Abstract Inspired on the Pekeris approximation for the centrifugal term, we elaborate a method of resolution for the Schrodinger equation subject to a potential V ( r ) of a form more general than the exponential one. Generalizing the Pekeris approximation, we solve the Schrodinger equation with Rosen–Morse and Manning–Rosen potentials including the centrifugal term. The bound state energy eigenvalues for these potentials and for arbitrary values of n and l quantum numbers are presented.