Insights into the Top 10 Universities for Psychology in 2025
| Psychology Rank 2025 | Psychology Rank 2024 | University | Country/Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Stanford University | United States |
| 2 | 3 | University of Cambridge | United Kingdom |
| 3 | 2 | Princeton University | United States |
| 4 | 4 | Harvard University | United States |
| 5 | 5 | University of California, Berkeley | United States |
| 6 | 6 | UCL | United Kingdom |
| 7 | 7 | Yale University | United States |
| 8 | 8 | University of Pennsylvania | United States |
| 9 | 15 | King’s College London | United Kingdom |
| 10 | 11 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | United States |
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Psychology is all about understanding the mind and human behavior. Students in this field explore emotions, motivations, and how people interact with one another.
While many psychology grads go on to become professional psychologists, the degree also opens doors to careers in childcare, social work, and even law.
Times Higher Education has ranked the top 654 universities worldwide for psychology degrees.
Nearly a quarter of the universities in the ranking (151 in total) are based in the US. The UK comes next with 87 universities, followed by Australia (36), Germany (31), and Canada (30).
The ranking follows the same methodology as the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, but with more emphasis on citations and less on teaching.
The Top 10 Universities for Psychology Degrees
1. Stanford University
Stanford’s psychology department was one of the first established at the university.
Research focuses on areas like addictive behaviors, psychopathology, risk, and stereotyping.
Both undergrad and postgraduate programs are available, with grad studies emphasizing research training. The department is divided into five research groups: science, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and social psychology.
It also collaborates closely with other Stanford departments, including biology, law, medicine, and business. There’s a strong push for involvement in interdisciplinary programs across campus.
2. University of Cambridge
Cambridge’s psychological and behavioral sciences tripos covers cognitive, social, developmental, and biological psychology within behavioral sciences.
From their second year, undergrads can engage in lab work to complement coursework and seminars.
As students advance, they can specialize in areas like:
- Statistics
- Neuroanatomy
- Neurotransmitters
- Neuroimaging
- Developmental psychology
- Psychopathology
- Cognitive psychology
- Language, gender, and family dynamics
- Personality and group social behavior
3. Princeton University
Princeton’s psychology department boasts an impressive record, including:
- Six Distinguished Contributions awards from the American Psychological Association
- One Nobel Prize winner
- Three William James Fellow Awards from the Association for Psychological Science
Grad studies focus on:
- Systems neuroscience
- Cognitive neuroscience
- Perception and cognition
- Personality and social psychology
- Physiological psychology
The department works closely with the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, which researches brain function and psychology.
4. Harvard University
Psychology is one of Harvard’s most popular undergrad majors.
Students can choose from three tracks:
- General track (most flexible)
- Cognitive neuroscience and evolutionary psychology
- Cognitive science
The grad program covers four key research themes:
- Cognition, brain, and behavior
- Developmental psychology
- Social psychology
- Clinical science
5. University of California, Berkeley
UC Berkeley’s psychology department researches:
- Development
- Cognition
- Social-personality psychology
- Cognitive neuroscience
Undergrads can attend peer adviser workshops to learn about grad school applications and research projects.
The UC Berkeley Psychology Clinic trains PhD students while offering psychological support to Bay Area residents.
Fun fact: The department recently celebrated its 100th anniversary.
6. UCL
UCL’s Division of Psychology and Language Sciences is the UK’s largest, with:
- 120+ academic staff
- Around 1,500 students
The undergrad program is BPS-accredited, allowing graduates to become BPS members.
Besides undergrad studies, UCL offers 20 master’s programs, including:
- Business psychology
- Neuroscience
- Decision science
- Human-computer interaction
7. Yale University
Yale advises psych undergrads to take related modules for a coherent understanding of the subject.
Major requirements include:
- Two social science-focused classes
- Two natural science-focused classes
There’s also a neuroscience concentration for specialization.
The grad program admits about 15 PhD students yearly. Applicants must choose one of five focus areas and typically join a specific lab.
8. University of Pennsylvania
Penn’s psychology program can be taken as part of a liberal arts degree or paired with another major.
Course options include:
- Language and thought
- Social psychology
- Cognitive neuroscience
- Neuroeconomics
Grad students must complete both coursework and research, plus attend seminars and lectures.
9. King’s College London
Founded in 1950, King’s psychology department has strong ties with the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
Programs include:
- Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
- MSc in Health Psychology
- BSc in Psychology, Neuroscience with Psychology, and Intercalated BSc in Psychology
- Clinical training for mental health professionals
10. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Michigan offers grad programs in:
- Behavioral neuroscience
- Social psychology
- Educational psychology
Undergrads get hands-on experience through research and community projects.
Students can join organizations like:
- Black Undergraduate Psychological Society
- Chinese Psychology Student Association
- Undergraduate Psychology Society