Director: Kathryn Amey Degnan, Ph.D.

Students from many programs within the Department of Psychology at The Catholic University of America collaborate in the PDL!

BA Psychology or BS Psychological & Brain Sciences Programs

Psychological Science MA Program

Developmental Psychology PhD Program 

Children, Families, & Cultures Focus (graduate students)

The Psychology Department at Catholic University is accepting applications for Fall 2024 to our Developmental Psychology, Social, Cognitive, Affective, & Neuroscience (SCAN), as well as the Clinical Psychology PhD programs. We also have a MA program in Psychological Science. 

Apply Today! (Deadlines: Feb 1 - DP & SCAN; Dec 1 - CL; June 1 - MA)

Catholic's psychology programs (and the PDL) offer a personalized approach within a supportive environment, 

mentoring students towards their own career goals. 

To explore the wide scope of the PDL's research, click on Projects, above. Applicants whose research interests clearly fit with our current/future research goals will be considered for admission. Experience in these areas is even better!

• Temperament and regulatory functions

• Psychophysiological measures (i.e., HRV, IMP, EEG, ERPs)

• Infancy through young adulthood

• Adaptive (i.e., positive) social-emotional outcomes

• Sociocultural contexts (i.e., relationship factors and cultural norms)

• Multi-domain assessments across levels of analysis (e.g., biological, psychological, social, behavioral)

Are you interested in gaining research experience?

• CUA students (BA/BS, MA, PhD)

  • register for credit (1 credit: 4-5 hrs per week) for any academic session

  • volunteer (1-3 hrs per week) 

📧 Email Dr. Degnan your resume/CV and a brief description of your specific interests in the PDL

• Non-CUA students or CUA Alumni may also volunteer (3+ hrs per week) - Contact Dr. Degnan to discuss

Did you know the Psychology Department at Catholic University is about 130 years old? 

Check out our rich history in Psychological Science here.