PhD in Clinical Psychology

Admission

Requirements

Clinical Psychology, PhD

Professor Sanderson, Graduate Program Director, 516-463-5633

Consistent with the tradition of the scientist-practitioner model, our PhD students receive education and training in both the science and professional practice of clinical psychology. Our program's training model is based on the Standards of Accreditation (SoA), set forth by the American Psychological Association to detail the competencies necessary to function as a clinical psychologist.

Program Aims 

Prepare Graduates for Careers in Clinical Practice. Regarding professional practice, our curriculum and training experiences provide thorough training in state-of-the-art evidence-based assessment and psychotherapeutic treatment approaches. Students will receive education and training in all of the competencies deemed necessary to function as a clinical psychologist in a full-range of settings in the current healthcare environment (e.g., evidence-based assessment and intervention, ethical and legal standards, knowledge of individual and cultural diversity, development of professional values, consultation and supervision skills; cf. SoA).

Prepare Graduates for Careers in Academic Settings

Our curriculum and training opportunities prepare graduates of our program for careers in research in a variety of settings (e.g., colleges, universities, medical centers). In addition, for those students who are interested, there are opportunities for teaching undergraduate courses to develop the necessary teaching skills for a potential career in academics. 

Graduates of our program are prepared to pursue careers in applied and academic settings. Surveys of our more than 900 alumni have shown that they are employed in a wide variety of settings (clinics, colleges and universities, correctional facilities, hospitals, independent clinical practices, research centers, etc.) in 25 different states and in several foreign countries.

Learn more about career information of our graduates during the past 10 years.

The PhD program in clinical psychology is accredited by the American Psychological Association.  Further information on this accreditation may be found at the APA website or by contacting the American Psychological Association, Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, 202-336-5979. EMAIL: apaaccred@apa.org

Note: Professional Liability Insurance for Doctoral Candidates

All doctoral candidates in professional psychology are strongly recommended to purchase American Psychological Association sponsored Professional Liability Insurance. This provides coverage while performing professional duties as a psychologist in training. Such coverage should be obtained at the very beginning of training. For information, contact the director of the doctoral program in which you are enrolled, or apply directly through the American Psychological Association.

Selection of Doctoral Students

The selection of doctoral students is a lengthy and difficult process as many excellent applications are received annually. A multitude of factors play a role in the decision-making process including an applicant's academic history, research experience, recommendations, diversity in its multitude of forms, match with faculty interests, motivation for professional study and promise for the field. Admissions decisions are made with the input of the whole clinical psychology core faculty.

All applications are first reviewed for meeting the minimal standards of the program as listed below. Of those meeting requirements, a limited number of qualified applicants are invited for personal interviews on campus to meet faculty and current students. An additional part of the visit is a tour of our clinic, labs and other major campus facilities. We consider the interview day a critical part of our admissions process and demonstration of your sincere interest in attending our doctoral program. We try to post our interview day on our program's home page to allow you to keep this date available. (In exceptional circumstances a phone or computer-based video interview may serve as a substitute for the personal visit.) Following the interviews, candidates are ranked by faculty and then offers are made based upon the rankings, number of program openings available and written acceptances of new students secured by the program. Verbal offers are always followed by letters in which offers and financial awards (if offered) are fully explained. This process may continue until approximately April 15th in compliance with both the CUDCP and COGDOP training council guidelines for making offers of doctoral admissions.

Application for Admission

Applications completed by December 31 will be screened for regular acceptance. Applications completed after December 31 will be considered late and will be reviewed only if there are openings. Information about the program and application material can be obtained from the Graduate Admission Office. Students are accepted only for the fall semester of each year.

Admission Requirements

  1. Successful completion of the baccalaureate degree at an accredited institution.
  2. GRE Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Analytical Writing scores must be provided from an examination within the previous five years of the date of application. For non-native speakers of English, a TOEFL may be required unless waived by the program director, after having received evidence of English-language proficiency.
  3. A score on the GRE Psychology subject test is required.
  4. Candidates are expected to have preparation in:
    • Elementary Statistics
    • Research Design
    • Psychopathology/Abnormal Psychology
    • Experimental Psychology/Laboratory
  5. A personal essay with statement of professional goals.   
  6. A personal interview with a program faculty member.
  7. Three letters of recommendation.
  8. A curriculum vitae listing educational and professional experiences and accomplishments.

Program Requirements - Semester Hours: 105


Required Courses

The following courses are required unless transfer credit or a waiver is granted. No more than 12 transfer credits are accepted toward the degree.

Electives

In addition, 24 s.h. of electives are chosen from any 400-level course. These courses can be repeated with permission from the instructor. 

PSY 401-499 Electives requirement. 

(see footnote ***)

Graduation Requirements

  1. Completion of the 105-credit program.
  2. Successful completion of two Qualifying Examinations (research, clinical) which typically take place during third year of the program. Students who fail to pass either qualifying exam on two occasions will be dropped from the program.
  3. Students must receive a minimum of a B in all courses (minimum accepted competency).  If a student earns a C or D in a course the program director will be notified by the course instructor, and a plan to improve the grade to at least a B will be developed, including the possibility of repeating the course. Students who do not raise their grade to at least a B will be dropped from the program. Students who receive more than two Cs (prior to remediation) or more than 1 D (prior to remediation) will be dropped from the program.
  4. A grade of F is grounds for immediate dismissal from the program. If a student earns an F, the instructor of that course will inform the program director who will then convene a meeting of the core program faculty to discuss the circumstances in which the F has been earned. A letter which reviews the deliberations of the core program faculty will be generated by the program director with a copy sent to the student.
  5. Students are expected to behave in an ethical and professional manner according to the guidelines for student conduct and academic honesty at Hofstra University, and the Ethical Standards for Psychologists published by the American Psychological Association. Satisfactory interpersonal behavior and professional performance in classes and meetings, on practica and internships, etc. is expected. When a report of an ethics violation or an interpersonal problem which may be impeding professional growth is received, the Program Director will convene a meeting of the Core Program Faculty to discuss the circumstances under which the violation or problem arose. After a faculty investigation, a report will be issued that may clear the student of any wrongdoing, place the student on probation with a plan for remediation, or dismiss the student from the program. A letter which reviews the deliberations of the Core Program Faculty will be generated by the Program Director with a copy sent to the student.
  6. Students must obtain and complete a psychological internship during their 5th, 6th, or 7th year of the doctoral program. The internship must minimally comply with standards for psychological internships of the Association for Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). It is the student's responsibility to meet all deadlines for internship application and to provide proof that the internship has been successfully completed.
  7. Completion of a satisfactory research dissertation.
  8. Satisfactory performance in an oral examination, to be given subsequent to the completion of the dissertation.

Footnotes (*/**/***)

*A student who has not made sufficient progress on the dissertation to gain permission of the members of the committee to begin collecting data, will have to repeat the course, paying full fee. A student must maintain continuous enrollment in this course, registering for it during the fall and spring semesters. A student must complete the work for this course within two semesters. If sufficient progress has not been made by the end of this period, the student will have to enroll in

. This course may be taken only once. If the student does not complete the work for this course by the end of the semester, the student will be dropped from the program.

**A student who does not complete the dissertation during the semester of enrollment in

, will have to repeat the course, paying full fee. Once or has been completed, a student must enroll in 604, Dissertation Advisement, the following semester and maintain continuous enrollment in this course during the fall and spring semesters. A student must complete the work for this course within three semesters. If the dissertation is not completed by the end of this period, the student must immediately enroll in . The student will be dropped from the program if all requirements for the dissertation are not fulfilled by the end of 605A. Once a candidate has begun work on the dissertation, a leave of absence from the program will not be granted, except in highly unusual circumstances.

***Many clinical seminars involve ongoing case work with patients in the Psychological Evaluation, Research and Counseling (PERC) clinic. Students may repeat clinical seminars with the permission of the seminar instructor.

Typical Plan of Study

First Year

FALL
Course Semester Hours
  3
  3
  3
  3
  3
  1
JANUARY/WINTER SEMESTER
 Course Semester Hours
      1
SPRING
Course Semester Hours
  3
  3
  3
  3
  3
  1

 

 

Second Year

FALL
Course Semester Hours
  3
   3
  3
  3
  2
  1
SPRING
Course Semester Hours
  3
  3
  2
  1
  3
   3

Third Year

FALL
Course Semester Hours
3
1
Clinical Seminar 3
Clinical Seminar 3
SPRING
Course Semester Hours
3
1
Clinical Seminar 3
Clinical Seminar 3

 

Fourth Year

FALL
Course Semester Hours
* 3
1
Clinical Seminar 3
Clinical Seminar 3
SPRING
Course Semester Hours
* 3
1
Clinical Seminar 3
Clinical Seminar 3

Fifth Year

FALL
Course Semester Hours
** 1
* 3
SPRING
Course Semester Hours
1
* 3

*/**

*Course may be taken twice as shown in sample plan of study depending upon progress. Extension courses available if needed. PSY 602 and 604 can only be credited one (1) time.

**Students may choose to go on internship in Year 5, 6, or 7. They must have an approved dissertation proposal by Nov. 1 in order to apply for internship starting the following year.

Close

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the application deadline for the Ph.D. Clinical Doctoral Program?
All materials must be in the admissions office by December 31st in order to be reviewed.  Our admissions timeline is as follows.  Invitations for interviews are made during mid to late January.  Our interview day is typically the last Friday of February.  Offers for admission are made during early March.
What are typical GRE scores and GPA for students admitted to your program?
See the table containing  student admissions data.
I've taken the GRE/subject test before your admission deadline but the scores will not be in my file by your deadline. What is the status of my application?
Your application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed with those that are complete by the deadline.
Must I take the general GRE test?
We prefer that applicants take the GRE. However, applications without the GRE will still be considered.
Is the GRE Subject test required?
We prefer that applicants take the Psychology Subject GRE (and it is required for non psychology majors). However, applications from psychology majors that do not have the Psychology GRE will still be considered and extra flexibility will be provided this year with regard to the COVID crisis.
Will I be notified by the Graduate Admission office when all my materials have been received?
You can check the status of your application online once you apply by logging in to the Hofstra University Graduate Application here. You will be contacted following submission of your application if any additional information is needed. The office of Graduate Admission may be reached at 516-463-4723 or graduateadmission@hofstra.edu.
How many openings are in a given class of students and how many apply?
We typically receive approximately 200 applications and invite 45-50 applicants for interviews. Ultimately, we accept a class of 12 students.
I already have graduate credits (or a graduate degree) in psychology. Are any credits transferable?
The PhD program in Clinical Psychology is a very specialized program and does not lightly grant waivers of course work considered central to professional training. If found appropriate by the program faculty, students may receive elective credit for equivalent courses taken elsewhere. Evidence of the past course work must be presented and be found to be substantially equivalent to courses in the program . Students may be granted up to maximum of 20% of their past graduate credits and no more than 12 transfer credits provided that present evidence of earning a master's degree. Most admitted students possessing a master's degree will receive 6 credits maximum. Additionally, courses must have been taken no more than eight years prior to beginning at Hofstra, and must have been completed with a grade of B or better. Each transcript is individually evaluated.
How many credits and how much time does it take to complete the program?
The program is full-time and requires the completion of 105 credits with a cumulative grade point average of B or better. The Ph.D. program is a minimum of four years of full-time study and an internship year.  The program will take between five to seven years depending upon a doctoral student’s personal progress on internship and the dissertation.
Is it possible to attend the Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology part-time?
No. This is a full time program . As shown elsewhere on this site, the program of study calls for full-time study consisting of course work, practica and externship to be taken each semester for the first four years of study. A summer course is required after the first year. Fifth year students and beyond will work on completing their dissertation and clinical internship. This is a rigorous program.
Is it possible to take courses on a non-matriculated basis?
No. We offer a comprehensive program of professional study only open to full-time, matriculated students.
May I enroll in your Program for only a Master's Degree?
A terminal Master's Degree is not offered in the Program. A Master's is awarded as part of the Full-Time study towards a Ph.D.
Is the program APA accredited?
Yes, the program has been accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1973.

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 336-5979
Email: apaaccred@apa.org
Website: http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation
More information about the APA can be obtained at http://www.apa.org
Is financial assistance available?
Financial assistance is available to graduate students. Specifically, we offer a specific amount of tuition remission to all students, especially during the first and second years of the program, when credits are particularly heavy. If you are accepted to our program the amount of tuition remission we can offer will be presented in your acceptance letter so you know exactly what to expect about costs before having to make a decision. Since this amount varies each year depending upon the amount allotted to us from the University, we typically do not know the amount available at interview day, but will have the information when we make acceptance offers.

For more information about potential sources of funding see the following link: FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
What is the theoretical orientation of the program?
As can be ascertained from viewing the faculty page, our program is a behaviorally based Scientist-Practitioner program. We cover the full spectrum of Behavior Therapy (broadly defined) including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis, Cognitive Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Exposure Therapies.
Can I apply to the program if I do not have an undergraduate or masters degree in psychology?
Yes. However, prior to admission into our program you must take the following courses:
Statistics
Research Methods
Introduction to Psychology
Abnormal Psychology


And then some combination (2-3) of:
Developmental Psychology
Social Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Physiological Psychology (Brain/Behavior)<
What is the program's position on diversity?
Hofstra University continues its commitment to extending equal opportunity to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, marital or veteran status in the conduct and operation of its educational programs and activities, including admission and employment. The PhD Program in Clinical Psychology at Hofstra University believes that our program is best served when the students, faculty, and staff reflect and celebrate the diversity of society at large. Thus, our program is fully committed to increasing the recruitment of underrepresented students and has one annually awarded Diversity Scholarship in Clinical Psychology that covers all expenses in the program through graduation.
If you have any further questions regarding the PhD Program in Clinical Psychology, please contact:
Office of Graduate Admission
Email: graduateadmission@hofstra.edu
Phone: 516-463-4723
105 Memorial Hall
126 Hofstra University
Hempstead, NY 11549