FAQ for Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology

For the 2025-2026 application cycle, the GRE is not required. The CPDP does not use any official cut-offs to identify viable applicants based on GPA. We carefully look at GPA, statement of intent, supplemental essay, CV, and letters of recommendation. Across these materials, we reflect on each applicant’s experience, fit with the program, and commitment to a balanced approach to doctoral training. Most applicants will have an undergraduate major in psychology, but this is not required, provided there is a solid background in psychology (whether during undergraduate studies or through MA-level coursework). Although we consider graduate coursework in assessing the applicant’s background and preparation for doctoral study, we place little weight on graduate GPA (because of the grade inflation that is common in MA programs). Despite these general guidelines, any area deficiency can certainly be overcome by strong achievements in other areas.

The Clinical Psychology Doctorate program is a full-time, in person (on campus) program, and the program of study calls for full time study consisting of course work, practica, externship to be taken each semester for the first four years. Fifth year students and beyond will work on completing their dissertation and a 1-year full time clinical internship. Please see the suggested sequence of study for more information.

We systematically analyze a number of factors, including the student’s personal and professional accomplishments (e.g., research and clinical experience), the quality of his or her letters of recommendation, and undergraduate GPA. We seek to identify the top tier of applicants, in terms of both intellectual abilities and interpersonal strengths, as well as “fit” with our program’s model, strengths, and faculty expertise. This is done through a multi-tiered approach in which the applicant pool is gradually winnowed down to the handful who will be offered admission. Initial screening is conducted by the DCT. Next, applications are sorted by identified primary faculty member of interest and reviewed by the primary faculty member. A subset of applications will then be reviewed by a second faculty member (typically a faculty member within the applicant’s identified major area of study). Each faculty member who reviews each application, provides a series of ratings reflecting the student’s experience, achievements, program fit, mentor fit, and letters of recommendation. Ideally, we select students with a strong dedication to, and experience in, applied clinical research and a genuine interest in, and aptitude for, scientifically informed clinical work. These ratings are reviewed and factored into a selection process that identifies the top 15% (roughly 60 to 65) applicants, who are then invited to interview.  Applicants invited to interview meet with three to four faculty members and at least one graduate student. Faculty and students rate each applicant based on their impressions during the interview, and these ratings are added to our selection process for a second round of analysis. Finally, all clinical faculty meet to discuss the applicants selected during the analysis. These rankings and faculty discussions are used to identify the small group of applicants who will be offered admission, those who will be placed on the waitlist, and those who will not receive an offer of admission. 

We will be conducting interviews virtually for the 2025-2026 cycle.

Yes. On the application form, applicants are required to specify a primary faculty member of interest that the applicant would like to work with. Only faculty members who expect to take a student are eligible for selection on the application form. Admission decisions are made by the entire faculty. However, faculty identified by the applicant as “primary” provide specific input into the admission decision-making with an offer of admission being linked to a primary mentor and lab that the student will be affiliated with at the time of program entry. It is also not uncommon for students to work with more than one faculty member within a Major Area of Study throughout their graduate careers but each student is assigned a primary faculty mentor at the time of admission.

No. Students can be enrolled in the Clinical Psychology doctoral program without a specific major area of study, allowing them to obtain a generalist training and they can indicate this on the application. Students who wish to pursue more specialized training may select one of our four Major Areas of Study (Child/Adolescent, Forensic, Health, Neuropsychology), and should indicate this on their application. Indicating a Major Area of Study on the application does not impact the application review or increase the likelihood of receiving an interview. Once enrolled in the CPDP, students may change or discontinue their Major Area of Study if they choose. More information about the Major Areas of Study.

During the application process, we identify a select group of applicants to interview with faculty and students through a virtual interview process. These interviews typically occur in late January or early February, and are “by invitation only”. If you are invited for an interview and have any serious interest in attending Fordham, you should make every effort to take part in the virtual interview. Prior to the application deadline, many applicants request individual meetings (in person, phone, video conference) 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). As a general rule, our faculty will not arrange a pre-application meeting (in-person, phone or video conference) with the faculty or current students. Different faculty members have different feelings about email correspondence from prospective applicants. Some encourage correspondence and questions; others feel they simply do not have time for this. Applicants should first attempt to get their questions about the admissions process answered through the Clinical Program Secretary ([email protected]). Applicants are also encouraged to review Faculty listings, including research focus and courses when deciding on how to complete the application.

The GSAS Admissions Office holds numerous virtual tours and information sessions during each application cycle and applicants are encouraged to attend these virtual sessions as this information becomes available.

Students who enter with an M.A. 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 M.A. and whether the M.A. 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 M.A. 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) an 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).

We only accept the number of students that we can guarantee a financial aid package offered through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) and therefore, all students receive financial support throughout each academic year (not including summers) for the first four years of their graduate school career. Financial aid includes a full-tuition waiver and a work-related stipend (i.e., an assistantship). Assistantships can be research (e.g., if a faculty mentor has a research grant to support their students), teaching (e.g., as a teaching assistant for undergraduate psychology or natural science labs), administrative support (e.g., assisting faculty in their own administrative responsibilities), or some combination of these activities. The type of award each individual receives will depend on available funds (which vary each year), the experience of the applicant, and the number of graduate students currently matriculating. Advanced students are typically funded as teaching fellows or teaching associates, where the student teaches one or more undergraduate classes independently rather than assisting a faculty member. Research fellowships and dissertation fellowships are also available (by competitive application) through the GSAS and allow the advanced student to further expand his or her research productivity. It should be noted, however, that if an applicant either declines or does not qualify for financial aid, there is a possibility that he or she will be expected to pay tuition and expenses for one or more semesters (view tuition information).

Our program does not directly grant fee waivers. Applicants who would like to have their application waived, should submit an Application Fee Waiver Request form, through the Graduate School of Arts and Science. Fee waiver information and instructions can be found on their website.