Graduate Overview

Doctoral student Nana Amissah in the lab.

Since 1919, the Department of Psychology has been shaping the next generation of researchers, clinicians and innovators. Our graduate students work alongside faculty who are leaders in their fields, gaining the skills, knowledge and confidence to make an impact in academia, healthcare, research, industry, government and public service.

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Why Study Psychology at UB?

  • Collaborative mentor-based training: From day one you’ll work closely with faculty whose research lines up with your interests. This is a hands-on program where you’re a core part of the team.
  • Career-ready skills: Our graduates step into roles in universities, hospitals, clinics, research labs, government agencies and major companies. The foundation you build here travels well.
  • Interdisciplinary opportunities: Collaborate with leading centers like the Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention, the Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions.
  • Research that matters: Our projects tackle issues like addiction, mental health, healthy development, stress and health, diet and behavior and stereotyping. The work is essential, relevant and aimed at solutions.

Life in Buffalo

  • Exciting and Diverse: As New York’s second-largest city, Buffalo offers a vibrant cultural scene, world-class food and endless activities, just minutes from Canada.
  • Safe and Sustainable: Ranked the 4th safest U.S. city from natural disasters, with a university-wide commitment to carbon neutrality by 2030.
  • Affordable and Livable: Named one of the 25 Best Affordable Places to Live, Buffalo delivers city life without the big-city price tag.
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A mural with the text ‘Keep Buffalo A Secret’ is displayed on a building on Main Street in downtown Buffalo. NY.

Photographer: Douglas Levere

Graduate Degree Programs

Choose the program that matches your goals:

PhD in Psychology

Behavioral Neuroscience
Clinical Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Social Personality Psychology

Master’s Degrees

MA in General Psychology
MA in Drugs, Health and Society
MS in Data Analytics in Social Sciences

Advanced Certificate

Developmental Science
Check out the Graduate Course Catalog
Meet our Students and Alumni
“UB's Psychology MA program thoroughly improved my proficiency as a researcher. ”
9/13/23

Schuyler Lawson

MA in General Psychology, UB;
Doctoral student, Community Health and Health Behavior

“My faculty mentors were not only excellent models of scholarship, but consistently provided me with the encouragement and resources I needed to become a successful teacher-scholar. ”
9/13/23

Deborah Ward

PhD in Social-Personality Psychology, UB;
Assistant Professor, Higher Education

“I decided to attend UB because of its reputation for rigorous, high-quality research training. I received this and so much more. ”
9/13/23

Rebecca Etkin

PhD in Clinical Psychology, UB;
Postdoctoral Associate

“If you are considering graduate study in Psychology at UB, know that you will be surrounded by some of the smartest, kindest, and most supportive mentors out there who are leaders in their respective fields of research. ”
9/13/23

Samuel Meisel

PhD in Clinical Psychology, Advanced Certificate in Developmental Science, UB;
Assistant Professor, Higher Education

“Every day I get to do something fun and find creative solutions to problems on the journey to discovery. But there’s so much more than that! ”
9/13/23

Mauricio Suarez

PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience, UB;
Research Assistant Professor, Higher Education

“In addition to coursework and lab training, I was also able to gain teaching experience, write and publish peer-reviewed papers with my mentor, and present my research at several local and national scientific conferences. ”
9/13/23

Kelcie Schatz

PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience, UB;
Postdoctoral Fellow

“All of the faculty were so welcoming and really cared about providing me with opportunities that would allow me to pursue my field of interest. ”
9/13/23

Allison Scagel

PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience, UB;
Applied Animal Behaviorist

“While there are many things I could list about what made my doctoral experience so great (such as classes or training opportunities), the most significant part of the program that shaped my experience was the mentorship model and mentor I worked with at UB. ”
6/20/25

Sarah Blakely-McClure

PhD in Clinical Psychology, UB;
Associate Professor, Higher Education

“As a graduate student at UB, I was able to participate in different collaborative research opportunities with multiple faculty members within the department. ”
9/13/23

Emma Greenspon

PhD in Cognitive Psychology, UB;
Assistant Professor, Higher Education

“While in graduate school, with the guidance and support of faculty advisors, I taught multiple independent courses, mentored undergraduate thesis students, gained hands-on experience managing and operating laboratory spaces, and collaborated with researchers across various disciplines. ”
9/13/23

Thomas Saltsman

PhD in Social-Personality Psychology, UB;
Lecturer, Higher Education

“UB provides amazing research and clinical training by faculty who are always accessible and extremely passionate about what they do. ”
9/13/23

Lauren Rodriguez

PhD in Clinical Psychology, UB;
Advanced Postdoctoral Fellow

“The department is a collaborative and congenial environment, which enables students to thrive. ”
6/20/25

Tiffany Jenzer

PhD in Clinical Psychology, UB;
Research Assistant Professor, Higher Education

“The excellent research and evidence-based clinical training I received helped me develop into a well-rounded researcher who is able to work with professionals across different disciplines. ”
6/20/25

Sarah Tonkin

PhD in Clinical Psychology, UB;
Assistant Professor, Higher Education

“One of the best things about my time at UB was the opportunity to expand my knowledge of psychology by taking courses and interacting with fellow graduate students and faculty who were outside of my domain of expertise. ”
9/15/23

Karen Chow

PhD in Cognitive Psychology, UB;
Senior Learning Scientist, Educational Technology Industry

“My relationships with my advisors have continued even after I left UB, and one of the great perks of scientific research is building a large collaborative network of likeminded scholars. ”
9/13/23

Veronica Lamarche

PhD in Social-Personality Psychology, UB;
Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor), Higher Education

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What you’ll learn

Our programs are built to give you:

  • A strong foundation in general psychology
  • Intensive research experience in your specialization
  • Opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration
  • The skills and confidence to become a creative, independent scientist committed to scholarship

Our faculty

We have 35 PhDs in psychology, and most teach and mentor graduate students directly. They’re not just publishing—they’re shaping the field and bringing that expertise into the classroom and the lab.

Faculty research areas:

  • Clinical psychology and mental health
  • Child development and bullying prevention
  • Language acquisition in infants
  • Self and identity formation
  • Close relationships and social connections
  • Motivation and brain systems
  • Resilience and stress
  • Auditory processing in humans and other animals
  • And much more
Meet our faculty
Explore faculty research

Take the next step

If you’re curious about how we think, feel and act—and you want to turn that curiosity into action—UB’s graduate programs in psychology are ready for you.

Apply now
Check out the Graduate Course Catalog
See careers in Psychology

Contact us