Clinical Psychology PhD

The PhD in Clinical Psychology is an American Psychological Association (APA) accredited program, and also a program member of the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology (CUDCP). The program adheres to the scientist/practitioner model of training, and requires a number of clinical and research practica in addition to an extensive course curriculum.

• It is a four-year plus internship, full-time program.
• It emphasizes a thorough preparation in theoretical psychology and methodology.
• Theoretical foundations in personality and psychopathology are explored prior to behavioral and personality assessment.
• Concurrent with the work in assessment, students begin study of the theory, research, and practice of psychotherapy.

The Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association can be contacted at:

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation 
American Psychological Association 
750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002 
Phone: (202) 336-5979 / E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org 
Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation  

Admission requirements

This program is open to applications from those who hold an undergraduate degree in psychology or have taken the required number of psychology credits (18). The requirement of 18 undergraduate credits includes statistics and 15 additional credits, preferably introductory psychology, developmental psychology, experimental psychology, and social psychology.

Students are selected from a pool of academically qualified applicants who can contribute to the diversity of the student body. Students enrolled in the clinical psychology program come from diverse ethnic, cultural, individual and experiential backgrounds. Applications are encouraged from those identifying with cultural and/or individual areas of diversity, including (but not limited to) age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, national origin, race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.

Acceptance decisions are based on outstanding undergraduate and (where applicable) graduate academic performance, evidence of scholarly activity such as publications and paper presentations, prior work experience, the personal statement, and letters of recommendation. 

The deadline for application for admission to the PhD program is December 15, 2024.

NOTE: The FDU application fee for the 2024-2025 application cycle has been waived.

To apply to this program, complete an application through the psychology common application PSYCAS.

This application should be used only to apply for the PhD in Clinical Psychology. Your application to the PhD program will not be considered complete unless you submit the following through PSYCAS:

• Minimum Requirement: 18 undergraduate psychology credits
  • Statistics and 15 additional credits, preferably introductory psychology, developmental psychology, experimental psychology, and social psychology.
• All Official Undergraduate and Graduate Transcripts
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• A Personal Statement
  • The personal statement should not be generated or drawn from an AI tool (e.g., ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot)
• a CV
• Two GRE Exam Requirements
  • An Official GRE Aptitude: The GRE aptitude is strongly recommended however it is optional for all applicants.
  • Psychology Test Score Reports: The psychology GRE is optional for those who majored in psychology as an undergraduate or attained an advanced degree in psychology. It is strongly recommended for applicants who were not psychology majors.

Degree plan

1st Semester

• PSYC6112     Clinical Research Methods & Psychometrics
• PSYC6114     Psychopathology
• PSYC6116     History & Systems
• PSYC6118     Computer Application in Statistics Lab
• PSYC6132     Developmental Issues in Clinical Psychology
• PSYC6180     First-Year Clinical Practicum I

2nd Semester

• PSYC6122     Personality Assessment
• PSYC6133     Intellectual Assessment
• PSYC6160     Teaching Seminar (1 credit)
• PSYC6624     Introduction to Psychotherapy
• PSYC6181     First-Year Clinical Practicum II: Ethics
• PSYC7120     Diversity Issues in Clinical Psychology

3rd Semester

• PSYC7110     Research Design & Analysis I
• PSYC7113     Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
• PSYC7121     Cognitive Behavior Therapy
• PSYC7180     Second-Year Clinical Practicum I
• PSYC____     ASTCP_________

4th Semester

• PSYC7111     Research Design & Analysis II
• PSYC7125     Applied Social Psychology
• PSYC7130     Biological Bases of Behavior
• PSYC7181     Second-Year Clinical Practicum II
• PSYC____     ASTCP______________

5th Semester

• PSYC____     ASTCP______________
• PSYC7133     Learning, Cognition, and Emotion
• PSYC8129     Psychopharmacology
• PSYC____     ASTCP______________
• PSYC8180     Third-Year Clinical Practicum I

6th Semester

• PSYC9124     Advanced Research Seminar (1 credit)
• PSYC9138     Professional Development
• PSYC____     ASTCP______________
• PSYC____     ASTCP______________
• PSYC8181     Third-Year Clinical Practicum II

ASTCP (4 REQUIRED)

ADV PSYCHODYNAMIC (2^nd, 3^rd years) SPRING.

CHILD CLINICAL (offered every other year; alternates with Family; open to 2^nd,3^rd years)

FAMILY THERAPY (2^nd,3^rd years)

CLINICAL CASE (3^rd year) SPRING

NEUROPSYCH (Fall every odd year; open to 2^nd,3^rd years)

ADVANCED PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT (Fall, every other even year, open to 2^nd , 3^rd years)

ADVANCED CBT (open to 2^nd, 3^rd years)

Advanced special topics in clinical psychology, 4 required

A class will run if there are sufficient enrollment numbers to support it.

• PSYC8114     Neuropsychology (offered even years in the fall; open to second- and third-year students)
• PSYC9160     Advanced Personality Assessment (offered odd years in the fall; open to second- and third- year students)
• PSYC8127     Clinical Child Psychology (offered odd years in the spring; open to second- and third- year students)
• PSYC8145     Advanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (offered in the fall; open to third-year students only)
• PSYC9143     Advanced Psychodynamic Therapy (offered in the spring; open to third-year students only)
• PSYC9145     Seminar in Clinical Psychology (offered in the spring; open to third-year students only)
• PSYC9123 Family Therapy (offered even years in the spring; open to second- and third- year students)

Additional optional coursework and independent studies

• PSYC9112     Dissertation Maintenance (summer)
• PSYC9113     Internship Maintenance (summer)
• PSYC9116     Research Maintenance (summer)
• PSYC9180     4th Year Practicum I (fall)
• PSYC9181     4th Year Practicum II (spring)
• PSYC9280     5th Year Clinical Practicum I (fall)
• PSYC9281     5th Year Practicum II (spring)
• PSYC9800     Independent Study

Special requirements

• First Year Research Practicum
• First Year Clinical Practicum
• Second Year Research practicum
• Second Year Clinical practicum
• Second Year Project
• Third Year Research practicum
• Third Year Clinical practicum
• Teaching Requirement
• Dissertation Accepted
• Qualifying Examination
• Comprehensive Examination

Internship and dissertation

Students are required to apply for internship via the national match system offered by the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) and participate in an approved internship. The internship may begin after the student has completed the courses listed under the first six semesters, completed the second year research project, passed the comprehensive examinations, and successfully defended the dissertation proposal. Typically, the dissertation is completed in the fourth year and the internship in the fifth year.

Evaluations

Ongoing annual evaluations of students will be conducted by the faculty using information submitted by practicum site supervisors, course instructors, and research mentors. Students will meet with the Program Director to receive feedback concerning these evaluations.

Research practicum

All first-, second- and third-year students participate in a research practicum of ongoing projects supervised by doctoral faculty members. The practicum requires approximately 8-10 hours a week. Research projects frequently culminate in the publication of articles in psychological journals and paper and poster presentations at various professional meetings, with students in the doctoral program participating as authors and presenters.

Forensic Track

An optional add-on forensic track is available to students in the Ph.D. program who fulfill the following additional requirements:

• Completion of at least one of the required clinical practicums at any point after the first year. This requirement can be satisfied through an NYNJDOT approved externship or similar placement meeting requirements of the track.
• Completion of at least two additional courses: PSYC7230 Forensic Assessment and Prediction and PSYC7235 Evaluating Criminal Responsibility and Competency.
• Completion of a dissertation on a forensic topic.

It should be noted that research opportunities in forensic psychology are available.

Forensic track courses may incur additional fees if they increase a student’s credit load for a given semester above the allowable flat fee level of 16.5 credits.

Students coming into the program without a Master’s degree may incur additional fees for the two courses mentioned above since they are above and beyond the required courses for the clinical doctoral program.

Completion of the forensic track will be noted on the student’s transcript.