Become a Psychologist

For more than half a century, the psychology department at Fordham has successfully trained students for practice, research, and teaching in clinical psychology. We seek to prepare students broadly for multiple careers in psychology. To ensure this diverse education, we maintain a theoretically eclectic faculty and admit students whose theoretical orientations are equally wide-ranging.

We employ the Boulder Scientist-Practitioner training model in our program. Following these standards, we challenge students to integrate critically and dynamically their scientific research with real-world practice in clinical work. We also seek to educate generalists while providing students with opportunities to develop specializations in particular areas and approaches in clinical psychology

Our faculty is dedicated to helping students form their professional identities by honing their special interests and talents and upholding high ethical standards. Our department always emphasizes respect for the diversity of personalities, ethnicities, religions, and the social lives of those in need of mental health services.

Applying to the Doctoral Program

Students are admitted to the clinical program within the psychology department rather than to a faculty member's lab. However, students interested in working with a particular faculty member are strongly encouraged to indicate this interest in their admission materials, as the vast majority of students enter the program with a clearly identified mentor.

The clinical program also admits students who do not declare which faculty member would be their academic and/or research adviser as part of the admissions process. These students are free to select the faculty members most able to direct the research interest they cultivate during their first year. Students are welcome to work with another faculty member on their doctoral dissertation should their research interests change during their time in the program.