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Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program

Admissions

Important Information for Clinical Psychology Applicants

The deadline for RECEIPT of applications and all supporting materials is:
December 1, 2012
  • Please note that any application not received by that date will not be considered
  • Please refer to department admissions for application details

Below is some information that is specific to the clinical program:

  1. Personal Statement (2 copies submitted online) - Please include the information below:
  1. Your research interests and experience. Please provide detailed information on your interests and the types of research projects in which you have participated, including your specific responsibilities.
  2. Your clinical interests and experience. Please give us an idea of the types of clinical experience (volunteer or otherwise) in which you have participated. Please be specific concerning your responsibilities.
  3. Clinical program faculty you feel match with your interests. The extent to which an applicant's research and professional interests correspond to the interests of existing faculty is an important factor in the selection process.
  4. Information about any exceptional life achievements and, where applicable, your knowledge of and experience with different cultures.
  1. Enclose a vita (preferred) or resume documenting previous educational, work, volunteer, clinical and research experiences (submit online).
  2. Selected applicants are required to attend an interview. All selected applicants will be interviewed on the same date: February 13, 2012. Please refer below for more information about the interview process.

Selection Process

Faculty follow written guidelines for evaluating application materials. Each application is evaluated based on the following materials:

  • Graduate Record Exam scores (quantitative and verbal)
  • Undergraduate and graduate grade point average
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Prior research experience and accomplishments
  • Match with faculty and program interests
  • Research and clinical experience/interest in multicultural issues

The admission team's rating of the applicant's credentials is based on their appraisal of the application materials. The admissions team assigns a credentials score to each application, which reflects the total number of points achieved after being evaluated on each of the above dimensions. The admissions committee has the option of nominating additional applicants to the interview pool whose credentials in the judgment of the committee, do not adequately reflect the candidates' true strengths and qualifications.

High scoring applicants (usually the top 25-30) are invited to visit the URI campus for a series of personal interviews with faculty and graduate students. All applicants selected for interviews are invited on the same day. Each invited applicant is interviewed by at least two faculty members in separate individual interviews and by two graduate students in a single informational interview. The personal interview is an important part of the admissions selection process and attendance is strongly recommended. Applicants are typically given at least two weeks notice if they are to be invited. Failure to attend interviews constitutes a withdrawal from the admissions process and the application will not be considered further. Telephone interviews will be conducted only in special circumstances.

The final step in the process is the selection of the applicants to be recommended to the Dean of the Graduate School for admission to the clinical program. Candidates are selected on the basis of their final scores and the degree of "fit" or match between applicants' interests and strengths and the faculty's research and clinical interests. In almost all cases the Dean of the Graduate School follows the recommendations of the faculty. However, the final responsibility for admission to the program rests with the Dean of the Graduate School.

Transfer Credit

Students entering the clinical program who have done graduate work at another accredited college, university, or professional school may: 1) transfer up to 30 credits if they have a master's degree in psychology or a closely related area; or, 2) transfer as many as one-fifth of the credits required to complete their degree plan if they do not have a master's degree in psychology or a closely related area. Transfer credit is granted only when the request is endorsed by the major professor and approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. Requests for transfer credit for course equivalency are typically reviewed and endorsed in writing by the faculty member who usually teaches the course at URI. Transfer credit for core content courses is limited to six credits (two courses). No decisions regarding transfer credit can be made prior to matriculation.

If you have any questions about the admissions process please contact:

Psychology Graduate Admissions
10 Chafee Rd, Suite 8
Kingston, RI 02881
401-874-4225 | psyadmin@etal.uri.edu