Interested applicants should ensure that all of the following are received by January 15, 2012:

• Radford University Graduate Application
• A letter of interest describing the applicant’s professional and/or research experience, outlining the person’s career goals, and demonstrating an understanding of the Radford program and the time commitment (40+ hours per week, classes all year long, and at least 4 years to degree completion) necessary to successfully complete the Psy.D. degree
• A writing sample that includes both of the following:
  • Personal essay that is autobiographical in nature and focuses on the applicant’s (a) developmental history, (b) cultural background and experiences, (c) reasons for pursuing doctoral studies in counseling psychology, and (d) commitment to social justice and to providing professional service to people living in rural areas (5-6 pages of double-spaced text; no citations are necessary but if used they should follow APA-style)
• Reflective essay that addresses the applicant’s thoughts and understanding regarding the etiology of client distress and the nature of the change process (2-3 pages of double-spaced text; should include at least 4 citations to the professional literature, which are then included in an APA-style reference list).

• Submission of the additional form that can be found by clicking on this link. These questions are similar to those that will be asked when graduates of the program apply for licensure, to be on managed care panels, and to get malpractice insurance. The Psy.D. faculty do not think it is fair to admit students who may go through the entire program but then be unable to make a living as a psychologist.
  • If any of these items are checked “yes” then additional information will be necessary and the applicant should contact the Program Director.

• Curriculum Vita
  • In addition to the standard information regarding where you have had applied experience and names/contact information of supervisors at those sites, please provide the approximate number of (a) individual face-to-face counseling hours, (b) group hours, (c) couples/family hours, (d) psychological assessment/evaluation hours, and (e) supervision hours received as part of practicum/internship training and the approximate number of hours in each of these categories received through work experience.

• Please make sure that you report psychological assessment/evaluation hours separately because these do not constitute counseling when conducted on their own. Although a mix of counseling and assessment is acceptable, experience that is primarily focused on assessment/evaluation may not meet the Admission Committee’s criteria.
   
• Official transcripts of all undergraduate (including community college) and graduate work
  • Please note that the minimum allowable Graduate GPA is 3.5

• Please also note that only applicants who have received a Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, in a human services field, where they provided face-to-face counseling services for at least a total of 60 hours, working with multiple clients, under the supervision of an appropriately credentialed professional are eligible for admission, except under unusual circumstances (please direct inquiries to the Program Director about whether such circumstances may exist for you).

• Three reference forms AND accompanying letters of recommendation, including at least one from a professor who can comment on the applicant’s academic skills, including ability to pursue doctoral-level training, and one from a supervisor who can speak to the applicant’s counseling skills and response to supervision.
  • Personal references are not considered and will not count toward the three required letters.
  • Letter writers are free to provide whatever information they want but they should also include discussion of following points (which are included in the attached form, which can be sent to the references):
    • The applicant’s awareness of and adherence to ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements;
    • Any concerns about the applicant’s ability to act in accordance with ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements;
    • The applicant’s ability to complete an academically rigorous doctoral program;
    • The applicant’s style and degree of responsiveness to feedback and/or supervision;
    • The applicant’s “character” and “fitness” (Johnson & Campbell, 2002), as described in the attached form.
  • Reference forms without a letter will not count toward the three required references

• Official scores from the GRE General Test
  • Please note that GRE scores are only good for 5 years

• International applicants must also submit TOEFL or IELTS scores

We want to emphasize that only files that are complete on January 15 will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. It is therefore crucial that applicants allow enough time for transcripts and the GRE scores to arrive and for letters to be written and arrive. Applicants should stay in touch with their letter writers and transcript offices to make sure the material is sent and follow-up with the information provided online by the Graduate College to monitor the status of their application file.

Initial screening of applicants is based on an assessment of a student’s undergraduate and graduate GPAs, GRE scores, appropriateness of academic preparation, relevance of professional experience, quality of references, appropriateness of career goals, and quality of submitted writing samples. Applicants should obtain current admission information from the Graduate College and the Psy.D. Program.

The first consideration is whether an applicant has received (or will receive by August) a Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, in a human services field, meeting the following requirements:

·         The applicant provided face-to-face counseling services for at least a total of 60 hours, working with multiple clients, under the supervision of an appropriately credentialed professional.

o   Psychological assessment/evaluation hours are to be listed separately because these do not constitute counseling when conducted on their own. Although a mix of counseling and assessment is acceptable, experience that is primarily focused on assessment/evaluation may not meet the Admission Committee’s criteria.

·         The applicant has completed the following courses either during the Master’s program or another graduate program in the last five years. If students are invited for interviews, syllabi from these courses will need to be submitted to the Psy.D. Program Director. Note: These courses MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE a student can enroll in Psy.D. Program courses:

o   Professional issues and ethics (equivalent to RU’s PSYC 640)

o   Counseling Theories (equivalent to RU’s PSYC 641)

o   Counseling Techniques (equivalent to RU’s PSYC 642)

o   Basic Assessment Methods (fundamental assessment considerations)

o   Basic Statistics (equivalent to RU’s PSYC 610)

o   Research Design (equivalent to RU’s PSYC 611)

These guidelines will be followed except under unusual circumstances (please direct inquiries to the Program Director about whether such circumstances may exist for you).

Once the initial screening regarding degree and experience is complete, the rest of the application is reviewed. Graduate GPA is more important than undergraduate GPA in our review process; GRE scores are not a primary factor in determining who is offered an interview. Current Psy.D. students and other RU Psychology Department faculty will be informed of who has applied and confidential feedback will be requested from them. This information will be considered alongside material provided by applicants when making interview decisions.

Because Radford University is located in a small community, applicants should be aware that Psy.D. faculty cannot guarantee that no one outside the Program or Psychology Department will find out who has applied. Therefore, applicants should be prepared in the event that others in the applicant’s life (e.g., current employers, family members, friends) find out about the application.

The Program Director or designee will call references and their comments will affect who is invited for interviews. The most important factor in determining who is invited for an interview is the degree of fit between the applicant and the program. This includes experience with and commitment to rural mental health, cultural diversity, social justice, and evidence-based practice. An applicant's potential contribution to the diversity of the program through background, experience, and other characteristics is also a consideration.

Near the beginning of February, selected applicants will be invited to campus for interviews with faculty and current students. We have not yet set the dates for the 2012 interviews so please check our site in late 2011 for the 2012 interview dates. We anticipate being able to reimburse at least some, if not all, of the travel expenses for applicants invited to campus for interviews. Students who have enrolled said that coming to Radford to see the campus, meet the faculty and current students in person, and interact with others on campus who support the program were important reasons why they turned down other offers or left their jobs to join the program. Thus, we suggest that if at all possible you plan on coming to Radford to interview in person if invited. Following the interviews, the Psy.D. faculty members decide which applicants will be offered admission into the program. Notification of acceptance, alternate status, or denial is typically made in late February or early March. Offers of admission must be accepted or declined by April 15.
 

The number of applicants recommended for admission each year varies and is determined primarily by the quality of applicants and their match with program goals along with the availability of faculty advisors for incoming students. Because the University intends to fund up to 5 students per year, the maximum number we will admit will be 5.
 

Individuals applying, after having previously been denied, must submit a new application. Previously submitted materials and credentials will not be accepted. All requirements for admission must be met for the applicant to receive the same status as other applicants during that year.

Apply to the Psy.D. Program

. . .

As we discuss in both the Accreditation page and the first section of the FAQs page, the Radford University Psy.D. Program is not yet accredited by the American Psychological Association. If you have questions about the accreditation process for doctoral programs in psychology, you can contact the APA via the following means:

American Psychological Association
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation / Commission on Accreditation

750 First Street, NE

Washington, DC 20002-4242
Phone: 202-336-5979
TDD/TTY: 202-336-6123
Fax: 202-336-5978
E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org
Internet Webpage: http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation