Overall, 15% of PSYC alumni pursued their current careers with a doctoral degree.
To learn more about specific careers within these doctoral areas, scroll down or select from the buttons below.
Degree areas: psychology alumni with a doctoral degree
Law: 25.89%
Helping Professions: 25%
Medical/Health: 20.54%
Other Psychology: 16.69%
Other grad degrees: 8.04%
Education: 2.68%
Business: 2.68%
How can I prepare for these outcomes?
Take More Psychology & Work Hard in PSYC 221/222
Go beyond the 9-course minimum. Analytical skills are in demand.
Conduct Research with Faculty & Complete a Senior Thesis
Invest early and deeply in research during your time at the College.
Present Your Work
Student Symposium. Glassman Symposium. External conferences.
Develop Connections & Learn About Various Career Paths
Connect with faculty, alumni, campus speakers, CAC.
Your PSYC advisor can connect you with the alumni listed here!
Develop Other Specialties
Add a second major or a minor. Seek leadership experience.
Use the Career Advancement Center (CAC)
Secure an internship. Develop your resume. Enhance your skills.
Grow your network. Prepare for interviews. Prepare for post-grad.
Get Involved
Psi Chi. Current Advances in Psychology (CAP) Series. Campus life.
Clinical Psychology: PhD vs. PsyD
PhD in Clinical Psychology: Focus
PhD programs emphasize both clinical training and scientific research, preparing graduates to conduct research and provide evidence-based assessment and therapy. The modal outcome is clinical practice, but allows academic careers (research, teaching).
PhD in Clinical Psychology: Key Info
Very competitive (low acceptance rates; small annual cohorts). Most cover tuition and provide stipends for teaching or research assistantships. Often require research-based gap year(s).
PhD in Clinical Psychology: Sample Destinations (8+ Alumni)
Rosalind Franklin University (3+); Illinois Institute of Technology; University of Notre Dame; Indiana University Indianapolis; Palo Alto University; Univ. of Denver
PsyD in Clinical Psychology: Focus
PsyD programs emphasize clinical training with less focus on conducting research. The modal outcome is clinical practice.
PsyD in Clinical Psychology: Key Info
Programs at traditional nonprofit universities often are very competitive with stronger training oversight. Programs at graduate-only or for-profit institutions may enroll larger cohorts and have less selective admissions. Most PsyD programs charge full tuition, which can lead to significant debt. Master degrees can lead to similar careers outcomes with less debt.
PsyD in Clinical Psychology: Sample Destinations (10+ Alumni)
National Louis University (3+); The Chicago School (2+); Midwestern University; Roosevelt University
Doctoral Degrees in Other Helping Areas
OTD: Doctor of Occupational Therapy (4+ Alumni)
Washington University of St. Louis; Creighton University; Midwestern University; Concordia University Wisconsin
Other Degree Types (# Alumni)
- PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision (2+)
- EdD in School Psychology (1+)
- PhD in Social Work (1+)
Doctoral Degrees in Other Psych Areas
Degree Types, Common Destinations, (16+ Alumni)
PhD in Developmental or Applied Developmental (2+)
University of Pittsburgh; Univ. of North Carolina Greensboro
PhD in Social or Applied Social (2+)
George Washington University; Miami University of Ohio
PhD in Industrial Organizational Psychology (3+)
Colorado State University; Illinois Institute of Technology; Northern Illinois University
PhD in Biological Psychology or Neuroscience (4+)
University of Chicago; University of Pennsylvania; University of Illinois; Medical University of South Carolina; Univ. of Rochester
PhD in Cognitive Psychology (4+)
University of Illinois Chicago (2+); Northwestern University
Doctoral Degrees in Law
- JD: Juris Doctor or Doctor of Law (26+ Alumni)
- University of Illinois Chicago: UIC Law / John Marshall (10+)
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law (3+)
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Law (2+)
- Marquette University (2+)
- Northern Illinois University College of Law (2+)
- University of Florida (2+)
- Chicago Kent School of Law at Illinois Institute of Tech (1+)
- Duke University (1+)
- University of Minnesota (1+)
- St. Louis University (1+)
Doctoral Degrees in Health Professions
MD: Doctor of Medicine (7+ Alumni)
Rosalind Franklin University (2+); University of Illinois College of Medicine; Tulane University; Penn State University; Loyola Univ.
DO: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (3+ Alumni)
Michigan State University; Midwestern University; Kansas City Univ.
DPM: Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (4+ Alumni)
Rosalind Franklin University (4+)
DPT: Doctor of Physical Therapy (2+ Alumni)
Northwestern University; Midwestern University
Degree Types, Common Destinations, (4+ Alumni)
PharmD: Doctor of Pharmacology (3+)
Northwestern; UIC; RFUMS
DVM : Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (1+)
University of Illinois
DNP: Doctor of Nursing Practice (1+)
Marquette University
Doctoral Degrees in Other Areas
PhDs in Social Science Disciplines (4+ Alumni)
- PhD in Criminal Justice (Temple University)
- PhD in International Affairs (Georgia Tech)
- PhD in Media & Communication (Texas Tech)
- PhD in Behavioral Economics (Vienna School of Econ & Business)
PhDs in Natural Science Disciplines (3+ Alumni)
- PhD in Genetics (Yale University)
- PhD in Organic Chemistry (University of Florida)
- PhD in Epidemiology & Biostatistics (University of Arizona)
EdD: Doctor of Education (4+ Alumni)
Various disciplines including:
- Curriculum Instruction
- Educational Policy & Organizational Leadership
- Organizational Leadership
Various destinations including:
- Loyola University Chicago
- Lewis & Clark
- American College of Education