Thank you for creating this video! I'm in my junior year of undergrad and I've been trying to find as much information about the Clinical Psych PhD admission process as possible. This was very helpful!
I got into UNLV's Clinical Psych Ph.D. program, and this information was spot on! Thank you, Dr. Walker. I will be sharing this with as many people as I can that I feel will value your advice.
Thanks a lot for this video Ma'am! Helped me with the clarity to steer my studies into the desired field in Research! I practice as a Clinical Psychologist and my interest is in Developmental Psychology.
Thank you for this video! I was really hoping you could provide some insight or advice on this for me. I’ve recently been admitted into a masters in counseling program and am trying to gain research experience but no faculty is responding, even after follow up emails or they are just to tell me they’re retired and the page i was viewing was from 2015-2017. It’s very frustrating because I am not sure what else to do in order to gain valuable research experience in psychology being that my masters program is in the dept. of education. Any advice would help, thank you.
Hi Dr. Walker! This was very informative. As an international student, I have very limited avenues for this kind of insight, so thank you for sharing this knowledge with us. I have a Masters thesis which I’m in the process of publishing. Is this enough to demonstrate research experience? I ask this specifically because competition is so high.
Hi Dr. Walker. Thank you for this straightforward video. I have a 3.4 BA in Sociology, taught in urban schools for 6+ years, and am looking to get admitted into a clinical psych Ph.D. program. What do you recommend I do to get into a Ph.D. program?
Thank you for this video! I was wondering if you could help me decide when to apply for PhD programs. I am graduating this May but I only have a semester worth of research. There wasn’t much time for research because I graduated in three years rather than the four. I have a 3.5 GPA. My plan is to take a gap year, do some research, and some volunteer work as well. Should I apply this Fall or wait to apply next Fall in fear that I won’t have enough on my resume?
Thank you so much for this! I’m earning my undergrad at a very small school who is not equipped to manage research experience opportunities; so, despite being in the latter half of my junior year, I only just recently learned about research experience and its requirement to get into PhD programs, and I’m frantically trying to learn as much as I can about it all so that I can get in as much research as I can before I graduate. How exactly do you find research opportunities? And how many would be considered “above and beyond”? Or what is an average amount of research experience that accepted PhD students received prior to submitting their applications?
What is some advice for someone who obtained a MSc. in Criminal Justice that would like to transition into obtaining a Ph.D. in Psych? What are some career choices? What are some differences in obtaining a certification, rather than going into a Ph.D program?
Hi Dr Walker, I'm 63 and sort of retired. I'm thinking of maybe starting a 2nd career. My original career was as a Silicon Valley software engineer but I'm burned out on that. I noticed about myself that when talking to friends about their problems, I try to delve into and really understand what's going on so that I can help them. It is natural for me to really probe them in order to come up with solutions. Do you think at my age, I could have a 2nd career? It's not so much about the money for me since I'm somewhat stable right now (although extra cash never hurts). Also, I have a PhD in computer science. Do I need to do another dissertation in order to get a PhD in psychology or would grad work + training be enough? (I'm leaning towards PsyD) I would definitely appreciate hearing your point of view!
I am so disappointed in my undergrad program. They do not have a psych club, or any mentors, or any research opportunity. I am now a junior who has spent three years just trying to figure out how to find research with no help from my school. I submitted my third application to start a psychology club and PSI CHI chapter, and they finally accepted. Do you have any recommendations for any "bridge" master's program for people like me? I want to do research and work with clients. I live in West Michigan and have struggled to find anything. How do I champion my own undergrad research?
Dr. Walker, how does one find out if a doctoral psychology program is fully funded, I'm an international student and have been accepted to a few doctoral programs in psychology in the UK, but no funding available. I'm interested in trying the US as there may be more opportunities for funding. Any advice on students accessing full funding?
Hi Dr. Walker, thank you so much for such an informative video! I am a second semester sophomore in undergrad and I am planning on pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology. I have been working as an undergraduate research assistant for a bit longer than one year in a psychosis research lab. I absolutely love it, but my research interest is actually eating disorders, BDD, OCD, anxiety disorders, and trauma-related disorders, as well as the efficacy of psychoanalytic therapies for treating these disorders. I have been looking to gain research experience in these areas, but I have not found many that are that specific to those interests. Would my experience working in psychosis research be valuable? We do work with populations in the age range that I would like to work with and study, and we do very thorough psychological evaluations of our study participants, so some of them have the disorders I mentioned. I am thinking of doing a research project on the correlation between clinical high risk for psychosis and a diagnosis of one of these disorders, but should I be doing more to get research experience that is more tailored to my interests? Thank you!
I went to a community college, so they never really offered internships. Now I'm a junior and I have a year left before I graduate and get a BS in Psychology. Should I take a year off an dedicate it to internships? The thing is I've been having trouble finding undergraduate research positions and they ten to prefer or require 3+ years of experience even if it's an undergrad position. It's so hard in my state :(
Hi Dr. Walker, do you have any tips or suggestions for undergrads students. I am currently entering my second semester of sophomore year at Florida A&M University
What would you advise for masters students applying for PhD programs that are in the process of submitting a proposal to the IRB for research in the Spring. But have no existing research experience prior
Hi! Thank you so much for this video. I do have one question. If the research you’ve been involved in doesn’t align with the professor’s research you wish to work with, is that a bad thing? For instance if I’ve been working with research dealing with ADHD and would like to work with a professor who is studying eating disorders, would I not be a good fit?
It's great that you have experience. However, you will not be as well matched to an eating disorders researcher as another applicant who has experience in the area of eating disorders. It's nice to have exposure to the research process, but much (much) better to have research experience in an area that you wish to pursue at the doctoral level.
Hey Dr. Rasheeda, is it easier to get into a phd program if you already have a masters degree? Vs entering a phd right after obtaining a bachelor’s? Also, how long of research experience do I need to get my phd? And is there a way to get this experience without being a student?
Great video, thank you. I'm looking at applying next year after I graduate undergrad. I lack research experience as I'm legally blind. Professors won't give me a chance to work as a RA at my university. Will this greatly impact my options? As a black male with great grades (3.5) it's hard to get your foot in the door.
It's unfortunate that you have yet to connect with a professor. If you have not been doing so, be sure to lead with your strengths... beyond your gpa. Be sure to let potential advisors know specifically what you are good at and how you would be an asset to the research team. Sometimes, students assume what faculty 'should' know but with all of our responsibilities (developing new project, overseeing ongoing projects, teaching, committee work, advising, community service, national committees, etc.), it's good to get some help in figuring things out. If we have to do too much 'figuring,' it's easier to move on.
@Dr.Rheeda Walker , I'm a graduate respiratory therapist and wanted to ask is it possible to do a MSc program in clinical psychology and further more In doing a PHD program in clinical psychology. I'm very keen into research work. Hope to hear from you soon.
Sometimes, a master's level degree is a necessary step for admission to a Clinical Psych PhD program. That is, for students who are less than competitive (due to modest GRE scores or gpa, etc), a master's degree permits the student to demonstrate what they are capable of. Most students in clinical phd programs will not have gone this route, but this is the route for a small, but very determined proportion :-) I am less familiar with the MSc degree programs but if they facilitate immersion in clin psych research, that would be awesome.
Any research is potentially better than no research. Acknowledge that the area of research is different but had some merits-- gained insight to designing a research project? Engaged in invaluable participant recruitment? Make note of what was gained that would translate to any research area. And if there are OTHER strengths, be sure to highlight this!
Dr. Rheeda, I’m very new to this concept of a PhD program and selecting research project. I just figured out how to use the APA website to select the school, but how would I be able to find a research program tailored to my interest of study? For instance, I am very intrigued with the study of abnormal behavior. How would I find myself looking for a PhD programmed towards that study? I live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area in Texas and I am finishing my undergrad degree in psychology with a minors in anthropology. Thank you very much!
I think this is where the work begins. Others may have different resources or suggestions, but this is a list of accredited programs specifically in clinical psychology: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/programs/doctoral.pdf. You'll want to look at individual psychology faculty pages for sites that you are considering. Note that not all faculty are admitting students (e.g., I'm not this year) and in some instances, faculty have shifted their research interests and not yet updated their websites. Perhaps you've encountered newly published research and interested in working with the professor who conducted the study. To be sure, most psychologists are studying some type of "abnormal behavior" so you'll want to get much (more) more specific about which behavior most intrigues you or which methods of investigation (e.g., ecological momentary assessment [EMA] or and other non "self report" methodology). Best wishes to you.
@@dr.rheedawalker8021 Thank you so much for a detailed response! I will start doing some research with my local universities. I am at a disadvantage because I have a family that I can't uproot to move to a smaller town or expand my search to areas outside of a 50 mile radius. I am interested in the behavior and mental cognition of criminals. I have thought of being a criminal psychologist who specializes in counseling inmates. Not so much Forensics Psychology. This leads me to wonder about PsyD or PhD. I am not really sure which program will benefit this type of career field I am trying to get into.
Dr. Walker, Thank you for pointing out the importance of reseach experiences! To be honest I felt completely lost upon getting reseach experience because I only spent about a year in my 4 year college as me being a transfer student from community college then becoming a long distance student due to my job. Would you be able to give me little more advice if you don't mind? I am serving as a healthcare specialist in the army at the moment- which is not relevant to research in clinical psychology at all, my work is mostly consisted of screening patients including the mental health portion... Would you consider such work experience as a factor that could count positively upon phd/psyd applications? Thank you :)
Thank you for writing. Unfortunately, you are not alone in being lost (at multiple levels of the process). To be sure, not all programs have such an expectation. However, the most competitive programs do. Your military expertise as a healthcare specialist could bode well if you are interested in working with a professor who conducts research in health-related settings. Since all is relative, someone else who has such expertise *and* engaged in research in such settings, then that applicant will look stronger... but if your GRE scores far exceed that of someone with such experience, then you could be a stronger candidate. Hope this helps!
@@DrRheedaWalker Thank you so for your advice! My contract in military is almost towards to the end and currently I'm on dilemma of deciding whether or not to stay in or get out to prepare for the phd... Your advice definitely helped me a lot on my decision making process :) thank you!
Thank you dr walker for this amazing video. I am considering applying to a phd program when i finish my current undergraduate program!! This was very helpful . How do programs view research experience done in senior years of undergrad or even post bacc? Is it frowned upon if you haven't been doing research for at least 2-3 years ? Thanks so much 🙏🏿 (P.S my last name is walker too so we could be related 😊)
Thank you for giving me an opportunity to clarify! It's all relative. One year of research experience is good especially if it is a full-time position. Having 2-3 years is even better, but if the applicant has other attributes such conference presentations or co-authored publications, those stand out. Think of the PhD application as a package in which research-related attributes are key. Good luck, Ms. Walker! :-)
Hi Dr. Walker. A little late to this video but I'm glad I found it! I'm an international student and had a question. Would a masters (clinical psychology) thesis and a publication in a peer review journal make for a competitive applicant? With an Undergrad(psych major) gpa 3.94.
Not the video poster (but am in a PhD program in clinical psych) these things sound pretty competitive for an applicant. Two things to keep in mind: being an international student can be challenging depending on the funding situation of your prospective research mentor (make sure to reach out to this person and ask if they are accepting international applicants, as well as reach out to the programs themselves); and though these are competitive things to have on a CV, that is necessary but not sufficient: these things demonstrate that you would be a good student, but lots of good students will apply, so emphasize in your application why you will be a good fit for the research they do, this is the most important thing.
Hi Dr. Walker. Thank you so much for your video, it was really helpful! I have a question. I have done research experience but it doesn’t align with a professor that has worked with Autism. However, currently I have the work experience with Autism and data collection. Could this possibly be considered when applying for a graduate program or should I reevaluate my research experience?
Hopefully you can make the case for how your experience aligns with what the professor is doing. If it's not obvious or you can't make a compelling case, you won't be as competitive as someone who is a more obvious fit, unfortunately.
Hi Professor- I was wondering if it's common for people who don't have a bachelors degree in psychology to apply for a clinical psychology PhD. I have a communications bachelors, and am getting my masters degree in the same field. My plan is to then apply for a Clinical Psychology, PhD program after having adequate research and graduate level experience. Could you speak a bit on this topic? Thank you so much.
Great question and thanks for your patience! Most applicants (read ~90%) have a psychology degree. However, for clinical psy faculty who target communication in their research, an applicant who already has formal training/education in that area would stand out.
I'm a student of MA clinical psychology from IGNOU University of India. I want to do further studies in Chicago but I am confused about universities there and which course to do in future after my Master's program. Someone plsss help???
Hello Sufiya! It's always good to check if the US Universities offer higher studies to students who have done Distant Programs. The graduate programs (MSc) usually require 4 years of Undergraduate studies with Psychology, however there are programs such as Family Therapy, Counselling etc where I have seen BSc Psychology students from India getting admitted. Another factor is the GRE. Where the above mentioned courses might not require GRE, Other Psychology courses offered do seek the score from you. Additional chances of getting admitted to foreign universities would be your work experience in the relevant field seeking admission (that is, to have a strong statement of purpose for your studies). I hope this helps, all the best!!
I have found the professors to be extremely arrogant and simply don't respond to inquiries for volunteering in their research labs. So it is a Catch-22. You want candidates with research experience in your specific field of study, but you wont respond to students looking to volunteer their time for free to help you. So you really cant win. I finally found one really nice professor who allowed me to work for free with him, but it is not an area specifically I want to pursue my own degree in. I am interested specifically in treating, and doing research in, adult females with autism spectrum disorder who are also faced with trauma and chronic depression and anxiety, but I am a research assistant in the aging mind and memory. Go figure. It is so discouraging to be blown off on a daily basis when I would just like to ask questions on how to get to my end goal. And why would a student apply only to study what a professor has already studied, when there are many other possible areas they could work in and contribute scholarly work?
Is it possible to earn a phD if you have felonies from the past? (Since it takes about 10 years to earn a phD why not qualify after 10 year convictions right) 😏😎
Thank you for creating this video! I'm in my junior year of undergrad and I've been trying to find as much information about the Clinical Psych PhD admission process as possible. This was very helpful!
I got into UNLV's Clinical Psych Ph.D. program, and this information was spot on! Thank you, Dr. Walker. I will be sharing this with as many people as I can that I feel will value your advice.
Thanks and CONGRATULATIONS, Davy!
are you making 100k a year yet?
This was enormously helpful! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and wisdom with us!
Great-- glad that you found it to be helpful 😊
Thanks a lot for this video Ma'am! Helped me with the clarity to steer my studies into the desired field in Research! I practice as a Clinical Psychologist and my interest is in Developmental Psychology.
Thank you Dr. Walker, this was very helpful.
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I'll be applying to programs this Fall and am so nervous!
@@trembling3674 I did, but I ended up in a developmental psychology phd program and not clinical.
information very eye-opening, focused, and well-spoken --- thank you!
Great info. Thank you very much.
Great information! Thank you for making this video 🙂
thank you this just really helped me !
Great video!
Great information, thank you for sharing.
This was great information!! Thank you!!
So helpful, thank you!!
Thank you for this. It was very helpful.
Thank you. This video was very informative.
Grateful for this
Thank you Doctor!!!!
Thank you for this video! I was really hoping you could provide some insight or advice on this for me. I’ve recently been admitted into a masters in counseling program and am trying to gain research experience but no faculty is responding, even after follow up emails or they are just to tell me they’re retired and the page i was viewing was from 2015-2017. It’s very frustrating because I am not sure what else to do in order to gain valuable research experience in psychology being that my masters program is in the dept. of education. Any advice would help, thank you.
Hi Dr. Walker! This was very informative. As an international student, I have very limited avenues for this kind of insight, so thank you for sharing this knowledge with us. I have a Masters thesis which I’m in the process of publishing. Is this enough to demonstrate research experience? I ask this specifically because competition is so high.
Hi Dr. Walker. Thank you for this straightforward video. I have a 3.4 BA in Sociology, taught in urban schools for 6+ years, and am looking to get admitted into a clinical psych Ph.D. program. What do you recommend I do to get into a Ph.D. program?
Thank you for this video! I was wondering if you could help me decide when to apply for PhD programs. I am graduating this May but I only have a semester worth of research. There wasn’t much time for research because I graduated in three years rather than the four. I have a 3.5 GPA. My plan is to take a gap year, do some research, and some volunteer work as well. Should I apply this Fall or wait to apply next Fall in fear that I won’t have enough on my resume?
Thank you so much for this! I’m earning my undergrad at a very small school who is not equipped to manage research experience opportunities; so, despite being in the latter half of my junior year, I only just recently learned about research experience and its requirement to get into PhD programs, and I’m frantically trying to learn as much as I can about it all so that I can get in as much research as I can before I graduate.
How exactly do you find research opportunities? And how many would be considered “above and beyond”? Or what is an average amount of research experience that accepted PhD students received prior to submitting their applications?
What is some advice for someone who obtained a MSc. in Criminal Justice that would like to transition into obtaining a Ph.D. in Psych? What are some career choices? What are some differences in obtaining a certification, rather than going into a Ph.D program?
Hi Dr Walker, I'm 63 and sort of retired. I'm thinking of maybe starting a 2nd career. My original career was as a Silicon Valley software engineer but I'm burned out on that. I noticed about myself that when talking to friends about their problems, I try to delve into and really understand what's going on so that I can help them. It is natural for me to really probe them in order to come up with solutions. Do you think at my age, I could have a 2nd career? It's not so much about the money for me since I'm somewhat stable right now (although extra cash never hurts). Also, I have a PhD in computer science. Do I need to do another dissertation in order to get a PhD in psychology or would grad work + training be enough? (I'm leaning towards PsyD) I would definitely appreciate hearing your point of view!
Where are some suggest to apply to volunteer for research ??
I am so disappointed in my undergrad program. They do not have a psych club, or any mentors, or any research opportunity. I am now a junior who has spent three years just trying to figure out how to find research with no help from my school. I submitted my third application to start a psychology club and PSI CHI chapter, and they finally accepted. Do you have any recommendations for any "bridge" master's program for people like me? I want to do research and work with clients. I live in West Michigan and have struggled to find anything. How do I champion my own undergrad research?
Dr. Walker, how does one find out if a doctoral psychology program is fully funded, I'm an international student and have been accepted to a few doctoral programs in psychology in the UK, but no funding available. I'm interested in trying the US as there may be more opportunities for funding. Any advice on students accessing full funding?
Hi Dr. Walker, thank you so much for such an informative video! I am a second semester sophomore in undergrad and I am planning on pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology. I have been working as an undergraduate research assistant for a bit longer than one year in a psychosis research lab. I absolutely love it, but my research interest is actually eating disorders, BDD, OCD, anxiety disorders, and trauma-related disorders, as well as the efficacy of psychoanalytic therapies for treating these disorders. I have been looking to gain research experience in these areas, but I have not found many that are that specific to those interests. Would my experience working in psychosis research be valuable? We do work with populations in the age range that I would like to work with and study, and we do very thorough psychological evaluations of our study participants, so some of them have the disorders I mentioned. I am thinking of doing a research project on the correlation between clinical high risk for psychosis and a diagnosis of one of these disorders, but should I be doing more to get research experience that is more tailored to my interests? Thank you!
I went to a community college, so they never really offered internships. Now I'm a junior and I have a year left before I graduate and get a BS in Psychology. Should I take a year off an dedicate it to internships? The thing is I've been having trouble finding undergraduate research positions and they ten to prefer or require 3+ years of experience even if it's an undergrad position. It's so hard in my state :(
Hi Dr. Walker, do you have any tips or suggestions for undergrads students. I am currently entering my second semester of sophomore year at Florida A&M University
What would you advise for masters students applying for PhD programs that are in the process of submitting a proposal to the IRB for research in the Spring. But have no existing research experience prior
Question: what if I’m wanting to apply after 3 years of working in the industry (HR Tech) and am wanting to pivot
Hi! Thank you so much for this video. I do have one question. If the research you’ve been involved in doesn’t align with the professor’s research you wish to work with, is that a bad thing? For instance if I’ve been working with research dealing with ADHD and would like to work with a professor who is studying eating disorders, would I not be a good fit?
It's great that you have experience. However, you will not be as well matched to an eating disorders researcher as another applicant who has experience in the area of eating disorders. It's nice to have exposure to the research process, but much (much) better to have research experience in an area that you wish to pursue at the doctoral level.
Hey Dr. Rasheeda, is it easier to get into a phd program if you already have a masters degree? Vs entering a phd right after obtaining a bachelor’s? Also, how long of research experience do I need to get my phd? And is there a way to get this experience without being a student?
Does this also apply to Developmental Psychology?
Great video, thank you.
I'm looking at applying next year after I graduate undergrad. I lack research experience as I'm legally blind. Professors won't give me a chance to work as a RA at my university. Will this greatly impact my options? As a black male with great grades (3.5) it's hard to get your foot in the door.
It's unfortunate that you have yet to connect with a professor. If you have not been doing so, be sure to lead with your strengths... beyond your gpa. Be sure to let potential advisors know specifically what you are good at and how you would be an asset to the research team. Sometimes, students assume what faculty 'should' know but with all of our responsibilities (developing new project, overseeing ongoing projects, teaching, committee work, advising, community service, national committees, etc.), it's good to get some help in figuring things out. If we have to do too much 'figuring,' it's easier to move on.
AceHBK972 affirmative action makes it easy bro chill
Great job man! I hope everything works out!
@Dr.Rheeda Walker , I'm a graduate respiratory therapist and wanted to ask is it possible to do a MSc program in clinical psychology and further more In doing a PHD program in clinical psychology. I'm very keen into research work. Hope to hear from you soon.
Sometimes, a master's level degree is a necessary step for admission to a Clinical Psych PhD program. That is, for students who are less than competitive (due to modest GRE scores or gpa, etc), a master's degree permits the student to demonstrate what they are capable of. Most students in clinical phd programs will not have gone this route, but this is the route for a small, but very determined proportion :-) I am less familiar with the MSc degree programs but if they facilitate immersion in clin psych research, that would be awesome.
Should one mention their previous research if it isn't relevant to the program? Thank you, Dr. Walker
Any research is potentially better than no research. Acknowledge that the area of research is different but had some merits-- gained insight to designing a research project? Engaged in invaluable participant recruitment? Make note of what was gained that would translate to any research area. And if there are OTHER strengths, be sure to highlight this!
Dr. Rheeda, I’m very new to this concept of a PhD program and selecting research project. I just figured out how to use the APA website to select the school, but how would I be able to find a research program tailored to my interest of study? For instance, I am very intrigued with the study of abnormal behavior. How would I find myself looking for a PhD programmed towards that study?
I live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area in Texas and I am finishing my undergrad degree in psychology with a minors in anthropology.
Thank you very much!
I think this is where the work begins. Others may have different resources or suggestions, but this is a list of accredited programs specifically in clinical psychology: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/programs/doctoral.pdf. You'll want to look at individual psychology faculty pages for sites that you are considering. Note that not all faculty are admitting students (e.g., I'm not this year) and in some instances, faculty have shifted their research interests and not yet updated their websites. Perhaps you've encountered newly published research and interested in working with the professor who conducted the study. To be sure, most psychologists are studying some type of "abnormal behavior" so you'll want to get much (more) more specific about which behavior most intrigues you or which methods of investigation (e.g., ecological momentary assessment [EMA] or and other non "self report" methodology). Best wishes to you.
@@dr.rheedawalker8021 Thank you so much for a detailed response! I will start doing some research with my local universities. I am at a disadvantage because I have a family that I can't uproot to move to a smaller town or expand my search to areas outside of a 50 mile radius. I am interested in the behavior and mental cognition of criminals. I have thought of being a criminal psychologist who specializes in counseling inmates. Not so much Forensics Psychology. This leads me to wonder about PsyD or PhD. I am not really sure which program will benefit this type of career field I am trying to get into.
Dr. Walker,
Thank you for pointing out the importance of reseach experiences! To be honest I felt completely lost upon getting reseach experience because I only spent about a year in my 4 year college as me being a transfer student from community college then becoming a long distance student due to my job. Would you be able to give me little more advice if you don't mind? I am serving as a healthcare specialist in the army at the moment- which is not relevant to research in clinical psychology at all, my work is mostly consisted of screening patients including the mental health portion... Would you consider such work experience as a factor that could count positively upon phd/psyd applications? Thank you :)
Thank you for writing. Unfortunately, you are not alone in being lost (at multiple levels of the process). To be sure, not all programs have such an expectation. However, the most competitive programs do. Your military expertise as a healthcare specialist could bode well if you are interested in working with a professor who conducts research in health-related settings. Since all is relative, someone else who has such expertise *and* engaged in research in such settings, then that applicant will look stronger... but if your GRE scores far exceed that of someone with such experience, then you could be a stronger candidate. Hope this helps!
@@DrRheedaWalker Thank you so for your advice! My contract in military is almost towards to the end and currently I'm on dilemma of deciding whether or not to stay in or get out to prepare for the phd... Your advice definitely helped me a lot on my decision making process :) thank you!
You look 30 - how did you get your PhD in 2002?
Thank you dr walker for this amazing video. I am considering applying to a phd program when i finish my current undergraduate program!! This was very helpful . How do programs view research experience done in senior years of undergrad or even post bacc? Is it frowned upon if you haven't been doing research for at least 2-3 years ? Thanks so much 🙏🏿 (P.S my last name is walker too so we could be related 😊)
Thank you for giving me an opportunity to clarify! It's all relative. One year of research experience is good especially if it is a full-time position. Having 2-3 years is even better, but if the applicant has other attributes such conference presentations or co-authored publications, those stand out. Think of the PhD application as a package in which research-related attributes are key. Good luck, Ms. Walker! :-)
Hi Dr. Walker. A little late to this video but I'm glad I found it! I'm an international student and had a question. Would a masters (clinical psychology) thesis and a publication in a peer review journal make for a competitive applicant? With an Undergrad(psych major) gpa 3.94.
Not the video poster (but am in a PhD program in clinical psych) these things sound pretty competitive for an applicant. Two things to keep in mind: being an international student can be challenging depending on the funding situation of your prospective research mentor (make sure to reach out to this person and ask if they are accepting international applicants, as well as reach out to the programs themselves); and though these are competitive things to have on a CV, that is necessary but not sufficient: these things demonstrate that you would be a good student, but lots of good students will apply, so emphasize in your application why you will be a good fit for the research they do, this is the most important thing.
Hi Dr. Walker. Thank you so much for your video, it was really helpful! I have a question. I have done research experience but it doesn’t align with a professor that has worked with Autism. However, currently I have the work experience with Autism and data collection. Could this possibly be considered when applying for a graduate program or should I reevaluate my research experience?
Hopefully you can make the case for how your experience aligns with what the professor is doing. If it's not obvious or you can't make a compelling case, you won't be as competitive as someone who is a more obvious fit, unfortunately.
Thank you Dr. Walker!
Hi Professor-
I was wondering if it's common for people who don't have a bachelors degree in psychology to apply for a clinical psychology PhD. I have a communications bachelors, and am getting my masters degree in the same field. My plan is to then apply for a Clinical Psychology, PhD program after having adequate research and graduate level experience. Could you speak a bit on this topic? Thank you so much.
Great question and thanks for your patience! Most applicants (read ~90%) have a psychology degree. However, for clinical psy faculty who target communication in their research, an applicant who already has formal training/education in that area would stand out.
I'm a student of MA clinical psychology from IGNOU University of India. I want to do further studies in Chicago but I am confused about universities there and which course to do in future after my Master's program. Someone plsss help???
Did yu find a way ?
Because i share same issues!
Hello Sufiya! It's always good to check if the US Universities offer higher studies to students who have done Distant Programs. The graduate programs (MSc) usually require 4 years of Undergraduate studies with Psychology, however there are programs such as Family Therapy, Counselling etc where I have seen BSc Psychology students from India getting admitted. Another factor is the GRE. Where the above mentioned courses might not require GRE, Other Psychology courses offered do seek the score from you. Additional chances of getting admitted to foreign universities would be your work experience in the relevant field seeking admission (that is, to have a strong statement of purpose for your studies).
I hope this helps, all the best!!
I have found the professors to be extremely arrogant and simply don't respond to inquiries for volunteering in their research labs. So it is a Catch-22. You want candidates with research experience in your specific field of study, but you wont respond to students looking to volunteer their time for free to help you. So you really cant win. I finally found one really nice professor who allowed me to work for free with him, but it is not an area specifically I want to pursue my own degree in. I am interested specifically in treating, and doing research in, adult females with autism spectrum disorder who are also faced with trauma and chronic depression and anxiety, but I am a research assistant in the aging mind and memory. Go figure. It is so discouraging to be blown off on a daily basis when I would just like to ask questions on how to get to my end goal. And why would a student apply only to study what a professor has already studied, when there are many other possible areas they could work in and contribute scholarly work?
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Is it possible to earn a phD if you have felonies from the past? (Since it takes about 10 years to earn a phD why not qualify after 10 year convictions right) 😏😎
GRE is too expensive
Luckily a lot of programs are not requiring it anymore!
@@rosekelley5791 wanna take admission in PhD clinical psychology. GRE is required.
Please everyone do not engage in research on animals or monkeys, highly unethical!