Each doctoral program also decides which credits earned at the master's level it will accept for transfer. Occasionally, students need to repeat some course work. Some institutions will not accept a master's degree from any school other than their own. For these reasons, it is important to ask questions about these and other issues early in the application process. Each graduate program determines its own entrance requirements.
Some doctoral programs require applicants to have a master's degree in psychology.
For others, students can enter the doctoral programs with a bachelor's degree and work directly on a doctoral degree. Earning a doctoral degree typically requires at least 4 years, with the median time to degree being closer to 7 years of study after the bachelor's degree. Early in the graduate program, you will probably take course work in the core areas of psychology. Once you have completed all the course work, you must pass a comprehensive exam and write and defend a dissertation or other scholarly product. If you want to be a professional psychologist in clinical, counseling, school, or other health service areas of psychology, you will also have to complete a 1-year internship as part of your doctoral study in these areas of practice.