About
Appalachian offers a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) program, with a primary goal to train students in clinical psychology to serve rural populations. This program began in 2019 and admits students yearly to begin in the fall term.
The program employs a practitioner-scientist training model. The program trains students to become competent evidence-based, health service provider psychologists through balanced training in applied clinical assessment and intervention, as well as in applied research. In addition, the training program focuses on the impact of culture and diversity on clinical practice, including the ecological factors that affect individual and community development, specifically in rural areas.
Students interested in a doctoral program that provides rigorous clinical training as well as research opportunities may be well-suited for the program. Upon completion, graduates will be eligible to apply for licensure as psychologists and health service providers, with qualification to establish careers in the private and public sectors.
Note on accreditation:
Accreditation for the Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) program by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges has been approved.
The program is currently not accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). The program is, however, designed to satisfy APA criteria. We are pursuing steps necessary to achieve accreditation in a timely manner and will apply for accreditation as soon as possible.
APA accreditation is designed so that new doctoral programs can apply for, and possibly achieve accreditation for the first class of program graduates, which will be the goal for this new Psy.D. program. We cannot guarantee that accreditation will be achieved for the first graduates, but will make every effort to be successful toward that goal. Graduation from a nonaccredited program may impact eligibility for licensure in the state in which the student intends to practice. All applicants should investigate licensure requirements of the state in which they intend to practice.
For more information on APA accreditation, visit accreditation.apa.org.
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First St., NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Telephone: 202-336-5979
TDD/TTY: 202-336-6123
Fax: 202-336-5978
Courses
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Graduate Bulletin and Course Catalog
Application Essentials
Required Entrance Exam: GRE (score must be no more than 5 years old), unless waived for those with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
Required number of references to specify in the online form: 3
Supplemental Information: Curriculum Vitae (Required upload for application submission); Personal statement describing professional interests, expectations from the doctoral program and career goals (< 2 double-spaced typed pages).
Basic Conditions for Consideration of Admission: Meeting or exceeding the conditions below does NOT guarantee admission. All applications for a given entry term will be weighed based upon the number of seats available and the quality of the complete application packages. With special permission from the Graduate School, a program may admit a limited number of students with exceptional circumstances who do not meet the graduate school minimums.
Graduate School: 3.0 GPA in the last earned degree and official scores from the appropriate admission test(s), OR 2.5 GPA in the last earned degree and official scores at the 25th percentile level from the appropriate admission test(s).
Admission to Clinical Psychology: Both qualitative and quantitative aspects of applications are reviewed in comparison to the current applicant pool.
Preferred Admissions Requirements: Full details on preferred requirements and program admissions can found on the program page.
NOTE: The Clinical Psychology, PsyD is a dual degree program with the Psychology, Clinical Concentration, MA within the application since the MA is earned en route to the PsyD. Click here for a PDF with the steps to select the PsyD in the Program Information section of the online application.
Employers
Graduates will be prepared to work in:
- Clinics
- Medical Centers
- Psychiatric hospitals
- Correctional centers
- Primary care practices
- Community agencies
- University counseling centers
- Public and private schools
- Private practice
Application Deadlines
Fall Admission
February 1, priority deadline is December 1
Why Appalachian?
- A rural university and community setting that matches the program’s educational goals.
- Cohort-based education, with six to eight students admitted each year.
- A three-year clinical practicum sequence. Sites include Appalachian’s Assessment, Support and Counseling (ASC) Centers in area schools, the department’s community Psychology Clinic, the Counseling and Psychological Services Center on campus and a number of community opportunities (e.g., medical practices; inpatient hospital).
- A 50-year history of training students in clinical psychology at the master’s level.
- Financial support through scholarships and assistantships.
- A university with a mission to meet the needs of North Carolina, where one-quarter of the state’s 100 counties have no practicing psychologist, according to a 2016 report by UNC Chapel Hill’s Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research.
Location
On campus, with significant applied supervised clinical training at sites located in the community.
Careers
Graduates will be eligible to apply for licensure as psychologists and health service providers, with qualification to establish careers in the private and public sectors.
Graduates may also teach in colleges and universities, and provide supervision to master’s-level practitioners.
Contacts
Dr. Lisa Curtin
Program Director
curtinla@appstate.edu
828-262-8936
Dr. Rose Mary Webb
Department Chair
webbrm@appstate.edu
828-262-8927