Established in 1863, Washington University in St. Louis is a public, nonsectarian institution with more than 1,100 graduate students. In 2009, U.S. News and World Report ranked the university's psychology programs 13th among all similar offerings at other colleges and universities in the United States. For admissions consideration, students must submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test scores. A master's degree is not required for entry into the doctoral program, as students earn their master's designation while completing the doctorate curriculum. Students at Washington University can elect to specialize in aging and development, clinical psychology, personality and social psychology or behavior, brain and cognition. The university offers assistantships to most graduate students, which allow them to receive free tuition, a small stipend and health insurance while attending the university, in exchange for teaching undergraduate-level courses.
Washington University in St. Louis
Campus Box 1125
One Brookings Drive
St. Louis, MO 63130
314-935-6567
psychweb.wustl.edu
A public institution, the University of Missouri at Columbia received the 45th-place spot on U.S. News and World Report's 2009 psychology program rankings. The college is located 120 miles east of Kansas City and 120 miles west of St. Louis and has a graduate enrollment of more than 1,300 students. GRE scores are required for admission to the doctoral program, and students must obtain the support or sponsorship of a faculty member who will serve as an adviser for their dissertations prior to applying. Only 15 percent of those who apply receive admission, according to the university's website. Among the specialties available to students at the university are clinical psychology, child and developmental psychology, cognition and neuroscience, quantitative psychology and personality and social psychology. Students typically receive financial support in the form of assistantships and fellowships for at least five years, though many continue to enjoy funding until they complete their dissertations. Approximately 85 percent of students in the psychology doctorate program receive summer funding for research or to attend classes.
University of Missouri at Columbia
Department of Psychological Sciences
210 McAlester Hall
Columbia, MO 65211
573-882-6860
missouri.edu
The Roman Catholic Church founded St. Louis University in 1818, and in 2009, the school received the 132-place ranking among all psychology programs in the United States from U.S. News and World Report. GRE scores, letters of reference and a resume are all required for admissions consideration to the doctorate program. Students typically complete both the master's and doctoral-level requirements while attending the university. The school's psychology specializations include clinical, experimental and industrial and organizational. The clinical program is the most competitive, with less than 7 percent of students receiving an invitation to study at the school. Assistantships and research fellowships are available for the majority of students.
St. Louis University
Department of Psychology
Shannon Hall
3511 Laclede Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63103
314-977-2240
slu.edu