Clinical Psychology
Clinical Psychology | Program Handbook | Philosophy | Faculty | Training Plan and Activities | Admissions/Outcomes/Program Statistics | Financial Assistance/Costs | University and Community | Events | Forms
General Information on Admissions
Although the formal application of persons with a B.A. is for the master's degree, admission to the graduate program in psychology is open only to applicants who intend to pursue the Ph.D. in a full-time program. Most students who are admitted have completed a B.A. or B.S. in psychology, although persons with outstanding records who have majored in other subjects will be considered. Similarly, individuals who have an M.A. degree in psychology from another university will be considered when their credentials are unusually strong. Students who are admitted with a master’s degree will be required to take all the clinical core courses.
The competition for admission is keen, with seven or eight students selected each year from a large pool of applicants. (See Student Characteristics table below.) Grades (especially the last two years of undergraduate study), GRE scores, and letters of recommendation (preferably from psychology instructors) are used to select the most promising students among the applicants. Flexible admission criteria are used in an attempt to select those students with the best potential for success in our program. Although we do not admit students to work with specific faculty members, the match between applicant and faculty research interests does influence admission decisions, and students should make their research interests clear in their applications. Clinical admissions are for the fall semester. In order to insure full consideration for admission, applications to the clinical area should by completed by December 15th. The selection of clinical students and the commitment of financial support for the following fall are completed in April.
Open House
Each year the clinical program holds an Open House for selected applicants. The Open House provides an opportunity for applicants to meet with faculty and students in the clinical program and learn more about the training environment, the campus, and the local community. Although attendance at the Open House is not required for admission, applicants are strongly encouraged to attend and past applicants have reported it was very helpful in their decision making. The Open House is by invitation and more information will be sent when the invitations are made. For students applying for admission in the 2007-2008 academic year, the Open House was held on Friday, February 23, 2007.
Student CharacteristicsStudents currently in the clinical curricular area of study are distributed as follows:
- Male: 21% - Mean Age on entering program: 25
- Female: 79% - Age range: 22 - 43
- Minority: 23%
| Applicant data for academic year beginning in August of: | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| Number of applicants: | 111 | 109 | 145 | 192 | 153 | 159 | 191 |
| Accepted for admission: | 23 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 16 |
| Actual size/incoming class: | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
| Number receiving financial aid: | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Of those entering in: | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| Mean Verbal GRE (Median): | 583(590) | 569 (570) | 571 (560) | 535 (525) | 561 (575) | 551 (520) | 556 (560) |
| Mean Quantitative GRE (Median): | 639 (630) | 635 (640) | 679 (670) | 664 (665) | 649 (660) | 663 (660) | 683 (670) |
| Mean Undergraduate GPA: | 3.60 | 3.48 | 3.68 | 3.66 | 3.64 | 3.65 | 3.86 |
| Applicants for internships for academic years of: | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 |
| Total applicants: | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 9 |
| Accepted on APPIC "Match Day": | 11 (92%) | 3 (100%) | 3(100%) | 5 (83%) | 7 (100%) | 3(60%) | 7(78%) |
| Accepted after APPIC "Match Day": | 1 (8%) | 0 | 0 | 1 (17%) | 0 | 0 | 1(11%) |
| Accepted at accredited sites: | 10 (83%) | 3 (100%) | 3(100%) | 6(100%) | 7(100%) | 3(60%) | 8(89%) |
| Accepted at sites with APPIC membership: | 12 (100%) | 3 (100%) | 3 (100%) | 6(100%) | 7(100%) | 3(60%) | 8(89%) |
| Accepted at funded positions: | 12 (100%) | 3 (100%) | 3 (100%) | 6(100%) | 7(100%) | 3 (60%) | 8(89%) |
| Accepted at 2-yr. half-time internships: | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Applicants not placed: | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 (40%) | 1(11%) |
| Graduation outcomes for academic year of (August to August): | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 |
| Number of students completing program, BA/BS entry: | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Mean years to completion for this cohort: | 6.83 | 6.50 | 6.50 | 6.67 | 7.75 | 7.67 | 8.87 |
| Median years to completion for this cohort: | 6 | 6 | 6.50 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
| Range for this cohort: | 6-8.67 | 6-8 | 6.33-6.67 | 6-8.67 | 6-9 | 7-9 | 7-12 |
Summary Data for Years to Completion, Academic Years 2000-01 to 2006-07, Students with BA/BS entry:
| Time to completion | Number of students |
| Less than 5 years: | 0 |
| 5 years: | 0 |
| 6 years: | 11 (37%) |
| 7 years: | 7 (23%) |
| More than 7 years: | 12 (40%) |
Over the past seven years, ten students who entered with a thesis-based MA/MS in Psychology have graduated from the program. The mean years to completion for this group of students is 5.67; the median years to completion is 5; and years to completion range from 4 to 9.67.
Summary Data for Years to Completion, Academic Years 2000-01 to 2006-07, Students with thesis-based MA/MS entry:
| Time to completion | Number of students |
| Less than 5 years: | 3 (30%) |
| 5 years: | 3 (30%) |
| 6 years: | 2 (20%) |
| 7 years: | 1 (10%) |
| More than 7 years: | 1 (10%) |
Over the past seven years, we have had an attrition rate from our program of 13%, meaning on average, one student from each entering cohort has left before completing the Ph.D. The majority (85%) of students who left the program before earning the Ph.D. received the MA degree (either with or without the thesis). Students who have chosen to leave the program have done so primarily for personal reasons or because of a change in their academic or career interests.
Among the graduates of our program who received degrees in the academic years between 1997-1998 and 2004-2005, inclusive, 80% are licensed as clinical psychologists. Licensure rates are somewhat lower among graduates in research and traditional academic positions as well as among more recent graduates.