fully funded phd clinical psychology programs

Psychology, PhD (Clinical)

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Clinical psychology is the psychological specialty that provides continuing and comprehensive mental and behavioral health care for individuals and families; consultation to agencies and communities; training, education and supervision; and research-based practice.

Program Description

Degree Awarded: Psychology, PhD

There are multiple training models in Clinical Psychology (Scientist-Practitioner, Practitioner-Scholar, Clinical Science) and these models reflect the relative focus on research and clinical training. The Clinical Psychology Program at ASU adheres to the Clinical Science training model, which is the most research focused. Thus, although students in our program receive excellent clinical training, the focus is on producing Clinical Scientists who will work in setting that take full advantage of their research as well as clinical skills (e.g., Academia, Medical Centers, VA Hospitals). 

Our mission is to prepare students for professional careers in a variety of settings where they engage in research, teaching, or clinical supervision; and who make contributions to clinical science by disseminating research findings and scholarship. Within this general mission of providing high-quality, science-based training, we strive to prepare a significant number of graduates who establish careers in academia and research institutes where they have primary responsibilities for conducting research that advances clinical science and for teaching new generations of clinical scientists. 

The success of our students in meeting program goals is evident based on a) the high rate of students matching in APA accredited internships (40 of 40; 100% in the past 7 years), b) our recent graduates’ success in passing the national licensing exam (100% based on publicly available data from ASPPB), and the high percentage of our recent graduates who have obtained licensure (39 of 44; 88.6% of our recent graduates who are 5 or more years beyond graduation). Although we continue to emphasize high quality clinical training and strongly believe in the reciprocal nature of research and clinical training, we identify with the “Clinical Science” training model based on the long-term goals of our program which are primarily to train clinical scientists rather than individuals who elect to work as full-time practitioners. Outcomes of our alumni survey (students at least five years post-graduation) provide support for our success in achieving Clinical Science outcomes, with 40 of 44 (90.9%) making scholarly/research contributions since graduation from our program.

Our data on graduates from the past 10 years show diversity in their professional activities that is consistent with our clinical science training and special emphases that can be acquired at ASU.  Among those beyond postdoctoral training (n = 54), 40.7% are in academic settings, 33.3% are in clinical or combined research and clinical positions in medical schools/centers, VA hospitals, or other hospital settings, 22.2% are in other practice environments such as mental health centers or private practices, and 3.7% are in government settings (e.g., public health, DoD). These data suggest that our training leads to career trajectories that are consistent with the program’s philosophy and goals.

The Psychology PhD program in the clinical psychology training area is:

• based upon a clinical science model of training;
• fully accredited  by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS);
• a member of the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science;
• a PhD (doctoral) program only;
• designed so that students who were admitted with a bachelor’s degree can finish the requirements in six years including a one-year, full-time internship;
• organized to allow students to begin practicum training in the program’s second year;
• best able to serve the educational needs of students with deep interests in empirical research; and
• highly competitive — in the last several years we have admitted between 3 and 10 new students per year from a pool of 200 to 300 applicants.

IMPORTANT: To be considered for this PhD program, you must complete the application through ASU's online portal AND submit your material through  Slideroom

Important links:

Faculty   Data and Resources   Financial Support   Research Labs

Student Handbook

Concentrations

Focus Areas

The Clinical Training Program has three areas of emphases in which students may elect to participate:  health psychology ,  child clinical psychology,  and  community/prevention .

Thus, the descriptions that follow are designed to give you an idea of the available curricular choices.

Child Clinical Area of Emphasis

The child clinical area of emphasis provides training in the etiology, assessment, treatment and prevention of childhood disorders. A major focus is on the prevention of child mental health problems among children and families under stress. Thus, most of our child clinical faculty also participate in our community-prevention area of emphasis. Table of Child Clinical Faculty. 

Health Psychology Area of Emphasis

Clinical students with interests centering on the interface of psychology and medicine may select Health Psychology as an area of emphasis. In our program, health psychology is broadly interpreted to encompass the theoretical, methodological, and/or procedural (treatment and prevention) contributions from contemporary psychology that bear upon the existing and emerging problems of modern medicine.  Table of Health Psychology Faculty.

Community/Prevention Area of Emphasis

We define the Community/Preventive area of emphasis to include theory, research methods, and interventions that are designed to prevent the occurrence of mental health, substance use or other problems, and to promote healthy adaptation in a range of social environments. Students study theoretical issues such as the influence of stress and coping, family processes, acculturation and cross-cultural issues, neighborhood influences, and economic hardship on the development of mental health or substance abuse problems. Students also become involved in the development, implementation, and evaluation of preventive interventions to promote healthy adaptation for children in a range of high-risk situations. Foci of preventive interventions include children of divorce, inner-city ethnic minority children, bereaved children, and school-based programs.  Table of Community/Prevention Clinical Faculty. 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

The Psychology Doctoral Program at Arizona State University embraces the University’s charter encouraging diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of our program.  We strive to create a community that reflects and celebrates the diversity of society-at-large because we believe it is essential to attaining academic excellence, professional development, and personal growth. To that end, we are dedicated to training early career scientists from diverse backgrounds, and we encourage applications from students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the sciences, including but not limited to BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, first generation college students, and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Coursework for the doctoral program is to some extent, determined by APA requirements. For more detailed information about the program's curriculum and milestones or to see a sample schedule, students should view the current Clinical Student Handbook. Once admitted, we require students to be continuously enrolled full-time, excluding summer sessions, until all degree requirements have been met.

A minimum of 84 hours is required. 

Courses and electives

The coursework for each student is individualized and based upon the student's previous training, research goals and mentor. All students are required to complete 27 credit hours of core courses that cover the scientific and technical foundations of clinical psychology. Students will also choose elective courses that more closely align to their specific focus area. In order to satisfy program accreditation, students will take one course in biological bases of behavior, social bases of behavior, cognitive bases of behavior, affective bases of behavior and in human development. Additional requirements include two ATM courses are required which involve integrated science-professional training and are taught by departmental faculty in timely and specific clinical and community modalities.

At a Glance

• Location:  Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement:  No

Degree Requirements

The 84-hour program of study includes a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive, a prospectus and a dissertation. Prospective doctoral candidates should have a passion and interest in clinical psychology, have demonstrated research skills in a senior thesis, have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA.

Student Admissions, Outcomes & Other Data  

Accreditation Status

ASU's Public Disclosure on Licensure Statement

Admission Requirements

Our selection of new doctoral students is based on several factors:

• academic excellence;
• strong undergraduate preparation in psychology;
• experience in conducting psychological research;
• compatibility with research interests of our faculty;
• evidence of strong research skills; and
• personal characteristics that are suitable for teaching and the provision of psychological services to the public.

In addition to significant research experience, successful applicants should have an undergraduate grade point average of B+ or better and compelling letters of recommendation. Specific information about application procedures can be found on the  doctoral admissions  pages.

We also seek a balance of students who have interests in our three research emphases: child clinical, health, and community/prevention. It has been our experience that most of our students will choose one of the three specialty areas which represent domains of faculty interest as well as clinical or preventive specialties for which an employment demand now exists. However, specialization is not a program requirement. Some students might begin a particular emphasis but later decide to move in a different direction. 

Required Core Content (27 units)

Required Core Courses:  Courses covering the scientific and technical foundations of clinical psychology, as well as clinical practica include:

• PSY 530 Analysis of Variance (Intermediate Statistics)
• PSY 531 Multiple Regression
• PSY 573 Psychopathology
• PSY 578 Developmental Psychopathology (required for child emphasis only)
• PSY 600 Clinical Research Methods
• PSY 574/591  Psychotherapy or Child and Family Therapy
• PSY 780  Psychological Assessment or Assessment Advanced Treatment Methods (ATM)
• PSY 591 Clinical Interviewing and Ethics
• Practicum I and II 

Electives (6-27 units)

Electives:  Various courses, seminars, and practica of the students’ choosing are included in this category and are used to satisfy additional program requirements.

Required Accreditation Courses (6-27 credit hours)

In order to satisfy requirements for program accreditation, students are also required to take at least one course each in:

• Biological Bases of Behavior:  PSY 591 Psychopharmacology  or  PSY 591 Biological Bases of Behavior  or  PSY 591 Advanced Neurobiology of Cognition
• Social Bases of Behavior:   PSY 550 Advanced Social Psychology: Interpersonal Processes  or  PSY 551 Advanced Social Psychology: Intrapersonal Processes
• Cognitive Bases of Behavior:   PSY 535 Cognitive Processes  or  PSY 591 Embodied Cognition  or  PSY 541 Research in Cognitive Development.*
• Affective Bases of Behavior:   PSY 591 Emotions  or  PSY 542 Social Emotional Development*  or  PSY 591 Emotional Development*  or  PSY 591 Emotions, Stress and Health  or  PSY 598 Socio-emotional Development
• Human Development:  PSY 541 Research in Cognitive Development*  or  PSY 542 Social Emotional Development*  or  PSY 591 Emotional Development*  or  PSY 591 Children’s Peer Relationships  or  PSY 591Resilience Processes in Development  or  PSY 598 Developmental Transitions.

*PSY 542 and PSY 591 can only be used to either fulfill the Affective Bases of behavior requirement OR to fulfill the Human Development requirement. PSY 541 can only be used to fulfill the Cognitive Bases of behavior requirement OR the Human Development requirement.

• History and Systems:  PSY 591 History of Psychology  or  PSY 591 Clinical Issues Seminar: History and Systems of Psychology

Substantive Curriculum (6-27 credit hours)

Other Course Requirements:  Two ATM courses are required which involve integrated science-professional training and are taught by departmental faculty in timely and specific clinical and community modalities.

• PSY 780  All topics listed as ATMs in Psychology.  The Assessment ATM also meets the requirement for Psychological Assessment
• PSY 501  Supervised Teaching (can count for 1 of 2 ATMs)

Master's Thesis and Research (12 credit hours) - For Master's in passing

• PSY 592 - Master's Research (6 credit hours) Independent study in which a student, under the supervision of a faculty member, conducts research that is expected to lead to a specific project such as a thesis or dissertation, report, or publication. Assignments might include data collection, experimental work, data analysis, or preparation of a manuscript
• PSY 599 - Master's Thesis (6 credit hours) Supervised research focused on preparation of thesis, including literature review, research, data collection and analysis, and writing.

Dissertation and Research (18 credit hours)

• PSY 792 Dissertation Research (6 credit hours) Independent study in which a student, under the supervision of a faculty member, conducts research that is expected to lead to a specific project such as a dissertation, report, or publication. Assignments might include data collection, experimental work, data analysis, or preparation of a manuscript.
• PSY 799 Dissertation (12 Credit Hours) Supervised research focused on preparation of dissertation, including literature review, research, data collection and analysis, and writing.

Sample Schedule: General

Listed below is a sample schedule. Note that, although we outline a five-year sequence in which the degree can be completed, most students finish the degree in six years including internship.

Sample Schedule: Clinical Child Emphasis

SAMPLE SCHEDULE:  CHILD CLINICAL EMPHASIS

Listed below is a sample schedule for students who chose a child clinical emphasis. Note that, although we outline a five-year sequence in which the degree can be completed, most students finish the degree in six years including internship.

Financial Support

The Department of Psychology typically pays ASU tuition for full-time doctoral students with 20 hour-per-week graduate teaching or research assistantships. Tuition and fee information can be found on the ASU's  general tuition webpage .

An appointment as a 50% Graduate Teaching Assistant (TA) for the 2024-2025 academic year (9-month TA) provides financial support in the form of a stipend in the amount of $24,586 for the academic year.

Fellowships and awards

Doctoral students are encouraged to apply for fellowships through the National Institutes of Health  National Research Service Award  program and through the National Science Foundation's  Graduate Research Fellowship Program . Other funding opportunities exist within specific areas of study and doctoral students should explore these possibilities with their faculty advisor/mentor.

In addition to government and external organizational fellowships, the Department of Psychology currently offers  graduate scholar awards  of $1,500 each to two students in any psychology doctoral program area in any year of study. Made possible by the generous donations of department faculty and others, these awards are intended to recognize the accomplishments of students who are demonstrating overall excellence in the psychology doctoral program. Excellence will be judged with respect to contributions to psychological science; and/or the teaching of psychology; and/or community involvement reflecting application of psychological knowledge. The deadline for all application materials, including a letter of support from a psychology faculty member, is typically mid-March.

Two other fellowship awards are also available to the department's doctoral students through endowed scholarships: The Robert B. Cialdini Dissertation Project Prize and the Martha E. Bernal Memorial Scholarship Award Endowment. Doctoral students in the developmental psychology and social psychology may similarly apply for endowed fellowships within their program areas.

Financial aid

There is no financial aid available through the department although such aid is available through the ASU Financial Aid and Scholarship Services; visit their  site  to explore financial aid opportunities.

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THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

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Clinical Psychology

• MA Requirements
• PhD Requirements

Learn more about the program by visiting the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

See related Interdisciplinary Clusters and Certificates

Degree Types: MA, PhD

The PhD Program in Clinical Psychology within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is one of only a handful of programs in the United States based in an academic medical center and housed in a psychiatry department. This unique setting provides opportunities for translational research and practice that span molecular to social models of disease, and epidemiologic to clinical and neuroimaging methodologies.

This scientist-practitioner program effectively balances clinical and research training to produce graduates who are competent in the science and practice of clinical psychology. The PhD program also provides opportunities for major areas of study within clinical psychology, including Adult Clinical Psychology, Behavioral Medicine or Clinical Health Psychology, Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology, and Forensic Psychology. Training is provided through core and emphasis-specific curricula, intensive research mentoring, and exceptional clinical practica. Major milestones include a research qualifying paper and master's thesis, a clinical qualifying exam, an empirical dissertation with original research, and an APA-accredited clinical internship.

Our mentor-based program prepares students to be competitive for careers as clinical psychologists in academic health centers, children's hospitals, VA medical centers, and related medical facilities.

The Clinical Psychology Master of Arts (MA) Program within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is intended for students interested in pursuing a career in academic clinical psychology. The MA program is designed to provide a foundation in academic clinical psychology at the graduate level, while also allowing students to gain educational and research exposure to major areas of study within clinical psychology, including Adult Clinical Psychology, Behavioral Medicine or Clinical Health Psychology, Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology, and Forensic Psychology. 

The goals of the MA Program in Clinical Psychology are to:

• Develop foundational competencies in research design, analytics, and ethics within academic clinical psychology.
• Explore major areas of study within academic clinical psychology.
• Understand educational and career opportunities within academic clinical psychology.

Note: the MA Program in Clinical Psychology does not include clinical training and is not intended to prepare students for clinical practice. Given the academic and research focus of the MA Program, the degree will not lead to licensure for independent practice.  For those interested in master's level programs that prepare students for licensure and practice, please visit the  MA in Counseling website , the  MS in Marriage and Family Therapy website  and  The Family Institute website . 

The MA Program in Clinical Psychology was designed for a variety of students, including students who:

• Are not yet ready to apply to a PhD program, but are considering doing so in the future.
• Wish to improve their competitiveness for a PhD program.
• Are interested in exploring a career in academic clinical psychology.
• With interests in related fields for which a background in academic clinical psychology may be of value.

The MA Program is embedded in the Clinical Psychology PhD Program, with coursework and lab work completed alongside PhD students. Although students in the MA Program are welcome to apply to Northwestern's PhD Program in Clinical Psychology, the MA Program is not intended to be a "gateway" into the PhD Program in Clinical Psychology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Additional resources:

• Department Website
• Pro gram Handbook

Program Statistics

Visit Master's Program Statistics and PhD Program Statistics for statistics such as program admissions, enrollment, student demographics and more.

Program Contact

Contact Sarah Bratta Program Coordinator

Degree Requirements

The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in  The Graduate School Policy Guide .

MA Degree Requirements

Total Units Required: 17

The MA program requires at least 17 units for graduation across five (5) quarters (15 months) of full-time enrollment; part-time and early graduation is not permitted. Students are required to take the Research Core, including Research Methods/Statistics (3 units), Advanced Research Methodology (1 unit), and Scientific and Professional Ethics in Psychology (1 unit). In addition to these required courses, students are expected to select between five to eight elective courses across the Summer I, Fall, Winter, Spring, and/or Summer II quarters. Elective courses can include Discipline Specific Knowledge and Profession Wide Competency courses, as well as courses in one or more Major Areas of Study. 

In addition to the Research Core and Elective courses, all MA students participate in the weekly Professional Development Seminar for the first four quarters of the MA Program. This Seminar orients students to the MA program, introduces students to various mentors and labs across Northwestern, explores career options in academic clinical psychology, refines interests in academic clinical psychology, and prepares students for the next steps in their careers (e.g., developing applications for PhD programs; preparing for interviews). 

Other MA Degree Requirements

• Research/Projects:  In addition to completion of the coursework requirements, students engage in a Research Lab Experience for at least 10 hours a week.
• Master's Thesis :   Optional (see below)
• Master’s Culminating Academic Experience:  Through the Research Lab Experience, the student will work with her or his research mentor to complete a Capstone Project. The Capstone Project is the culmination of the Research Lab Experience provided by the research mentor, providing the final evaluation of the student’s research competencies. Examples of capstone projects include: Substantial participation (i.e., authorship level) on one or more empirical studies submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. First author submission of one or more peer-reviewed poster/oral presentations at regional, national, or international conferences. A comprehensive review paper that is submitted to and graded by the research mentor. A grant proposal (e.g., F31 style) that is submitted to and graded by the research mentor.  

Last Updated: September 12, 2023

PhD Degree Requirements

Total Units Required: 30

Other PhD Degree Requirements

• Examinations:  defense of a research paper and a clinical qualifying project serving as examination for admission to candidacy
• Research/Projects:  independent, empirical research study completed in fulfillment of the research qualifying paper
• PhD Dissertation:  original research following third year of coursework
• Final Evaluations:  oral defense of dissertation

PhD in Clinical Psychology

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Program Overview

Please see also:

• Clinical Doctoral Student Handbook (PDF)
• Student Admissions, Outcomes and Other Data

Licensure Information

Please see details at  Consumer Disclosure Information .

The clinical psychology doctoral program at American University aims to prepare students for licensure in many states. Graduating from an American Psychological Association (APA) accredited institution with a doctoral degree is often one of the main requirements for licensure in most states, and our program has been fully and continuously accredited by the APA since 1972. However, most states have other requirements for licensure (e.g., predoctoral internship, postdoctoral fellowship, particular scores on the EPPP licensing exam). This disclosure focuses solely on predoctoral courses needed to qualify for licensure as a psychologist. Graduates of AU’s clinical psychology program have successfully obtained licensure in many states.

The Clinical Psychology PhD program is committed to educating students in clinical science with rigorous training in both research and applied clinical work. Our program will provide you with the skills you need for a successful career in academia, research, or clinical practice. Fully accredited by the American Psychological Association Committee on Accreditation since 1972, our doctoral program reflects the scientist-practitioner model of training.

Excellence in research and clinical training

The 72-credit PhD program is designed to provide students with a rigorous classroom education, innovative research opportunities, and exciting and diverse clinical experiences. With faculty guidance and mentorship, students complete a master's thesis, a doctoral dissertation, and one tool of research. Students engage in three year-long practicum experiences. In the first year, students learn humanistic and psychodynamic techniques in the American University Counseling Center. In year two, students learn and practice cognitive behavioral techniques in the department's James J. Gray Psychotherapy Training Clinic. For the third practicum, students choose between an advanced CBT practicum with adults or with children. Additionally, students complete multiple externships in DC area hospitals, mental health centers, and counseling centers and a one-year internship.

This program takes five to six years of full-time study to complete. Part-time study is not available. See all degree requirements .

At AU, a mentorship model of training will allow you to work closely with a research supervisor throughout the program. You and this faculty mentor will collaborate on research projects and design your master's thesis and dissertation project. Our faculty members maintain productive research labs and mentor graduate students in research design and methodology. Faculty research interests include affective and motivational processes in depression, anxiety disorders (in children and adults), stress and emotion regulation, parenting, minority mental health, trichotillomania, cognitive assessment and therapy, smoking, borderline personality disorder, drug expectancies, treatment outcomes, and human services program evaluation. Faculty research programs offer a mix of applied and basic research opportunities.

Diverse Opportunities In The Nation's Capital

Home to numerous world-class research and clinical institutions, the DC area offers access to an extraordinary array of professional and intellectual opportunities. The clinical program at AU has fostered connections at a wide range of externship sites including the DC and Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, National Institute of Health, Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital, National Children’s Medical Center, private practices, and college counseling centers at nearby universities. Many of our students make lasting connections in the DC area, and are well positioned to find post-doctoral employment in or around the city. There is a rich diversity in DC, so students work with individuals and families from many different backgrounds.

The PhD is your path to career success

At AU, we have a record of placing our clinical psychology PhDs in successful careers at respected institutions. Our students graduate fully prepared for careers in academia, research, and clinical settings. For example, graduates of our program hold tenure-track positions at St. John's University, Williams College, LaFayette College, the University of Cincinnati, and Goucher College.

We are proud of the research and clinical accomplishments of our students and alumni. AU PhDs have conducted research in prominent departments of psychiatry, including Brown University, Ohio State University, and the University of Virginia. Our alumni work in a variety of clinical settings in the DC area and across the country, including Johns Hopkins University, the National Institutes of Health, the New York Presbyterian-University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, Chestnut Health System of Illinois, Children's National Medical Center, and the District of Columbia VA Medical Center.

News & Notes

• Alice Coyne  was named the 2024 recipient of the  Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy Early Career Award  in recognition of “accomplishment and achievement related to psychotherapy theory, practice, research, or training.”

AU’s Gray Psychotherapy Training Clinic Offers Low-Fee Psychotherapy

To the Point: The Fentanyl Crisis, Why Now, Why So Deadly?

More news & notes.

• Dr. Alice Coyne , Assistant Professor of Psychology, has been named the 2024 recipient of the Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy Early Career Award in recognition of “accomplishment and achievement related to psychotherapy theory, practice, research, or training”

Alum Spotlight

Martha falkenstein, cas/phd '16.

Clinical Psychology

I benefitted from being encouraged to pursue my goals — and work/life balance.

Mentored by Dr. David Haaga on treatment development and outcomes for trichotillomania, Martha externed at the DC VA, NIMH Psychiatry Consultation-Liason Service, the Behavior Therapy Center, and Johns Hopkins Medical Center. After a Southwest Consortium Doctoral Internship and post-doc at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, she now serves as Director of Research at the OCD Institute, supported by an NIMH Career Development Award. 

“I benefitted from being encouraged to pursue my goals — and work/life balance.”

Diana cox, cas/phd candidate.

AU’s quality of education prepared me well for the challenges of clinical work

Diana Cox’s research focuses on how experiences of stress affect physical and mental health outcomes, particularly in LGBTQ+ populations. As a member of the Stress and Emotion Lab, she has had the opportunity to design her own research studies and collaborate with other students on lab projects. She refined her clinical skills through externships at the Washington DC VA Medical Center, Neuropsychology Associates of Fairfax, and True North Therapy.

“AU’s quality of education prepared me well for the challenges of clinical work”

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About the Program

The Graduate Program in Psychology at Georgetown University offers a fully funded five-year, full-time program of study leading to a Ph.D. in Psychology. Students in the program concentrate in either Human  Development and Public Policy (HDPP) or Lifespan Cognitive Neuroscience (LCN). The program is fundamentally a research program. Students are expected to meet rigorous research milestones and receive training in conducting independent scholarly research. Students in the HDPP track also take core courses at the McCourt School of Public Policy, while students in the LCN track take core courses in the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience at The Georgetown University School of Medicine. Students in both concentrations also take core and elective courses in the Psychology Department. A dual degree in Psychology (Ph.D.) and Master of Public Policy (MPP) is also offered in collaboration with the McCourt School of Public Policy to students in the HDPP concentration.

Degrees Offered

• Ph.D./Master’s in Public Policy (M.P.P.)

Admissions Requirements

For general graduate admissions requirements, visit the Office of Graduate Admission’s Application Information  page. Review the  program’s website  for additional information on program application requirements.

Application Materials required:

• Application Form
• Non-refundable Application Fee
• Academic Statement of Purpose
• Optional: Statement on Diversity, Personal Background & Contributions
• Writing Sample
• Letters of Recommendation (3)
• Transcripts  – Applicants are required to upload to the application system copies of official  transcripts  from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended. Visit the Office of Graduate Admission’s  Application Information  page for additional details and FAQs.
• TOEFL = 80 minimum
• IELTS = 7.0 minimum

Application Deadlines

Degree requirements.

The core graduate curriculum includes coursework in statistics/methodology; advanced theory and evidence; applications of developmental science; and scientific ethics, as well as experience and instruction in teaching, grant writing and other practical skills.

The requirements of the graduate program are designed to:

• Ensure that students receive solid grounding in the interdisciplinary roots and methods of developmental science.
• Involve students in research immediately upon starting their graduate education and, over the course of their education, encourage them to develop an original line of inquiry.
• Instruct students in the critical analysis, teaching and communication skills that are critical to success in an array of post-Ph.D. positions.

Credits Required

• Ph.D. with a concentration in Human Development and Public Policy: 36 credits
• Ph.D. with a concentration in Lifespan Cognitive Neuroscience: 39 credits
• Ph.D./M.P.P. (Master’s in Public Policy): 48 credits

There is no option of part-time study in this graduate degree program.

Connect with Us

Program Contact: Bonnie Ginsberg: [email protected]

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The clinical program is accredited by the American Psychological Association and the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System.

Your program will typically be fully funded for five years thanks to stipend grant support and guaranteed teaching fellowships. Tuition support is also available for a six-year program. Funding is also available for research, travel, and conferences. You will have access to the latest technology at FAS Research Computing and the Neuroimaging Facility at the Center for Brain Science.

Examples of student dissertations and theses include “Childhood Anxiety Disorders: Developmental Risk Factors and Predictors of Treatment Response,” “Clarifying the Pathway to Suicide: An Examination of Subtypes of Suicidal Behavior and Their Association with Impulsiveness,” and “A Cognitive Neuroscience of Social Groups.”

Graduates have secured positions in academia at prestigious institutions such as Princeton University, Dartmouth College, and Columbia University. Others have embarked on careers with companies such as Facebook, BetterUp, and Apple.

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Psychology and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Areas of Study

Cognition, Brain, and Behavior | Experimental Psychopathology and Clinical | Developmental | Social Psychology

Admissions Requirements

Please review admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Psychology .

Academic Background

While an undergraduate concentration in psychology is not required, some social science coursework is recommended. Because the program is heavily quantitatively oriented, college-level math and statistics are also advised. Research experience is extremely helpful; successful applicants have often worked for professors, done research projects as part of college courses, written an undergraduate thesis, or volunteered in a psychology research lab.

Please Note: Before making the decision to apply, the program in Psychology suggests checking individual faculty/lab websites or emailing faculty directly to inquire whether they plan to consider applicants for Fall 2024 admission. It’s important to note that while individual faculty members may have every intention of bringing in a new student this year, we cannot guarantee that they will all be able to do so. The total number of offers of admission to be extended by the graduate program is based on applicant preparedness and fit, availability of university advising and support resources, and target class size. Some of these factors are not able to be determined until after the applicant pool has been finalized.

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Optional

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Psychology

See list of Psychology faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

Clinical Psychology PhD Program

Founded on a scientist-practitioner model, the overall goal of the Clinical Psychology PhD Program is to graduate academic psychologists who are competent, ethical and productive in the science and practice of clinical psychology. Our program emphasizes the integration of science and clinical practice.

Directors' Message Student Admissions, Outcomes & Other Data Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Social Justice

How to Apply

Learn more about the criteria for applying to the program as well as tuition and financial aid.

Our curriculum is structured to maximize clinical, research and ethical training for students.

Meet Our Team

Meet our current students and their faculty mentors. Each student works closely with a faculty member throughout their tenure at Northwestern. Browse the Faculty Mentor list to learn more about their research projects and see who is currently recruiting new students.

Current Students    Faculty Mentors

JD-PhD Program

Northwestern's joint JD-PhD program  is a collaboration between The Graduate School and Northwestern Law. It's designed for applicants who are interested in academic careers examining research topics that are enriched by having both JD and PhD degrees.

Visit the JD-PhD Website

Questions about the PhD program? Find out more.

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How to Contact Us

To contact the PhD Program in Clinical Psychology, please email us at [email protected] .

Please DO NOT call the number below as it will go to our clinic; it is reserved for patients. Please DO NOT call any other numbers that you may find within the Feinberg School of Medicine. We will only respond to emails that are sent to the following email address: [email protected] . Please DO NOT  contact via phone or email the MD Admissions Office; they are not involved in the admissions process for the PhD program in Clinical Psychology. 

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Clinical Psychology PhD

Ph.d. in clinical psychology.

Welcome to the doctoral program in Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. The Clinical Psychology Program was founded in 1947-1948. It was APA-accredited in the first group of programs that were reviewed for accreditation in 1948 and that status has been uninterrupted. Our most recent site visit from the APA occurred in 2021, and we have been accredited until June 2031.

Our program operates according to a scientist-practitioner model. We are, thus, dedicated to training students to generate empirically-based knowledge in clinical psychology and to perform clinical work that is constantly informed by traditional and emerging scholarship in the field. We expect our students to learn to expertly produce, analyze, and discuss scientific material. We also expect our students to become proficient at providing clinical services to a diverse population. And, most importantly, we expect our students to learn to integrate these two goals. As our mission statement in the TC catalog notes, “The driving goal of our Clinical Psychology Program is to provide rigorous training in both contemporary clinical science and clinical assessment and intervention.”

A good deal of the training, especially that related to research, occurs through intensive participation in a research lab directed by a specific faculty mentor. It is this context, through this lab, that students develop their scientific skills and begin presenting their work at professional conferences and publishing in professional journals. Each student, of course, is also part of a cohort of doctoral students with whom they learn, collaborate, and socialize.

In recent years, graduates of our doctoral program have gained employment in tenure-track academic positions, as research scientists in medical schools, and as clinical researchers in a broad range of treatment settings. In addition, many of our graduates practice independently as well as in community settings for under-served populations.

The list of faculty reviewing and potentially accepting applicants for each cycle is listed on the application itself. Please check the application itself or email the admissions office at 

[email protected] for clarification.

Doug Mennin, Ph.D.

Professor, Director of Clinical Training

Research Centers

Dean Hope Center for Educational and Psychological Services

The Dean Hope Center for Educational and Psychological Services (DHCEPS) is an integral part of the teaching and training programs in Clinical, Counseling, School Psychology, Learning Disability and Reading Specialist. The Center works in a two-folded way; first it offers students the opportunity to integrate theoretical coursework with practicum experience within a multidisciplinary setting. This training is foreseen by highly qualified supervisors. Simultaneously, the DHCEPS offers affordable psychological and educational services to individuals, couples, and families residing in the nearby neighborhood of the New York City area. The emphasis is on respecting and working with clients from diverse, multicultural contexts regardless of age, racial and ethnic background, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, and religious or cultural affiliations. Additionally, DHCEPS is committed to maintaining a liaison with community-based agencies and organizations such as schools, hospitals, and mental health clinics, among others.

Teachers College Resilience Center for Veterans and Families

The Resilience Center for Veterans & Families pairs groundbreaking research on human emotional resilience with clinical training of therapists to assist veterans and their families as they transition back to civilian life.

Dean Hope Center for Psychological Services

The Dean Hope Center for Educational and Psychological Services (DHCEPS) is an integral part of the teaching and training programs in Clinical, Counseling, School Psychology, Learning Disability and Reading Specialist. The Center works in a two-folded way; first it offers students the opportunity to integrate theoretical coursework with practicum experience within a multidisciplinary setting. This training is foreseen by highly qualified supervisors.  Simultaneously, the DHCEPS offers affordable psychological and educational services to individuals, couples, and families residing in the nearby neighborhood of the New York City area. The emphasis is on respecting and working with clients from diverse, multicultural contexts regardless of age, racial and ethnic background, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, and religious or cultural affiliations.  DHCEPS also commits to maintaining a liaison with community-based agencies and organizations such as schools, hospitals and mental health clinics.

Admissions Information

Displaying requirements for the Spring 2024, Summer 2024, and Fall 2024 terms.

Doctor of Philosophy

• Points/Credits: 95
• Entry Terms: Fall

Application Deadlines

Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines , such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.

Application Requirements

Requirements from the tc catalog (ay 2023-2024).

Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 terms.

View Full Catalog Listing

The Program requires the following:

The completion of 95 points of academic credit during three to four years of residence at the College.

A full-time, twelve-month clinical internship during the fourth or fifth year of study.

An original piece of empirical research, which also serves as a qualifying paper, to be completed during the second year of study.

A passing grade on the certification examination (on Research Methods) during the third year of study.

A Clinical case presentation as well as a research presentation, during the third year, each demonstrating the student’s ability to integrate theory, research, and practice.

A doctoral dissertation, which must be completed no later than the seventh year after matriculation.

During the first year of study, in addition to participating in a research lab, doctoral students typically take the following didactic courses: Ethical and professional issues in clinical psychology (CCPX 5030); Psychological measurement (HUDM 5059); courses on statistics and modeling; Research methods in social psychology (ORLJ 5040); Child psychopathology (CCPX 5034); Adult psychopathology (CCPX 5032); History and systems of psychology (CCPX 6020); and Dynamic psychotherapies (CCPX 5037). Students also take two semesters of psychological testing and diagnostic assessment (CCPX 5330, CCPX 5333) and a course in clinical interviewing (CCPX 5539).

Second Year

During their second year, students’ didactic courses include Brain and behavior (BBS 5068, 5069); Cognition, emotion, and culture (CCPX 5020); Psychotherapy with children (CCPX 5531); Cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal therapies (CCPX 5038); Clinical work with diverse populations (CCPX 5036); and Seminar on life course development (HUDK 6520). In addition, students sign up for a full year of research practicum with a faculty member (culminating in an empirical second- year project), a full-year adult psychodynamic psychotherapy practicum (CCPX 6335), and an additional elective full-year clinical rotation (e.g., on child and adolescent psychotherapy; on neuropsychological assessment).

Third-year didactic courses include Group dynamics: A systems perspective (ORL 5362); and Dissertation seminar (CCPX 7500). There is also a full-year advanced psychodynamic clinical practicum (CCPX 6336) and a one-semester supervision and consultation practicum (CCPX 6333). Most students also elect a full-year family therapy practicum (CCPJ 6363).

Fourth and Fifth Year

The fourth year is typically focused on clinical externship (CCPX 5230) and extensive work on the dissertation. A full-year fourth year psychotherapy practicum (CCPX 6338) is recommended, though not required. Year five is usually spent on a full- year clinical internship (CCPX 6430).

The program allows only 12 points of graduate work from another institution to be transferred. No transfer credits are awarded for practica, workshops, or independent study.

• View Other Degrees

Teachers College, Columbia University 328 Horace Mann

Contact Person: Rebecca Shulevitz

Phone: (212) 678-3267 Fax: (212) 678-8235

Email: shulevitz@tc.columbia.edu

30 Fully Funded Ph.D. Programs

These fully funded Ph.D. programs are in fields like business, computer science, education and nursing.

(Getty Images) |

Many Ph.D. programs are fully funded.

Students interested in graduate research in various fields, from public health and English to computer science and engineering, have numerous options for Ph.D. programs that offer full funding. These programs typically provide waived tuition and fees and an annual stipend. Some also offer health insurance and other benefits. Gaining admittance into these small cohorts can be highly competitive, and the programs can be time-consuming . Here are 30 fully funded Ph.D. programs at U.S. colleges and universities. Keep in mind this is not a comprehensive list – there are others out there.

• Ph.D. in anthropology at the University of Chicago

Anthropology Ph.D. students at the University of Chicago can receive funding for up to eight years of study, assuming they are in good standing at the university. During that time, they will receive a full-tuition scholarship plus health insurance and a living stipend – which equated to $33,000 for the 2022-2023 school year – and can apply for external fellowships.

Ph.D. in biological sciences in public health at Harvard University (MA)

Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston offers a Ph.D. in biological sciences in public health that aims to provide students with expertise in disease prevention and treatment. This program includes tuition, a stipend and health insurance for five years as long as the student maintains satisfactory academic progress. International students receive the same benefits. Current research in the school's laboratories involves diseases like AIDS, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, malaria and tuberculosis.

(Dominick Reuter) |

• Ph.D. in business at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Students enrolled in the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology can study a range of fields like organization studies, accounting and information technology. Those pursuing a Ph.D. will receive a full-tuition scholarship plus a monthly stipend of $4,267, capped at $51,204. They will also receive medical insurance, new laptops at the beginning of their first and fourth years of study and $4,500 over five years for conference travel expenses.

(Tommy Lavergne | Rice University)

Ph.D. in business at Rice University (TX)

At the Rice University Jones Graduate School of Business in Texas, students enjoy full financial assistance upon admission to the Ph.D. program. Aiming to prepare students to teach in fields like accounting, finance, organizational behavior and strategic management, the program provides students with a research or teaching assistantship. Students receive a tuition waiver and a $40,000 annual stipend contingent on making satisfactory academic progress and maintaining full-time student status.

Office of Strategic Communication | University of Iowa

• Ph.D. in business at the University of Iowa

The University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business offers Ph.D. degrees in fields such as accounting, economics, business analytics and marketing. The college says it provides full funding to "virtually all admitted students." This includes tuition and fees, a minimum nine-month stipend of about $20,000 with annual adjustments and comprehensive health insurance covered at 90%. Some departments offer funding for research presentations at major conferences, summer fellowships and paid time off for independent research.

Ph.D. in chemical engineering at Cornell University (NY)

According to Cornell University 's website, all students admitted to the chemical engineering Ph.D. program at the New York school receive a full tuition waiver, health insurance and a stipend. This funding can come from a teaching assistantship, research assistantship or fellowship, and full stipends are granted for nine months with the likelihood of additional aid in the summer.

Chris Taggart | Columbia University

Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Columbia University (NY)

Students enrolled in Columbia University 's Ph.D. program in clinical psychology at the Teachers College in New York receive fully funded tuition and a $25,000 stipend annually for three years. The stipend also carries into a student's fourth year. These doctoral fellows "may be expected to serve" as graduate teaching or research assistants. Students typically complete the mentor-matched program, which includes a full-year internship, in five to seven years.

Ph.D. in computer science at Brown University (RI)

Brown University 's Ph.D. students in computer science have access to "full financial support while completing the degree," plus the option to take classes at nearby schools without incurring additional costs, according to the school's website. In fact, doctoral students in any program at the Rhode Island university are guaranteed five years of financial support, which includes tuition remission, a stipend, health services fees and a subsidy for health insurance.

Georgetown University |

Ph.D. in computer science at Georgetown University (DC)

Georgetown University 's Ph.D. program in computer science provides scholarships and assistantships that cover full tuition at the Washington, D.C., school and include a stipend and health insurance for the first five years. Once enrolled in the program, students must complete the Apprenticeship in Teaching Program and ultimately write and defend a full research dissertation in a seminar open to the public.

Ph.D. in computer science at Washington University in St. Louis

Ph.D. students in the computer science or computer engineering program at Washington University in St. Louis receive full tuition support and health insurance. According to the university's website: "As a doctoral candidate, you will also receive a generous stipend to cover living expenses and a new, high-end Apple laptop computer. This support is guaranteed as you continue to make satisfactory progress towards your degree." Doctoral students may also qualify for one of three fellowships.

Jeff Miller | UW-Madison

• Ph.D. in counseling psychology at the University of Wisconsin—Madison

Incoming Ph.D. students at the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin—Madison are guaranteed full funding for the duration of the time that they are expected on campus, according to the university's department of counseling psychology website. Doctoral students also receive a benefits package that includes health insurance. Funding may come from financial aid, fellowships, assistantships and/or traineeships.

Emory University |

Ph.D. in economics at Emory University (GA)

Students enrolled in the economics Ph.D. program at Emory University typically receive full funding, according to the Georgia university's website. The stipend provided to students is $36,376 per year for five years, starting in fall 2023, and the full tuition scholarship is worth $70,200 per year. Funding for admitted students also includes a $4,370 annual subsidy that covers 100% of a student's cost of health insurance. First-year students have no stipend-related work requirements.

• Ph.D. in education at New York University

New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development offers more than 30 degree programs. Many can be pursued on campus or online. Ph.D. degrees are offered in areas like developmental psychology, educational leadership and childhood education. Full-time NYU Steinhardt Ph.D. students are eligible for a funding package that includes an annual stipend – $32,000 for the 2022-2023 academic year – tuition coverage for required coursework and student health insurance for five years.

L.A. Cicero, Stanford News Service |

Ph.D. in education at Stanford University (CA)

Stanford University's Graduate School of Education allows students numerous fellowship and assistantship opportunities at the California school, along with a "five-year funding guarantee that provides tuition aid, fellowship stipend, and assistantship salary, and covers the standard cost of attendance," the program website reads. At the Graduate School of Education, doctoral students can choose from a range of academic areas like curriculum studies and teacher education, and developmental and psychological sciences.

• Ph.D. in education at the University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education provides full funding to Ph.D. students as part of a fellowship and research apprenticeship package. This funding includes a living stipend, health insurance and coverage of tuition and fees for up to four years if the student maintains full-time enrollment. Some students may also qualify for additional summer funding.

• Ph.D. in engineering at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor

Doctoral students in engineering at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor can choose from numerous areas of specialization under umbrella categories like aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, macromolecular science and engineering, and robotics. All engineering doctoral students are guaranteed full funding, a monthly living stipend and health insurance. The exact amount can vary, according to the program's website, and funding comes from a range of sources, including graduate student instructor positions and fellowships.

Boston University Photography |

• Ph.D. in English at Boston University

Annually, doctoral students studying English at Boston University receive a stipend plus full tuition, fees and basic health insurance. This funding is guaranteed for at least five years, with two of those years typically free from teaching requirements. Funding can sometimes be extended up to seven years, according to the university's website, but it's not guaranteed. Students may also apply for various prizes, fellowships and short-term research and travel grants.

(Stephanie Diani) |

• Ph.D. in English at the University of California—Los Angeles

Applicants to the Ph.D. in English program at the University of California—Los Angeles are automatically considered for various funding options. A six-year funding package includes "a minimum of two years of full fellowship, four years of summer stipend support and up to four years of teaching assistantships," according to the school website. Beyond tuition, fees and health insurance are also covered.

Jeff Watts |

Ph.D. in international relations at American University (DC)

American University offers doctoral students in its international relations program who do not have external funding a renewable four-year Dean's Fellowship that is contingent on making satisfactory academic progress. The fellowship includes the cost of tuition, fees and a stipend that must be earned via a part-time role as a teaching or research assistant. Students also must "demonstrate competency in a modern foreign language" before graduating.

Jonathan Cohen | Binghamton University

• Ph.D. in management at Binghamton University—SUNY

All students admitted to the interdisciplinary management Ph.D. program at the Binghamton University—SUNY School of Management in New York receive a combination of a full-tuition scholarship and a teaching or research assistantship for each academic year, up to four years. This STEM-designated business doctoral degree prepares students for careers in academia and work in the public and private sectors, and has a student-faculty ratio of 1-to-1, according to the university's website.

Duke University Communications |

Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Duke University (NC)

Doctoral students at Duke University in North Carolina studying materials science and engineering generally receive full tuition, a stipend and fee support for the first five years. Students also receive up to six years of health insurance if they are on the university's student medical insurance plan. The doctoral program aims to help students publish with a faculty adviser and develop research skills, with the opportunity to present research at professional conferences.

Homewood Photography | JHU

Ph.D. in nursing at Johns Hopkins University (MD)

The School of Nursing at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland provides most doctoral students with three fully funded years of study. Available financial aid includes graduate assistantships, targeted fellowships and nursing-specific funding. The university aims to "advance the theoretical foundation of nursing practice and healthcare delivery" with the degree, its website reads. "By graduation, most Hopkins nurse scholars have been awarded grants that continue their research and set them well on their way to a successful career."

• Ph.D. in nursing at the University of Virginia

All students admitted to the University of Virginia 's Ph.D. in Nursing program are eligible for four years of scholarship funding to cover tuition, insurance and fees, as well as annual stipends. To receive certain aid, students must work 10 hours per week as a graduate teaching assistant. With a heavy research focus, students can expect courses in qualitative, quantitative and historical research, and will have to submit a research proposal for peer review.

Ph.D. in nursing at Yale University (CT)

At Yale University in Connecticut, the School of Nursing offers full funding to its Ph.D. students. They receive a monthly stipend for four years in addition to paid tuition and health care. The program allows students to gain in-depth knowledge in a particular area of study. Every incoming Ph.D. student gets paired with a faculty adviser "whose area of expertise and active research most closely matches with the student’s scholarly interest," according to the school's website.

University of Minnesota |

• Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities

Students admitted to the Ph.D. program to study psychology at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities are guaranteed full funding for five years as long as they maintain satisfactory performance and degree progress. This funding includes full-time tuition, a nine-month stipend and subsidized health insurance. Funding comes from some combination of teaching assistantships, traineeships, research assistantships and fellowships. Students in the program can specialize in areas like cognitive and brain sciences, industrial-organizational psychology and social psychology.

Matt Cashore | University of Notre Dame

Ph.D. within the Romance languages and literatures department at the University of Notre Dame (IN)

University of Notre Dame doctoral students who focus on French and Francophone studies, Iberian and Latin American studies or Italian studies are guaranteed five years of funding. Funding includes a full scholarship, including tuition and fees, plus a stipend and health insurance. Anyone who completes the Ph.D. degree requirements at the Indiana university within five years will automatically receive a one-year postdoctoral fellowship via the university's 5+1 Program. Fellows will have a teaching load limited to one course per semester.

Ph.D. in social work at Bryn Mawr College (PA)

Students admitted to Bryn Mawr College 's Ph.D. program in social work receive full tuition waivers and "substantial stipends" toward living expenses. The Pennsylvania college's website says: "Consistent with our model, all Ph.D. students are funded equally, and do not compete for basic financial support during coursework." The program's cohorts typically include only three or four students each year. According to the college, it awarded the first Ph.D. degree in social work in the U.S. in 1920.

Vanderbilt University |

Ph.D. in special education at Vanderbilt University (TN)

Funding is guaranteed for all admitted doctoral students enrolled in the special education Ph.D. program at the Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. This includes full tuition, a "competitive" monthly stipend and health insurance for up to four years. Students may also be nominated for additional honor scholarships and fellowships. Areas of focus within the Ph.D. program include high-incidence disabilities and early childhood education.

Ph.D. in theatre and drama at Northwestern University (IL)

This interdisciplinary Ph.D. program at Northwestern University in Illinois combines coursework in humanities, social science and the visual arts. The program's students receive a five-year full-tuition scholarship plus an annual living stipend. Ph.D students enrolling at this program in fall 2022 will receive a living stipend of at least $36,960 during the 2023-2024 school year. Stipend amounts may change from year to year. Students can apply for subsidies to facilitate conference travel and summer language study.

(Photo by Sarah L. Voisin | The Washington Post via Getty Images)

• Ph.D. in women, gender and sexuality studies at University of Maryland

At the University of Maryland 's Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Ph.D. students without a master's degree usually have five years of guaranteed funding. Those with a master's degree usually are funded four years, with awards stemming from a mix of departmental fellowships and graduate teaching assistantships. Since the program's establishment in 1999, the department has granted 36 Ph.Ds, according to UMD's website.

Learn more about paying for graduate school.

Finding a fully funded program isn't the only option to offset the costs of graduate school. See these seven strategies to pay for graduate school to learn more. Check out the latest Best Graduate Schools rankings to see the country's top business, medicine and law programs – and more. For additional grad school tips, follow U.S. News Education on Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn .

Ph.D. programs that are fully funded

• Ph.D. in biological sciences in public health at Harvard University
• Ph.D. in business at Rice University
• Ph.D. in chemical engineering at Cornell University
• Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Columbia University
• Ph.D. in computer science at Brown University
• Ph.D. in computer science at Georgetown University
• Ph.D. in computer science at Washington University—St. Louis
• Ph.D. in economics at Emory University
• Ph.D. in education at Stanford University
• Ph.D. in international relations at American University
• Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Duke University
• Ph.D. in nursing at Johns Hopkins University
• Ph.D. in nursing at Yale University
• Ph.D. within the romance languages and literatures department at the University of Notre Dame
• Ph.D. in social work at Bryn Mawr College
• Ph.D. in special education at Vanderbilt University
• Ph.D. in theatre and drama at Northwestern University

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Department of Psychological Science

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Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program

• The Experimental Psychology Graduate Program
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College of Arts and Sciences

The Clinical Psychology Program, accredited by the American Psychological Association, is designed to develop competent psychologists who can function in applied, academic, and/or research positions. Our graduates have pursued career paths in clinical research, clinical work and teaching, and all possible combinations of those domains. We seek to produce “the full package” in a clinical psychologist who is trained to generate research, work with patients, and/or teach psychological material from a scientist-practitioner perspective.

We aim to train students who, by the time of graduation, demonstrate the competencies required by the profession and the program’s competencies  research competencies (PDF) , clinical work competencies (PDF) , and teaching competencies (PDF) , and who after graduation are able to engage in professional activities consistent with health service psychology and with the program's aims. Our data on student retention, years to degree completion, internship placement, postdoctoral fellowship/job placement after graduation, and licensure indicate that we are achieving this aim.

Integration of Training

Our model of training stresses early and ongoing placement on a clinical practicum team, simultaneous research training relevant to clinical problems, rigorous course work, and selected teaching experiences. These experiences are designated to build on each other and to lead to a professional who is competent in multiple areas of psychology.

Mentor-Based Research Training Model

We are a mentor-based program, which means that incoming Ph.D. students apply to work with a specific faculty research mentor.  During the admissions process, faculty members accepting students select the top applicants to interview based, in part, on a strong match between the applicant’s prior research experience and interests and the faculty member’s research area.  After interviews, offers of admission are extended to the top applicants, with the intention that the student will work with the faculty member who recruited them throughout their time in the program.  Therefore, it is very important that the student’s research interests are closely aligned with those of the faculty member with whom they would like to work.  The mentor-based research model ensures that students begin work on relevant research during their first year with the support of a faculty member who is involved in helping them make career choices immediately upon graduate school entry.  Occasionally students’ interests change as they progress through the program.  If a student’s research interests change, options may be available to change research mentor, depending on a variety of factors, including the student’s source of funding and the availability of an alternative mentor.

Commitment to Funding

Along with the General/Experimental PhD Program, the Clinical Training PhD Program is committed to funding every PhD student in our department each year that he or she is in the program and on campus. We have been successful in doing so every year since 1969. We work to ensure that students from all socioeconomic backgrounds apply to the PhD programs in our department, and also that funded placements provide meaningful training in teaching, research, or clinical work.

Faculty Accepting Clinical PhD Program Students

Find the directory of faculty accepting students on our Application Process page .

• Clinical Training Program Requirements
• Student Admissions, Outcomes, & Other Data
• Vermont Psychological Services
• Current Graduate Students
• Application Process
• Professional Licensure Disclosure

Accreditation

Current Accreditation Status: Accredited by the American Psychological Association (Commission on Accreditation, Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, American Psychological Association, 750 First St., NE, Washington, DC 20002, 202-336-5979

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

  Hello and welcome to the Graduate Student section of our website.

Northwestern University's Psychology Department is one of the strongest and most prestigious departments in the United States. We offer Ph.D. programs in five areas: Clinical Psychology; Personality, Development, and Health Psychology; Cognitive Psychology; Brain, Behavior, & Cognition (BBC); and Social Psychology. Faculty and graduate students in all five areas are conducting some of the most exciting and influential research being done in the psychological sciences today. Graduate students in our program receive rigorous training in methodology, statistics, and broad content areas in psychology and the behavioral sciences. From the first year onward, graduate students are involved in research projects under the supervision of Psychology Department faculty members. Early in their graduate school careers, they present the findings of their work at professional conferences and publish their research in leading psychological journals. They also receive invaluable experience as teachers and mentors of undergraduate students. Northwestern's Psychology Department aims to train the best and brightest of the next generation's scientists in Psychology and the related behavioral sciences. Our graduates have gone on to attain prestigious academic and research positions in universities, colleges, hospitals, and other venues where psychological research is conducted.

All Ph.D. students in the Psychology Department receive full funding (tuition and stipend) for five academic years (including four summers). Many graduate students also receive outside funding through NSF fellowships and other awards. Students work closely with faculty in the Psychology Department in class work and in the laboratory. In addition, students may take courses and do research with faculty in other departments at Northwestern University, including those in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Education and Social Policy, and the Medical School. Many students are involved in interdisciplinary research.

Northwestern's Psychology Department offers an exciting, dynamic, and friendly community of scientists and scholars, set on the beautiful lakefront campus of a world-class university, minutes from one of the world's greatest cities, Chicago. If you would like to learn more about our community and our programs, please contact us.

Program Areas for Graduate Study

• Brain, Behavior, and Cognition
• Personality, Development, and Health

For more information about graduate study at Northwestern:

The Graduate School http://www.tgs.northwestern.edu/

Clinical Psychology

Mission statement.

Our mission is to advance knowledge that promotes psychological well-being and reduces the burden of mental illness and problems in living and to develop leading clinical scientists whose skills and knowledge will have a substantial impact on the field of psychology and the lives of those in need. Our faculty and graduate students promote critical thinking, innovation, and discovery, and strive to be leaders in their field, engaging in and influencing research, practice, policy, and education. Our pursuit of these goals is guided by the values of collaboration, mutual respect, and fairness, our commitment to diversity, and the highest ethical standards.

Information about the Clinical Psychology Graduate Major

UCLA’s Clinical Psychology program is one of the largest, most selective, and most highly regarded in the country and aims to produce future faculty, researchers, and leaders in clinical science, who influence research, policy development, and practice. Clinical science is a field of psychology that strives to generate and disseminate the best possible knowledge, whether basic or applied, to reduce suffering and to advance public health and wellness. Rather than viewing research and intervention as separable, clinical science construes these activities as part of a single, broad domain of expertise and action. Students in the program are immersed in an empirical, research-based approach to clinical training. This, in turn, informs their research endeavors with a strong understanding of associated psychological phenomena. The UCLA Clinical Science Training Programs employs rigorous methods and theories from multiple perspectives, in the context of human diversity. Our goal is to develop the next generation of clinical scientists who will advance and share knowledge related to the origins, development, assessment, treatment, and prevention of mental health problems.

Admissions decisions are based on applicants’ research interests and experiences, formal coursework in psychology and associated fields, academic performance, letters of recommendation, dedication to and suitability for a career as a clinical scientist, program fit, and contributions to an intellectually rich, diverse class. Once admitted, students engage with faculty in research activities addressing critical issues that impact psychological well-being and the burden of mental illness, using a wide range of approaches and at varying levels of analysis. Their integrated training is facilitated by on-campus resources including the departmental Psychology Clinic, the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, and the David Geffen School of Medicine.

Our program philosophy is embodied in, and our goals are achieved through, a series of training activities that prepare students for increasingly complex, demanding, and independent roles as clinical scientists. These training activities expose students to the reciprocal relationship between scientific research and provision of clinical services, and to various systems and methods of intervention, assessment, and other clinical services with demographically and clinically diverse populations. The curriculum is designed to produce scientifically-minded scholars who are well-trained in research and practice, who use data to develop and refine the knowledge base in their field, and who bring a reasoned empirical perspective to positions of leadership in research and service delivery.

The program’s individualized supervision of each student in integrated research and practice roles provides considerable flexibility. Within the parameters set by faculty interests and practicum resources, there are specializations in child psychopathology and treatment, cognitive-behavior therapy, clinical assessment, adult psychopathology and treatment, family processes, assessment and intervention with distressed couples, community psychology, stress and coping, cognitive and affective neuroscience, minority mental health, and health psychology and behavioral medicine. The faculty and other research resources of the Department make possible an intensive concentration in particular areas of clinical psychology, while at the same time ensuring breadth of training.

Clinical psychology at UCLA is a six-year program including a full-time one-year internship, at least four years of which must be completed in residence at UCLA. The curriculum in clinical psychology is based on a twelve-month academic year. The program includes a mixture of coursework, clinical practicum training, teaching, and continuous involvement in research. Many of the twenty clinical area faculty, along with numerous clinical psychologists from other campus departments, community clinics, and hospitals settings, contribute to clinical supervision.  Clinical training experiences typically include four and a half years of part-time practicum placements in the Psychology Clinic and local agencies. The required one-year full-time internship is undertaken after the student has passed the clinical qualifying examinations and the dissertation preliminary orals. The student receives the Ph.D. degree when both the dissertation and an approved internship are completed.

Accreditation

PCSAS – Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System

The Graduate Program in Clinical Psychology at UCLA was accredited in 2012 by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS). PCSAS was created to promote science-centered education and training in clinical psychology, to increase the quality and quantity of clinical scientists contributing to the advancement of public health, and to enhance the scientific knowledge base for mental and behavioral health care. The UCLA program is deeply committed to these goals and proud to be a member of the PCSAS Founder’s Circle and one of the group of programs accredited by PCSAS.  (Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System, 1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 402, Washington, DC 20036-1218. Telephone: 301-455-8046). Website:  https://www.pcsas.org

APA CoA – American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation

The Graduate Program in Clinical Psychology at UCLA has been accredited by the American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation since 1949. (Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, American Psychological Association, 750 First Street NE. Washington, DC 20002-4242. Telephone:  202-336-5979 .) Website:  http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/

Future Accreditation Plans:  

Against the backdrop of distressing evidence that mental health problems are increasingly prevalent and burdensome, the field of psychological clinical science must think innovatively to address the unmet mental health needs of vulnerable populations. UCLA’s clinical psychology program remains committed to training clinical psychological scientists who will become leaders in research, dissemination, and implementation of knowledge, policy development, and evidence-based clinical practice. This commitment is firmly rooted in our overall mission of promoting equity and inclusion, adhering to ethical standards, and developing collaborations in all aspects of clinical psychology.

Increasingly, we believe that significant aspects of the academic and clinical-service requirements of accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA) obstruct our training mission. Too often, APA requirements limit our ability to flexibly adapt our program to evolving scientific evidence, student needs, and global trends in mental health. Like many other top clinical science doctoral programs, we see our longstanding accreditation by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) as better aligned with our core values, including advancement of scientifically-based training.

Accordingly, we are unlikely to seek renewal of our program’s accreditation by APA, which is set to expire in 2028. The ultimate decision about re-accreditation will be made with the best interests and well-being of current and future students in our program in mind. To that end, we will continue to monitor important criteria that will determine the career prospects of students completing a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from programs accredited only by PCSAS. For example, we are working to understand the potential implications for securing excellent predoctoral internships and eligibility for professional licensure across jurisdictions in North America. Although the UCLA clinical psychology program has no direct influence over these external organizations, we are excited to continue to work to shape this evolving training landscape with the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science (APCS) and leaders from other clinical science programs.

Our ongoing monitoring of trends in clinical psychology training is encouraging for PCSAS-accredited programs. However, evolving circumstances could result in our program changing its opinion with respect to seeking APA re-accreditation in the future. In the spirit of transparency and empowering potential applicants to make informed choices for their own professional development, we are pleased to share our thinking on these important issues.

Notice to Students re: Professional Licensure and Certification

University of California programs for professions that require licensure or certification are intended to prepare the student for California licensure and certification requirements. Admission into programs for professions that require licensure and certification does not guarantee that students will obtain a license or certificate. Licensure and certification requirements are set by agencies that are not controlled by or affiliated with the University of California and licensure and certification requirements can change at any time.

The University of California has not determined whether its programs meet other states’ educational or professional requirements for licensure and certification. Students planning to pursue licensure or certification in other states are responsible for determining whether, if they complete a University of California program, they will meet their state’s requirements for licensure or certification. This disclosure is made pursuant to 34 CFR §668.43(a)(5)(v)(C).

NOTE:  Although the UCLA Clinical Psychology Program is not designed to ensure license eligibility, the majority of our graduates do go on to become professionally licensed.  For more information, please see  https://www.ucop.edu/institutional-research-academic-planning/content-analysis/academic-planning/licensure-and-certification-disclosures.html .

Clinical Program Policy on Diversity-Related Training 

In light of our guiding values of collaboration, respect, and fairness, this statement is to inform prospective and current trainees, faculty, and supervisors, as well as the public, that our trainees are required to (a) attain an understanding of cultural and individual diversity as related to both the science and practice of psychology and (b) provide competent and ethical services to diverse individuals.  Our primary consideration is always the welfare of the client.  Should such a conflict arise in which the trainee’s beliefs, values, worldview, or culture limits their ability to meet this requirement, as determined by either the student or the supervisor, it should be reported to the Clinic and Placements Committee, either directly or through a supervisor or clinical area faculty member.  The Committee will take a developmental view, such that if the competency to deliver services cannot be sufficiently developed in time to protect and serve a potentially impacted client, the committee will (a) consider a reassignment of the client so as to protect the client’s immediate interests, and (b) request from the student a plan to reach the above-stated competencies, to be developed and implemented in consultation with both the trainee’s supervisor and the Clinic Director.  There should be no reasonable expectation of a trainee being exempted from having clients with any particular background or characteristics assigned to them for the duration of their training.

Clinical Program Grievance Policies & Procedures

Unfortunately, conflicts between students and faculty or with other students will occur, and the following policies and procedures are provided in an effort to achieve the best solution. The first step in addressing these conflicts is for the student to consult with their academic advisor. If this option is not feasible (e.g. the conflict is with the advisor) or the conflict is not resolved to their satisfaction, then the issue should be brought to the attention of the Director of Clinical Training. If in the unlikely event that an effective solution is not achieved at this level, then the student has the option of consulting with the Department’s Vice Chair for Graduate Studies. Students also have the option of seeking assistance from the campus Office of Ombuds Services and the Office of the Dean of Students. It is expected that all such conflicts are to be addressed first within the program, then within the Department, before seeking a resolution outside of the department.

More Clinical Psychology Information

• For a list of Required Courses please see the  Psychology Handbook
• Psychology Clinic
• Student Admissions Outcomes and Other Data

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Psychology (Clinical) - Doctorate

Availability : Hattiesburg Options

Considering the Clinical Psychology PhD program?

The Clinical Psychology PhD program at USM offers scientist-practitioner model, evidence-based, generalist research and clinical training with concentrations in clinical child and adult psychology.

Graduate assistantships support full-time students to include a monthly stipend and tuition waiver and involve teaching, research, and/or clinical work.

Graduates are prepared to pursue careers in academia, research, mental health care delivery, or practice in public and private settings. Applicants interested in a research-focused career are especially encouraged to apply.

Meet the Clinical Psychology Faculty

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Why a Clinical Psychology PhD at Southern Miss?

Clinical psychology is an applied health service and research profession dedicated to understanding, assessing, and treating mental illness and behavioral healthcare needs. Students develop a range of profession-wide competencies relevant to entry level practice of health service psychology, as well as development of knowledge and advancement of psychological science through research activities. Our program trains evidence-based approaches to assessment and therapy of clinical problems across the lifespan, emphasizing cognitive and behavioral orientations. Graduates are well prepared to conduct research, assessment, therapy, training, and supervision.

Small cohorts allow for individualized, quality training opportunities. Students entering with a bachelor’s degree earn the Master of Arts en route to the doctorate. We do not offer a terminal master’s degree in clinical psychology. Clinical Psychology faculty provide integrated, discipline-specific training in evidence-based assessment and interventions. Students take classes with other graduate students in the School of Psychology, including Counseling and School Psychology and generalists enrolled in the Experimental Psychology program, and are trained by experts in their respective fields. As a scientist-practitioner training program, research and clinical opportunities are hierarchically sequenced and integrated throughout the curriculum.

Faculty members are highly invested and actively engaged in training students in psychological science, adding to the knowledge base, and using empirical findings to inform their clinical work. High-quality mentorship provided by our faculty includes leading active research labs , assisting students with dissemination of their research through publications and presentations, providing intensive clinical supervision, and guiding individualized professional development. All faculty are licensed psychologists, and provide weekly face-to-face supervision of practicum and externship.

Students are admitted directly to research labs of a faculty member. Research labs meet regularly to coordinate ongoing projects in the lab, to provide supervision of thesis and dissertation projects, and afford individualized mentoring. Graduate students engage in all aspects of the research process and are expected to contribute to ongoing studies in the lab, complete their thesis and dissertation program requirements, and disseminate their work through peer-reviewed publications in top-tier journals and presentations at national conferences. Many labs provide mentorship in grant writing and involvement in funded research such as clinical trials. Find a full listing of all Clinical Psychology Research Labs here . 

• Practicum experiences are hierarchically sequenced training opportunities working with children, adolescents, and adults in our in-house training clinic as well as through externship training opportunities in a wide range of community sites.
• The state of Mississippi has significant unmet mental health needs. According to recent statistics, approximately 71.7% of children and 59.3% of adults with mental illnesses in Mississippi do not receive treatment for their conditions, ranking 44th and 50th in the United States for children and adults, respectively. Within this context, the Center for Behavioral Health (CBH) at USM plays a key role in providing low-cost mental health services in southern Mississippi. The CBH is a training clinic within the School of Psychology that provides evidence-based assessment and psychotherapy on a sliding scale. The CBH also offers telehealth services to children and adults residing across Mississippi, allowing our students to work with clients in more rural areas where mental health resources are largely unavailable. Practicum in the USM CBH is closely supervised by licensed faculty members and provides a high-quality training environment.
• Doctoral students also work with an array of clinical professionals and client populations at their external practicum placements. The settings for these placements include community outpatient clinics, hospitals, private practices, Veteran’s Administration settings, and the criminal justice system. Externships are located in the greater Hattiesburg area, as well as in Jackson, Biloxi, and New Orleans.
• Students complete a one-year full-time APA-accredited predoctoral internship. In recent years, 100% of our students were placed at top ranked APA-accredited internship sites.

Graduate Assistantships are generally available for all students throughout their four-year training program (students completing predoctoral internship in the 5th year are paid through the internship site). Graduate assistantships support students by providing both a full tuition scholarship and a 9-12 month stipend. Graduate assistantships include teaching and research assistantships, and paid clinical externship positions in training sites throughout the area. Opportunities exist for undergraduate teaching.

The Program Handbook is developed to assist current students with understanding Clinical Psychology program policies and procedures. Please be aware that this document is updated each year, however it may be a helpful resource for potential applicants. 

The deadline for receipt of all required admissions materials is  December 1  for admission beginning the following Fall semester. Please note that this differs from the Graduate School. Late applications are not accepted. 

The School of Psychology does not require GRE. 

In addition to the standard graduate application, please submit the following:

• Transcripts
• 3 letters of recommendation: We prefer letters from faculty members familiar with your academic performance
• Personal Statement: Your personal statement should address the following (2-3 pages in length):

Describe personal and professional goals during and after graduate school and how this program will help you accomplish these. Explicitly state your preference for the child or adult concentration area. Describe your research interests and indicate why you represent a research match for one or more specific faculty members in the clinical program.

• Encouraged (Not Required): Writing Sample representing evidence of scholarship demonstrated through participation in research leading to presentations, scholarly publications, or some other demonstration of original scholarship.
• Frequently Asked Questions 

Please contact Dr.%20Kelsey%20Bonfils%20 (Chair of Clinical Admissions) with questions about applying to the Clinical Doctoral Program at USM. 

The University of Southern Mississippi's doctoral program in clinical psychology seeks to attract a geographically and culturally diverse student body interested in Boulder Model training, who are committed to spending a minimum of five full-time years in the program (including internship) and who have a high likelihood of making a contribution to the discipline.

The selection process includes a review of all aspects of the application. We do not employ any automatic cut-off scores. Rather, we look for an overall record that suggests a good fit with the training program and a likelihood of success.

Qualified students whose undergraduate major is in a discipline other than psychology are invited to apply and are encouraged to elaborate on their preparation and motivation for pursuing graduate training in psychology. Such applicants should have at least some coursework in Psychology (e.g., Introductory Psychology, Statistics, Research Methods, Abnormal Psychology). 

The clinical admissions committee is particularly interested in receiving applications from students with a strong undergraduate background in the liberal arts and sciences. The program values diversity and encourages applications from individuals from historically marginalized backgrounds. We seek to have an inclusive program environment for people of all racial/ethnic, gender, age, national origin, sexuality, disability, socioeconomic, and other backgrounds and identities. The program has no bias regarding applicant’s age of admission, and we have admitted an increasing number of "non-traditional" students. We also admit very promising students who already hold a master's degree from another institution, with the percentage of each class holding master's degrees earned elsewhere averaging about 15-20%.

From the total pool of applicants, approximately 25 are invited for interviews during which time they meet with the clinical faculty members and clinical graduate students. 

The process is designed to provide applicants with an opportunity to learn about our program from the perspectives of the clinical faculty and our current clinical students, as well as to obtain information that may be useful in the selection process. 

If invited, attendance at official interview days is highly encouraged; however, qualified applicants who are unable to make program interview days are given the opportunity to interview at alternate times. 

We currently admit 5 to 6 new graduate students per academic year (Fall admissions only). There are approximately 25-30 clinical psychology graduate students enrolled in the clinical program at any given time, including those on clinical internships.

The Clinical Psychology Graduate Student Organization (CPGSO) is a student-led organization of doctoral students at The University of Southern Mississippi dedicated to increasing access to mental healthcare in the greater Hattiesburg community. CPGSO created the Client Assistance, Retention, and Enrichment (CARE) fund to help provide services for those experiencing extreme financial hardship and other extenuating circumstances. CARE recipients can receive help for a wide range of psychological disorders, including autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, oppositional defiant disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia at the USM CBH on campus.

We in the Clinical Psychology PhD Program at USM recognize the historical role of psychology in the creation and perpetuation of ideas and structures that have supported racism and systemic oppression of people from many groups (see https://www.apa.org/about/apa/addressing-racism/historical-chronology ). We further acknowledge the historical context of our region, an area of the country with a long history of sociopolitical structures intended to oppress and harm people of color with continuing impacts today. The University of Southern Mississippi acknowledges the history of segregation in Mississippi higher education and recognizes historical challenges and milestones which have contributed to the diverse study body served at the institution today (see https://www.usm.edu/diversity-inclusion/history.php ). Against this backdrop, our program strives to support social justice causes and move towards a more inclusive environment for all students and faculty, particularly those identifying as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC), in our collective mission to support diversity, equity, and inclusion among our members and in the field at large. 

The USM Clinical Psychology PhD Program values diversity and is committed to continuing to work to cultivate an environment where we are consistently learning how to be more inclusive and creating a safe space for individuals of diverse backgrounds to train and thrive. Diversity here broadly refers to individuals from groups who have been historically minoritized, underrepresented, disadvantaged, underprivileged, underserved, excluded, oppressed, discriminated against, and/or marginalized. This may include individuals who identify with a minoritized race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, indigeneity, language, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, LGBTQIA+, disability, neurodivergence, health status, age, socioeconomic background, generational status, or religion, among others. Members of our program identify admission and retention of students from diverse backgrounds as a top priority, along with training to support excellence in clinical care for clients from minoritized backgrounds. We aspire to make continued progress in this area and in our mission to create an environment defined by equity and inclusion. 

DEI-relevant initiatives Below we list several current resources or initiatives relevant to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This list is not exhaustive, and below we link to other DEI-relevant resources or organizations on campus. We note that many initiatives are a work in progress, and our DEI-relevant efforts may change over time as we strive to incorporate student and faculty feedback and learn from our experiences.

• Annual climate survey : Student and faculty feedback is sought annually to inform a variety of indices relevant to climate, including DEI and safety data
• DEI faculty workshop : Annual faculty workshop during the summer to analyze climate survey data, evaluate progress on DEI initiatives, and develop initiatives for the coming year
• Diversity Committee (DivCom): The program has a Diversity Committee comprised of faculty and students that aims to promote an atmosphere of open dialogue around diversity and contribute to an inclusive and welcoming environment, provide opportunities for actionable steps on topics of diversity, create resources for the USM clinic and greater Hattiesburg community, and foster connections with other programs, students, and/or faculty with an interest in diversity-related issues.
• DEI-relevant didactics : As part of our weekly didactic series, at least one didactic per semester will focus on a DEI-relevant topic. Recent examples include didactics by Dr. Tammy Greer titled, “Diversity, equity, and inclusion: From words to action” (organized in partnership with the Diversity Committee) and Dr. Lauren Khazem titled, “Integrating disability cultural competency into evidence-based care.” -
• Admissions : To promote greater equity in graduate admissions to our program, we no longer require the GRE. We also continue to provide a remote option for applicants who are unable to attend admissions interviews in-person. These choices were made in part to reduce financial burdens disproportionately experienced by disadvantaged and/or minoritized applicants.
• Go Gold Diversity Fellowship: The Go Gold Diversity Fellowship is offered by the School of Psychology and aims to support two newly admitted graduate students. These awards may go to students in any program. Eligible students identify from a diverse background and have interest in pursuing research and/or clinical practice that will positively impact diverse groups.
• Several faculty and students are pursuing research seeking answers to DEI-related questions (see below) and, when available, are seeking funding to support this research and/or DEI-related clinical training initiatives.
• DEI Workgroup : The program assembled a DEI workgroup, comprised of both students and faculty, in Spring 2023. The workgroup had multiple goals, including a revision of our website statement about DEI..

Clinical opportunities Doctoral students in the clinical psychology program gain clinical experience with clients from diverse cultural, ethnic, religious, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds throughout their training. The state of Mississippi (MS) has significant unmet mental health needs. According to recent statistics, approximately 71.7% of children and 59.3% of adults with mental illnesses in Mississippi do not receive treatment for their conditions, ranking 44th and 50th in the United States for children and adults, respectively. The low availability of mental health care in the state has many contributing factors, including systemic disadvantages faced by the high proportion of our population who belong to minoritized groups, high poverty rates coupled with high rates of under- or uninsured families, a lack of mental health providers, and the rural nature of much of the state.

Within this context, the Center for Behavioral Health (CBH) at USM plays a key role in providing low-cost mental health services in southern Mississippi. The CBH is a training clinic within the School of Psychology that provides evidence-based assessment and psychotherapy on a sliding scale. The USM CBH serves the greater Hattiesburg community and beyond, including many clients who are uninsured or underinsured. The CBH also offers telehealth services to children and adults residing within Mississippi, which allows our students to work with clients from across the state, including more rural areas where mental health resources are largely unavailable.

Doctoral students also work with an array of clinical professionals and client populations from diverse backgrounds at their external practicum placements. The settings for these placements include community outpatient clinics, hospitals, private practices, juvenile justice centers among others and are located in the greater Hattiesburg area, as well as in Jackson, Biloxi, and New Orleans.

Relevant research in the program Several of our faculty members conduct research with underrepresented and/or marginalized groups. Many of the graduate students are also highly motivated to expand diversity-related research within the School of Psychology at USM.

• Dr. Kelsey Bonfils studies social outcomes among people with serious mental illnesses. Through this work, she engages with vulnerable and underrepresented participants, many of whom are minoritized and/or come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Learn more about Dr. Bonfils’ research .
• Dr. Nora Charles studies externalizing behaviors such as delinquency and substance misuse among adolescents and is also interested in access to care and the logistical and cultural appropriateness of interventions delivered in community settings. Her work primarily involves families from underserved and/or minoritized backgrounds (e.g., rural, lower-income, families of color, justice- and child welfare-involved families). Learn more about Dr. Charles’ research.
• Dr. Sara Jordan studies social and contextual factors related to child adjustment, with an emphasis on understanding the role of child routines in relation to child externalizing behavior problems, parenting, sleep, and chronic illness management. She is interested in how these factors may differentially impact children from impoverished and/or minoritized backgrounds in an effort to better inform practical and accessible intervention strategies for children. Learn more about Dr. Jordan’s research .
• Dr. Freddie Pastrana Rivera studies relational and contextual risk and protective factors for children and families exposed to adversity. As a bilingual Latino scholar, he directs the CAFÉ PR Lab, which aims to enhance inclusive and equitable research and practice for racially/ethnically diverse and historically underrepresented communities. Topics he researches include bias- and stigma-based victimization, early screening and prevention, and culturally-responsive practices in community-based settings. [Website under construction]
• Dr. Megan Renna studies how health and health promoting and dampening behaviors influence psychological health and vice versa, with a specific focus on conditions that disproportionately affect Mississippians including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Learn more about Dr. Renna’s research .
• Dr. Stephanie Smith is interested in developing and evaluating new treatment delivery methods that will make access to educational and behavioral health programs possible for children and their families with limited resources. She is also committed to understanding how interventions may differentially influence children of varying identities and backgrounds and to make data-driven adjustments to meet the needs of all children. Learn more about Dr. Smith’s research .

Below, we provide links to USM resources as well as information about the history of USM, Hattiesburg, and Mississippi. 

USM Offices & Resources: 

• USM Diversity Statement  
• DEI Resources
• Chief Diversity Officer  
• Student Organizations & Involvement 
• Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement
• Multicultural Student Initiatives 
• Community Outreach Initiatives  
• PRISM LGBTQIA+ Resource Center
• International Student & Scholar Services
• Center for American Indian Research and Studies

USM, Hattiesburg, & Mississippi History:

• History of Desegregation at USM
• Clyde Kennard Story at USM
• Historic Sites of the Civil Rights Movement in Hattiesburg
• The Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi
• Remembering Emmett Till
• Pre-Civil War Mississippi History
• Historical American Indian Tribes of Mississippi

Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data

Please review the Student Admissions, Outcomes and Other Data for program admission and graduation rates and other important program outcome statistics.

The Program Aims and Outcomes can be found here.

The Clinical Psychology doctoral program has been continually accredited by the American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation since 1979.

For information about our accreditation status, you can contact the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association at: Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation 750 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20002-4242 Phone: 202-336-5979 TDD/TTY: 202-336-6123 Fax: 202-336-5978 [email protected]

Professional Licensure Disclosure

Our program is modeled after the psychology licensure requirements in the State of Mississippi. We cannot determine if our program meets the licensure requirements in other states. We recommend that students verify their program of study meets the desired state’s licensure requirements. For more information on licensure in other states, please visit www.asppb.net/page/psybook or contact Dr.%20Stephanie%20Smith , Director of Training, with questions.

Curriculum and Outcomes

The program demonstrates its commitment to public disclosure by providing clearly presented written materials and other communications that appropriately represent it to all relevant publics. At a minimum, this includes general program information pertaining to its aims, required curriculum sequence, and the expected outcomes in terms of its graduates’ careers, as well as data on achievement of those expected and actual outcomes. 

Availability

School of Psychology

Owings-McQuagge Hall OMH 220A

Hattiesburg Campus

• Assistant Professor, University or Medical Center
• Licensed Psychologist, Mental Health or Psychiatric Facility, Veteran's Administration 
• Director, Behavioral Health Unit
• Dr. Jessica J. Fulton, 2012,  Staff Psychologist & Assistant Director of Psychology Internship Training, Durham Veterans Administration Medical Center
• Dr. Keyne Law, 2018  Assistant Professor, Seattle Pacific University
• Dr. Joe Finn, 2017 Psychologist, State Operated Forensic Services, St. Peter, Minnesota
• Dr. Ted Tomeny, 2014,  Assistant Professor & Licensed Psychologist, University of Alabama, Department of Psychology
• Dr. Laura Cook, 2015,  Pediatric Psychologist & Internship Faculty, Geisinger Health Systems
• Dr. Tiffany Hopkins, 2016, Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina Hospitals, Department of Psychiatry

How Do I Get Started?

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Doctor of Philosophy Counseling Psychology

The principles underlying our Counseling Psychology doctorate are a focus on a developmental understanding of clients; commitment to a health model of intervention; and appreciation of the gendered, cultural, and institutional contexts of people’s lives, as these contexts affect both clients and counselors.

Degree Details

Official degree title.

PhD in Counseling Psychology

About the Program 

The program follows the basic pattern of a scientist-practitioner model. The major components of the Counseling Psychology doctorate are course work, clinical training (practica, externships, internship), and research training (including dissertation). Solid training in teaching and mentoring, giving students the professional background toward a career in academics, is another key feature of our program. Across all components, attention is given to the integration of practice, theory, and research.

Licensure and Accreditation

The PhD in Counseling Psychology was first registered with the New York State Department of Education for the professional preparation of psychologists in 1971. Graduates of the program become fully qualified psychologists with specialized training in counseling and are eligible for licensure by the state. Learn more about licensure requirements in those states in which students are doing learning placements.

The Counseling Psychology program has been fully accredited since 1981 by the American Psychological Association, Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, 750 First Street, NE, Washington DC 20002-4242 (202-336-5979). Questions related to the program's accreditation status may be directed to this office.

Center for Counseling and Community Wellbeing

The Center is part of the teaching and training program in Counseling Psychology and provides services to meet the local community's social, emotional, and behavioral health. We provide a range of services to children, adolescents, adults, and families.  Learn more about the Center , an important part of the Department of Applied Psychology at NYU Steinhardt.

Admissions Information

Careers and outcomes.

CNPS Student Handbook

Counseling Psychology Doctoral Program Online Info Session

Individuals interested in learning about and applying for the Doctoral Program in Counseling Psychology in the Department of Applied Psychology at New York University will have the opportunity to hear from the Chair of the Admission Committee, Dr. Anil Chacko, about the process. This will include information about the mission of the program, requirements for applying, and what makes for a successful candidate/application. There will also be an opportunity for Questions and Answers.

Registration Required. 

GRE Requirements: 

Although the GRE is typically required for this program, for the 2025 admissions cycle, the GRE general test score is optional, and the GRE subject test is not required. The Admissions Committee will review all applications holistically, and the applications submitted without GRE scores will not be disadvantaged in the review.

Research Mentors:

The doctoral program in counseling psychology at NYU is a small, individualized scientist-practitioner training program; thus, we pay close attention to the match between the candidate and the program’s faculty and resources. In particular, we seek to admit students whose professional interests align with the program as a whole and whose research interests are well-matched with those of more than one faculty member. Each new student will be matched with a primary research mentor and will also be supported by secondary faculty mentors in other research and clinical roles.

The faculty who are available to serve as primary research mentors for the Fall 2024 admission are:

• Anil Chacko
• Shabnam Javdani
• William Tsai
• Jordan Wright  

Other faculty are potentially available to serve as secondary mentors, so we encourage you to write about your interests and experiences that demonstrate that you are a good match with the program as a whole as well as with your potential primary mentor.

Questions: 

If you have questions regarding admission requirements, please review our How to Apply  page.

If you have any additional questions that are not addressed on the "How to Apply" page, please contact us at  [email protected] .

NYU Steinhardt offers a competitive funding package for PhD students who study full time.   Learn more about Steinhardt's funding opportunities .

Our program will prepare you for diverse roles in academia, social research, and clinical practice. In the academic arena, our students can go on to jobs in schools of psychology, public health, and public policy. In the area of social research, students are prepared to obtain positions in research, advocacy, and social service organizations. 

Additionally, our students are well-positioned for jobs in private-practice and healthcare organizations. Indeed, there is increasing demand for evidence-based strategies in health and social service organizations and our students are qualified to contribute to the design and implementation of such strategies, and the delivery of evidence-based interventions.

Learn more about Students Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data .

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PhD Clinical Psychology

Year of entry: 2024

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We require applicants to hold, or be about to obtain, an Upper Second class Honours degree, or the equivalent qualification gained outside the UK, in a related subject area for entry to a PhD programme. A Lower Second class Honours degree may be considered if applicants also hold a Master's degree with a Merit classification.

Full entry requirements

See full guidance on how to choose a project and submit an application on our websi te . You should then complete the online admissions application form to apply for this programme. Ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, or this may delay the processing of your application.

Application deadlines

You must submit your application for a postgraduate research programme before the relevant deadline to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these deadlines have passed.

• January entry: 15 October (of the year prior entry)
• April entry: 15 January (year of entry)
• September entry: 15 June (year of entry)

Programme options

Programme overview.

• Learn from some of Europe's leading researchers while undertaking your own project.
• Access some of the best research facilities in the world at both the University and in hospitals around Greater Manchester.
• Undergo training in transferable skills critical to developing early-stage researchers and professionals through the Doctoral Academy's training programme.
• Conduct research at a university ranked 6th in the UK (QS World University Rankings 2023).

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

• PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £4,786, Low £11,000, Medium £17,500, High £23,000 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £27,000, Low £28,500, Medium £34,500, High £40,500
• PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £2393, Low £5,500, Medium £8,750, High £11,500 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £13,500, Low £14,250, Medium £17,250, High £20,250

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

Contact details

Programmes in related subject areas.

Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview, english language.

For applicants whose first language is not English, or if you have not studied recently in the UK, you must provide evidence of how you meet the English Language requirement.

We mainly accept IELTS or TOEFL tests. Please note IELTS and TOEFL are only valid for two years.

We require a minimum IELTS score of 7.0 overall or TOEFL iBT 100. For the writing component, we expect that you have achieved a minimum of 7.0 (IELTS) or 25 (iBT). 

If your IELTS or TOEFL expires before the start of your programme, you will need to take another official English test before we can issue you with a CAS for your visa application. This is a requirement of UKVI.

For more information about English language tests see  English language requirements .

Please contact us at [email protected] for further information.

English language test validity

Other international entry requirements, application and selection, how to apply, advice to applicants.

In addition to the formal online application, candidates should send all supporting documents (CV, transcripts, certificates, confirmation of funding, English language ability (if applicable) and a personal statement).

Applicants will need to write an outline of their proposed research study to attach to their application (1,000 words maximum).

The proposal forms a very important part of your application and, if the applicant is eligible, will be used in any decision process associated with funding your research.

Further advice on the application can be obtained by contacting the Admissions team directly.

Candidates are encouraged to both identify and contact a suitable academic supervisor prior to applying. Help in establishing a suitable supervisor is available from the Admissions Team if required.

See further guidance on how to submit an application on our website .

Interview requirements

Candidates will be required to attend an interview with their prospective supervisor as well as an independent Postgraduate Tutor. If it is not possible for you to attend in person, we are able to interview by Zoom/video conferencing.

Disclosure and Barring Service check

Programme details, programme description.

Our PhD/MPhil Clinical Psychology programme enables you to undertake a research project that will improve understanding of Clinical Psychology.

Research within clinical psychology spans the spectrum of key research themes integral to improving our understanding of psychological disorders. These include:

• the integration of psychological explanation to derive understanding and intervention;
• interpersonal and family environments;

Research training within clinical psychology provides a flexible platform for career development while offering structured progression to ensure study objectives are met.

You will join a research group and quickly be immersed in the current research activity being conducted. With your supervisory team, you will follow an intense induction, including agreeing on the key objectives of the study, resources available, relevant seminars and opportunities for personal development.

Within the wider research group, you will have the opportunity to discuss your research with fellow students, post-doctoral candidates and academics. Divisional seminars and research group journal clubs will provide background to recent developments within the discipline and there will be ample opportunity to share personal research findings, contribute to publications and attend/present at prominent conferences. Most academics are clinical academics and as such have clinical posts within local NHS Trusts, helping to ensure that research ideas and findings are grounded in clinical practice. NIHR (National Institute for Health Research) is also an important funder for clinical psychology PhDs.

All research students are encouraged to attend course units from within the programme that are relevant to their research topic.

Typical units include:

• Practical Issues in Psychological Research;
• Advanced General Methods in Psychology;
• Structured Approaches to Qualitative Data in Psychology;
• Philosophical and Conceptual Issues in Psychology;
• Using Advanced Statistics in Psychology;

If you intend to pursue doctoral study in clinical psychology (i.e. a three-year programme of academic and clinical training) then please note that the entry route for this is different to that for a PhD; please click here for information on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (ClinPsyD).

Special features

Training and development

All of our postgraduate researchers attend the Doctoral Academy Training Programme delivered by the Researcher Development team . The programme provides key transferable skills and equips our postgraduate researchers with the tools to progress beyond their research degree into influential positions within academia, industry and consultancy. The emphasis is on enhancing skills critical to developing early-stage researchers and professionals, whether they relate to effective communication, disseminating research findings and project management skills.

Teaching and learning

Applicants are specifically matched with a Primary Supervisor and individual project based on their research interests and background.

International applicants interested in this research area can also consider our PhD programme with integrated teaching certificate .

This unique programme will enable you to gain a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning, whilst also carrying out independent research on your chosen project.

Scholarships and bursaries

Funded programmes and projects are promoted throughout the year. Funding is available through UK Research Councils, charities and industry. We also have other internal awards and scholarships for the most outstanding applicants from within the UK and overseas.

For more information on available the types of funding we have available, please visit the  funded programmes  and  funding opportunities  pages.

What our students say

Disability support, career opportunities.

Your postgraduate research degree will open up a range of career opportunities after you graduate. Find out more on the  Careers  page.

• Department of Psychology >
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Clinical PhD Program

For information regarding the online application and admissions process, please visit the UB Graduate School. 

• UB's General Admission Requirements
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Admission Requirements and Process

The Department of Psychology at the University at Buffalo uses a holistic admissions process in our consideration of applications.  This means that we evaluate the entire application, rather than any single indicator or a few indicators. Thus, applicants are viewed as a whole person, the sum of their experiences, accomplishments, and aspirations. Consistent with this, we do not rely on or use “cut offs” for numerical indices of an academic record such as grade point average. A holistic approach also means that a candidate who may be less strong in some areas, can still have a highly competitive application by having greater strength in other areas. All elements of an application are taken into consideration, to maximize a good fit of the applicant with our training program and potential mentors, to reduce bias that can result from reliance on a limited number of components, and to reduce inequities in access to opportunities for graduate training. 

Over the years, we have learned that a holistic admissions process helps us identify applicants who are likely to succeed in our graduate programs, brings a diversity of experience and ideas into our academic community, and supports a fair review of all applicants. Our goal is to recruit the next generation of academic psychologists who are passionate about making new discoveries and generating new knowledge in their chosen discipline.  We expect students to bring hard work, professional ambition, resilience, grit, intellectual acumen, and enthusiasm to our graduate programs.

Although we value quantitative criteria like GPA, we take a broad view of academic excellence and recognize that indices of success in our graduate programs and professional achievement cannot be reduced to numbers alone. In short, we endeavor to balance quantitative and qualitative indices of success. Because we want to give students the greatest opportunity to thrive in our program, we place a strong emphasis on fit with our programs and potential faculty mentors. A highly qualified applicant may not be strongly considered if their interests and goals do not provide a good fit with the orientation of our training program or with faculty research interests. Accordingly, we consider the following components in our admissions decisions: personal statement, undergraduate transcript and GPA (and prior graduate record if applicable), letters of recommendation, and resume/research experience. Interviews are required for applicants to the Behavioral Neuroscience, Clinical, and Social-Personality doctoral programs, and our MA programs in General Psychology; interviews are not required for applicants to the Cognitive Psychology doctoral program. After initial review of applications, the selected applicants to programs requiring an interview will be contacted by prospective advisors to set up an interview time.

Schomburg statements are optional for applicants to our doctoral programs interested in being considered for a Schomburg Fellowship. These statements are not used for admissions decisions.

Clinical PhD Program:

Components of the application and how they are used, personal statement (required).

Helps contextualize the more quantitative and objective credentials of an applicant.  The statement is used to evaluate the applicant’s goals and fit with the program and research interests of the faculty as well as how they would contribute to the diversity of thought and perspectives.

Prompt for Personal Statement (1000 words or less):

Describe the area of research you are interested in pursuing during your graduate studies and explain how our program would help you achieve your intellectual goals. The statement should include your academic background, intellectual interests and training or research experience that has prepared you for our program. The statement should also identify specific faculty members whose research interests align with your own interests.

Submitting Personal Statement:

Uploaded as part of the online application.

Transcript and GPA (required)

Provides evidence that the applicant is seeking challenging coursework, while excelling and showing academic growth. The University at Buffalo requires an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.  However, applications with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0 can still be considered, particularly when other components of the application are strong (e.g., a high graduate GPA, etc.). 

Submitting transcripts:

Upload scanned copies of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts as part of your online application.  Include the English translation, if applicable. 

Letters of recommendation (3 required):

Provides a third-party endorsement of the applicant’s attributes, ability to succeed in the graduate program, and potential to contribute to the field.  The letter offers a perspective on the applicant’s prior achievements and potential to succeed, along with concrete examples of the subjective traits described in other elements of the application.

Submitting Letters:

Letters must be submitted electronically. Further instructions are included in the online application.

Resume and research experience (required):

Provides information on how the applicant has practically applied ideas and concepts learned in the classroom. It helps show that applicants possess the skills and dispositions needed to conduct extensive research and make substantive contributions to their chosen field.

Submitting resume

Interviews are a way for programs to get to know applicants as a person.  They provide a qualitative means of: (a) contextualizing quantitative and objective credentials, and (b) evaluating how well an applicant’s goals and training needs fit with the program and potential mentors. In addition, the Clinical PhD program also uses the interview to evaluate suitability for clinical work.

Schomburg Statement (optional Applications to our doctoral program):

What is a schomburg fellowship.

A Schomburg Fellowship offers support for students in doctoral programs who can demonstrate that they would contribute to the diversity of the student body, especially those who can demonstrate that they have overcome a disadvantage or other impediment to success in higher education. In order to be eligible for the Schomburg Fellowship, you need to be either a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident and have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above. 

Here is a link to more information about Schomburg Fellowships.

https://arts-sciences.buffalo.edu/current-students/funding-your-degree/graduate-awards-fellowships/schomburg-fellowship.html

The Schomburg statement provides useful information in helping the faculty decide whether to nominate an applicant for the Schomburg Fellowship.

Schomburg Statement:

If you would like to be considered for a Schomburg Fellowship, please  upload a written statement with your online application  (maximum of 500 words) describing how you will contribute to the diversity of the student body in your graduate program, including by having overcome a disadvantage or other impediment to success in higher education.  Please note that such categorical circumstances may include academic, vocational, social, physical or economic impediments or disadvantaged status you have been able to overcome, as evidenced by your performance as an undergraduate, or other characteristics that constitute categorical underrepresentation in your particular graduate program such as gender or racial/ethnic status.

Submitting a Schomburg statement:

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Graduate Program

If you are considering applying to a PhD program, you'll have many options. We humbly believe that your best option is UC San Diego Psychology. In fact, there are 17 reasons that support this belief. But in the interest of space, we'll focus on the Top 5 here. If you want to know the other 12, you'll have to come to UC San Diego.

1. Five years fully funded, with TA duties

All of our graduate students, including international students, are fully funded . This means that all tuition and fees are covered and graduate students receive $30,000 in additional support per year. This base level of support is provided by the Department, not individual faculty or student grants, which means that our graduate students can work across labs to collaborate, dabble, and experiment. 

As part of this support package graduate students serve as a teaching assistant (TA) for undergraduate courses during the academic year. Teaching Assistantships  provide students with opportunities to work across research areas, grow their teaching expertise, and build relationships with department faculty and lecturers.

There are other sources of funding from the Department as well, such as a large departmental fund, created by UC San Diego’s own Norman H. Anderson, that supports annual travel to conferences for all graduate students, the McGill Research account, which provides $2,000 in your first year for research-related expenses, and the McGill Post-Advancement Research account which provides $1,000 for additional research-related expenses. 

2. A large campus-wide community

Psychologists at UC San Diego interact with researchers in Human Development, Philosophy, Linguistics, Cognitive Science, and Neuroscience. In Psychology, students in each research area - Cognitive, Social, Developmental, and Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience  (see below) - get together weekly at Brown Bag meetings to discuss their research with other students and faculty. Although we don't train Clinical Psychology graduate students , researchers with an interest in interacting with clinicians can find colleagues and friends in the UC San Diego Medical School. Upshot: We interact with each other a lot. 

3. Holistic review

We care about your research interests and experience - not just your grades and GRE scores . If you have an undergraduate degree and a strong track record of research experience , we want to hear from you ( no previous master’s training is required ) . Sure, we'll look at the numbers, but we're much more interested in your research training and your match to our program. Reach out to us individually and we'll help you figure out whether UC San Diego is the right place for you. 

4. New faces

This year all of our labs are accepting students, but we're especially excited to consider graduate student applicants for our newest labs. New faculty members accepting students include Chujun Lin ,  Dhananjay Bambah-Mukku , and Nadia Brashier . These faculty study topics including social cognition, person perception, computational modeling, neurobiology of social behavior, molecular analysis of neural circuits, and memory and misinformation across the adult lifespan. These, and other faculty, can be checked out here .

5. We're happier

UC San Diego isn't just a productive place to do a PhD. It's a happy place, too. Year-round outdoor meetings. A 5 minute walk to the beach. Cycling, hiking, surfing, and just feeling the warm sun on your face all year round.

To apply to our program, please visit our admissions page for details. The application deadline for Fall 2024 admission is December 6th, 2023.   

Please contact any of us for details on our labs, the application process, or life in San Diego; contact information can be found on our Department website as well as individual lab websites. If you apply, we'll connect you to current PhD students to talk about their experience, who can help you decide which lab is best for you and your interests.

Program Emphases

The Department of Psychology at the UC San Diego, provides advanced training in research in core subfields of Experimental Psychology. Having modern laboratories, an attractive physical setting, and distinguished faculty, both within the Department of Psychology and in supporting disciplines, provides research opportunities and training at the frontiers of psychological science. Our graduate training program emphasizes and supports individual research, starting with the first year of study.

The Department offers the following emphases:

• Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience

Graduate students in the psychology doctoral program may also expand their degree and apply to enroll in interdisciplinary PhD programs after being accepted into our program.

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• Capella University Blog

Which psychology field is right for me?

May 15, 2024

Reading time: 4 minutes

Are you interested in using theory, analysis and evidence-based approaches to understand how people think, learn, develop and behave and to help them thrive? If you want to explore new ways to make a difference, the options for discovering your professional path in psychology may seem endless – and you may have found that you need advanced knowledge and skills to take the next step.

What skills can I develop with a psychology degree?

The specific skills that can be useful in the field of psychology will vary depending on the area of study you pursue and your degree level. Some of the broad skills that are important to develop include:

• Communication: Strong communication skills are an asset for helping individuals, groups or organizations, conveying research findings or working with colleagues.
• Ethical awareness: You may be required to handle sensitive information, which means respecting confidentiality.
• Analysis and critical thinking: When you conduct research or work with your stakeholders, you should be able to interpret data and understand how to apply what you know to different situations.
• Patience: Making progress toward specific goals takes time, whether it’s discussing solutions with a patient or conducting research on a study.
• Empathy and active listening: Understanding and recognizing the feelings of others starts with giving your full attention and knowing how to recognize verbal and nonverbal cues.
• Inclusivity: Recognizing the diverse perspectives of people and their communities and examining your own biases can help you adapt your approach to different needs.

Which area of psychology is right for me?

As you explore areas of psychology, these questions may help you figure out your interests:

• Who do you want to help?
• Are you more interested in clinical or applied areas of psychology?
• What issues do you want to focus on?

Your answers to these questions can help you find paths to explore, including degree options that could help you pursue your professional goals. You will need to conduct your own research to understand what opportunities may be available to you. Note that some professional paths may require you to have previous experience, licensure,* certifications or other designations along with a degree.

While Capella cannot guarantee that a graduate will secure any specific career outcome – such as a job title, promotion, salary increase or other career outcome – we encourage you to research requirements for your job target and career goals.

*It is important to understand all educational and individual requirements for licensing. Capella University cannot guarantee licensure, certification or endorsement. State regulations vary regarding professional licensure. It is your responsibility to understand and comply with requirements for your state.

What can you do with a psychology degree?

Based on where your interests lie, explore some fields of psychology and degree options offered by Capella.

Clinical psychology:  Study human behavior and help people build wellness and emotional resilience.

• BS in Psychology Pre-Counseling & Therapy
• MS in Clinical Psychology
• PsyD in Clinical Psychology

Behavioral health:  Treat populations in distress to improve emotional, social and mental health.

• BS in Psychology, Applied Behavior Analysis
• MS in Applied Behavioral Analysis
• PhD in Behavior Analysis

Developmental psychology:  Promote positive development, social growth and emotional changes throughout all stages of life.

• MS in Psychology, Child & Adolescent Development
• PhD in Psychology, Developmental Psychology

Educational psychology: Study how people learn and retain knowledge.

• MS in Psychology, Educational Psychology
• PhD in Psychology, Educational Psychology

School psychology:  Apply principles of educational and developmental psychology to meet behavior and educational needs in a learning environment.

• MS in School Psychology
• EdS in School Psychology
• PsyD in School Psychology

Industrial/organizational psychology:  Support leaders and organizations through an understanding of human behavior to help create efficiencies and advance team performance.

• MS in Psychology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology
• PhD in Psychology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology  

Learn more about Capella’s  bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral psychology programs and graduate certificates.

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Get started on your journey now by connecting with an enrollment counselor. See how Capella may be a good fit for you, and start the application process.

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The 100% online PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy (60 credits) is specially designed for people looking to expand their hearts and minds while developing skills to meet the challenges of 21st Century life. Research and study in counseling theories and practice are integrated with theological inquiry in this vibrant doctoral program.  

You may also be interested in: Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy .

Program Details

• Note: Internship placements will be in-person at a location near you.
• Additional credits required until the completion of dissertation; additional credits may also be required if interested in pursuing state license)
• Enrolling New Students: August (View application deadlines) .
• $28,800 total in tuition & fees for the full 60-credit program (2023-2024)
• Financial Aid: Explore our federal financial aid options that may be available to you.

100% Online. Flexible. Affordable.

• Integration of Psychology & Christianity : Students assess individuals, couples, families, and congregations from an integrated point of view, incorporating theological issues with Marriage and Family systems theory and pertinent psychological perspectives in pastoral or clinical settings.
• Broad Audience : Students demonstrate advanced counseling skills appropriate to meet the needs of individuals, couples, families, and congregations seeking mental health services and programs.
• Self-Reflection : Students practice in-depth self-reflection to enhance their ongoing personal and professional development.
• Significant Research Project: Students create and present a significant research project resulting in a dissertation that contributes to the field of marriage and family therapy.
• Enrichment Programs : Students create and deliver integrated psychological and spiritual enrichment programs.  Examples of previous enrichment programs created by Eastern doctoral students include workshops for individuals, couples, and families, as well as seminars offered on special topics in a clinical or church setting.

Brooke Wheeler, PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy ’25

Our Mission

The PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy trains students in professional mental health and pastoral counseling fields to be skilled scholar/practitioners in marriage and family therapy who apply their minds and hearts to promoting processes of change and growth in individuals, couples, families, and communities. This scholar/practitioner research program prepares students for leadership roles in academia, research, behavioral healthcare, and pastoral care.

State Authorizations

Please check the  State Authorizations page  to determine if Eastern University’s program fulfills your state credentialing requirements. Students who seek similar credentialing in states other than Pennsylvania are advised to contact the appropriate credentialing agency within their home state to seek information and additional guidance about credentialing in your state of residence. Additional state or local requirements may exist for field placements or practica in this state. Out-of-state student placements/practica cannot be guaranteed by the program or the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. Students are responsible for following all state and local requirements and regulations for their field placement/practica coursework.

Learn More: PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy

• Admissions Requirements
• Course Descriptions
• Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy
• DMin in Contextual Leadership
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