Dr. Kaye Sly, Associate Professor and Interim Chair
P. O. Box 17550
Telephone: (601) 979-4005
Fax: (601) 979-3947
E-mail: kaye.f.sly@jsums.edu

Faculty

Dr. D. McLin, Professor
Dr. J. Broussard, Assistant Professor
Dr. K. Hudson, Assistant Professor
Dr. C. Moreland, Assistant Professor
Dr. R. Liu-Pham, Assistant Professor
Dr. K. Sly, Associate Professor
Dr. J. Schweitzer, Interim Director of Clinical Training

Program Objectives and Mission

The Department of Psychology offers a Ph.D. degree in Clinical Psychology. The mission of the doctoral program is:

1. To produce graduates who are skilled in the science, theory and practice of psychology.
2. To increase student awareness, knowledge, and skills in multicultural psychology.
3. To produce graduates who have the requisite knowledge and skills to conduct their work in accordance with ethical, legal, and professional standards in their practice and research.
4. To produce students who will engage in clinical and research experience involving the diverse psychological, health, and service needs of ethnic minority populations.

Departmental faculty, supervisors, and administrators have a professional, ethical, and potentially legal obligation to ensure that graduates from this program are competent to engage in effective, and appropriate service, research and practice in the profession of psychology. This requires the Program Faculty, training staff, supervisors, and administrators only to admit and graduate doctoral candidates that possess the appropriate professional, ethical, interpersonal, and psychological qualities without demonstrable problems (e.g., cognitive, emotional, psychological, interpersonal, technical, and ethical) that do not interfere with professional competence while working with other programs, employers, or the public-at-large.

Students in this program will be guided by a curriculum anchored in the cumulative body of psychological knowledge, and grounded in statistics, research design, and experimental methodology. The curriculum is designed to develop students’ knowledge and skills required to effectively function as an empirically oriented clinical psychologist in diverse settings. This is accomplished through a sequence of formal clinical courses, distinguished by in-depth exploration of multicultural issues and exposure to ethnic minority communities, including interdisciplinary and inter-organizational collaboration and consultation.

The process utilized to accomplish this mission is consistent with the goals and mission of Jackson State University as a comprehensive university. This program is comprised of students and faculty committed to addressing multicultural issues, conducting objective assessments/evaluations, and utilizing systematic individual and community-level interventions. The psychology department strives to support students and faculty involved in basic and applied research through the use of a challenging intellectual environment.

Accreditation

The program is accredited by the American Psychological Association. Additional inquiries about our accreditation status can be addressed to the APA Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation: (202) 336-5979.

Admission Requirements

A major goal of this program is retention and graduation of admitted applicants who have the educational foundation, motivation, and personality characteristics required to successfully complete an academically intensive and rigorous doctoral program.  Applicants who have passed the initial screening are required to participate in an in-person interview conducted by the members of the Graduate Faculty.  Admission into the program is a very competitive process.  A limited number of slots (6 to 7) are available each academic year. Please note that meeting minimal application standards does not guarantee admission.

The minimum requirement for admission is a Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with at least 24 semester hours of psychology coursework in the following psychology subject domains: abnormal, developmental, experimental or research methods, learning or cognition, biological or physiological, personality, social, and statistics.  

The following application materials are required:

1. Official transcripts of all post-secondary academic work sent from institutions directly to the JSU Graduate School.
2. An official copy of the GRE test scores sent from ETS directly to the Graduate Faculty.  The program does not use specific GRE cut-off scores in the admission process; however, submission of GRE scores prior to the application deadline is required.  The GRE subject test in Psychology is not required. 
3. A signed “Informed Consent to Participate in the Admissions Screening, Evaluation and Interview Process” form and the “Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program Application.”
4. A curriculum vitae/resume.
5. Three letters of recommendation from individuals qualified to assess the applicant’s academic and professional potential.  A minimum of two (2) letters must be written by faculty members or faculty mentors familiar with the applicant’s academic performance; the third letter may be written by qualified mentors who have supervised previous clinical or research work.  Please send no more than four letters.  All letters must be typed and accompanied with the JSU Recommendation Form.
6. An acceptable score of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) must be submitted, if applicable.

The following application materials and other related information are available for download at www.jsums.edu/psychology/graduate:

1. Program Goals and Objectives
2. Program’s Mission Statement
3. Doctoral Program Information
4. Degree Requirements, Curriculum and Course Description
5. Graduate Program Application
6. Program Assistantship Application
7. Program Evaluation and Recommendation Form
8. Clinical Psychology Doctoral Students
9. Student Admissions, Outcomes and other Data

The Admissions Committee utilizes application materials to evaluate the prospective doctoral candidates in the following domains:

1. Academic aptitude for doctoral-level studies;
2. Understanding and appreciation of diversity issues;
3. Understanding and appreciation of the program’s requirements;
4. Previous professional or training experience in a clinical setting;
5. Previous research experience and dissemination history;
6. Psychological suitability to perform as a clinical psychologist;
7. Verbal communication skills;
8. Interpersonal skills;
9. Professional demeanor;
10. Ethical considerations based on the Ethical Principles of Psychologist and Code of Conduct (APA, 2016)

Currently, criminal background checks are not required as part of the applicant evaluation process.  However, all applicants must be aware that the various agencies that provide practicum, externship, and pre-doctoral internship training opportunities usually require a criminal background check prior to placement. These agencies are external to the University and may set or revise placement policies at any time; a background check that reveals professional misconduct or a criminal conviction could result in a student’s ineligibility for initial or continued enrollment in the program.  This program cannot be completed without the successful completion of all coursework.

Readmission to the Program

Inactive and/or former students of the program must consult with the Director of Clinical Training regarding current readmission policies.

Transfer Credits

Students with previous graduate coursework in psychology can transfer a maximum of 15 credit hours if the coursework has been completed within eight years of the first date of enrollment into the program. Additionally, the transferred courses must have a letter grade of “B” or better. Any course transferred must be equivalent to 700 level courses at Jackson State University and should include coverage of pertinent multicultural issues commensurate with the program’s focus and expectations.

Up to two courses can be transferred to satisfy specific course requirements listed under both the General Core and Research Core (totaling four). No more than one course can be transferred as satisfy specific course requirements listed under the Multicultural/Diversity Core. Any remaining courses (no more than 15 hours) can be transferred to satisfy elective course requirements. Any transfer courses to be considered as satisfying General Core, Research Core, or Multicultural Core requirements must have PSY or equivalent prefix. Equivalent coursework listed under the Clinical Core cannot be transferred.

Degree Requirements

The Ph.D. program is a full-time, on campus program requiring a minimum of five years of post-baccalaureate study, including the completion of Dissertation Research and a one-year, full-time predoctoral internship. Some courses will only be offered during summer sessions. Students are expected to complete all requirements for the Ph.D. degree and graduate within eight years of the date of first enrollment. Currently, the Department does not offer a Master’s degree.

The Ph.D. program requires 18 hours of General Core Courses, 16 hours of Research Core Courses, 21 hours of Clinical Core Courses, 9 hours of Multicultural/Diversity Core Courses, 20 hours of Practica and Externship Courses, 9 hours of Elective Courses, 9 hours of Dissertation Credit, and a one-year internship at an APA-accredited/APPIC-member pre-doctoral internship training program (total of 2 credit hours).

During the third year of study, the student must pass the Graduate Area Comprehensive Examination. The student must pass this examination to be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. The student must also pass an oral clinical competency examination and propose their dissertation proposal before applying for a pre-doctoral internship position.

For a detailed explanation of program requirements refer the Clinical Psychology Program Handbook.

Curriculum Outline

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1 hour in Research Seminar

1 hour in APA Research Writing

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