Become a Clinical Psychologist
Antioch University New England’s practitioner-scholar program prepares reflective clinicians who undertake multiple roles in their professional careers. Our graduates approach their practices with disciplined inquiry, taking on the role of “local clinical scientists” who view their work as a socially responsible action. Accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA)*, Antioch University New England’s Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) offers rigorous academic challenge and thorough clinical training.
This degree is offered by AU New England.
Program Overview
The program prepares graduates for multiple roles in the expanding world of clinical psychology that includes not only therapy and assessment, but also supervision, management, applied research, administration, consultation, and public policy.
Commit to Social Responsibility
Antioch University New England is renowned for its community of active, engaged, and socially conscious faculty and students. Our academic community emphasizes a social vision of clinical psychology committed to diversity and social justice, and responsive to the needs of the region and larger society. You’ll be part of a small cohort of classmates in an environment that fosters collaboration.
The Department of Clinical Psychology operates unique centers that benefit our students:
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- The Psychological Services Center (PSC) is a community psychological clinic staffed by doctoral students. With excellent faculty supervision, students offer individual, couple, family, and group counseling, testing and assessment, and other services to serve area residents.
- The Center for Diversity and Social Justice (DSJ) commits to taking action to advocate with individuals who identify with marginalized identities, integrate social justice, and facilitate dialogues across difference on the AUNE campus, locally, regionally, and nationally.
- The Antioch Society for Psychoanalytic Psychology, established over 30 years ago, hosts open meetings for the PsyD community with an interest in psychoanalytic theory, research, integration, education, advocacy, social action, and practice. Members include students, faculty, alumni, staff, and supervisors.
Degree Requirements
Program Length:
The PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology is a five-year, full-time program that includes four years of coursework plus the completion of a year-long internship (which may be done half-time over two years). Full-time study is defined as the completion of, on average, 30 credits within a calendar year for a total of 120-128 credits over the four years.
In addition to 28 to 30 semester hours of classes taken on Mondays, Tuesdays, and during the week at practicum placements, students take, on average, two weekend courses or Supervised Independent Studies over each program year for an additional two credits a year.
Practica & Internships
Practicum Sequence and Requirements
The clinical training sequence is designed to complement the coursework aspect of the program. Clinical training experiences give the student opportunities for supervised practice in the areas of clinical psychology that are studied in courses, seminars, and workshops. Students are required to arrange practica at practicum settings affiliated with the program. Affiliated service agencies consider training one of their major functions and provide students with a high degree of access to professional psychologists who serve as supervisors and role models. The department has formal affiliation agreements with a variety of agencies throughout New England, which are experienced at training doctoral students in clinical psychology. Under the leadership of the Doctoral Program’s Director of Practica, the program offers guidance to students in arranging appropriate training sites. Information on criminal background checks and disclosure can be found in the Practicum Handbook.
Required Practicum Experiences
There are two required practicum experiences concurrent with coursework:
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- The Second Year Practicum includes experiences in a variety of intervention modalities and also provides the student with opportunities to develop psychological testing skills.
The Third Year Practicum has as its central focus the practice of psychotherapeutic interventions and development of case conceptualization abilities. It allows students to continue developing the clinical skills begun during the previous practicum, and to engage in other supervised experiences increasing their repertoire of professional skills.
In the fourth year, students may elect or be required to do an Advanced Practicum or Special Proficiency Practicum in order to sharpen and/or broaden their clinical skills.
Internship Requirements
The predoctoral internship occurs in an organized health care setting away from Antioch University New England and requires another application process that has been systematized across the country. It is overseen by the director of internships. It is an integral component of the Doctoral Program and the final experience in the clinical training sequence. During the internship, the student is expected to assume significant responsibilities and to perform major professional functions under the supervision of qualified psychologists. As the culminating clinical training experience, the internship is expected to provide the student with a variety of appropriate role models, as well as intensive and diverse supervised opportunities to function in the various roles performed by a clinical psychologist.
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- Time. There is a minimum requirement of 1,800 hours for the internship. (Some shorter APA-accredited internships also qualify.) This requirement is most often met through the successful completion of a full-time experience for one calendar year during the fifth year or, at times, through two consecutive years of half-time experience.
Program of Training. Students are strongly encouraged to seek internships that are accredited by the APA, or that, at least, are active members of the Association of Psychology and Postdoctoral Internship Centers (APPIC). Internship programs that are neither APA-accredited nor APPIC-listed must meet the criteria found in the APPIC guidelines and in the guidelines used by the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology to define an internship and must complete a process of formal affiliation with the Doctoral Program.
Accreditation
*The Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology is accredited by the American Psychological Association. The Clinical Psychology Program at Antioch University New England opened in 1982. It was first accredited in 1986, and has remained fully accredited. Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation at Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, American Psychological Association, 750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002, Phone: (202) 336-5979. E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation
Admissions
Application Deadline
The early cycle application deadline is November 2, 2020, the second cycle application deadline is January 4, 2021. Late applications for fall entry will be considered if space is available or until the cohort is full.
Application Criteria
We use the application materials and our interview process to assess the academic, clinical, professional, and interpersonal promise of our candidates for admission to the PsyD program. Our primary information on academic promise comes from past academic records and standardized tests. We expect applicants to have a minimum of a B average in their undergraduate work. While most successful applicants obtain higher GRE verbal and quantitative scores, we give primary consideration to those with scores above the 30th percentile. We use other data (i.e. Analytical Writing score, Graduate GPA, recommendation letters from faculty, publications, etc.) to supplement the Undergraduate GPA and GRE scores in assessing academic promise.
Approximately two-thirds of applicants who are offered interviews hold bachelor’s degrees only, while one third have earned master’s degrees. Candidates have degrees in psychology, human services, or related fields while some hold degrees not as directly related to psychology (i.e. law, business, nursing, or performing arts). All applicants should have the equivalent of at least fifteen hours of psychology-related coursework (broadly defined). Applicants must delineate the ways in which their education and work experiences are relevant to clinical psychology and/or social justice.
We encourage applications from members of traditionally underrepresented groups and seek to develop a diverse community of students and faculty.
Application Materials Required for Admissions Consideration
- Antioch University New England application form, including personal essays and an updated, comprehensive vita.
- Work sample, not more than five pages long double-spaced that gives an example of written professional work. The sample may be written especially for this process.
- Transcripts from each college or university attended, indicating courses taken and degrees earned. Both undergraduate and graduate school transcripts must arrive at the Office of Admissions in a sealed envelope or sent via secure transcripts email service. Note: If the degree is still in progress, a final transcript will be required before matriculation.
- For mailing transcripts, mail to Admissions Department, 40 Avon Street, Keene, NH 03431.
- For eTranscripts, send to [email protected]
- Three letters of recommendation from persons who are or have been in a position to evaluate the applicant’s academic or professional work. Your recommenders can submit their letter electronically using the online application or send a signed, sealed copy directly to Admissions with the cover form attached. College or University Placement Files are not acceptable.
- GREs are being waived for the Fall 2020-2021 application cycles.
Normally, the Graduate Record Examination General Test must be taken and scores received by the Office of Admissions prior to the application deadline. We use the GRE results as one way of assessing academic promise. Most of our applicants score above the 30th percentile on the verbal and the quantitative sections of the GRE. If quantitative or verbal GRE scores are below the 30th percentile, there must be other strong evidence of academic promise. GRE scores over five years old cannot be considered. Our institutional code is (98)3694.
There will be two admissions cycles for entry in Fall 2021: November and January
November Application Cycle Timeline
- Fully Completed Application Due – Monday, November 2, 2020
- Invitations to Interview – By November 30, 3020
- Interviews – Thursday, December 10, 2020, and/or Saturday, December 12, 2020
- Admissions Decisions will go out the week December 20th
- National Decisions Day – April 15, 2021 (deadline for the applicant to notify Admissions)
January Application Cycle Timeline
- Fully Completed Application Due – Monday, January 4, 2021
- Invitations to Interview – By February 1, 2021
- Interviews – Thursday, February 11, 2021, and/or Saturday, February 13, 2021
- Admissions Decisions will go out the week of February 21st
- National Decisions Day – April 15, 2021 (deadline for the applicant to notify Admissions)
Interview
A face-to-face interview with an Admissions Committee is required. However, under extenuating circumstances, alternative arrangements may be made. Only those applicants who are judged outstanding on the basis of their completed application materials will be invited for an interview. All interviews for the December cycle will take place during the month of January; all interviews for the January cycle will be conducted between the end of February and the middle of March. Admissions decisions are made by a committee. We cannot give applicants specific feedback about their admissions decisions.
Tuition & Financial Aid
A Doctoral education is an investment in your future. Let us help you understand the costs and explore the resources available to help make your college education even more affordable. The majority of AUNE students finance their education through some form of financial aid. You may not be sure which federal, state, public, and private aid packages – such as loans, scholarships, and grants—are right for you. Our staff is here to help you, so you can focus on what’s most important: beginning your academic program at AUNE.
Upcoming Events
PsyD Student Panel & Info Session | AUNE
Recent News
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PsyD in Clinical Psychology Program Hosts Nationally Recognized Thought Leader on Field Supervisors Day
by Antioch University on February 23, 2021
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Helping Students Impact Their Communities Leads to Big Award
by Jasper Henderson on January 20, 2021
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PsyD Alum Receives APA Award for Outstanding Contributions to Ethics Education
by Karen Hamilton on January 4, 2021