Frequently Asked Questions for Psychology



	Prospective Students Application Process Admissions Programs and Requirements Courses Transfer of credits Financial Assistance and Tuition
	Prospective Students How is the Psychology Ph.D. Program organized? The PhD program in Psychology prepares students for research , teaching, and practice in the various fields of psychology. There are eleven concentrations within the department, each of which is centered in a semi-autonomous subprogram at one of seven CUNY campuses. For individual subprogram admission details, please visit here. Application Process *How do I get an application?* What materials must I submit for complete application? How do I know if my application is complete? Are there different application forms for different subprograms? What is the application deadline for Fall admissions? *Can I apply to the program for spring or summer admissions?* How do I apply to the Health Concentration or Psychology and Law Concentration? Can I apply to more than one subprogram? Are there any minimum GPA, GRE, or TOEFL score requirements? *Do I need to take the GRE Psychology Subject Test?* *Do I need to take TOEFL?* back to top Admissions How many students do you accept each year? *When will I know if I have been accepted?* *Is an interview part of the admissions process?* *How can I arrange to visit?* *Where is the department of psychology located?* back to top Programs and Requirements Do you offer a Master's degree in Psychology? *Are there any language requirements in the Psychology program?* *Are there any prerequisites to apply to the subprograms?* *Can I attend part time?* *How long does it take to complete the degree?* back to top Transfer of Credits How do I transfer credits? How many credits can I transfer? back to top Courses *Do you offer evening, weekend, or summer courses?* How many required classes are there? *What types of courses are required?* *Can I take courses outside of psychology?* Can I take courses if I'm not enrolled in the Psychology Ph.D. Program? *Are there opportunities to work with faculty on research projects?* back to top Financial Assistance and Tuition What kind of financial assistance is available? *What is the application process for financial assistance?* *How much is tuition?* (Tuition and fees have changed as of Fall 2005 - check admissions web site for current tuition and fee schedule). back to top Application Process How can I get an application? The application process is done online or you may print an application and mail it to the Graduate Center. You may click here to apply. For more information, you may contact: Office of Admissions (Room: 7201) The Graduate Center The City University of New York 365 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10016 Telephone: 1-212-817-7470; Fax: 1-212-817-1624; Email: admissions@gc.cuny.edu back to top What materials must I submit? How do I know my application is complete? The admissions process is self-managed, which means that you, the applicant, collect your transcripts and letters of recommendation in sealed envelopes and submit all of your documents (except the GRE and TOEFL scores) together with your completed application to the Office of Admissions. Make sure your application is complete and contains: Application Form Personal Statement $125 Application fee (Check or Money Order made out to the CUNY Graduate Center) Official Transcripts from ALL post-secondary institutions in unopened envelopes Letters of recommendation in sealed envelopes Your standardized test scores (i.e. GRE, TOEFL) were requested from ETS to be sent to The CUNY Graduate Center (college code 2113) Request for Certificate of Eligibility & Declaration of Finances (International applicants, who are applying for F-1 or J-1 student immigration status, only) back to top Are there different application forms for the different subprograms? There is one application for all eleven subprograms in Psychology. back to top What is the application deadline for Fall admissions? Please see the Graduate Center Admissions Deadlines page for admissions deadlines. back to top Can I apply to the program to begin in the Spring or Summer? No. We only have Fall admission, and we do not offer summer courses. back to top How do I apply to the Health Concentration or Psychology and Law Concentration? Students must first be admitted to one of the subprograms (i.e., Biopsychology, Clinical, Developmental, Environmental, Experimental, Experimental Cognition, Forensic, Industrial/Organizational, Learning Processes, Neuropsychology, and Social-Personality) to apply for the Health Psychology, or Psychology and Law Concentration, usually in their first or second year of doctoral study. For details, please visit: Health Concentration or Psychology and Law Concentration websites. back to top Can I apply to more than one subprogram? You may apply to only ONE subprogram at a time. If you are not admitted into the subprogram of your first choice, you may apply to another subprogram by submitting a new application and fee for potential admissions for the following year. Occationally, in some programs the admission committee may re-route the application. back to top Are there any minimum GPA, GRE, or TOEFL score requirements? Minimum score requirements vary across the 11 subprograms. Please contact the subprogram heads here. back to top Do I need to take the GRE Psychology Subject Test? The GRE Psychology Subject Test is required for Clinical Psychology, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and Neuropsychology. It recommended for Developmental and Social Personality Psychology. back to top Do I need to take the TOEFL? An applicant who has not studied in an English-speaking country must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), administered internationally by Educational Testing Service, and request ETS to report examination results directly to the Admissions Office, the City University Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016. Inquiries concerning this examination may be made to: Test of English as a Foreign Language, Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08540, U.S.A. or to most American embassies and consulates. back to top Admissions How many students do you accept each year? Each subprogram determines how many students they are going to admit. Subprogram usually accepts 5-12 students every year. back to top *When will I know if I have been accepted?* You will be notified by the subprogram between February and March. back to top *Is an interview part of the admission process?* Depending on the situation. Prospective students may be asked for coming for an interview, or having a phone interview. back to top How can I arrange to visit? Please contact the head of the subprogram you want to visit: click here for contact information. back to top *Where is the department of psychology located?* The Executive Office is located at the Graduate Center. Each subprogram locates at different colleges. For the location of different subprorams, click here. For directions to different colleges, please click here. back to top Programs and Requirements Do you offer a Master's degree in Psychology? We only offer doctoral degrees in psychology. As part of the required course work, it is possible to attain an en-route Master's degree. A student must first complete 45 letter-graded credits with an average grade of B, pass the First Doctoral Examination, and satisfactorily complete a major research paper. The student may then apply for an en-route Master's degree.The degree is awarded formally by one of the participating CUNY colleges. The Master of Philosophy degree (M.Phil.) will be awarded upon request to Ph.D. students who are currently enrolled at The Graduate Center, have been advanced to candidacy, and have met their financial obligations to the University. Application forms for the degree are routinely sent to students at the appropriate time, but if this form is not received it is the responsibility of any student wishing this degree to obtain an application from the Office of the Registrar. (The M.Phil. degree is not awarded to students in the D.M.A. degree program.) Please note that the date of filing for the degree determines the date upon which the degree will be conferred. back to top *Are there any language requirements in the Psychology program?* There are no language requirements in the Ph.D Program in Psychology. However, if you are interested in learning a second language, there are language reading programs at the Graduate Center. For details, please visit the website: http://web.gc.cuny.edu/provost/lrp/ back to top *Are there any prerequisites to apply to the subprograms?* Applicants should have completed at least 15 credits in undergraduate psychology courses, including one laboratory course in experimental psychology and one course in statistics. It is expected that applicants will have received at least a B average in graduate courses completed at other institutions. Applicants may be requested to appear for an interview. Students are specifically selected for the Clinical subprogram. For admission to the Clinical subprogram, all students who pass an initial screening based on academic record and references are required to participate in a personal interview with members of the Clinical faculty and students enrolled in the program.Students should not assume that once accepted for any other Psychology subprogram they can automatically transfer to the Clinical subprogram. back to top *Can I attend part time?* No. Students must register as full time students in the Psychology Ph.D. Program. back to top *How long does it take to complete the degree?* All requirements for the degree must be completed no later than eight years after matriculation. A student who matriculates after the completion of 30 credits of acceptable work must complete all requirements within seven years. back to top Transfer of Credits How do I transfer credits? It varies within 11 subprogram. Please check with your advisor. back to top How many credits can I transfer? The university allows a maximum of 30 acceptable graduate credits taken prior to admission to the doctoral program at the City University may be applied toward the degree provided the courses were completed with a grade of B or higher within an appropriate period preceding the time of application and are equivalent to comparable courses at the City University. However, the actual amount of transferrable credits is different by subprogram policy. See student handbook of each subprogram for details. back to top Courses *Do you offer evening, weekend, or summer courses?* In general, most courses are offered during the day. There are no weekend or summer courses. You can find the course listing on the course catalog webpage: http://www.gc.cuny.edu/student_web/course_listing.htm. For the subprograms located at Graduate Center, please click here. back to top *How many required classes are there?* *What types of courses are required?* It varies across the 11 subprograms. For more information, please visit each subprogram's site here. back to top *Can I take courses outside of psychology?* In general, yes. But each subprogram has set required courses and various electives. Please check with your subprogram (contact info here.) back to top Can I take courses if I'm not enrolled in the Psychology Ph.D. Program? Yes. You can register as a nonmatriculated student. In no instance will anyone be permitted to accumulate a total of more than two courses or eight credits (whichever is less) as a nonmatriculant without written approval from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. back to top *Are there opportunities to work with faculty on research projects?* Students accepted into the program do have opportunities to work with faculty on research projects. Interested students should talk to their advisor and other faculty in their subprogram. back to top Financial Assistance and Tuition: *What kind of financial assistance is available?* Financial Assistance at The Graduate Center consists of two major types of aid: institutional aid, for which The Graduate Center itself is the funding source, and federal and state aid. 1. Institutional aid: With the exception of dissertation year awards and the Student Employment Program, most institutional aid is awarded to students based on the nomination of the doctoral program in which the student is enrolled. Institutional funding is most often in the form of research and teaching assistantships, university fellowships, and tuition stipends. Institutional aid is based on a combination of need and merit. Science Fellowship provides five years of in-state tuition support plus other financial incentives with discuss of each subprogram. Chancellor's Fellowship: A Graduate Teaching Fellowship (GTF) is the teaching award within the Chacellor's Fellowship. The GTF provides a teaching position at one of the CUNY colleges. Provosts' Fellowship: A Graduate Adjunct Fellowship (GAF) is the teaching award within the Provosts' Fellowship. The GAF provides a guarantee of a minimum of 180 hours of annual adjunct teaching at one of the CUNY colleges. 2.Federal and State aid: Federal aid for graduate students includes Federal Work-Study, Federal Direct Loans, and Federal Perkins Loans. New York State provides the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) for eligible graduate students who are New York State residents. In all cases, federal and state aid is based solely on financial need, and only U.S. citizens or permanent residents are eligible to apply. For more information, please visit the website : http://www.gc.cuny.edu/admin_offices/finaid/index.htm or visit the Office of Financial Aid: Room 7207 (located at 7th floor) Phone: 1-212-817-7460; Fax: 1-212-817-1623 Email: financialaid@gc.cuny.edu back to top *What is the application process for financial assistance?* The single page Application for Financial Assistance included with The Graduate School and University Center Application for Admission (or available directly from the Office of Financial Aid) is the only form required to apply for most institutional aid. The Office of Financial Aid collects and evaluates all applications and informs each Program of the names and relative financial need of its financial aid applicants. Programs consider financial need and academic merit when making awards, as well as other practical and academic factors which vary by program. Once a Program has made a nomination, the Office of Financial Aid notifies the student of the award and collects the required documentation needed to pay the award. Federal aid is awarded directly through the Office of Financial Aid in accordance with requirements established by federal law. Federal aid requires a separate application, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students who apply by the deadline for federal aid established each spring (usually in April) are considered for Federal Work Study Positions and/or Federal Perkins Loans for the upcoming academic year. Students interested in Federal Direct Loans may apply by submitting a loan application in addition to filing a FAFSA. First-time borrowers must attend a personal pre-loan interview before the loan is disbursed. The New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is awarded directly by New York State. Students apply for TAP by filing the FAFSA. back to top *How much is tuition and fees?* SUBJECT TO CHANGE: See admissions for most recent schedule of tuition and fees back to top