Graduate Programs in Psychology Dr. Michael Anziano

Graduate Degrees in Clinical and Counseling Psychology  M Ed. In Counseling (education Masters)  MA or MS in Counseling Psychology  MA in Clinical Psychology  MSW (masters in Social Work)  Psy D. (Doctor of Psychology)  Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology  Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology

Graduate School Admission Criteria ** Always or Nearly Always Rated High

Psychology MA or MS Programs  Admission is less competitive –Mean GPA typically 2.75 – 3.0 –Median GRE usually 500 Verbal; 540 Q  Completion Time Median is 2 years  Types of Programs (Examples) –General Psyc MA –Psyc Research or Doctoral Prep MA/MS –Clinical MA some with MFT emphasis –Counseling Psyc MA –Forensic Psyc MA (Univ. of Denver)

Psychology MA or MS Programs  More students accepted – larger cohorts (e.g., students may be admitted each year)  Internships usually required for Clinical or Counseling Psychology MA  Univ. counseling services / community  Off-campus clinic / Therapeutic setting  Can be a route to acceptance in Ph. D. Program –e.g., In 2003, 8/12 Ph.D. candidates in Counseling Psychology at Denver Univ. went to MA Program at D.U.!

MA Programs: examples

PsyD. – Professional Degree Programs  Admission fairly competitive - 4 –5 years to complete  Usually offered in Schools of Professional Psychology  Less research oriented – more applied / practice  Prepares one for work in clinics, hospitals, private practice and state licensure. Involves assessment, clinical skills,& treatment of psychological problems.  Internships required 2 nd /3 rd year

PsyD. – Professional Degree Programs  Some programs offer specialty areas – for example:  Clinical Psy D  Forensic Psy D or Psy D / JD comb.  Clinical Neuropsychology Psy D  Health Psychology Psy D  Ecosystemic Child Clinical (Alliant U)  Larger class size admitted - examples:  42/120 admitted  117/184 admitted  71/159 admitted

PsyD. – Professional Degree Programs: DRAWBACKS  EXPENSIVE !! Tuition high / Financial aid low  Not much in grants, scholarships or TA or RA opportunities. Students often older  Median GRE approximately 575 for Verbal and Quantitative

PsyD. Programs (APA accredited)

Ph.D. Programs in Psychology  Admission most competitive – especially Clinical Psychology programs  Very small cohorts admitted - e.g., 6 –15 new students each year in University Programs  Example: U. of Ariz. ( ) –Clinical Psychology: 8 / 211 accepted  More research-oriented in all Ph.D. areas. –One is “expected to contribute to growth of knowledge”  Breadth and depth of research required  Doctoral Dissertation may take 1 – 3 or more years to complete...

Ph.D. Programs in Psychology  Many areas of specialization: –Clinical, Counseling, Social, Experimental, Developmental, Neuroscience, Ethology, Educational, Cognitive, etc.  Median # of years to complete = 6  Tuition varies, but Financial aid often excellent.  With so few students all will generally get some funding – e.g., TA or RA paid position  Tuition remission; Grants and scholarships

Ph.D. Programs in Psychology  Research or Clinical experience weighted heavily in admission decisions.  GRE scores very important.  Consider Counseling Psych Programs housed in Colleges of Education (vs. Psych Dept. Clinical)  Some Professional Grad Schools offer APA accredited Ph.D.

Ph.D. Programs – Clinical Psychology (APA accredited)

Ph.D. Programs in Counseling Psychology Program C.S.U. Fort Collins Univ. of Denver U.C. Santa Barb. Florida St. Univ. Univ. of Indiana Univ. of Kentucky GRE V; Q 650; ; ; ; GPA Accept. Rate 14 / / / / 45 9 / / 21 Tuition $ Low High Med Aid$ Good Fair Excel Excel.

MSW Programs  Admission competitive, but requirements vary (e.g., GRE may not be required for admission)  Preparation for working with youth, families, agencies, community organizations, government  Careers in Dept. of Social Services, Community Mental Health Centers, Child Welfare Agencies, Social Policy and Community Organization  Approximately 60 credit hours…  Takes 2 – 3 years to complete

MSW Programs  Many programs consist of: Foundation Year and Concentration Year. Typical concentrations:  Clinical Practice: social work counseling with couples, families. Child welfare issues, High-Risk youth, adult health/ subs.abuse  Community Practice: Organization and Policy issues, social change, community leadership, agency reform, etc.  Admission: Generally a BA plus 20 semester hours in social/behavioral science (e.g., psychology)  GPA: approximately 3.0 minimum  GRE not required for some programs (e.g., U of Denver)

Any questions?