The 9 Best Health Psychology Graduate Programs in California for 2026
California has been a pioneer in health psychology education, with the University of California, San Francisco launching one of the first graduate programs back in 1977. Health psychology is emerging faster than most fields, and choosing the right health psychology masters program in California can substantially affect your career trajectory. A degree in health psychology opens career paths in research, clinical practice, and public health applications. This guide gets into nine top health psychology masters degree and PhD programs in California and covers admission requirements and career outcomes.
University of California, San Diego (UCSD) – Health Psychology Master’s Program
UCSD’s Department of Psychology, formed in 1965, operates a PhD program where students can pursue an MA degree as a milestone toward their doctorate. This pathway allows students to gain specialized training in how psychological, biological, and environmental factors interact to influence human health, though it’s not a standalone masters in health psychology.
Program Overview
The department admits PhD students into an experimental psychology program with strong research emphasis. Students work through an apprenticeship system where they cooperate closely with faculty advisors throughout their graduate career. PhD candidates can obtain the MA degree after completing first-year requirements, though it remains optional. 74 graduate students participate in the doctoral program as of the 2025/2026 academic year. The department has awarded 475 doctoral degrees since its inception.
Key Features and Specializations
Health psychology at UCSD examines topics like addiction, impulsive behavior, and cognitive control issues. The program treats graduate students as colleagues rather than subordinates and includes them in research design, implementation, analysis, and publication processes from the start. First-year students complete an independent research project that serves as a major evaluation criterion. Students participate in seminars, proseminars, teaching responsibilities, lab meetings, journal clubs, and department events like Brown Bag meetings and Colloquium Speaker Series outside of lab work.
The MA requirements include completion of four proseminars during the first year, at least 14 units in graduate major field courses, 10 additional units in graduate courses, and 12 units in graduate or upper-division courses. Students demonstrate competency through their first-year project and Little APS presentation, which together constitute the complete examination.
Admission Requirements
The department seeks candidates with strong research backgrounds and quantitative skills. Research experience is a required element, whether through university positions, hospital work, R&D roles, data science positions, or independent research projects that demonstrate graduate-level readiness. Statistical preparation proves just as important, as students begin advanced statistics courses right away and apply these tools in their research.
Applicants need a cumulative GPA over 3.0 from their most recent degree. The GRE remains optional for Fall 2026 admissions. International students must submit TOEFL scores of 550 on the paper model or 85 on the iBT, IELTS scores with a minimum band of 7, or DET scores of at least 120. Application materials include three recommendation letters, a statement of purpose limited to 1,000 words that identifies up to three faculty advisors of interest, a resume or CV, unofficial transcripts, and responses to academic and personal history questions.
The application fee costs $135 for domestic applicants and $155 for international applicants. Applications for Fall 2026 close December 3, 2025, with all materials including recommendation letters due by this date.
Tuition and Financial Aid
UCSD provides full funding for PhD students during years one through five, covering all tuition, fees, and health insurance plus at least $38,276 additional support each year. First-year students receive $38,485 in base support from September through June, including one course teaching assistantship and non-effort based stipend support. Students also access a $1,000 McGill research expense account, up to $2,000 toward computer purchases, and approximately $800 each year through the Anderson Travel/Research Program.
Career Outcomes
Health psychology graduates pursue diverse career paths. Entry-level positions start between $50,000 and $65,000 each year as research assistants, clinical coordinators, or health educators. Mid-career professionals with five to ten years of experience earn between $70,000 and $90,000, while senior-level positions can exceed $100,000 in private healthcare or consulting roles. The field shows strong growth prospects, with psychology-related health specialties projected to grow 8% over the next decade.
California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) – Health Psychology Option
CSUDH offers a terminal Master of Arts in Psychology with a Health Psychology Option. The program targets graduates who want direct entry into health care careers rather than doctoral study. This 36-unit program requires successful completion of a thesis and takes 2 to 2.5 years to complete.
Program Overview
The Health Psychology Option prepares students for professional roles in community health settings, rehabilitation centers, primary care facilities and hospices. The curriculum centers on the biopsychosocial model and dissects how biological, psychological and social factors interact to influence both mental and physical health. Students gain practical skills in promoting wellness within individuals and organizations. They also learn to review prevention and treatment program effectiveness.
CSUDH operates two distinct MA Psychology tracks: Clinical and Health. Both provide advanced coursework opportunities and research skill development. Students work closely with faculty mentors on research projects or theses. Graduate students at CSUDH have secured funding through multiple university opportunities. These include Graduate Studies and Research travel fellowships, Graduate Equity Fellowship and RA/TA fellowships.
Key Features and Specializations
The program combines coursework with hands-on research training. Students complete a practicum focused on diversity issues in clinical and health psychology settings. This gives them exposure to direct service provision with diverse client populations. The curriculum has seminars in psychopharmacology, psychopathology and health psychology research. Courses in neuropsychology, community psychology and aging round out the offerings.
Core requirements cover 33 units of mandatory courses plus one elective (3 units). Students select from options that include developmental psychology, psychotherapy techniques, individual assessment or directed research. Advanced statistical training appears prominently. Required coursework covers analysis of variance and multivariate techniques. The thesis requirement serves as the culminating experience. Students earn up to 3 units of credit per semester for thesis research.
Admission Requirements
Applications close February 1st at 11:59PM PST. The program gives no consideration to late submissions. Prospective students submit materials through the Cal State Apply system. They should complete applications at least four weeks before the deadline.
Applicants need a bachelor’s degree from a fully accredited institution. A minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60-90 semester units is required. Five undergraduate courses require completion with a B average minimum: Elementary Statistical Analysis in Psychology, Introduction to Research Methods, Behavioral Statistics and Research Design (or Measurement in Psychology), Abnormal Personality and Health Psychology (or biological psychology coursework).
The GRE remains optional for Fall 2026 admission. Required materials include a personal statement. This statement should address current psychology interests, past research experience, graduate preparation strengths and weaknesses, and career goals. Three letters of recommendation are necessary. At least two must come from academic experts who can assess graduate school readiness. Special consideration for waiving requirements exists for applicants with extensive community or clinical experience.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For the 2025-2026 academic year, graduate students pay $9,467 in total fees. The 2026-2027 costs break down to $8,548 in tuition plus $1,863 in campus fees. This totals $10,411 annually. California residents benefit from lower costs compared to national averages substantially. Non-California residents pay an additional $420 per unit.
Financial aid options include federal grants, work-study programs, student loans and institutional scholarships. CSUDH offers various scholarships that require a minimum 2.0 GPA. The Katherine Bogdanovich Loker Scholarship provides $4,000 to students from designated Southern California cities who maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher.
Career Outcomes
Graduates enter positions in behavioral health, health program coordination and wellness consulting. The program prepares students for community mental health and healthcare settings that include rehabilitation centers, primary care centers and hospice facilities. Beyond clinical roles, graduates contribute to health policy development and prevention initiatives. They also work in health education programs within nonprofit organizations and public health departments. Psychology-related health specialties show projected growth of 8% over the next decade. Median salaries hover around $75,000 for health psychology master’s graduates.
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) – Health Psychology Graduate Program
UCLA’s Health Psychology Graduate Program centers on producing research scientists who investigate the intersection of psychological processes and physical health. The program trains students to develop and apply theories in psychology to examine issues in both physical and mental health through studies conducted in laboratory, community, and health settings.
Program Overview
The Psychology Department offers PhD training with no separate MA program or PsyD program. Students pursue doctoral study in health psychology as one of eight specialty areas and complete a five-year, full-time course of study. The program does not accept students seeking terminal master’s degrees or part-time status. Students receive MA degrees on the doctoral track as they progress through program milestones.
The curriculum provides strong biological, methodological, and statistical training coupled with interdisciplinary research opportunities. Research training spans a variety of populations regarding age, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, and health status.
Key Features and Specializations
Students concentrate on a single research project during their first and second years, culminating with the MA degree. Health psychology students complete two required courses after the original coursework common to all psychology majors: a proseminar in health psychology and biological bases of health psychology. These accompany elective seminars chosen from options including Psychology of Chronic Diseases, Psychoneuroimmunology, Psychology of Women’s Health, Psychology of Aging and Health, and Families, Emotions and Health.
The program partners with the Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology and maintains strong ties to the David Geffen School of Medicine and School of Public Health. The Health Psychology Lab provides facilities for collecting, processing, and assessing biological samples.
Students attend the area lecture series weekly during fall and winter quarters for three years. Health psychology faculty hold weekly lab meetings with graduate students and provide training experience beyond individual research supervision. Students must present their 251 research findings at the Health Psychology lecture series by the end of Year 3.
Admission Requirements
Applications for Fall 2026 admission close December 1, 2025. The department accepts applications once yearly for Fall quarter only, with no late applications considered. Admission requires interviews.
Applicants may apply to only one of eight psychology areas. The GRE General Test remains optional starting Fall 2023. Required materials include three letters of recommendation, a Statement of Purpose up to 1,000 words, a Personal Statement up to 500 words, and unofficial transcripts. International applicants whose first language is not English must submit TOEFL scores of at least 87 on the internet-based test or IELTS overall band scores of 7.0.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Graduate students receive full payment of registration fees, health insurance, and funding of $25,000 over nine months. The department commits to four additional years of financial support through teaching or research assistantships. University fees for California residents total $16,706 annually.
Career Outcomes
Graduates pursue careers in academic and applied settings, including positions at universities, research organizations, governmental agencies, and business sectors. UCLA maintains ongoing career development services through its Career and Professional Development Office and offers individual counseling, resume workshops, and networking events. Employment rates for recent UCLA graduates exceed 90% one year after degree completion.
University of California, Merced (UC Merced) – Health Psychology Track
UC Merced stands out with nine faculty members dedicated to health psychology research, making it the largest identified health psychology faculty group within a regular academic department of psychology. The university offers doctoral training in Psychological Sciences with health psychology as one of three emphasis areas among developmental psychology and quantitative methods.
Program Overview
The PhD program operates for full-time students only, with no terminal masters option available. Students can earn a Master’s degree as they progress through doctoral requirements. The typical completion timeline spans 5-6 years, with 44% of graduates finishing within 5 years or less and only 11% extending beyond 6 years.
Health psychology at UC Merced began in 2007 when Jan Wallander joined the faculty. The program has grown over time, adding about one faculty member and two to four new students each year. UC Merced’s location in the Central Valley with its diverse population means the program maintains a strong focus on cultural influences that affect health and health problems among ethnic minority populations.
Key Features and Specializations
Students involve themselves in active research from their first day through a strong mentorship model. This apprenticeship approach surpasses traditional advising and provides wisdom, support and respect throughout graduate careers. Research training begins on day one, with mentors guiding students toward increasing sophistication and independence.
The curriculum requires strong foundational coursework in research methods, statistics and a one-year professional seminar covering psychology’s breadth. Specialized courses include PSY 220: Health Psychology, PSY 221: Issues in Health Psychology, PSY 222: Introduction to Psychoneuroimmunology, PSY 224: Health Disparities, and PSY 225: Health Risk Decision Making. Special topics seminars address stress and health, health behavior change, chronic illnesses, development and health, health interventions, and social psychology and health.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a major appropriate to psychological sciences. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. The application fee costs $135 for domestic applicants and $155 for international applicants.
Required materials include three letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose describing scholarly interests and career plans, a personal history statement, and unofficial transcripts. International students must provide TOEFL or IELTS scores.
Tuition and Financial Aid
All admitted PhD students receive guaranteed funding for at least 4 years, though every graduate student to date has received full funding for up to 6 years. Teaching and research assistantships provide about $21,200 for a 9-month appointment. This award covers tuition and most student fees, with students paying around $640 out of pocket.
Career Outcomes
Graduates pursue careers in academia, university research positions, federal and state government research roles, and hospitals and medical settings. The median wage for psychology degree holders in California reaches $94,154.
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) – Psychology and Medicine Program
UCSF operates a distinctive postdoctoral training approach rather than offering traditional health psychology masters California programs. The institution states it does not offer undergraduate or graduate degrees in Health Psychology. UCSF provides advanced fellowship training if you have completed doctoral-level education.
Program Overview
The Clinical Psychology Training Program (CPTP) delivers a two-year fellowship structured as a one-year APA-accredited general clinical psychology internship followed by a one-year postdoctoral clinical and clinical research fellowship. The program targets clinical psychologists committed to academic and research careers and builds on the scientist-practitioner model.
UCSF has managed to keep an NIH postdoctoral training program entitled “Psychology and Medicine: Translational Research on Stress, Behavior and Disease” since 1983, now in its 29th year. This program trains scientists to conduct interdisciplinary research at the intersection of psychology and medicine.
Key Features and Specializations
The program trains fellows to conduct translational research on interactions among biology, behavioral and experiential factors that exacerbate illness and mental health. Research focuses on stress and psychopathology, along with health-risk behaviors related to preventing and ameliorating diseases including depression, PTSD and schizophrenia.
Specialized research training includes ADHD/disruptive behavior disorders, eating disorders, early childhood trauma, juvenile justice and behavioral health, neuropsychology, substance use disorders and intervention development, and autism spectrum and neurodevelopment disorders. Fellows receive training in health disparities and developing and testing interventions, along with biological underpinnings, precision medicine and digital health monitoring.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must complete a minimum of 400 practicum hours, pass comprehensive exams and have an approved dissertation proposal. The program requires at least three years of graduate training from PCSAS-, CPA- or APA-accredited doctoral programs in clinical psychology. Applications close November 1, 2025 and follow APPIC match policies.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Graduate academic program fees total $21,559 for California residents. School of Medicine annual tuition reaches $53,441 for California residents and $65,686 for nonresidents.
Career Outcomes
Over the last ten years, 94% of graduates obtained research or academic positions upon program completion. The program benefits from placement on a leading health science campus with top-ranked faculty and access to databases and seed funds for pilot studies.
Stanford University – Health Psychology Concentration
Stanford’s approach to health psychology training is different from traditional masters programs. The Psychology Department offers PhD-level training without standalone master’s degrees. Students interested in health-related psychological research can pursue doctoral study through multiple pathways, especially when affiliated programs in Neurosciences and Biosciences allow health psychology faculty to serve as advisors.
Program Overview
The PhD program in Psychology emphasizes research competence development through close faculty-student collaboration. Students concentrate in one of several areas within psychology and spend half their time on research while taking no more than 10 units of coursework per quarter beginning in the first quarter. Faculty with affiliated appointments in Psychology, such as those specializing in health-related topics, can serve as primary advisors for students accepted through the Stanford Neurosciences PhD program or Stanford Biosciences PhD program.
Key Features and Specializations
Research training covers translational neuroscience and develops new models of depression and anxiety based on brain imaging of large-scale neural circuits for emotional and cognitive functions. These models extend to understanding characteristics that overlap with mental health conditions, such as substance use problems. Students also work with computational modeling and measure the human connectome using structural MRI, functional MRI, diffusion imaging, and EEG. Interventional and biomarker trials incorporate studies designed to predict treatment outcomes. The program encourages a customized neuroscience approach that measures homogenous subgroups and understands personal variation relevant to mechanisms and clinical applicability.
Admission Requirements
Applications open for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle with autumn term enrollment only. The department conducts all-encompassing reviews that consider courses taken, grade point average, recommendation letters, and statement of purpose. Admitted students demonstrate involvement in independent research as undergraduates or in post-baccalaureate settings. Required materials include a statement of purpose specifying three Psychology Department faculty members in order of preference, three recommendation letters, and unofficial transcripts. The application fee reaches $125. Faculty interview prospective students before final admission decisions. Interviews are conducted in February.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The Psychology Department provides financial support through living stipend, tuition, and health insurance through summer quarter of the fifth year. Research and teaching assistantships cover salary, tuition, and health insurance at university-set minimum levels. Students receive bimonthly paychecks. The first autumn quarter payment is issued October 22nd.
Career Outcomes
Stanford Biosciences PhD alumni from 2000-2022 demonstrate strong employment outcomes across ten major sectors. Publication opportunities remain encouraged, and labs maintain reliable records of graduate student publications.
University of Southern California (USC) – Health Psychology Masters
USC takes a different approach to graduate psychology education. The university does not offer a standalone health psychology masters California program. The Department of Psychology provides a Master of Science in Applied Psychology with business applications and PhD programs where students can pursue health-related specializations.
Program Overview
The MS in Applied Psychology operates as a free-standing degree. It teaches psychological principles at the intersection of theory, research and business practice. This 34-unit program is available in full-time residential and online formats. Students who seek doctoral degrees should apply to the PhD program. They can earn an MA in Psychology as they work toward their doctorate. The department does not admit students whose main goal is an MA in Psychology.
Key Features and Specializations
The Applied Psychology curriculum covers consumer psychology, organizational psychology, research methods, group dynamics, leadership, UX research and cross-cultural psychology. The program builds skills that let you craft employee training programs, assess performance and influence consumer behavior. PhD students in Clinical Science can pursue specializations in clinical-aging or child/family areas. They have options to complete a dual PhD/MPH degree that combines clinical psychology research with population health understanding.
Admission Requirements
The application fee costs $90. You must submit official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions, a personal statement, three letters of recommendation (at least one from an employment supervisor) and a current resume. A non-refundable $500 commitment deposit is credited toward tuition once you are admitted. The program seeks students with social sciences coursework and showed understanding of human behavior research methodologies.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The MS in Applied Psychology charges $2,467 per unit. Total program cost reaches $83,878 for 34 units. Transfer credits are not accepted. PhD students receive annual stipends of $41,200, 36 units of tuition coverage and year-round health insurance.
Career Outcomes
Applied psychology graduates earned median annual salaries around $67,000 as of May 2021. Potential earnings reach $131,000 per year according to PayScale.
San Diego State University – Health Psychology Emphasis
SDSU’s Psychology Department delivers a Master of Arts in Psychology with a Physical and Mental Health Research emphasis. The program positions itself as a competitive health psychology degree pathway for students targeting doctoral programs. This research-oriented program is different from clinical training approaches. It focuses instead on preparing you to gain PhD admission through methodological training.
Program Overview
The MA program operates as a full-time, in-person experience. You’ll need 2-3 years to complete it. You’ll work with an assigned faculty research mentor from your first semester and develop thesis projects through hands-on laboratory experience. The program does not provide clinical skills training such as assessment or treatment. Its focus remains on research competencies.
Key Features and Specializations
The curriculum centers on behavioral components of major illnesses, death causes and disability. Primary prevention through behavior change is another focus. Core coursework has health psychology seminars, psychopharmacology, psychopathology research and neuropsychology. Advanced statistical methods cover analysis of variance and multivariate techniques. You’ll complete a required thesis with original empirical study design and data collection.
Admission Requirements
Applications close December 15, 2025. Interviews extend in mid-January and final decisions come by April 15. The program receives over 200 applications each year and admits approximately 30 students. Recent entering students held a median GPA of 3.6. GRE scores remain optional for the MA program. You’ll submit three recommendation letters, a statement of purpose, CV and completed undergraduate coursework forms through both Cal State Apply (by December 1) and the department’s Slate system.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The application fee costs $70. California residents can expect competitive CSU system rates well below national averages for graduate education.
Career Outcomes
54% of recent MA graduates secured PhD program acceptance at graduation. Alumni have entered doctoral programs at Oregon State University, University of Alabama and University of Oregon. Several published first-authored manuscripts during their master’s training.
Pepperdine University – Clinical Psychology with Health Emphasis
Pepperdine’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology distinguishes itself by offering terminal master’s degrees that prepare you to get clinical licensure rather than pursue doctoral study. The Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy targets students pursuing careers as licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT) or licensed professional clinical counselors (LPCC) in California.
Program Overview
The program offers flexibility through day, evening and online formats across multiple locations. These include West Los Angeles, Encino, Irvine and Malibu. You’ll complete 62-68 units over 8-12 sessions with four field placement sessions. The online format makes graduation possible in as few as 27 months.
Key Features and Specializations
Pepperdine emphasizes values-oriented clinical practice without requiring a thesis, which sets it apart from research-focused programs. You’ll get supervised clinical experience toward MFT license requirements after you complete practicum prerequisites. The curriculum has courses in psychopathology, psychopharmacology, group therapy and systemic family therapy approaches.
Admission Requirements
Day format applicants need a bachelor’s degree in psychology or equivalent coursework that constitutes a psychology minor. You’ll submit transcripts, two recommendation letters and a two-to-five-page statement of purpose. You must also provide either GRE scores or a waiver request form.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition costs $2,030 per unit for 2025-2026. This totals around $138,040 for 68 units. Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans provide up to $20,500 each year, while Graduate PLUS Loans cover additional costs up to your total cost of attendance.
Career Outcomes
Graduates pursue licensure as LMFTs or LPCCs and work in hospitals, schools, government agencies and private practice. Additional career paths include child and adolescent therapist, clinical director, executive coach and substance abuse professional roles.
Start Now
California has a variety of pathways to advance your health psychology education. You can choose research-intensive PhD tracks at UC institutions or terminal master’s programs at CSU campuses. Each program serves different career objectives: CSUDH and Pepperdine prepare you for direct clinical entry, while UCSD and UCLA position you toward doctoral research careers. SDSU is your best bet if you want PhD program admission after your master’s.
Your ideal choice depends on your career trajectory. Figure out whether you’re pursuing licensure, research positions, or doctoral study. After you’ve clarified your goals, connect with faculty at programs that match your interests. Don’t let application deadlines catch you off guard. Several programs close applications in early December.