Our Mission & History

The Department of Psychology, established in 1967, is an intellectually diverse community of scholars engaged in research addressing psychology at the levels of mind, brain, and society.

We strive for excellence in our scholarship and teaching, and we seek to cultivate in our students a dedication to the highest standards in their endeavors. We are committed to collaboration within and across disciplinary boundaries, and to sustaining professional links with relevant local, national, and global organizations.

The Department of Psychology is located in White Gravenor Hall on the main campus of the university. The Department is home to a diverse and collaborative community of scholars who conduct research in psychology, neuroscience, and public policy, and who teach courses at the undergraduate and graduate level. Research by Faculty in the Department of Psychology—from basic science investigations of behavior and brain function to applications for public policy—is directed at Georgetown University’s goal of creating and communicating knowledge in the service of the common good.

Undergraduate Program

Our Undergraduate Program offers a Major and a Minor in Psychology and provides a variety of opportunities for scholarship and extracurricular enrichment, including the Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology, a research-focused Honors Program, and research assistantships and volunteer opportunities in Faculty labs.

Graduate Program

Our Graduate Program offers a five-year program of study in developmental science leading to a Ph.D. in Psychology, with concentrations in Human Development & Public Policy and Lifespan Cognitive Neuroscience. We also offer a dual degree combining a Ph.D. in Psychology and a Master of Public Policy degree in collaboration with the McCourt School of Public Policy. Additionally, students can apply simultaneously to the Psychology Ph.D. program and the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Cognitive Science program.