The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Psychology is one of the highest levels of degree available in any field of studies that a student can pursue in India. It is a research-based program that allows a student to perform in-depth research in an area of specialization. The Ph.D. in Psychology primarily equips a student for various career options that covers a wide range of research areas and it is designed for students who are keen to generate new knowledge and ideas through scientific research which includes data collection, setting up experiments, applying analytical techniques, etc. and to enhance the skills of students within the subfields of psychology.

In this article, we have mentioned the various information regarding the course, the eligibility criteria, the list of colleges and universities, various disciplines, and the scope of Ph.D. in Psychology in India.

The Ph.D. in Psychology course is generally of a two years duration but a student is allowed to complete the whole research in a maximum of five years duration depending upon their respective institute.

The students graduating with a Ph.D. degree in Psychology receive a significant amount of training in the area of research methodology and statistical analysis in order to prepare them to generate new scientific knowledge, professional practices, or both. In Ph.D., students are often required to prepare a thesis or dissertation in order to illustrate their research knowledge and expertise.

Eligibility Criteria for PhD in Psychology:

Before enrolling in the Ph.D. in Psychology students are required to fulfill the minimum qualification and other eligibility criteria that are necessary for students to obtain admission. Some of the common eligibility criteria for a Ph.D. in psychology in India are as follows:

Candidates for Ph.D. in Psychology are required to have a Postgraduate degree in Psychology/ Applied Psychology or related fields with at least 55% marks from a recognized University.
Candidates are required to fill out the application form for the entrance examination process.
Candidates should clear the entrance examination that is being conducted by the institute.

Specializations available for PhD in Psychology

Some of the major areas of specializations that are there for Ph.D. in Psychology programs include:

Clinical Psychology: It is a subfield of psychology that primarily focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of mental health-related issues. This program aims to provide detailed training in both contemporary clinical assessment and intervention.

Counseling Psychology: The Ph.D. Program in Counseling Psychology is dedicated to the preparation of counseling psychologists who facilitate the optimal development of individuals, groups, and organizations that is culturally relevant and psychologically appropriate across the lifespan. The students are taught to use strategies of prevention, intervention, and remediation to assist others in developing effective coping skills and responses to their environments.

Forensic Psychology: This program combines disciplinary and specialized study in forensic psychology, research methodology, and statistics, and is also applied to learning experiences to prepare students to work in a variety of settings. The program also allows the students to advance in their current fields.

Neuropsychology: Neuropsychology doctoral programs provide opportunities for students to study areas such as brain function, brain anatomy, and neurological injury and disease. Through the following program, students are also trained to administer and understand assessments that are used for detecting brain dysfunction and abnormalities.

Sports Psychology: This particular program is designed in order to advance the primary knowledge in the field of sports psychology theories and research. Sports psychology Ph.D. programs prepare the students to teach college-level courses in the field.

Career Scope & Opportunities after PhD in Psychology

The Ph.D. in Psychology degree helps a student to develop and enhance their skills and comprehensive approach to the field of psychology and mental health profession. The scope after completing a Ph.D. in psychology is increasing day by day in India.

Ph.D. in Psychology primarily offers various career opportunities which a student can opt-in in terms of their future education and also their jobs. Some of the career options after graduating with a Ph.D. in Psychology are:

Research Associate: A research associate is a professional mainly responsible for the conduction of research work, studies, and experiments. A research associate is mainly involved in reviewing the study designs, conducting surveys, experimental procedures, and statistical analyses, and also handling all the documentation and management work.

Assistant & Associate Professor: Assistant and Associate Professors are involved with the teaching of psychological concepts and theories, psychological research projects, and curriculum development.

Scientist: A scientist is a professional who is responsible for conducting different research and studies that are related to laboratory setups. A scientist working in a psychological department conducts experiments on different topics and derives a certain conclusion through those studies.

Psychologist: A psychologist is a mental health professional responsible for working on the mental health well-being of an individual in various setups. They are also responsible for spreading awareness, guiding, and educating people regarding the significance of mental health in our daily lives. There are different specializations that are as follows:

Clinical Psychologist: they are mental health professionals with specialized training in diagnosing different types of behavioral and emotional issues and providing psychological treatments.
Counseling Psychologist: professionals involved in dealing with emotional, behavioral, and other psychological health issues and also alleviating feelings of distress.
Rehabilitation Psychologist: they have specialized knowledge in regards to the evaluation as well as treatment of psychological, emotional, and behavioral coping that promotes positive adaptation to society.
Child Psychologist: they are primarily responsible for the assessments, diagnostic purposes, and development of treatment plans for children and adolescents.

Apart from this, the Ph.D. program also prepares the students and makes them eligible for pursuing career options in other applied sectors such as counseling in school setups and NGOs and consulting in businesses and organizations that work towards mental health and well-being investigations.

List of Colleges providing PhD Psychology in India

Here, we’ve included a list of different colleges and universities in India that provide Ph.D. programs in psychology. Some of the best universities in this discipline are on the list, which can be further extended as we have only mentioned the top and most famous universities in the same. These are the colleges:

University/Colleges	Course
Delhi
University of Delhi	PhD in Psychology
Jamia Millia Islamia	PhD in Psychology
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University	PhD in Psychology
Christ University	PhD in Psychology
Ashoka University	PhD in Psychology
All India Institute of Medical Sciences	PhD in Clinical Psychology
Andhra Pradesh
Yogi Vemana University	PhD in Psychology
Assam
Gauhati University	PhD in Psychology
Assam Don Bosco University	PhD in Psychology & Counselling
Bihar
Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University	PhD in Psychology
Central University of South Bihar	PhD in Psychology
Central University of South Bihar	PhD in Clinical Psychology
Chhattisgarh
Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University	PhD in Psychology
Gujarat
Saurashtra University	PhD in Psychology
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University	PhD in Psychology
Rashtriya Raksha University	PhD in Criminology/Behavioural Sciences
Children's University	PhD in Psychology
Harayana
Kurukshetra University	PhD in Psychology
Shree Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary University	PhD in Clinical/Counselling Psychology
Central University of Haryana	PhD in Psychology
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh University	PhD in Psychology
Maharshi Dayanand University	PhD in Psychology
Jharkhand
Central Institute of Psychiatry	PhD in Clinical Psychology
Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry & Allied Sciences	PhD in Clinical Psychology
Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University	PhD in Psychology
Karnataka
National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences	PhD in Clinical Psychology
Christ University	PhD in Psychology
Central University of Karnataka	PhD in Psychology
REVA University	PhD in Psychology
Garden City University	PhD in Psychology
Gulbarga University	PhD in Psychology
Kerala
Prajyoti Niketan College	PhD in Psychology
Sree Shankaracharya University of Sanskrit	PhD in Psychology
University of Kerala	PhD in Psychology
Madhya Pradesh
Dr BR Ambedkar University of Social Sciences	PhD in Psychology
Indira Gandhi national Tribal University	PhD in Applied Psychology
Maharashtra
TISS	Ph.D. in Applied Psychology (Anchored by School of Human Ecology)
Savitribai Phule Pune University	PhD in Psychology
Shivaji University	PhD in Psychology
Dr. Annasaheb GD Bendale Mahila Mahavidyalaya	PhD in Psychology
Mizoram
Mizoram University	PhD in Psychology
Mizoram University	PhD in Clinical Psychology
Nagaland
Nagaland University	PhD in Psychology
St Joseph University	PhD in Psychology
Odisha
Utkal University	PhD in Psychology
Indian Institute of Technology	PhD in Psychology
Punjab
Panjab university	PhD in Psychology
Lovely Professional University	PhD in Psychology
CT University	PhD in Psychology
Puducherry
Pondicheery University	Ph.D. Applied Psychology
Rajasthan
Banasthali Vidyapith	PhD in Psychology
NIMS University	PhD in Psychology
NIMS University	PhD in Clinical Psychology
University of Rajasthan	PhD in Psychology
Singhania University	PhD in Psychology
IIS University	PhD in Psychology
Bhupal Nobles University	PhD in Psychology
Maharishi Arvind University	PhD in Psychology
Tantia University	PhD in Psychology
Guru Nanak Girls' P.G. College	PhD in Psychology
Sikkim
Sikkim University	PhD in Psychology
Sikkim State University	PhD in Psychology
Tamil Nadu
Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women	PhD in Counselling Psychology
Central University of Tamil Nadu	PhD in Applied Psychology
Periyar University	PhD in Psychology
Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development	PhD in Psychology
Indian Institute of Knowledge Management	PhD in Psychology
Women's Christian College	PhD in Psychology
Government Arts College (Autonomous)	PhD in Psychology
Tripura
Tripura University	PhD in Psychology
Uttar Pradesh
Banaras Hindu University	PhD in Psychology
Aligarh Muslim University	PhD in Psychology
University of Allahabad	PhD in Psychology
Gokul Das Hindu Girls College	PhD in Psychology
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University	PhD in Psychology
Chaudhary Charan Singh University	PhD in Psychology
Amity University	PsyD in Clinical Psychology
Galgotias University	PhD in Psychology
Sharda University	PhD in Psychology
Dayalbagh Educational Institute	PhD in Psychology
Uttarakhand
Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya	PhD in Psychology
University of Patanjali	PhD in Psychology
West Bengal
IIT Kharagpur	PhD in Psychology
University of Calcutta	PhD in Psychology