General information on our programs

Training assignments (practical experience)

Financial support

Application information & form

The Psychology Department offers the doctorate (PhD) in four areas:

• To Download Application Form, CLICK HERE.

We do not offer a terminal MA degree, though students earn the MA en route to the PhD.

The doctoral programs involve a full-time course of study.

Most students are admitted with a BA, some with MA.

Students complete training assignments that provide valuable field experience (see below).

Students in good standing typically receive 9 months of financial support per year for 4 years (see below).

Each semester students enroll in Pre-professional Training (Psyc 597).

Training assignments provide valuable "field experience" in teaching, research, and service (clinical, counseling, or applied research work).

Students typically gain some experience in each area, but emphasize areas of greatest career relevance.

Assignments each year are based on student preferences, faculty preferences, and program needs.

Teaching assignment opportunities range from basic course management, running discussion sections, grading papers, through supervising projects, assisting with computer-presentations or web-based instructional material, to teaching short (4 week) sections of courses, or having full responsibility for a course.

Research assignments may involve any or all aspects of the research process: from literature review and problem identification, through design, data collection, and data analysis, to writing and submission of conference presentations and manuscripts.

Service assignments reflect a student's program, interests, and career goals.  The Department maintains a collaborative relationship with a wide range of sites on and off campus, that provide valuable experiences in clinical work, counseling, and applied research.  Details may be found in the various program web areas.

Training assignments are a program requirement, but also serve as the base for financial support for students.

All students admitted to the program, who remain in good standing, are guaranteed support for the 1st academic year (9 months) and typically receive support for 4 academic years (9 months).  Support during summer is variable depending on funding, but typically ranges between 1 and 2 months.

Support comes from teaching assistantships, fellowships, research grants, and service contracts with various mental health and human service agencies.

Support for 2008-2009 is $1214/month for pre-MA and $1362 for post-MA assistantships.  The assistantship rate increases each year.

Assistantships include tuition waivers, but students are responsible for University fees (typically $1,000+ per semester)

Financial support beyond the 1st year cannot be guaranteed, but the Department has successfully provided support as outlined here for several decades.

Applications are accepted once a year for Fall admission. Application deadlines are as follows:

• December 15, 2008 for the Counseling and Clinical (Adult and Child) programs
• February 2, 2009 for the Applied Psychology and Brain & Cognitive Sciences Program

  • Note: To be considered for fellowship opportunities, we recommend that you complete your application before January 15.

A complete application packet includes the following: