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Top Universities to Pursue Psychology Courses

Updated on 14 August, 2023

Akansha Semwal

Akansha Semwal

Study Abroad Expert

Psychology is both an art and science that is at once multi-layered, multi-dimensional, and of a multifaceted temperament in its nature and scope. But leaving aside the fancy introduction, if you are a psychology aspirant, you already know that or have fallen in love with the subject. Have you taken a moment to consider the best psychology course in the world? What are the very best psychology programs in the world today for students? Here’s finding out!

Top Universities to Pursue Psychology Courses

While surfing the internet, you will get a slew of options for the best colleges for masters in psychology in the world or the best colleges for clinical psychology in the world. This can leave you a bit puzzled. Fret not; our exclusively compiled list for you will help you to take an informed decision. 

Institution Ranking* Country Small Description Acceptance Rate (Approx)
Stanford University 1 United States Stanford University offers an ecosystem for path-breaking research in the subject. The Department of Psychology has five areas: cognitive, affective, developmental, neuroscience, and social. There are both undergraduate and postgraduate programs available for aspirants. 3.68%
University of Cambridge 2 United Kingdom The University of Cambridge offers both undergraduate and postgraduate programs in psychology. The latter includes both PhD and MPhil courses while the former is divided into specialist fields like psychological and behavioral sciences and natural sciences. 15-16%
Princeton University 3 United States Princeton offers a dedicated Psychology major within the Natural Sciences division, offering advanced and foundation courses in movement, language, perception, sensation, decision-making, reasoning, and social interaction. The university also offers a graduate program where students prepare for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. 4%
UCL 4 United Kingdom UCL offers a three-year BSc program in Psychology with accreditation from the British Psychological Society, covering areas like cognitive psychology, social psychology, developmental psychology, health and clinical psychology, and more. The Division of Psychology and Language Sciences also offers taught and research postgraduate degrees. N/A
Harvard University 5 United States Harvard University saw the emergence of this field in the 1800s under the leadership of William James. The Graduate program offers training in areas like cognition, brain and behavior, developmental psychology, clinical science, and social psychology. 3.5-4%
UCB (University of California, Berkeley) 6 United States The University of California, Berkeley, offers cutting-edge academics and research opportunities. The undergraduate program encompasses six areas, namely behavioral and systems neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, developmental, cognition, clinical science, and social-personality psychology. 27%
Yale University 7 United States Research-based graduate Phd programs are available at Yale University encompassing areas like affective, cognitive, and social neurosciences. Undergraduate programs are also available here. 6.30%
King’s College London 8 United Kingdom King’s College London offers an undergraduate program while being home to the oldest clinical psychology training program in the UK. Clinical and health psychology is a key area of focus here with accreditation from the British Psychological Society. N/A
University of Pennsylvania 9 United States The University of Pennsylvania offers both undergraduate and graduate (coursework and research) programs. The Honors program comes with mentored research for students as well. The graduate course has a clinical program that has obtained APA approval. 4-5%
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor 10 United States The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor offers diverse programs to students, across areas like cognition and cognitive neurosciences, social psychology, combined program in education and psychology, developmental psychology, gender and feminist psychology, social work and psychology, clinical science, biopsychology, and personality and social contexts. 20%
UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) 11 United States The University of California, Los Angeles offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. The former has three majors: psychobiology, cognitive science, and psychology. Students can also opt for specialized courses in fields like memory and learning, perception, cognition, and more. The PhD program focuses on areas like clinical, cognitive, developmental, behavioral, neurosciences, learning and behavior, health psychology, social psychology, and more. 9%
University of Chicago 12 United States The University of Chicago offers a cutting-edge undergraduate program and PhD program, emphasizing both academics and research. 5-6%
University of Amsterdam 13 Netherlands The University of Amsterdam offers both bachelor’s and master's programs in psychology, encompassing various disciplines, including clinical psychology, brain and cognition, psychological methods, developmental psychology, work and organizational psychology, and social psychology. N/A
University of British Columbia 14 Canada The University of British Columbia offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in psychology. N/A
New York University (NYU) 15 United States New York University is known for its advanced undergraduate program in psychology and areas of study like cognitive neurosciences, developmental psychology, personality psychology, cognition, clinical psychology, perception, and social psychology. 8%
Columbia University 16 United States Columbia University offers undergraduate programs that encompass perception, research methods, cognition, developmental, neuroscience, clinical, personality, social, and perception, among other areas. There are various postgraduate programs available as well. 3.90%
LMU Munich 17 Germany LMU Munich offers an interdisciplinary research-based M.Sc Psychology program for students. N/A
Northwestern University 18 United States Northwestern University offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in areas like personality, development, health, brain, behavior, cognition, social, cognitive, and clinical. 9.30%
University of Toronto 19 Canada The University of Toronto offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in psychology. There is an acclaimed tri-campus graduate program on offer, while courses cover various aspects like neuroscience, social cognition, moral thought and behavior, cognition and psychopathology, health psychology, organizational behavior, and more. N/A
KU Leuven 20 Belgium KU Leuven is famed for its Master of Educational Studies and Master of Psychology: Theory and Research programs. PhD programs can also be done at the faculty here. N/A

Source: THE World University Rankings 2023 by Subject: Psychology*

Conclusion

These listed best psychology colleges in the world offer cutting-edge academics, scope for research and innovation, and excellent networking and career growth opportunities. You should zero in on your preferred institutions and list out their admission requirements before proceeding with your application. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which country is best for psychology study?

Some of the top countries to study psychology include the United States and the United Kingdom. If you go by THE World University Rankings 2023 by Subject: Psychology, then the top-20 list has the lion’s share occupied by institutions from these two countries. At the same time, institutions from Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands also find a place on the list. 

Which university is good for a master's in psychology?

You can consider some of the top names in the world for the subject, including the University of Stanford, Princeton University, Harvard University, and the University of Cambridge. Several institutions are highly ranked for their master's programs in the subject worldwide.

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Akansha Semwal

Study Abroad Expert

Akansha Semwal is a content marketer at upGrad and has also worked as a social media marketer & sub-editor. Experienced in creating impressive Statement of Purpose, Essays, and LOR, she knows how to captivate the attention of Admissions Committee. Her research-driven;study-abroad articles helps aspirants to make the prudent decision. She holds a bachelor's & master's degree in Literature from the University of Delhi.

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