Psychology
Established in 1970, the Division of Psychology supports innovative psychological research, world-class graduate, internship, and postdoctoral training, and high quality, science-based clinical services. The Division includes approximately 50 primary faculty members within Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, as well as 45 faculty at Lurie Children’s Hospital and the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, 35 faculty members with primary appointments in other departments, and 90 faculty members who contribute as clinicians, supervisors, lecturers, adjuncts, and in a myriad of other ways to the mission of the Division. The division aims to integrate clinical psychological research, education, and clinical services to foster overall health and well-being in our patients and their communities.
Division Leadership
About Our Division
Education
The Division of Psychology houses or is affiliated with a wide range of educational programs:
Graduate & Internship Programs
Clinical Psychology Master of Arts (MA) Program
The MA program in Clinical Psychology provides students with a foundation in academic clinical psychology, while also allowing students to explore major areas of study within clinical psychology, including clinical adult psychology, clinical child psychology, clinical neuropsychology, forensic psychology, and health psychology/behavioral medicine. Visit the Clinical Psychology MA page.
Clinical Psychology PhD
This APA-accredited program is unique in that it is one of only a few programs rooted within an academic healthcare system. The interdepartmental structure of the program provides an invaluable opportunity for students to receive a true balance of research and clinical training. Visit the Clinical Psychology PhD page to learn more and apply.
Clinical Psychology Internship
Also APA-accredited, this residency focuses on the reciprocal and complementary relationship between clinical practice and research. The program is designed for those who wish to pursue careers in clinical practice, teaching and research. Learn more on our internship page.
Postdoctoral Training Programs
Clinical Neuropsychology Fellowship
In this two-year fellowship offered by the Department of Psychiatry, fellows can expect to receive residency training in the science and practice of clinical neuropsychology. More information is available on the fellowship page.
NU-MHE T32 Fellowship
The department also supports the Northwestern University – Mental Health Earlier T32 (NU-MHE T32) Post-Doctoral Fellowship, which is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and housed within the Institute for Innovations in Developmental Science (DevSci) at Northwestern. Visit the T32 website.
Research
Research labs and programs within the Division of Psychology study human behavior and brain function across multiple psychiatric and developmental disorders. The primary goal of our research is to inform early identification, prevention and treatment of these disorders. Also central to our division is collaboration – both within the department and outside it, with other renowned departments and institutions. Our research groups conduct innovative studies with cutting-edge methods as well as translate our science into practice to improve the standard of care for the millions affected by psychological difficulties. Learn more about our research and labs here.
Patient Care
The clinicians in the Division of Psychology have a broad range of clinical backgrounds but all share a commitment to providing exceptional science-based psychological assessment and intervention services. Besides general outpatient clinical services, we have numerous specialty clinical programs including clinical neuropsychology, OCD and anxiety-related disorders, and women's mental health. Visit our Patient Care page for more information.
Our clinicians also recognize that the stigma of psychological difficulties can sometimes impede individuals from seeking services, even as stigma fortunately diminishes in many communities. With this in mind, we strive to compassionately help individuals and families feel comfortable to seek psychological services with our clinicians and to work tirelessly with our clients to improve whatever is bringing them to our clinics.