Department of Psychology

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Questions about the application process

What is the deadline for applying to the graduate program?
The application deadline for applications is December 1st of the year of admission.

Can I apply to start graduate school in the Spring or Summer?
No. All Ph.D. programs in the Psychology Department accept students for Fall admission only.

How many applications do you usually receive, and how many do you accept each year? 
The doctoral program in clinical psychology typically receives 100 applications each year. Each year approximately 3-4 students are admitted. More information on our applicants to the program can be found here.

Can I apply to more than one area in the Psychology Department?
Yes. When you complete our faculty mentor ranking form (which is part of your application), you will be asked if you would like for your application to be considered by the Experimental Psychology program. By responding “yes” to this question, your application will be reviewed by the Experimental admissions committee as well.

How do I apply?
Click here to learn more about our Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology.
Click here to learn more about our Admission Procedures.

Who do I contact for more information?
Please visit our faculty members webpages to learn more about their programs of research and contact the faculty member with whom you are interested in working. For questions about the program in general or the application process, please contact our Director of Clinical Training, Sarah Francis, email: sarah.francis@utoledo.edu

What is required for a complete application?

• • Graduate school application form
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • $45.00 application fee
  • Completed graduate advisor ranking form
  • Statement of purpose
  • CV
  • Transcripts
  • For more information on the above, please check here.

What should I include in my statement of purpose?
A statement of purpose of no more than two single-spaced pages. The applicant’s name should be indicated at the top of each page. After you create your document, convert it to an Adobe pdf file before uploading (free pdf file conversion is freely available, such as from www.cutepdf.com, or www.pdf24.org). The statement of purpose should address the following areas:

• Why you want to become a clinical psychologist.
• Your professional plans or goals as a clinical psychologist. As specifically as possible, indicate what you see yourself doing 5 or 10 years from now.
• Your background or experience relevant to clinical psychology training.
• Your interests within the field of psychology. Please describe any specific interests in clinical psychology. If possible, please indicate one or more particular faculty members with whom you would like to work with and how they may assist you in developing your areas of interest further.
• (Optional) Your experiences with diversity and/or how you would bring diversity to the clinical psychology program. The University of Toledo and UT Department of Psychology maintain a strong commitment to diversity in all areas and are especially interested in receiving applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds, including underrepresented groups. Our focus on diversity includes, but is not limited to, differences in race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, socio-economic status, and disability status.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CLINICAL PROGRAM

Is the University of Toledo Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology an accredited program?
Yes. The American Psychological Association has accredited our Ph.D. Clinical Psychology program since 1979.

Questions related to the program's accreditation status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 1st Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 336-5979 
E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org 
Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation

Can I complete the program part-time, online, or long-distance?
The graduate program in clinical psychology is offered full-time and in-person only.

How long will it take to get my PhD?
Clinical students typically receive their degrees in five years, including the required year-long APA-accredited internship. More information on our time to degree completion can be found here.

Do all students receive financial support?
Yes. The clinical program offers two types of support to students: graduate assistantships and community externships. Each type of support requires a maximum average of 20 hours of work per week and currently pays $16,000 for the 9-month academic year, with an additional stipend available in the summer. More about our financial support for students can be found here.

Do all students receive tuition waivers?
Yes. A tuition waiver for 9 credit hours during the academic year and 3-6 credit hours in the summer accompanies the student stipends. All required coursework is covered by tuition waivers.

Can I work with faculty members across the different areas in the Department?
Yes. Our program offers opportunities for joint mentoring. Our guidelines for joint mentoring can be found here.

QUESTION ABOUT ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Can I apply to the doctoral program in clinical psychology with a bachelor’s degree?
Yes. We accept students at both the bachelors and masters level into the doctoral program. 

I don’t have my BA in psychology. Can I still apply?
Yes; however, due to the competitive nature of the Psychology Ph.D. programs, a bachelor’s degree in psychology is highly recommended. Successful applicants who have not earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology have either completed additional psychology coursework outside of their undergraduate degree or earned a masters degree in psychology. For further questions about your previous coursework and experiences, please contact our DCT.

I only want to pursue a master’s degree and not a Ph.D. How do I apply for just the master’s degree?
The Psychology Department at UT does not offer a terminal master’s degree program. We seek applicants who intend to earn the Ph.D. As noted above, students entering the program without a master’s degree will be awarded the master’s en route to the Ph.D.

Can I apply to the doctoral program if I have received a master’s degree?
Yes. For students who already have a master’s degree in clinical psychology, some courses may count toward coursework requirements at UT. This is assessed once the applicant is accepted into the program and enrolled. Students who have completed a masters thesis may also be eligible to have the UT thesis requirement waived. Please note, however, that there is no guarantee that courses taken at another university or a thesis completed in another program will meet the requirements of our program. If you have your Master’s degree in a field other than clinical psychology, you must receive your master’s degree through our program before you can commence work toward the doctoral degree.

Will I receive a master’s degree in addition to the doctoral degree?
Students entering the program without master’s degrees will earn a master’s en route to the doctorate.

Am I required to take the GRE?

No. We do not consider GRE scores as part of the application.

Am I required to take the subject GRE?
No. The subject GRE is not required for admission. However, if admitted, all students who enter the program will be required to demonstrate the successful completion (e.g., grades of at least B-) of undergraduate coursework in each of the following areas of psychology: Affective (Emotion), Biological, Cognitive, Developmental, Social OR to take the GRE Psychology Subject Test. 

Am I required to take the TOEFL?
We require the TOEFL from all candidates who complete their undergraduate degree at an institution where English is not the medium of instruction. For an international applicant who studied at a university where the language of instruction was English, this must be communicated on the official transcripts for the TOEFL requirement to be waived.

Are there additional considerations for international applicants?
International applicants should also review the additional application requirements that can be found here. For further questions related to international applicants, please reach out directly to our College of Graduate Studies, email: GRDSCH@UToledo.Edu

What institution/department code should I provide when I take the TOEFL?
The institution code is 1845. There is NO department code.

QUESTIONS ABOUT ADMISSIONS PROCEDURES

When are decisions about admission made?
Admission decisions are generally made by April 15^th each year.

What can I expect after I submit my application?
As applications are received by our College of Graduate Studies, your online application status will be updated. Your application status can be checked by logging in here. Please allow a period of time for your submitted materials to be reviewed and updated in your online application. Clinical faculty will review completed clinical applications from mid to late December. In late December, the faculty will decide who to invite for interviews (approximately 15-20 of the top qualified applicants), and interviews will take place in February. Please DO NOT contact the department via -phone for an update on your application.

I’ve been invited for an interview – where can I find out more about the interview process for clinical psychology? 
Please review the materials found here for advice on how to approach interviews in clinical psychology.