Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology: Application Information & Requirements

Note: Applications should be submitted through Rowan Global Admissions. 

Applications are due by December 15th.

1.  A completed Rowan Global Application Form
2. Bachelor's degree (or its equivalent) from an accredited institution of higher learning
   1. Bachelor's degree in psychology or closely related field.
   2. Minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0
   3. For applicants who wish to transfer credits to our program, you must have a minimum 3.3 GPA in your graduate program. 
      1. Transfer credits are decided after matriculation into the program and these decisions are made by the DCT in collaboration with faculty who typically teach relevant courses. The maximum amount of transfer classes is 3, and having courses transferred typically does not result in fewer number of years in residence.
      2. In addition to coursework, students may request waiver of the MA Thesis requirement if they have previously completed a MA thesis that is related in content to RU’s clinical program. Like the coursework, decisions regarding transfer of the MA thesis is made following matriculation into the program. This decision is made by the DCT and the students identified mentor.
   4. Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 in Psychology coursework
      1. 18 credits of undergraduate psychology courses, including at least one 3 credit course in each of the following content: Introduction to Psychology, Research Methodology in Psychology or Social Sciences, Statistics, and Psychopathology/Psychological Abnormal Psychology.
         1. Please note that the content covered in these materials is most important to the admissions committee versus the exact name of the course itself. Transcripts are reviewed at admissions and promising prospective students that might not have one of these content courses will still be considered. We encourage applicants who do not have relevant coursework to describe their academic qualifications in either a cover letter or elsewhere in their application materials. If students are admitted to the program while not having prerequisite coursework, they may be asked to complete such coursework prior to matriculation into the program.
3. GRE Psychology Test scores
   1. Required if you were not an undergraduate psychology major or if your MA degree was not in Psychology (does not need to be a clinical/counseling psychology MA program). Preferred if you only hold an undergraduate minor in Psychology.
4. Current Curriculum Vitae
5. Three letters of recommendation on official letterhead accompanied by Rowan Global Letter of Recommendation Form. If letters cannot be uploaded for any reason, you can submit them directly to global@rowan.edu. Please indicate the name of the applicant and that they are applying to the PhD Program in Clinical Psychology in your communication. 
6. A personal statement that includes professional objectives, research interests, and any other information the candidate would like to share with the admissions committee. Applicants should also indicate what faculty member(s) they are interested in conducting research with and how this interest fits into their career goals. Applicants are requried to indicate up to three faculty members with whom they would be interested in working, although they are not required to indicate more than one. 
   1. A list of all faculty taking students for the current application cycle can be found on the Faculty, Staff and Students page of the website. (This list is updated annually by October).
   2. Need some tips on writing a good personal statment? Check out this resource.
7. Admissions Interviews
   1. All admissions interviews are conducted virtually. On-site visits for those who are offered admissions can be requested after admissions offers are made. Such requests should be made to the students potential mentor and the DCT. Students may also visit the campus at any time and campus visits can be arranged via the Office of Admissions. It should be noted that although the program tries to honor such requests, we cannot guarantee on-campus visits.
8. $65 (U.S.) non-refundable application fee. Application fee waivers can be requested through Rowan Global. Any student attending one of our program open houses received a tuition waiver automatically.
9. Official transcripts from all colleges attended (regardless of number of credits earned)

If you experience any issues or if you have any concerns, please contact Rowan Global Admissions at 856-256-4747 or by email at global@rowan.edu.

Looking for some information on how to make your application more successful? Check out this resource. 

Pre-application Inquires

It is not uncommon for potential applicants to request individual meetings (phone, in person, video conference) or campus tours, prior to the application deadline. Unfortunately, given the number of requests and applications we receive, our program is unable to meet with current or future applicants until interview dates. Instead, feel free to email and indicate your interest to individual faculty members. Please be patient receiving a response; our faculty are very busy. Generally, our faculty tend not arrange preapplication meetings to avoid any impressions about the likelihood of admission without the benefit of the full application process.

You are encouraged to contact Rowan University’s admissions department to schedule a campus tour and attend any of the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Open House sessions when available.

What about the General GRE Exam?

GRE General Test scores are not used in the admissions process. Please do NOT include any information about the GRE in your application packet or have that information sent with your application. If you do send this information, it will not be considered or reviewed and the scores will be removed from your application prior to being sent to faculty.