Admission:

Admission Requirements
Admission to the program is based on the following criteria:

1. Academic ability as measured by verbal, quantitative and analytical scores on the GRE. In keeping with other Ph.D. programs in the state and with national criteria, admission requires a minimum score in the 50th percentile on the verbal and quantitative sections, and a writing section minimum score of 4.0. However, successful applicants may present much higher scores given the highly competitive nature of clinical doctoral programs. Applicants are not required to take the GRE Advanced Psychology Test.
2. Achievement in undergraduate or graduate work. Admission requires a minimum standard of a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale undergraduate GPA. Again, successful applicants typically present much higher GPAs. Students may be admitted with either a bachelor’s or a master’s degree. We will consider where students obtained their degrees, how recently course work was completed and what clinical work they have pursued since obtaining their degree. Course requirements will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
3. Academic background in psychology. Applicants must have completed a minimum of 20 semester hours in psychology, including a course in statistics and a laboratory course in research methods/experimental psychology.
4. Personal qualities that predict success in graduate study and in professional placement after graduation. To evaluate these, each applicant must submit three letters of recommendation and complete an interview after an initial screening.
5. Fit between applicant and faculty interests. A personal statement is required describing the applicant’s interests. We will be particularly interested in students who have had research and/or clinical experiences similar to those of our faculty.

Steps for Admission

These steps must be completed and all admissions requirements met for your application to be reviewed by the department.

1. Graduate Admission application (online) and $45 application fee.
2. Official transcripts of all education beyond high school. Required from every institution granting credit. All international transcripts must be sent to Educational Prospectives- contact International Admissions for more information.
3. Official GRE results, including Verbal, Quantitative, and Writing scores as well as the Advanced Psychology Exam score if taken.
4. If required, submit evidence of English language proficiency as demonstrated by official test scores on the TOEFL, TWE, or MELAB.

Departmental Requirements::

1. Department application (download from online graduate school application).
2. A current vita (can be submitted through online application).
3. A writing sample that demonstrates scholarly ability (typically a research paper; can be submitted through online application).
4. Official transcripts for all college credit received. Send to both Graduate Admissions (described above) and address below.
5. Three letters of recommendation - to be submitted separately by the recommender to the online application.

Completed applications, including Graduation Record Examination (GRE) scores, letters of recommendation, and transcripts, must be received by December 1 for consideration. If the first falls on a weekend, materials will be accepted the next business day only. Applicants will be notified by February 15 if an interview is warranted. In accordance with APA guidelines, acceptance notices will be made by April 1.

Alicia Bake
611 West Cross Street
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, MI 48197

Eastern Michigan University and the Psychology Department reserve the right to change any statement in this program concerning, but not limited to, rules, policies, tuition, fees, curricula, and courses.

Click here to apply!

Department Information:

Psychology - College of Arts & Sciences

Advisor Information:

Ellen Koch, Ph.D. 
Director of Clinical Training

301G Mark Jefferson Science complex
(734) 487-0189
ekoch1@emich.edu

Objectives

 The purpose of the doctoral program is to graduate fully licensable clinical psychologists with state-of-the-art knowledge relating to the psychological practice of assessment, therapy, and research within a scientist practitioner model training. A primary program objective is the preparation of clinical psychologists who will be effective in supervising and managing therapists in multidisciplinary mental health care delivery systems in a diverse society. To meet these objectives, the program emphasizes fundamental scientist-practitioner skills such as practical clinical skills in assessment and treatment, and scholarly skills in designing, conducting, analyzing and disseminating research that contributes to the field of psychology. Students will also be able to focus their training on one or more of five areas of emphasis (adult, applied behavior analysis, assessment, developmental psychopathology, or health). To meet these objectives, students will be provided with opportunities to:

1. Practice assessment and treatment skills in a highly supervised environment.
2. Work with and be supervised by faculty with expertise in a variety of assessment and treatment modalities.
3. Use state-of-the-art equipment and technology employed in the field today.
4. Propose and conduct research.
5. Participate in a collegial atmosphere that is open to diverse opinions and viewpoints and prepares students to analyze the current literature critically

Curriculum Design

The doctoral program is a full-time, full-residency program that is designed to be completed in five years. No part-time students will be accepted. The curriculum is designed to meet or exceed state and national guidelines for licensing and accreditation.

APA accreditation

The program is currently APA accredited until 2017. The contact information for the accrediting body is:

American Psychological Association
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
(202) 336-5979

Integration of M.S. and Ph.D. curricula
The doctoral program builds on our current M.S. programs, which offer two different clinical approaches. The Clinical Behavioral (CB) M.S.  program provides training in state-of-the-art behavioral assessment and empirically validated treatment techniques, encompassing applied behavior analysis, behavior therapy, and cognitive-behavior therapy. The General Clinical (GC) M.S.  program provides a multitheoretical view of psychological disorders that emphasizes assessment, diagnosis, and treatment from various perspectives. A unique feature of our doctoral program is the opportunity for students to acquire specialization in applied behavior analysis and behavior therapy and assessment, or to sample from a menu of courses from multitheoretical orientations.

Competent M.S. and Ph.D. clinicians must learn complex specialized assessment and treatment strategies. Our two M.S. programs concentrate on training effective therapists. Well-prepared Ph.D. clinicians need this skill-based training, as well as broad knowledge of the empirical, theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of the profession. Our doctoral program includes a series of Ph.D. seminars that serve as links between concurrently taught M.S. level courses, the Ph.D. knowledge base and prepracticum training. For each two-credit course, students are required to spend two hours per month in scholarly discussions relevant to treatment, assessment and clinical practice. Practicum work for the seminars will require three to five hours per week of client contact at the on-site clinic and two hours weekly in group and individual supervision. After mastering M.S.-level skills, Ph.D. students learn to train and supervise master’s-level clinicians. Training also focuses on developing expertise in one or more of the following areas of emphasis: adult, applied behavior analysis, assessment, development psychopathology, and health.

Doctoral Fellowship

To help ensure the success of our students in the program, every student accepted will be eligible for a full-time doctoral fellowship for the first three to four years of the program. Students will be assigned to a faculty member in their area of research interest. Students will spend 10 to 12 hours per week with that faculty member, assisting with research and teaching activities. Fellows may be asked to help with class preparations, as well as assist in data collection, preparation and analysis. The faculty members will serve as mentors to their students, training and guiding them in developing their own research plans for master’s thesis and dissertation work. Students may request a specific faculty person as their mentor, and may request a change in mentor as they matriculate through the program. Every effort will be made to accommodate student requests within reason. Additionally, students complete hours in the psychology clinic during their first year and for the remainder of their fellowship hours (not to exceed 20 hours per week total). Doctoral fellowships include a tuition/ registration fee waiver (for up to 90 credits) and a stipend ($16,500 per year).

Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology