Email Print Share

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology

Harold Abel School of Psychology

General Psychology specialization

This online psychology PhD specialization offers you the opportunity to create an individualized, academic-track program designed to meet your professional goals and research interests. Choose established areas of psychological study such as addiction, family, or health psychology, or design an interdisciplinary program that blends psychology with education, business, or human services courses. People who choose this specialization are often pursuing faculty or administrative training positions in higher education, business or the military, or careers in consulting, institutional research, or program evaluation or administration.

Residential colloquia

As a PhD learner, you will attend three five-day residential colloquia at specific stages in your program. Learn about the residential colloquia experience.

Total Program: 120 quarter credits
Up to 50 quarter credits may be transferred into this program
Admission Requirements Icon indicating PDF
Next Start Date: December 7, 2009
Credit: $460
Quarter - Comps/Diss: $2,495

78% of our learners receive aid.

Course Demonstration
Sign-up for Free Course
Photo of Capella University online learner Teng Xiong, PhD Photo of Capella University online learner Teng Xiong, PhD

Core Courses (each course 5 quarter credits unless noted)

  • PSY8002 - Orientation to Doctoral Learning in Psychology
  • PSY7110 - History and Systems of Psychology
  • PSY7210 - Lifespan Development
  • PSY7615 - Data Analysis with SPSS
  • PSY7520 - Social Psychology
  • PSY7543 - Ethics and Multicultural Issues in Psychology*
  • PSY7610 - Tests and Measurements
  • PSY7625 - Advanced Inferential Statistics*
  • PSY7630 - Qualitative Analysis
  • PSY7656 - Advanced Research Methods*

Specialization Courses (each course 5 quarter credits unless noted)

  • PSY7635 - Advanced Qualitative Analysis*
  • PSY7626 - Multivariate Statistics*
  • PSY9919 - Doctoral Comprehensive Examination*
  • PSY9920 - Dissertation Courseroom* - non-credit
  • PSY9921 - Dissertation Research 1*
  • PSY9922 - Dissertation Research 2*
  • PSY9923 - Dissertation Research 3*
  • PSY9924 - Dissertation Research 4*

Seven Elective Courses (each course 5 quarter credits unless noted)

  • Choose any graduate courses OR
  • Choose seven courses from one of the following recommended focus areas:
  • For an addictions psychology focus, recommended electives include:
  • PSY7330 - Psychopharmacology*
  • PSY8410 - Substance-Related Therapies*
  • PSY8420 - Multicultural Issues in Addiction
  • PSY8430 - Issues and Trends in Addiction-Related Treatments
  • PSY8440 - Substance-Related Program Evaluation*
  • PSY8450 - Compulsive Behavior and the Disturbance of the Self
  • PSY8460 - Dual Diagnosis*
  • PSY8570 - Family Systems Approach to Addictive Behavior Problems
  •  
  • For a family psychology focus, recommended electives include:
  • PSY8510 - Family Systems Theories
  • PSY8520 - Couples Therapy
  • PSY8530 - Family Therapy
  • PSY8540 - Current Issues and Methods in Family Research*
  • PSY8560 - Principles of Family Pathology
  • PSY8570 - Family Systems Approach to Addictive Behavior Problems
  • AND
  • Choose any graduate courses.
  •  
  • For a health psychology focus, recommended electives include:
  • PSY7320 - Advanced Biological Psychology*
  • PSY7330 - Psychopharmacology*
  • PSY8610 - Principles of Health Psychology
  • PSY8630 - Health Care Delivery
  • PSY8640 - Community Psychology
  • PSY8650 - Innovative Health Care Practices
  • PSY8660 - Coping with Chronic Physical Illness
  • PSY8670 - Cognitive/Affective Basis of Physical Illness
Courses without a PSY designation may be worth fewer than five quarter credits. Learners must carefully plan their elective courses to ensure that total credit requirements for the degree are met. Special topics courses in the Harold Abel School of Psychology can be used as an option to complete the total required credits needed for graduation.
* This course has a prerequisite. Contact an enrollment counselor for more information.
Course Descriptions

Receive via email a full description of all Capella University courses.

Submit

Learn more about our related specializations:

PsyD

Master's degree

Image of enrollment counselor who specializes in Capella's psychology graduate programs and online psychology degrees

Contact an Enrollment Counselor

Email Us

1-866-933-5904

Request a University Guide Start your admission application