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Applied Social Psychology

PhD in Psychology

The PhD in Applied Social Psychology trains you to conduct research that advances and applies scientific knowledge to address pressing societal issues that include social identity, group conflict, health behavior, and influence and social change.

CGU’s program in Applied Social Psychology provides a comprehensive grounding in social psychology that surveys the field’s theoretical foundations within interactive seminar-style classes. Curriculum and research projects emphasize in-depth examination of the field’s core areas, including attitudes and persuasion, group processes/intergroup relations, interpersonal processes, and motivation, affect, and cognition. Research is the foundation of the PhD program, with much of it conducted in faculty labs and faculty-led or -mentored research groups.

Program Highlights
  • The program emphasizes the development of methodological and statistical skills early on, which quickly positions students to excel as researchers.
  • Research activity is diverse and includes attitudes, persuasion, and social change; self, social identity, culture, and community; group processes and intergroup relations; pro-social behavior; interpersonal and close relationships; and influence and persuasion.
  • Our graduate students are encouraged to gain practical experience through projects, internships, or jobs, often at CGU’s research centers and affiliates, such as the Claremont Evaluation Center or the Health Psychology and Prevention Science Institute.
  • All students who request financial aid receive fellowships. The Division of Behavioral & Organizational Sciences (DBOS) also regularly hires students for paid teaching assistantships.
Colloquia and Conference Series

The social psychology program hosts several colloquia and conference series, including:

Program At-a-glance

  • 72 units

    required units

  • PhD in Psychology

    degree awarded

  • In Person

    modality

  • Spring, Fall

    program start

  • 5-7 years | full time*

    estimated completion time

Where You Can Find Our Alumni

Faculty

  • Eusebio Alvaro

    Eusebio Alvaro

    Full Research Professor

    Research Interests

    Social Influence Processes, Health Promotion, Disease Prevention & Medicine

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  • William Crano Portrait

    William Crano

    Stuart Oskamp Chair of Psychology

    Research Interests

    Social Influence, Effects of persuasive information on drug addiction and HIV/AIDS, Minority and majority relationships to health information

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  • Portrait of Michael Hogg

    Michael Hogg

    Professor of Social Psychology

    Research Interests

    Self and Social Identity; Intergroup Relations and Group Processes; Influence and Leadership; Uncertainty, Radicalization and Extremism; Intergroup Communication

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  • Wesley Schultz Portrait

    P. Wesley Schultz

    Full Research Professor

    Research Interests

    Environmental psychology, social psychology, conservation, sustainability, social influence, quantitative methods, big data

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  • Jason Siegel

    Jason T. Siegel

    Professor of Psychology

    Research Interests

    Social Psychology, Health Psychology, Persuasion, Survey Research

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  • Anna Woodcock

    Anna Woodcock

    Senior Research Fellow

    Research Interests

    Identity, Identity balance, Stereotypes, Diversity, STEM, Prejudice, Longitudinal Research, Quasi-Experimental Research, Intervention Evaluation, Theory-driven Interventions, Implicit Bias, Implicit identities

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Extended Faculty

  • Mark Costanzo

    Claremont McKenna College

    Research Interests

    Death penalty, expert testimony, non-verbal communication, social psychology

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  • Jennifer Feitosa

    Claremont McKenna College

    Research Interests

    Culture, Diversity, Organizational Psychology, Statistics, Teams, Teamwork, Workplace Issues and Trends

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  • Steffanie Guillermo

    Pitzer College

    Research Interests

    Racial/ethnic stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination, Threat perceptions, Bias against immigrants, Racial/ethnic health disparities

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  • Shana Levin

    Claremont McKenna College

    Research Interests

    Social psychology

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  • Allen Omoto

    Pitzer College

    Research Interests

    Social psychology; volunteerism and prosocial action; environmental concerns; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues; sense of community; civic engagement and civil society

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  • Adam Pearson

    Pomona College

    Research Interests

    Social psychology of sustainability and climate change, social cognition, intergroup relations, disparities, stereotyping and prejudice

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  • Piercarlo Valdesolo

    Claremont McKenna College

    Research Interests

    Social psychology, moral judgment and behavior

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  • Robin Vallacher

    Florida Atlantic University

    Research Interests

    Dynamical social psychology, action identification, social judgment, self-concept, interpersonal dynamics, conflict and social justice

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Curriculum

Social Psychology Core Courses (20 units)
Directed Research: Social Psychology (4 units across fall and spring)
Overview of Social Psychology (4 units)
At least three courses (12 units) from the following:

  • Attitudes & Social Influence (4 units)
  • Group Processes & Intergroup Relations (4 units)
  • Interpersonal Processes (4 units)
  • Motivation, Cognition & Affect (4 units)

Social Psychology & Related Electives (28 units)
Students are encouraged to take elective courses in social psychology and across the Division of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences. They also can take relevant elective courses that are offered by Claremont Graduate University’s other schools and departments.

Statistics & Methodology (16 units)
Research Methods (4 units)
Intermediate Statistics (2 units)
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) (2 units)
Applied Multiple Regression (2 units)
Categorical Data Analysis (2 units)
PSYCH 315 Sequence: 4 additional units of Advanced Methodology

Field/Teaching Experience (4 units)
Supervised Teaching Seminar (4 units)
or
Field Placement (4 units)

Transdisciplinary Core Course (4 units)
All PhD students are required to enroll in a transdisciplinary core course from Claremont Graduate University’s “TNDY” course sequence.

Portfolio
In addition to 72 units of coursework, all students must complete a portfolio that represents a cohesive set of experiences balancing training in their area of specialization.PhD Completion

  • PhD qualifying exam
  • Dissertation proposal
  • Dissertation and oral defense

In the Field Opportunities
Under the supervision of professionals with expertise in your particular areas of interest, you can participate in fieldwork, research, and paid internships at a range of corporations and organizations, including:

  • Southern California Edison Company
  • Kaiser Permanente
  • Orange County Rapid Transit District
  • Riverside County Department of Mental Health
  • Claremont Evaluation Center
  • Institute for Research on Social Issues

Application Guidelines

University Requirements
Application Fee

$80 (fee is non-refundable)
Official Transcripts

Undergraduate/graduate

Applicants must submit a sealed, official transcript from every undergraduate and graduate institution that has granted the applicant a degree. Electronic transcripts sent to admissions@cgu.edu are also accepted. For undergraduate coursework, applicants are required to submit proof of a completed bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Unofficial copies of transcripts are accepted for review purposes, but official copies will be required upon admission.

Applicants currently earning a degree that will be completed prior to attending CGU are required to submit a transcript showing work in progress for evaluation purposes. Once the degree has been granted, a final official transcript documenting the degree conferred must be submitted to CGU.

International applicants are advised to review the International Transcript Guidelines for additional information on submitting international transcripts.
English Proficiency Exam

Required (international applicants only)

A valid score on one of the following examinations TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson PTE, Duolingo English Test is required of all non-native English-speaking applicants. The examination is not required for the following applicants:

  • Citizens or permanent residents of countries where English is the sole official language of instruction, e.g., Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada (except Quebec), England, Ghana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad, Tobago, Uganda, and Wales (see the CGU Bulletin for a complete list of accepted countries).
  • Applicants who hold an undergraduate or advanced degree, or will have earned such a degree prior to enrolling at CGU, from an institution in the US or in countries where English is the sole official language of instruction (see above).
  • Applicants who have successfully completed an academic English pre-master’s or intensive graduate bridge program from a nationally recognized, regionally accredited four-year college or university in the United States in the last two years, with submitted evidence of successful completion, and subject to curriculum approval.
  • CGU allows for an English proficiency waiver if the applicant has received, or will receive prior to enrollment at CGU, an undergraduate or advanced degree from an institution where English is one of the primary languages of instruction for the majority of courses in the student’s program. To receive the waiver, documentation must be provided by the applicant to show that English is the language of instruction at their university/college.

CGU’s school code for the TOEFL exam is 4053.

International applicants are encouraged to visit our International Applicants page for more information, including score requirements.
Resume

Applicants must submit an up-to-date copy of their resume.
Program Requirements
Statement of Purpose

Please submit a 2-3 page statement of purpose that details your academic and/or professional achievements, your specific areas of research interest within your desired field of study, why you are a strong candidate for graduate studies at CGU, and your career goals.
Letter of Recommendation

2 letters required

When filling out the online application, please enter references acquainted with your potential for success who will submit a written recommendation on your behalf. In most academic departments, references from faculty members who can speak to your academic ability are preferred; applicants with substantial work experience may request professional references. Please do not enter family members as references.

You will be required to input information for your recommenders (whether they are submitting online or not) in the “Recommendations” section of the online application. Please follow the directions in this section carefully before clicking on “Recommendation Provider List” to input the names and contact information for each recommender. You will have an opportunity to indicate if the reference writer will be submitting online. These reference writers will receive an email from CGU with instructions on submitting an online recommendation.

Recommenders who are indicated as offline will not receive an email from CGU with instructions to submit. These reference writers can submit via traditional mail and should use the supplemental New Student Recommendation Form. Recommenders can also email their letter of recommendation to the Office of Admissions at admissions@cgu.edu.

Download the Recommendation Form
Standardized Test Scores

GRE (optional)

Standardized test scores are not required in order to apply for this program. Applicants who have taken the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test are invited to submit scores, but are not required to do so.

Applicants who feel that their Grade Point Averages do not adequately represent their ability to succeed in a graduate program may find it helpful to submit GRE scores for consideration.

CGU’s school code:
ETS (GRE and TOEFL) 4053

Key Dates & Deadlines

CGU operates on a priority deadline cycle. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit complete applications by the priority dates in order to assure maximum consideration for both admission and fellowships.

Once the priority deadlines have passed, the University will continue to review applications for qualified candidates on a competitive, space-available basis. The final deadlines listed are the last date the University can accept an application in order to allow sufficient time to complete the admissions, financial aid, and other enrollment processes.

Spring 2025
Priority Deadline – November 1, 2024
Final Deadline (International) – November 15, 2024
Final Deadline (Domestic) – December 1, 2024
Classes begin – January 21, 2025

Summer 2025
Priority Deadline – February 1, 2025
Final Deadline (International) – March 1, 2025
Final Deadline (Domestic) – April 1, 2025
Classes begin – May 19, 2025

Fall 2025
Priority Deadline – February 1, 2025
Final Deadline (International) – July 5, 2025
Final Deadline (Domestic) – August 1, 2025
Classes begin – August 25, 2025

Apply Now

Cost & Aid

ESTIMATED TUITION (CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, NON-RESIDENTS, INTERNATIONAL)
Program 72 units
Tuition per unit* $2,020

*Based on 2024-2025 tuition rates.

 

STUDENT FEES (PER SEMESTER)
$245 Student Fee
$150 Technology Fee
International Student Services Fee*: $661 fall semester, $776 spring semester
**Applies to all international students (F-1 visa only) who are registered in coursework, doctoral study, or continuous registration. The fee is assessed each fall and spring semester for annual ISO accident and sickness plans and administrative fees. Subject to change.

For estimates of room & board, books, etc., please download CGU’s Cost of Attendance 2024-2025.

review financial aid

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