Clinical Program Information
The Clinical Program is an APA-accredited program with a cognitive- behavioral/ social learning orientation and a strong research emphasis, organized to give the student a knowledge of the field of psychology as a method of inquiry into human behavior.
Program Curriculum and Structure
The purpose of the APA-accredited Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology is to train outstanding clinical scientists who will go on to make valuable contributions to the field of clinical psychology. Specific aims are:
- to give the student a knowledge of the field of psychology as a method of inquiry into human behavior with a focus on the central role of empiricism in all aspects of clinical psychology;
- to develop competence in theoretical and research issues that pertain to clinical psychology and related areas, and empirical methodologies for studying and providing clinical services;
- to give the student an identification with psychology as an integrated basic and applied science;
- to develop culturally-competent skills in service and research;
- to insure that the individual has the ability to function in research-oriented (e.g., academic) and applied (e.g., medical centers) settings through the development of competencies in the production and consumption of research, the teaching of clinical psychology, and the supervision and provision of clinical services
The Clinical Psychology Program is based on the clinical science model, and as such, takes an empirical perspective with a cognitive behavioral orientation. Mentored research activities, course work in basic and clinical psychology, teaching, and clinical practica represent the training experiences available in this model. The critical role of empiricism as a unifying perspective for research experiences and clinical activities is viewed as an important aspect of the program. This integration is achieved by the student typically being involved in course work, research activities, and clinical practicum during each semester of residency on campus. The latter two experiences are achieved by the student working closely with selected faculty members within the context of one-to-one interactions with research faculty or small practicum teams in the clinical setting. Within this "learning by doing" approach, students are continuously involved in active research projects as well as actual supervised clinical practice. Of note, the majority of our students complete the program within five years (see Admissions/Outcome Data section below for details). Follow this link for a list of the interests and expertise of individual faculty members.
Facilities and Resources
The Psychology Clinic, the program's teaching clinic, is located in the Psychology Building and offers excellent facilities for observation and supervision. The clinic, directed by Dr. Amos Zeichner, provides outpatient services to adults and children from Athens and surrounding counties as well as students, faculty, and staff of the University of Georgia.
All clinical faculty and students have offices and laboratory space in the Psychology Building, allowing for frequent interaction between students and faculty. Students have easy access to several excellent computer labs and to the University's Main Library and Science Library, as well as comprehensive access to most journals electronically from any computer.
Graduate students may take advantage of the many cultural and athletic events held on campus and may use the Ramsey Student Center for Physical Activities, which has been described as the best facility of its type in the country.
Graduate Students
There are currently (2011) 36 students enrolled in the program, 86% of whom are women. The median age of students is approximately 25. Students come from geographically and culturally diverse backgrounds, and the program has a strong commitment to cultural diversity in its student body.
Admission Requirements and Procedures
Minimum criteria for admission are set by the Graduate School, the Department of Psychology, and the Clinical Program. These criteria include a bachelor's degree, an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.00, a graduate GPA (if applicable) of at least 3.50, and GRE total (Verbal + Quantitative) score not less than 1100. However, credentials of students enrolled in the program substantially exceed these minimum criteria. The Written portion of the GRE is also considered and excellent writing skills are expected. For details of applications, class size and makeup, please see the Admissions/Outcomes Data section below.
Students who have earned master's degrees at the time of their admission to the program may be able to exempt a few courses but must complete the same number of hours of coursework as students entering with a bachelor's degree.
Application for admission requires both a Graduate School application obtained from the University of Georgia Office of Graduate Admissions and a supplementary Psychology Department application obtained here: http://psychology.uga.edu/graduate/suppapp10.pdf . The deadline for receipt of all application materials (i.e., including GRE scores and transcripts) is December 1. Top-ranked applicants will receive an invitation to interview in January or February. For more on psychology graduate admissions, contact the Graduate Coordinator's Office at gradpsyc@uga.edu or click here.
Financial Aid
Upon admission to the program students are eligible for a variety of types of financial aid. These include teaching assistantships (Students with masters degrees may teach their own course; those with the bachelor's degree assist a faculty member); research assistantships (awarded in a university-wide competition or through a faculty member's grant); and clinic assistantships, through the Psychology Clinic. Coordination of assistantship applications by the Director of Clinical Training permits the largest possible number of program students to receive assistantships. Program policy is that students receive priority for assistantships based on seniority in the program, prior performance as an assistant, and academic performance. Therefore, newly admitted students will rarely be offered an assistantship at the time of admission. Typically, however, a majority of students receive an assistantship during their first year, and virtually all students are funded during their 2nd-5th years in the program (see Admissions/Outcomes Data section below for Financial Aid statistics and funding levels).
Students may also work directly with the University’s Office of Student Financial Aid (706-542-6147) for assistance in securing student loans.
Program Administration
- Dr. Joan Jackson
- Director of Clinical Training
- Dr. Joshua Miller
- Chair of Admissions
- Ms. Marilyn Steffe
- Student Affairs Professional
Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data
The Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology, of which The University of Georgia Clinical Psychology Program is a member, requests that prospective students be provided with the following data related to admission and student outcomes. Please click here for current Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data in PDF format.
Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP)
During the period from 2005 - 2009 the EPPP was taken by 25 graduates of The University of Georgia Clinical Psychology Program with a 100% pass rate. Scores are reported by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB).
Accreditation
The Clinical Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:
- Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
- American Psychological Association
- 750 First Street, NE
- Washington, DC 20002
- Phone: (202) 336-5979
- Email: apaaccred@apa.org
- Website: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation
