Frequently Asked Questions

Answers

Do you offer. . .

Clinical psychology?
Counseling psychology?
Forensic psychology?
Educational psychology?
School psychology?
No.
Health psychology?
The Health Psychology & Behavioral Medicine RIG examines the interplay of psychological, social, biological, and behavioral factors that enhance, preserve, or threaten mental and physical well-being.
Social or personality psychology?
No.
A master's degree program?
An M.S. or M.Sc.?
We currently offer a terminal Master’s degree (M.A.) in Human-Computer Interaction and Human Factors. Information about this program can be found here. We also offer a terminal Master’s degree (M.A.) in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. Information about this program can be found here.
An online or distance-learning program?
No. We do not offer any online or evening courses. All courses are face-to-face on-campus only.

Can I. . .

Start in the spring?
Start in the summer?
No. Our graduate programs admit for the fall semesters only.
Start this fall?
Our application deadline is December 1; if you miss the application period, you will need to wait until the following September, when we begin accepting applications for the following fall.
Be a part-time student?
Continue to work while earning my degree?
No. Because the graduate program requires a full-time commitment, we accept full-time students only.

Can I apply if. . .

I have a bachelor's degree in something other than psychology?
I have a master's degree in something other than psychology?
Yes. We admit students from a wide variety of backgrounds. A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Psychology is NOT a requirement to gain admission to our graduate programs.
I have a three-year bachelor's degree?
Yes. Rice does require the completion of a Bachelor's degree before beginning the graduate program, but the duration of the undergraduate program does not matter. As long as it is a Bachelor's degree, it counts.
I don't have research experience?
Yes. While we do take research experience into account when evaluating applications, it is only one of several factors involved in our selection decisions.
I'm an international student?
Yes. We welcome applications from international students.
I miss the application deadline?
No. Our application deadline is December 1; if you miss the application period, you will need to wait until the following September, when we begin accepting applications for the following fall.

Before I apply, can I. . .

Meet with someone to discuss requirements / whether I'd be a good fit / whether I should apply?
If you have any questions not answered in this FAQ, please feel free to contact us. However, we cannot judge your chances of being accepted based on incomplete information; you will need to go through the application process and submit the appropriate materials for our graduate committee to review.
Send you my profile/CV so you can tell me whether I should apply?
No. Again, we cannot judge your suitability for our program without a full application.
Find out what faculty have research interests similar to mine?
Absolutely! Faculty-applicant fit is a significant factor in our doctoral (Ph.D.) admissions process, as each doctoral (Ph.D.) student is admitted to work with a primary faculty advisor. Please visit our faculty directory to review faculty research interests. If, after reviewing faculty research interests, you would like to find out more, please feel free to email the faculty member in whose work you are interested. Professional Master’s (M.A.) students are not assigned an advisor and work closely with all faculty in their program equally.
Attend an open house?
Schedule a campus visit?
Out of fairness to other applicants and due to limited faculty time, we cannot accommodate individual requests to visit or tour the department. If you are in the area, you are welcome to come walk around the campus; most of our colloquia and events are also open to the public.
Have some hard-copy materials sent to me?
In an effort to be more environmentally friendly, we no longer print hard-copy materials. All of the current information about our program is available online.
Find out if your graduate programs are designated as STEM?
Yes, our graduate programs are designated as STEM. Please visit the university’s General Announcements to view the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020 Codes and Descriptions from the National Center for Education Statistics.

I have a question about the application. . .

Are all my application materials due by the same date?
Yes. All required application materials are due by the December 1 deadline. Required application materials for all three psychology graduate programs can be found here.
What if I can't submit all the materials by the deadline?
We can accept late application materials if you have already submitted your application by the December 1 deadline. However, faculty begin reviewing applicant files promptly after the December 1 deadline, and an incomplete file can put you in a less competitive position compared to someone whose records have all arrived and are ready for review.
What materials do you need in hard copy?
None. All required application materials should be submitted electronically within the application system.
Do you accept electronic transcripts?
We do. However, e-transcripts must be sent directly to the department (psyc@rice.edu); if your institution sends them to a different Rice email address, we cannot guarantee that they will reach us.
How many transcripts do you need?
One from each college or university you have attended. This includes any/all community colleges attended during summer or winter mini terms.
Do you need transcripts from institutions where I have taken courses for transfer credits?
Even if those courses are listed on your home institution's transcript, we may need the original institution's transcript. Transferred courses often appear on transcripts as "transfer credits" without grades attached; if your home institution's transcript does not include the grades you received for your transferred courses, we do need the original institution's transcript.
Can I mail the transcripts, or do you need my school to do so?
As long as the transcripts are official (provided by your college or university and in an official, sealed envelope), you can mail them.
I've been out of school for a while. Do my recommendation letters have to come from my old professors?
No. Your recommenders should be people who are able to provide information about your skills and assess your ability to succeed in our program. While psychology professors and others in academia may be better able to assess your ability to succeed in our academic environment, a work supervisor who knows you well can provide the information we need.
Should my recommenders submit their letters online, on paper, or both ways?
The online application allows your recommenders to submit online recommendations, and we prefer that method.
I'm an international student. Should I submit a financial statement with my application?
You do not need to submit a financial statement with your application. If you are admitted and choose to enroll at Rice, the Office of International Students and Scholars will coordinate with you to obtain the necessary information.
What types of written materials do you require?
Can you provide any guidelines for my written materials?
A completed application must include a statement of purpose, an up-to-date CV/resume, and a writing sample. For the statement of purpose, applicants will need to submit a 1-2 page essay that includes the applicant's own statement of goals, aspirations, and special interests. Please also include the applicant's future goals and plans for applying what (s)he learns in the program. For the writing sample, applicants will submit a writing sample from his/her past work, ideally on a topic relevant to psychological science (e.g., class paper, honors thesis, conference submission, or journal article where he/she was the lone or primary author).

I have a question about application requirements. . .

What's the minimum GPA?
What's the minimum GRE score?
There is no minimum entrance requirement in terms of GPA or GRE scores.
Can I take the IELTS instead of the TOEFL?
Yes.
Can the TOEFL/IELTS be waived?
Yes. If you have a degree from an English-language institution, then you are exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement. Please click here for proof of English proficiency requirements.
How long are my GRE/TOEFL/IELTS scores valid?
While the GRE is now optional for all applicants, you are more than welcome to submit GRE scores if you would like to. GRE scores are valid for 5 years after the testing year (July 1 – June 30) in which you took the exam. For example, if you are applying for the 2024-2025 school year, you may submit GRE scores earned on or after July 1, 2019. TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for 2 years after the test date, and are required for all international applicants unless you have earned a Bachelor's or Master’s degree from an institution where English is the primary mode of instruction.
Should I take the GRE subject test in psychology?
The subject test is not required, but we do encourage it.
Can you take my GMAT scores into account?
Certainly. Please feel free to submit them if you feel that they would be helpful to us in evaluating your application. Please note: submission of GMAT scores does not waive other test score requirements.
What if I retake a test and earn a better score after I've submitted my application?
Just request that the testing service report your scores to us, and they will be added to your application file as soon as we receive them.
What specific qualities are you looking for?
Since each doctoral (Ph.D.) student is admitted to work with a primary faculty advisor, your research interests are an important factor--if you are admitted, we want to be sure that we have a faculty member who is capable of advising you in your areas of interest! We are aware that your research interests may change over time, so provided there is at least a rough match between applicant and faculty interests, there is no single "make-or-break" quality that we seek; we evaluate each application as a whole.
How much research experience do you recommend?
Research experience helps to provide applicants with a realistic sense of what research involves, as well as the basic skills needed, but it is only one of several factors involved in our selection decisions. While we do take it into account, we admit students with a wide range of experience.

I have a question about the admissions process. . .

What percentage of applicants are admitted to your program?
How many students will be admitted this year?
Acceptance numbers vary from year to year, but we typically receive around 600 applications each recruiting period. We admit 5 students for each professional master’s (M.A.) program (10 total), and anywhere from 5-10 doctoral (Ph.D.) students each fall.
Are phone or in-person interviews part of your decision process?
While we frequently arrange for admitted applicants to visit the campus as part of their decision process, we do not schedule in-person interviews prior to making offers. Faculty may choose to interview some applicants by phone or Zoom before making an offer, but this is entirely up to the individual faculty members.
What's the average GRE score of admitted applicants?
What's the average GPA of admitted applicants?
In recent years, admitted applicants have had an average Verbal GRE of 82%, an average Quantitative GRE of 72%, and an average GPA of 3.67. Please bear in mind that the GRE is 100% optional and that these are averages, so if your scores are lower and you choose to submit them for your application, you may still fit the profile of an admitted applicant.
Which professors are planning to admit new students?
This is a difficult question to answer, as there are many factors that influence the number of students the department as a whole is able to admit. You are welcome to email the faculty member(s) in whose work you are interested, but often they will not be able to provide a definite answer until well into the application review process.

I have a question about costs and finances. . .

What are the annual tuition and fees?
The University posts current tuition and fees online. In fall 2024, most matriculating doctoral (Ph.D.) students will receive full tuition waivers for their first five years in the program. Tuition waivers are usually based on stipend support, so advanced doctoral (Ph.D.) students may be eligible for waivers beyond the fifth year if funding is available. Doctoral (Ph.D.) students are required to pay fees and a health insurance subsidy each year. Professional Master’s (M.A.) students do not receive a stipend and pay full program tuition. Tuition information for our Master of Human-Computer Interaction & Human Factors program can be found here. Tuition information for our Master of Industrial-Organizational Psychology program can be found here.
What kind of financial aid is provided?
In fall 2024, most matriculating doctoral (Ph.D.) students will receive full tuition waivers for the first five years in the program, in addition to a $34,000 stipend over 12 months (also for their first five years). Tuition waivers and stipends are not applicable to professional Master’s (M.A.) students. Tuition information for our Master of Human-Computer Interaction & Human Factors program can be found here. Tuition information for our Master of Industrial-Organizational Psychology program can be found here.
Do I need to apply separately or submit additional information to be eligible for funding?
No. While we encourage students to apply for external fellowships, all students admitted to our doctoral (Ph.D.) program are eligible for the tuition waiver and stipend support described above. Tuition waivers and stipends are not applicable to professional master’s (M.A.) students. Tuition information for our Master of Human-Computer Interaction & Human Factors program can be found here. Tuition information for our Master of Industrial-Organizational Psychology program can be found here.
Do you require graduate students to serve as research assistants or teaching assistants in exchange for funding?
Doctoral (Ph.D.) students must remain in good academic standing to be eligible for financial support, but there are no additional requirements for Rice-funded students. Doctoral (Ph.D.) students funded by an advisor's research grant are required to serve as research assistants on that project. Every doctoral (Ph.D.) student is required to perform a modest amount of service to the department as part of the degree program; this may include being an assistant to a professor in teaching or research activities, but this is part of the graduate student experience and is not "in exchange" for funding. At this time, students enrolled in our professional Master’s (M.A.) program in Human-Computer Interaction & Human Factors serve as a teaching assistant to a Human Factors course during the fall semester of their second year as per program requirements.
Does Rice offer graduate student housing?
Rice graduate students live off campus, either in nearby rental properties or at one of the University-owned graduate housing properties.

I have a question about program requirements. . .

What if I already have a master's degree?
This is handled on a case-by-case basis for doctoral (Ph.D.) students only. Once you matriculate at Rice, the department's graduate committee will determine whether your degree is "relevant" to your program of study at Rice (often, but not always, this refers to a Master's degree in psychology or a related field). If so, you will not be required to complete a Master's degree at Rice and will continue on to your doctoral work.
How long does it usually take to complete your program?
Students typically take 5-6 years to complete the doctoral (Ph.D.) program, although some students finish in 4 years. Each professional Master’s (M.A.) program is 2 years.
How many credits will I need to earn?
For our doctoral (Ph.D.) program, we do not have a set number of credits required; each Research Interest Group sets its own course requirements, which can be found on the individual Research Interest Group's profile page. All doctoral (Ph.D.) students will earn at least 90 credits by the time they graduate. Credit information for our Master of Human-Computer Interaction & Human Factors program can be found here. Credit information for our Master of Industrial-Organizational Psychology program can be found here.
Can I transfer credits I've earned at another institution?
Typically doctoral (Ph.D.) students earn more than enough credits through their regular Rice courses and their research courses to make the transfer of credit moot. More relevant is whether it is possible to "place out" of required courses. This is handled on a case-by-case basis and depends on whether the same content was covered in an equally rigorous manner. Professional Master’s (M.A.) students have the option to transfer up to 6 hours of course credit. This is a hard rule and not subject to change.
What are the course requirements?
For doctoral (Ph.D.) students, each Research Interest Group sets its own course requirements, which can be found on the individual Research Interest Group's profile page. Course requirements for our Master of Human-Computer Interaction & Human Factors program can be found here. Course requirements for our Master of Industrial-Organizational Psychology program can be found here.
Are there any other requirements?
In addition to the requirements specific to each Research Interest Group, all doctoral (Ph.D.) students must complete a First-Year Project, a Second-Year Project, and a doctoral dissertation. Doctoral (Ph.D.) students who enter without a relevant Master's degree must also complete a Master's thesis in order to earn the M.A. en route to the doctoral degree. Professional master’s (M.A.) students enrolled in our Master of Human-Computer Interaction & Human Factors program must complete an internship during the summer of their first and second year of the program.

Tell me about life as a Rice Psychology graduate student. . .

What is the workload like for a first-year grad student?
Would my workload change over the course of the program?
First-year doctoral (Ph.D.) students usually take 3 classes per semester, along with their area's research seminar. In addition, they are required to complete a First-Year Project and are required to perform a modest amount of service to the department, often in the form of serving as an assistant to a professor in his or her teaching or research activities. The amount of coursework tends to lessen over time as doctoral (Ph.D.) students engage in more research and work on degree requirements (thesis and dissertation). Most doctoral (Ph.D.) students complete their course requirements by the end of the third year. Workloads for professional Master’s (M.A.) students are the same each semester for the two years of the program. The degree plan for our Master of Human-Computer Interaction & Human Factors program can be found here. The degree plan for our Master of Industrial-Organizational Psychology program can be found here.
Will I have the opportunity to work with different faculty members, or just my advisor?
Our faculty members often collaborate on research, and we encourage the same from our graduate students; there are several opportunities to work with different faculty members on a variety of projects.
Will I have the opportunity to complete an internship?
Many doctoral (Ph.D.) students in the Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Human-Computer Interaction & Human Factors RIGs choose to complete internships either during a semester or over the summer. Some Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience doctoral (Ph.D.) students also benefit from internship experiences. Doctoral (Ph.D.) students on internships work in an applied setting and are paid by the sponsoring organization. Previous companies students have interned at include NASA or Lockheed at the Johnson Space Center, IBM, Texas Instruments, Honeywell, Canon Information Systems, Normal Modes (a user experience and usability testing company), the Center for Technology in Teaching and Learning, eBay, Facebook, Google, ACT, ETS, Education Pioneers, the Harris County Department of Education, the Air Force Personnel Center, The University of Texas Medical School, and Baylor College of Medicine. Professional Master’s (M.A.) students enrolled in the Master of Human-Computer Interaction & Human Factors are required to do an internship in the summer between their first and second years as part of their program requirements.
What is the atmosphere like within the department?
The spirit of the department is collegial and collaborative, not competitive. Graduate students and faculty members often work together on research ideas and offer feedback and suggestions on projects.
Could you describe the social side of graduate life at Rice?
Rice and Houston are vibrant communities with many opportunities for sports, fine arts, dining, and a variety of other activities. Students often gather in neighboring Rice Village for dinner or drinks; Rice's Graduate Student Association sponsors social events, organizes cultural festivals, and coordinates volunteer activities. The department holds picnics, start-of-the-school-year parties, and other get-togethers throughout the year.
What is Houston like?
Houston – Kiplinger's Best City in the Nation for 2008 and Forbes' Best City for Young Professionals in 2010 – is home to a blend of ethnic groups and cultures matched only by New York City and Los Angeles. Houston is a center for the visual and performing arts, an international business hub and home to the second-busiest port in the United States. Visit "Houston: It’s Cooler Than You Think" to explore the wide array of opportunities available to visitors and locals.
Would I be able to talk to graduate students about their experiences in the program?
Sure! If you have questions about what it is like being a Psychological Sciences graduate student at Rice, feel free to reach out to graduate students here. The Psychological Sciences Graduate Student Association offers a buddy program, in which an earlier career graduate student (1st and 2nd year) can be paired with a senior graduate student (3rd+ year).

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do you offer. . .

Can I. . .

Can I apply if. . .

Before I apply, can I. . .

I have a question about the application. . .

I have a question about application requirements. . .

I have a question about the admissions process. . .

I have a question about costs and finances. . .

I have a question about program requirements. . .

Tell me about life as a Rice Psychological Sciences graduate student. . .

Answers

Do you offer. . .

Can I. . .

Can I apply if. . .

Before I apply, can I. . .

I have a question about the application. . .

I have a question about application requirements. . .

I have a question about the admissions process. . .

I have a question about costs and finances. . .

I have a question about program requirements. . .

Tell me about life as a Rice Psychology graduate student. . .