Established in 2015, the UMass Lowell Ph.D. program in Applied Psychology & Prevention Science (APPS) is designed to train students and current practitioners who seek advanced education in the application of psychological theories and methods to address real-world problems, as well as to promote optimal quality of life outcomes.

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Overview

APPS emphasizes four concentrations:

  1. Applied Cognitive Psychology
  2. Community and Applied Social Psychology
  3. Applied Developmental Psychology
  4. Applied Behavior Analysis

For questions or to learn more about the Ph.D. in applied psychology and prevention science please contact:

Department of Psychology
Coburn Hall
850 Broadway St., Ste. 310
Lowell, MA 01854-3059
Tel: 978-934-3950
Fax: 978-934-3074
Email: phd-apps@uml.edu

  • Curriculum Information
    Also consider these aspects of the Applied Psychology and Prevention Science Ph.D. program:
  • The official instructions for applying to the Applied Psychology and Prevention Science doctoral program can be found in the graduate catalog.

    Additional information pertaining to applications includes:

    • Refer to Graduate Admissions for specific information about the deadline for application materials.
    • An interview may also be requested by APPS Graduate Admissions Committee.
    • Statement of Purpose: The online Graduate Admissions Application claims that statements can also be mailed or emailed to “The Office of Graduate Admissions.” This statement does not apply for applicants to the APPS program; APPS applicants are expected to upload their Statement of Purpose as part of the online application. Further, the Graduate Admission page provides a general description for the Statement of Purpose that we ask APPS applicants to ignore. Instead, please refer to these instructions for your statement:
    1. This statement of purpose should be uploaded in .doc, .docx or .pdf format. Please do not upload your statement in the .txt format.
    2. Please submit a statement of purpose up to three double-spaced pages in length that describes your plans for graduate study, research experience, current and future research interests, and career goals.
    3. The statement should indicate which of the four tracks you are most interested in and why.
    4. The statement should indicate whether you intend to enroll full-time or part-time* (this information will also be provided separately on the application form).
    5. In your statement, please indicate at least one faculty member with whom you would be interested in doing research.

    *The online application will ask applicants to report, “What is your intended academic load?” Although part-time students may be admitted to the APPS program, we strongly encourage applicants to consider the demands of a doctoral program and the difficulty in meeting those demands with a part-time commitment before requesting admission as a part-time student.

    • Resume: In the resume section, APPS applicants should submit a curriculum vitae rather than a resume to highlight academic and professional achievements. This section also states that resumes can be mailed or emailed to “The Office of Graduate Admissions.” This is again not an option for applicants to the APPS program; APPS applicants must upload their curriculum vitae as part of their online application. Please upload your curriculum vitae in .doc, .docx (not listed on the site, but can be done), or .pdf format. Although .txt is listed as an accepted format, APPS applicants should not use this format.
    • Test Scores: Refer to Graduate Admissions and the Academic Catalog for specific information about test requirements.

    To access the online application for the doctoral program in Applied Psychology and Prevention Science, go to the graduate application page

    Deadline for application is Jan. 15.

  • We have been successful at funding full-time (registered for 9 credit hours per semester) students for four years. Full- time students are funded as either teaching assistants or research assistants. These are 18-hours-per-week positions during the academic semester. Funding includes full tuition-and-fee waiver, as well as a stipend. The level of stipend depends on the student’s progress in the program (e.g., earned a master’s, completed qualifying papers, proposed dissertation), and, as of Fall 2022, ranges from $17,500 - $20,538.45 per year.

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