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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT
THE CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY DOCTORAL PROGRAM
The Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology is an EXTREMELY competitive program. We typically receive more than 400 applicants from around the country, interview a small subset of the most highly qualified, and accept less than 20 (in order to generate an entering class of 10-12). Applicants often have extensive experience in both "clinical" and "research" settings, many of whom have working for several years or taken MA-level courses before applying. Such experiences are not "required" per se, but are often helpful in distinguishing YOUR application from the many others.
Below are a number of questions that are frequently asked.
I haven't taken the GRE's yet – can I still apply?
Do I have to specify a particular faculty member to work with?
I already have an MA degree from another university – does that help in any way?
How does Financial Aid work?
Can I arrange for a visit and informational meeting?
I haven't taken the GRE's yet – can I still apply?
The GRE General exam IS required for application. We CAN process students who submit materials a bit late, since our formal review of applications does not typically begin until after school resumes in January but without the GRE scores we cannot realistically consider an applicant. We also STRONGLY encourage students to take the GRE Subject exam, and this is critical for applicants who were not undergraduate Psychology majors, but is less important for applicants who already have demonstrated extensive coursework in Psychology.
Do I have to specify a particular faculty member to work with?
No, although it is often helpful. Students are admitted to the doctoral program in general, not to a particular faculty member's lab. Many students are drawn by a particular faculty member or a specialization, and this is important in determining the extent to which a student's interests "fit" with the goals and strengths of the program. However, it is not uncommon for students to begin their career with one faculty member (i.e., work on their MA thesis) and "switch" to another member of the faculty for the dissertation. Note also, that students do not apply to the specializations offered (Child/Family, Forensic, Health/Neuropsychology, and Spirituality), but rather elect a specialization if they so choose. Some students choose to engage in only a portion of the specialization (e.g., one or two courses, but without a clinical externship or research study focused within the specialization or a relevant research project without formal coursework).
I already have an MA degree from another university – does that help in any way?
Students who enter with an MA degree or graduate credits that did not result in a degree will typically be able to transfer some credits toward their Fordham degree. Decisions about which courses are equivalent, and how many can be transferred depend on several factors, such as whether the student received an MA and whether the MA involved a research-based Thesis. Specific courses that overlap with Fordham requirements are evaluated by the Director of Clinical Training on a case-by-case basis, usually after a student has been admitted to the program. For those students who completed an empirical MA thesis at their previous institutions, the MA thesis requirement may also be waived, provided a committee of Fordham faculty have evaluated the thesis and deemed it comparable to what would be expected of Fordham students. Students who have previously completed (or expect to compete) and MA elsewhere complete the same application as students without prior graduate school experience and comprise the same "pool" of applicants; it is not necessarily advantageous or disadvantageous to have previously enrolled in an MA program although it may be more beneficial in some cases (e.g., students who were not undergraduate Psychology majors).
How does Financial Aid work?
We strongly urge ALL applicants to apply for Financial Aid at the time of admission. Virtually every student in our doctoral program receives financial support throughout their graduate school career, whether or not it was "guaranteed" during the application process. Financial Aid takes several forms, ranging from a full tuition waiver (a Presidential Scholarship) to assistantships and fellowships. The majority of our students receive an assistantship during their first 3 years that involves a two day/week work commitment in exchange for a tuition waiver AND stipend (currently in the range of $18,000 per academic year). Assistantships can be research (e.g., if a faculty member has a research grant for which the student is well-suited), teaching (e.g., as a TA for Introduction to Psychology or more advanced classes), administrative support (e.g., assisting faculty in their own administrative responsibilities), or some combination of these. The type of award each individual receives will depend on available funds (which varies each year), the experience of the applicant, and the number of graduate students currently matriculating. Advanced students are also eligible to apply for a range of Fellowships, including Teaching Fellowships, where the student teaches undergraduate classes independently rather than assisting a faculty member, Research Fellowships, and Dissertation Fellowships, all of which allow the advanced student to further expand his or her experience. It should be noted, however, that if an applicant was NOT guaranteed financial aid during the admissions process, there is always a possibility that he or she will be forced to pay tuition and expenses for one or more semesters (tuition information can be found here.).
Can I arrange for a visit and informational meeting?
During the application process, we identify a select group of students to invite to campus for interviews with students and faculty and a tour of the campus. These interviews typically occur in February, and are "by invitation only." If you are invited for an interview, and have any serious interest in attending school at Fordham, you should make every effort to attend the interview. Many applicants request individual interviews or campus tours, often before they have even applied to the program. Although it would be nice to be able to offer applicants this opportunity, we simply receive too many requests to accommodate them all (or even a fraction of them). Instead, we recommend emailing individual faculty any questions you might have. Faculty listings, including research focus and courses, are available here on this website.
Other questions? Feel free to email the Director of Clinical Training, Dr. Rosenfeld, at rosenfeld@fordham.edu.
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