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What should I know BEFORE applying to the graduate training program in clinical
psychology at the University
of Arkansas?
Our
program is a highly competitive doctoral training program. Each year, we
get over 100 applications. However, we only admit 5-7 students. Our program
trains students to be scientists as well as practitioners. A significant
part of training is spent a) learning about existing clinical research, b)
learning how to conduct clinical research, and c) doing clinical research.
Applicants who want a career in mental health but are not interested in
research training should pursue degrees in social work, counseling, or
psychiatry.
What
is the length of the training program?
Most
students take 4-5 years of training on campus plus a one-year predoctoral internship to complete our doctoral
training program. We do NOT admit students who are interested in earning a
Master’s degree only. Applicants who want a career in mental health but do
not want to spend that much time in graduate school apply to schools that
offer a Master’s degree in psychology, social work, or counseling.
Who
gets admitted?
We use a
combination of information to select students. Key among these are a) prior
research experience (i.e., how long, conference presentations, published
papers), b) potential for future scholarship (e.g., writing skills, data
analytic skills), c) degree of match with potential faculty mentor (similar
interests and goals), d) letters of recommendation (credentials of the
writers, quality of the recommendation), e) undergraduate institution
(e.g., quality and rigor), f) GRE scores (including the Writing portion),
g) GPA, and h) interpersonal competence and capacity to provide clinical
services.
Do
you interview applicants (Can I visit the department and speak with faculty
members)?
Each
year, we invite 20-25 of our top applicants on campus for our annual
Interview Day (We conduct phone interviews for applicants who cannot come
to campus). If you are not invited to interview, it is unlikely that you
will be admitted. And because we get over 100 applications, we try to limit
our visits to those occurring on Interview Day.
What about prior coursework—how is it counted?
The vast
majority of students admitted to our program have a bachelor’s or master’s
degree in psychology. Those who lack a degree in psychology have earned a
substantial number of college credits in psychology courses, especially in
key courses such as learning, research methods, and statistics. Students
who enter with a Master’s degree typically do not need to do a thesis if
they were required to do an empirical thesis. All students who are admitted
are required to take all clinical courses. This is our way of ensuring the
quality of training received by our graduates.
What
about funding?
Admission
into our program usually entails an offer of a Graduate Assistantship that
pays a base stipend (as of 2006, just under $10K) plus a tuition waiver (in
most cases). Some applicants have GRE/GPA scores that make them eligible
for university-wide fellowships that can add $10-20K to the base stipend (as
of 2006). We can’t guarantee funding across all years enrolled, but we
usually provide funding to students through Year 4 and often through Year
5.
Where
can I get additional information?
The
"Graduate Programs" page of our departmental website contains a
lot of useful information. It can be found at
http://www.uark.edu/depts/psyc/grad.htm Prospective
students can also contact our Grad Studies Secretary via email
[psycapp@uark.edu] or phone [479/575-4256]. Another useful resource
is the “Graduate
School” website:
http://www.uark.edu/depts/gradinfo/. It contains information about a
variety of issues, including other graduate programs on campus.
Useful
books for those needing tips about getting into graduate school in psychology
are listed below:
Getting
in: A Step-By-Step Plan for Gaining Admission to Graduate School
in Psychology by
American Psychological Association.
Insider's
Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology: 2006/2007 Edition by Tracy J. Mayne, John C. Norcross, Michael A. Sayette
Graduate
Study in Psychology: Your Guide to Success by Tara L. Kuther
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