retirement benefits as well as medical insurances.
The highest qualification in the field PhD is the highest degree a person can attain. Pursuing a PhD in Psychology will make the person highly knowledgeable in the field. The candidates after attaining the PhD Course will be able to help individuals recover from stress or have a deeper understanding in the individual psyche as well as the underlying problem.
Research and Development - PhD enables an individual to research and execute continuous study in the field which he pursues. Having a doctorate program in Psychology will help the individual to research and continue studying various aspects of the subject matter such as mental stress, self confidence, decision making procedure and many more.
Choose from various specializations - You will get a variety of fields to execute your specialization on, if you want to pursue PhD in Psychology. This includes - Neuropsychology, Sports Psychology, School Psychology, Engineering Psychology, Forensic Psychology, Social Psychology, Human Factors Psychology, Educational Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Health Psychology, and Developmental Psychology.
Start Your Own Practice - A PhD in Psychology degree will also help you to practice on your own. You can open your consultancy , and start practicing. A Psychologist can earn anything between INR 500-INR 2000 for each session. .
You can help individuals recover from their mental issues - The greatest reason for which you should pursue a degree in Psychology is helping others recover from their mental issues. You can assist individuals who go through several mental problems such as anger, stress, mental fatigue as well depression. Aspirants can listen to them, and suggest effective methods to deal with it.

Who Should Study PhD in Psychology?

Candidates who already have a postgraduate degree in Psychology such as MA Psychology, MSc Psychology should pursue this course.
Candidates who want to pursue a career in research and development should undertake the PhD in Psychology Program.
Candidates who have the desire to pursue the career of professor or associate professor in psychology should take up the course.
Candidates who have interest in understanding the psychology of criminals should take up the course.
Candidates who wish to turn entrepreneur and start with their own practice should take up the course
Also, candidates having a knack in psychology from childhood should certainly pursue the course, to fulfil their dream.
It is good if a candidate pursuing PhD in the Psychology field has someone in his home who is an expert in his field. A PhD degree needs a lot of guidance as well, and it would be easier if the candidate finds someone like that in his home.

Ph.D. in Psychology Admission Process

Admission to the course in India is done on the basis of the candidate’s performance in a relevant written test and/or a round of Personal Interview and/or performance in a relevant qualifying examination. Candidates are shortlisted based on both academic record and performance in a relevant nation-wide screening test, such as:

RAT (Research Aptitude Test)
JRF (Junior Research Fellowship) through UGC NET

Ph.D. in Psychology Eligibility

Aspiring candidates for Ph.D. in Psychology program need to meet the following minimum eligibility criteria:

Postgraduate degree in Psychology, completed from a recognized institute/university
A minimum aggregate score of 55% (50 % for SC/ST candidates) or equivalent grade at the level of post-graduation
At least 5 years of teaching/ industry/ professional experience at a senior level
In some cases, M.Phil. in Psychology is also preferred

PhD in Psychology: Admission 2023

The following are some of the steps that the candidates can follow in the case of the admission process

Candidates have to register themselves first in the official website of the college or the Entrance exam board. The candidates must look at the eligibility criteria and look at the various entry methods.
The candidates are required to fill in their application form as per the detail required and upload the documents in the format prescribed by the authorities.
Candidates are required to submit the application form and pay the application form fee and take out the receipt for future reference.
In the entrance exam, they need to score more than the cut off marks, to qualify.
Post qualifying the entrances, candidates need to fulfil the eligibility as per the guidelines of that particular college.
Final selection will follow candidates' performance in the interview and their research proposal .

PhD in Psychology: Entrance Exams

There are multiple entrance exams, which the students can crack to get permission for admission for pursuing PhD in Psychology, Check them below.

Entrance Exam	Registration Date	Exam Date
CSIR UGC NET	2nd week of March – 2nd week of April 2023	3rd week of June 2023
UGC NET	December 29, 2022 – January 23, 2023	February 21, 2023 – March 10, 2023
IIT JAM	September 7, 2022 – October 14, 2022	February 12, 2023
GPAT	February 13, 2023 – March 13, 2023 (5:00 PM)	Last week of April 2023
VITMEE	January 25, 2023 – March 31, 2023	April 16 & 23, 2023

Ph.D. in Psychology Syllabus

A year-wise breakup of the course’s syllabus is tabulated below.

Year I	Year II	Year III
Advanced psychopathology	Psychotherapeutic Methods	Clinical psychology I
Psychometric assessment methods	Practicum	Clinical psychology II
Practicum	Clinical Psychology	Internship in clinical psychology

Ph.D Psychology Distance Learning

The candidate has the option to Study PhD in Distance Mode. Let us understand about the distance admission mode for the PhD Distance Learning mode with a bit more detail

As of now PhD Psychology in Distance mode is available in India only from IGNOU
The duration of the course is for a period of 3 years, however, the course can be stretched over a period of 6 years.
The course is accepted by the distance education Board of India and the UGC.
The course fee is INR 16,800.
The admission is based on a national level entrance examination conducted by the IGNOU.
The candidates should have completed their masters in required stream with a minimum score of 55%.
The candidates from the reserved categories are allowed a relaxation of 5%.

Ph.D. in Psychology Top Institutes

Some of the top institutes offering the course in the country with the corresponding locations and fees charged by the respective colleges are listed below.

Name of the Institute	City	Average Annual Fees
Allahabad University	Allahabad	INR 70,000
Amity University of Behavioral Health And Applied Science	Noida	INR 55,000
Amity University	Lucknow	INR 33,500
Awadhesh Pratap Singh University	Madhya Pradesh	INR 24,000
Banaras Hindu University	Varanasi	INR 1,00,000
Banasthali University	Rajasthan	INR 1,17,000
Bharath Ratna Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University	Delhi	INR 16,000
Bhavnagar University	Gujarat	INR 22,000
Central University of Karnataka	Gulbarga	INR 19,000
Dr. Annasaheb GD Bendale Mahila Mahavidyalaya	Maharashtra	INR 25,000
Gauhati University	Guwahati	INR 31,850
Gokul Das Hindu Girls College	Moradabad	INR 80,000
Government College for Women	Thiruvananthapuram	INR 2,90,000
Gulbarga University	Gulbarga	INR 3,960

Important Links:

Doctor of Philosophy in Madhya Pradesh	Doctor of Philosophy in Rajasthan	Doctor of Philosophy in Jharkhand	Doctor of Philosophy in West Bengal

PhD in Psychology: Abroad

There are various colleges abroad where you can pursue PhD in Psychology programs. Candidates often desire to pursue their favorite subjects abroad for the availability of a better infrastructure, research opportunities, etc. Though there are some things that the aspirants must keep in mind before taking this step. Check them below.

Candidates must have a master degree in the relevant stream from a recognised educational institution.
Candidates may have to appear for the entrance test, which includes the GRE exam.
Candidates have to submit their english proficiency proof either via TOEFL or IELTS exam.
Candidates also have to fulfil some other requirements by showing their arksheets of previous exams, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, work experience, medical certificate, etc.

PhD in Psychology in USA

Following are the top colleges for the USA offering the PhD in Psychology program.

Colleges	Fees
Pace University	INR 110,000
University of San Francisco	INR 120,000
University of Arizona	INR 26,00,000
University of Maryland	INR 85,0000
University of Utah	INR 33,00,000

PhD in Psychology in UK

Check out the top colleges in the United Kingdom providing PhD in Psychology programs.

College	Fees
Manchester University	INR 470,000
Birmingham University	INR 21,00,000
Newcastle University
University of Bristol	INR 27,00,000

PhD in Psychology in Canada

Check out the top colleges in Canada offering PhD in Psychology courses.

College	Fees
Ontario Tech University	INR 46,00,000
University of Alberta	INR 16,00,000
York University	INR 54,00,000
Simon Fraser University	INR 14,00,000
University of British Columbia	INR 22,00,000

PhD in Psychology in Australia

College	Fees
Swinburne University of Technology	INR 20,00,000
Flinders University	INR 22,00,000
University of Canberra	INR 21,00,000
University of Sydney	INR 20,00,000
University of New England	INR 18,00,000

Ph.D. in Psychology: Career Prospects

On successful completion of Ph.D. in Psychology course, candidates have a wide array of options to choose from. They can opt for a career in Social Service and Mental Health which are two of the most popular career fields for psychology graduates. There is a strong demand for professionals in these fields, they can expect to earn a decent income and have the opportunity to work directly with patients struggling with mental illness and other ailments.

A master’s degree in psychology is the minimum requirement for most entry-level career positions; most of the best jobs are reserved for psychologists with a doctorate in psychology.

Read more about Ph.D. courses

Some of the top most professional avenues open to such postgraduates are listed below with the corresponding salaries offered for the respective positions.

Job Position	Job Description	Average Annual Salary in INR
Clinical Psychologists	Clinical Psychologists are trained in the diagnosis, treatment, assessment, and prevention of mental illnesses. They are also the largest area of employment within the discipline of psychology. They work in a variety of settings including mental health clinics, hospitals, and private practice. Their experience has a major impact on the salary earned.	3,71,000
Social Psychologist	Social Psychologists are hired to study social tendencies such as attitudes, group behaviour, public perception, and leadership. They may also work in systems design, marketing research, and organizational consultation. They may find positions for teaching and researching at universities and colleges in the Psychology department. They research primarily on the field or in school laboratories. They also work for government organizations, and private business sectors also hire Social Psychologists as Researchers, Managers or Political Strategists.	2,48,000
Industrial Psychologists	Industrial Psychologists use their unique knowledge of psychology to improve workplace productivity and efficiency for public companies, and organizations of every type. They also perform a variety of functions, including product design, conducting performance tests, developing corporate training programs, and hiring qualified employees and managers. A degree in psychology qualifies individuals for entry-level positions in industrial-organizational psychology, but a doctorate degree is needed for advancing in the field.	1,44,000
Educational Physiologist	Educational Psychologists are often confused with School Psychologists; however, they are entirely different fields of psychology. School Psychologists assess, diagnose, and treat emotional and behavioural issues of individual students. Educational Psychologists are concerned with the overall quality of education, course structure and programs for all students. They study how students learn and work with teachers, parents, and school administration to improve academic outcomes for an entire student population.	2,70,000
Research Psychologist	Research Psychologists conduct studies and experiments with human or animal participants. They often work for private businesses, universities, or government entities. Their research may focus on a wide range of specialty areas within the discipline, including cognition, psychology, neuroscience, development, personality, and social behaviour.	12,00,000

Ph.D in Psychology FAQs

Ques. What is the world of a psychologist having a PhD degree?

Ans. The significant job of a psychologist having a PhD degree is to prepare and conduct scientific research and execute professional practice.

Ques. How long does it generally take for an individual to complete the program of PhD in Psychology?

Ans. To complete the PhD degree in Psychology, it generally takes five to seven years. Also candidates have to do a one-year internship program in this time span.

Ques. Which is better in between PsyD and PhD?

Ans. PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) and PhD both are worth pursuing. Both the degrees train the students to practice a variety of clinical settings in psychology. The basic difference between these programs are, PsyD focuses more on the clinical part, whereas PhD focuses more on the research part.

Ques. Is a PhD in Psychology difficult to pursue?

Ans. Getting a PhD degree in Psychology is certainly hard work to execute. A candidate pursuing this program needs to do a lot of hard work with dedication, and is required to do coursework, come through knowledge exams, engage themselves in various internships, etc.

Ques. Is it possible for someone to work while pursuing the PhD in Psychology program?

Ans. Yes. If someone wants to balance both of them, they certainly can. Pursuing the PhD degree as well as doing a full-time job is possible, and many people do the same. However it is recommended to do a part-time job while doing a PhD, as a full-time job on one hand, and doing PhD on the other becomes very tough and sometimes affects the learning as well.

Ques. Do all Psychologists have a PhD degree?

Ans. Most Psychologists have a PhD degree. Only there are few instances where psychologists do their job with a master degree only. Though they have additional certification and license for that.

Ques. What is the basic requirement for pursuing a PhD in Psychology?

Ans. Aspirants desiring to pursue PhD is Psychology, need to have a bachelor’s degree along with in-depth training in Psychology which includes laboratory experience, research, statistics, etc.

Ques. Do Psychologists provide medicine?

Ans. No. Psychologists are not trained with a medical degree, hence can't give medicines to their patients. They can only help the patients recover from their mental issues, by applying some effective techniques.

Ques. Can anyone pursue a PhD in Psychology, without pursuing a Masters?

Ans. Yes. It is not mandatory to pursue a master degree for doing PhD in Psychology. Candidates can skip the postgraduate program in this case.

Ques. Is Psychology a good career?

Ans. Psychology is certainly a good career, especially in the present era where people have so many mental issues. It is highly rewarding and a lucrative field of study. Also, psychologist get a handsome amount of salary, depending upon the person’s area of specialization, qualification, etc.