Application Information

Welcome and thank you for your interest in our program!

Note: The GRE general test requirement will be waived for the upcoming admission cycle!

Students with master’s degrees in psychology or health related fields (biology, gerontology, nursing and allied health, public policy, and other health disciplines) as well as highly disciplined and competent undergraduates are encouraged to apply to this program. The program requires a minimum of 18 hours of coursework in psychology in order to be versed in the basic science of psychology. The requirement may be waived in some cases if applicants present evidence of competence in psychology by means of a highly competitive Psychology Subject Exam GRE Score.

What do we look for in an applicant to any concentration of the Health Psychology Ph.D. Program?

  • Hardworking, competent, and disciplined scholars with interests in health related research.
  • Applicants who demonstrate intellectual curiosity and a passion for the science of psychology.
  • Applicants whose professional interests match well to the expertise of our faculty.
  • A combination of a strong academic background and relevant experience.

What do we look for in an applicant interested in the Behavioral Science Program?

  • Applicants who are interested in conducting basic and applied behavioral science research to understand behavioral dynamics of health.
  • Applicants who are interested in interdisciplinary research and evidence-based research practices for advancing health behaviors.
  • Applicants with strong critical thinking skills, relevant background in behavioral science, and research dissemination experiences.

What do we look for in an applicant interested in the Clinical Psychology program?

  • Applicants who are interested in conducting research in clinical psychology.
  • Applicants who are interested in the evidence-based practice of clinical psychology.
  • Applicants with relevant clinical experience.

What do we look for in an applicant interested in the Community Psychology program?

  • Applicants concerned about social justice and making sure that opportunities exist for everyone to succeed.
  • Applicants wanting to use their skills and talents to make a difference on a community level.
  • Applicants interested in gaining applied skills that will enable them to effect community change.

Admissions Requirements
The following are the minimum admissions requirements for the Health Psychology Ph.D. Program at UNC Charlotte. The number of students applying is expected to far exceed the number admitted, so meeting the minimum admissions requirements does not guarantee admission into the program.

  • At least 18 hours of coursework in psychology including Introductory Psychology and Research Methods.
  • An undergraduate course in statistics.
  • Excellent scores on the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the GRE.
  • Completion of an undergraduate degree demonstrating excellent scholarship and including at least 18 hours of psychology coursework. The mean undergraduate GPA of admitted students has been at or near 3.50.

List of faculty accepting students can be found here.

To apply to the Health Psychology Ph.D. Program, submit the following application materials to the UNC Charlotte Graduate School by November 15th. For Application forms and instructions, please visit our graduate school website. Please send your GRE scores to the graduate school at UNC Charlotte. Their code is: 5105. Note: The GRE general test requirement will be waived for the upcoming admission cycle (2024/2025)!

  • Completed Application for Admission.
  • Transcripts of all academic work attempted since high school including evidence of the completion of a bachelors degree.
  • At least three references from persons, preferably psychologists, who can speak to the applicant’s abilities to succeed as a health psychologist, including academic achievements in previous degree work.
  • A personal statement. For more details, please click here.
  • A current resume or CV.
  • International students must submit official test scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) of at least 550 on the written test or 220 on the computer-based test or a score of at least 85% on the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). All tests must have been taken within the past two years.

For answers to frequently asked questions, please click here.