Clinical Program

The intent of our doctoral program in clinical psychology is to train students to become scientific clinical psychologists. It is our view that clinical psychology must be a science-based discipline, as the scientific method provides the strongest basis for developing new knowledge in our field and for disseminating services that are shown scientifically to be effective. We train our students to be leading researchers, critical consumers of the scientific literature, and clinicians who depend on scientific findings to guide their applied activities. All of our doctoral students are expected to conduct original research, and most of our graduates make ongoing contributions to the scientific literature over the course of their careers. All students are trained to function independently as research scientists and to use scientific evidence in all phases of developing and applying clinical services. These commitments are expressed through the following specific goals:

1. Students acquire and demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to conduct and evaluate empirical research in areas of importance within clinical psychology;

2. Students acquire and demonstrate knowledge of the broad base of psychological theory and research related to the field of clinical psychology;

3. Students acquire and demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical bases and empirical support for current methods of clinical practice and the skills required to implement theory-based, evidence based practice;

4. Students acquire and demonstrate the skills necessary to conduct themselves ethically and professionally; and

5. Students acquire and demonstrate the skills necessary to conduct themselves in a culturally competent manner in their research and clinical practice. Students are expected to participate in a variety of research experiences throughout their training to develop the necessary conceptual skills to design and evaluate clinical research. The clinical faculty publish in top quality refereed research journals and are active leaders in professional organizations.

Student Participation

Students will participate in seminars, core courses, and clinical practicum that focus on the science and evidence-based practice of clinical psychology. Students acquire clinical training through a departmental training clinic and external practicum sites. Students are required to complete a one-year, APA-approved internship prior to completion of the Ph.D. degree. Students who enter with a master's degree follow a similar curriculum. Please note that the clinical psychology Ph.D. program requires a minimum of four years of full-time study on campus plus an additional 1-year internship for program completion, and that at least two years must be at this institution and one year must be in full-time residence.

The clinical psychology program at Oklahoma State makes student admissions, outcomes, and other data available. In the application review process, the Admissions Committee considers: (a) research experiences, (b) fit of applicant's interests to program and faculty research interests, (c) letters of recommendation, (d) GRE/GPA, and (e) quality of undergraduate/graduate training. Also in the spirit of these policies, our Graduate Student Handbook and Clinical Program Supplement are available for download. It contains specifics on what is required of our graduate students.

Application Information

The deadline for the Clinical Program is December 1st of each year. The Clinical Program expects prospective students to attend Interview Weekend held in February. Applicants will be notified by late December if they are to be invited.

Accreditation

The clinical psychology program at Oklahoma State University has been continuously accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1971 and has been accredited by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System since 2018. The program integrates scientific and professional training through research, practicum, and didactic experiences. The program transitioned from a scientist-practitioner model to a clinical science model and is a member of the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science. Our program recognizes clinical training as a core competency in the development of clinical scientists and we believe that clinical competency facilitates and informs clinical science. Thus, we strive to provide excellent clinical training that integrates science and practice through the development of knowledge and skills in basic psychology, research methodology, clinical theory, assessment, case conceptualization, prevention, and treatment procedures. Four specialized tracks are offered: clinical child, health psychology, pediatric psychology and adult psychopathology.

Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:

American Psychological Association

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First Street, N.E.
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Phone: 202-336-5979
Fax: 202-336-5978
TDD: 202-336-6123

Email

Frequently Asked Questions 

• Can I make an appointment to speak with someone/visit the department?

  Potential applicants interested in our program are encouraged to visit our website for information. If you have additional questions, please email Patricia Alexander or call her at 405-744-7591. Due to the volume of inquiries we receive, we are unable to meet with current or future applicants until interview dates, which are held in early February each year. Applicants chosen for interviews will be notified soon after the application deadline. If invited to interview, please make arrangements to attend. You may also wish to contact faculty members who share research interests in order to inquire if they are accepting new graduate students, but again, most are unable to schedule personal meetings due to time constraints.

• Can I complete the program part-time? 
  No. Our doctoral program is a full-time program and students are expected to be on campus throughout the week to attend classes, participate in research activities, clinical work, meetings, etc. We typically do not offer doctoral-level courses online or on weekends.
• Can I complete this program from a distance/online?
  No. The clinical psychology program requires full-time enrollment and on-campus presence. This is not an online program.
• Do you have late admissions?
  No. Our admissions committee works very quickly after the submission deadline to review applications. Any applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
• Can I apply to your program if I just want a Master's degree? 
  No. Our program is structured as a Ph.D. program and is not geared towards Master's-only students.
• Do I need to send in official transcripts?
  Students are required to upload official transcript(s) on the application website.
• What materials need to be uploaded to the application?
  The application asks that you upload official transcripts, a CV, personal statement and a writing sample.
• What should my writing sample consist of?
  We require that you submit a paper representative of your writing abilities, preferably from an experimental psychology course, a convention paper presentation or a manuscript submitted or accepted for publication. If one of these is not available, any paper from a psychology course will suffice. Please note, however, that the paper will be examined for evidence of both writing skills and research expertise.
• How many letters of recommendation do you require?
  Three
• How do my recommenders upload their letters of recommendation?
  After providing the name and information for recommenders, the graduate school will generate an email and send them all the information they need to provide their recommendations.
• I have a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology. Is it possible to obtain credit for past coursework or have the thesis requirement waived?
  Current students may make requests for recognition of departmental course equivalence and/or requests for waivers of departmental course requirements. These must be submitted to the faculty member who is responsible for the specific course for which you request a waiver. Students must discuss any transfer or waiver with their advisor and obtain their advisor’s approval before approaching the instructor for a particular course. For courses that meet departmental requirements, the student must obtain the instructor’s approval, then submit their request through the Departmental Office to the Department Advisory Committee for its approval. All requests must be submitted and approved by the Department Advisory Committee before the first week of the semester that the course is offered. Departmental core courses cannot be waived.
  
  For clinical students who want consideration for previous course work to count in lieu of required clinical courses, the following procedure must be followed.
  

  • First, the student and their designated academic advisor should discuss the benefits and drawbacks of waiving required clinical courses.
  • Second, if there is agreement that a request to waive a specific course is reasonable, the student and advisor should jointly write a memo to the Director of Clinical Training to ask that the request be placed on the agenda for discussion by the Clinical Training Committee. This memo should attach a summary of previous training that is relevant to the request for waiver.
  • Third, the Clinical Training Committee will review the request. Finally, if approved by the Clinical Training Committee, the student will meet with the course instructor to determine requirements for waiving the specified course. No more than three clinical courses may be waived.

  In addition to receiving departmental acceptance of course equivalence, the Graduate College will accept toward a master’s degree up to nine semester credit hours taken at another accredited college or university offering a graduate program. The student must have been fully admitted to a degree program. Courses taken as a special student at another university will not be accepted by the Graduate College. The master’s thesis may be waived on a case by case basis after discussion with a student’s advisor.
• I am interested in seeking assistantship aid. Do I need to upload any documentation confirming this?
  Our program waives in-state and out-of-state tuition and fully funds all of the graduate students it accepts.
• What is required of the personal statement? Is there an exact length requirement?
  The psychology program does not require a specific length to their personal statements. As a general rule, they run about two to four pages in length. This statement should address
  

  1. Why you want to become a psychologist
  2. Experiences you have had that enhance your psychology application
  3. Future plans after you achieve the doctorate
  4. Carefully chronicle any job experience in the helping professions, especially any jobs relating to mental health (Include both paid and volunteer experience in these areas).
• Is it required to take the subject GRE?
  No, we do not require the subject GRE. This year, the general GRE is also waived.
• Which faculty are accepting students?
  You can see which faculty are accepting students by looking at the list of faculty  and under each faculty’s name, you will see a statement indicating that they are or are not accepting students this year.
• How long does it take to complete the program?
  In the past 10 years, the average time it has taken to complete the program is six years (including internship).
• Is the program accredited?
  The Oklahoma State University Clinical Psychology doctoral program has been accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1971 and is accredited by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS).
• Can I apply as an international student?
  Yes, The Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program follows the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology's (CUDCP) policy on admissions offers and acceptances. We also encourage you to review the CUDCP fact sheet on graduate programs in clinical psychology.
   
  Visit Clinical Psych Grad School for more information on graduate education in psychology and mental health.
  
  
• Licensure: Consumer Information Disclosure
  The Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program in the Department of Psychology at Oklahoma State University provides education in clinical psychology that is compliant with national standards. The practice of psychology, however, is regulated at the state level, and may require training experiences and examinations beyond the educational and training requirements provided by the Ph.D. program.
   
  Oklahoma State University, to the best of its ability, determined that the curriculum offered by our program meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification to practice psychology in each of the 50 states in the United States.
   
  You are also encouraged to review the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards’ online tool, PsyBook, which summarizes requirements for most states and territories, and to contact the licensing authorities directly in the state for which you hope to get licensed.