Social Psychology

Area Coordinator: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Applications for admission in September are due December 1 of the previous year. See the How to Apply section of the Graduate Program Overview.

Program Overview

The social psychology program facilitates the transition from being a consumer of psychological science to becoming a contributor. Therefore, our research-oriented program provides graduate students with the training necessary to identify, evaluate and test social, personality, and health psychology research questions. We also provide students with the scientific knowledge and skills to communicate effectively about psychological theories and research and to evaluate the quality of psychological science. This includes opportunities to learn about a broad range of methodologies including the assessment of implicit beliefs and attitudes, behavioral experimentation, and biological methods. We offer hands-on mentoring, and specialized coursework in stigma and intergroup relations, attitudes and social cognition, self-control and regulation, and health. We offer graduate students training for teaching and research careers in both academic and non-academic settings. We are looking for graduate student applicants who have a strong fit to the research interests of available faculty mentors, prior research experience (e.g., honors theses, independent research, lab managerial experience), and a record of academic excellence.

Social Psychology Graduate Course/Credit Requirements

This information is accurate as of 03/01/2022. However, this information is periodically updated. It is possible that there is a lag between the change of requirements and the updating of this page. Therefore, this is presented for informational purposes only and does not necessarily constitute the official policies of the Psychology Graduate Program or the Social Area. To find out the actual and most up-to-date policy of the Social Area please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for the Social Area.

Big Questions in Social Psychology

How can prejudice and discrimination be reduced?
How do psychological factors influence physical health, stress, and disease?
What helps people perform their best to achieve their goals?
How accurate is both lay social perception and scientific study of social perception?
How do social categories and social identities influence people and perceptions of them?