Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is a Psy.D. program and how does it differ from a Ph.D. Program in Clinical Psychology?

Psy.D. stands for Doctor of Psychology and was first offered in the late 1960’s as an alternative to the research-focused (scientist-practitioner) model of the Ph.D. UI&U offers the Psy.D. to train its graduates for professional practice as practitioner–scholars in the field of clinical psychology.

Both Psy.D. and Ph.D. programs require internship placements, and often Psy.D. and Ph.D. interns work side by side. Ph.D. programs and Psy.D. programs require either a doctoral dissertation or research project. Both programs take about 4-7 years of full-time study to complete. Depending on intended career goals, both Psy.D. and Ph.D. graduates work with individuals, groups, organizations, and families in institutions, hospitals, and schools, and in the corporate, public, educational, and religious sectors. For more information on the Psy.D. degree click here.

Q: How long does the Union Institute & University program take to complete?
The doctoral program in clinical psychology requires a minimum of three (3) full-time academic years of graduate study at Union Institute & University, including the equivalent of one (1) year of full-time residency at UI&U. The Psy.D. program is a 124 credit hour degree program. Elective courses, practicum, and dissertation credits are included in the 124 credit hour degree program requirements. The standard curriculum requires 3 years of online coursework with monthly meetings as well as 2 week-long annual meetings (with at least 2 years of part-time practicum work), a fourth year with online coursework and dissertation work, and a fifth year of full-time internship.

Q: I have taken previous graduate courses in psychology or a related field (e.g., social work, family therapy and counseling). Can I transfer any of those credits?
It may be possible to transfer up to 12 credits. Whether you can transfer graduate courses and how many credits you can transfer will be determined on a case-by-case basis. The transfer coursework must have been completed within the last five years at a regionally accredited graduate institution with a grade of B or better. Life experience, workshops, seminars, and individual learning programs do not qualify for transfer credit. All requests for acceptance of course transfer are handled individually. More detailed information about this is available in the Psy.D. Learner Handbook.

You will not be able to transfer credit for the following courses:

• Professional Development Seminars
• Dissertation Development
• Cultural Influences on the Self
• Cultural Competence in Clinical Practice
• Practicum
• Clinical Internship

Q. I have a prior master’s in psychology or a related field. Can I get “Advanced Standing” in the program? What does my prior graduate degree count for?
If you have a prior completed graduate degree in psychology or a related field, you can apply for advanced standing in the Psy.D. program, enabling you to potentially complete the program in less than five years.

Advanced standing must be approved by the Director of Clinical Training (DCT) and requests are addressed on a case-by-case basis. You can apply to transfer up to 30 credits. To obtain advanced standing, we must approve at least 18 credits of your prior graduate work to transfer. See the Psy.D. Admissions page for further description.

Q: How often are new classes admitted into the program?
A new class enters the program every September.

Q: What do I need to include in my application?

• Completed application form
• Application fee ($50.00, non-refundable)
• Three letters of reference concerning your academic and/or professional experiences and capabilities
• Official transcripts from all previously attended post secondary educational institutions
• A personal statement
• TOEFL scores for people who are not native speakers of English and who have not graduated from an English speaking college or university
• For more information, please see the Psy.D. Admissions page

Q. What are the prerequisites for admission?
The Union Institute & University’s Psy.D. program in Clinical Psychology does not require the completion of any particular undergraduate or graduate courses for admission to the program, nor does it require the GRE. While some UI&U Psy.D. applicants have an extensive background in psychology, others will have training and experience in other fields. We are interested in creating a community of learners from diverse backgrounds in every way. Please feel free to apply even if you do not have a strong psychology background.

Q. Must I have a master’s degree to enter the Psy.D. program?
You do not need to have a master’s degree but you do need to have at least a bachelor’s degree. We welcome applications from candidates who have no prior graduate training as well as from those have prior master’s or CAS degrees in psychology, social work, or related fields.

Q. How many credits are required for the Psy.D. degree?
You will need a total of 124 credits, which includes 12 credits (1200-1600 hours) of supervised practicum experience, 10 credits of dissertation development, and 2000 hours of internship (no credit).

Q. Will I qualify for licensing as a psychologist when I complete this degree?

States vary in terms of their requirements for licensing, and you should be aware that the program may not meet psychology licensure requirements in all jurisdictions. You are strongly encouraged to become knowledgeable and proactive when it comes to psychology licensure requirements in the jurisdictions where you hope to practice. Information on state and Canadian provincial licensing requirements can be found at The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards.

The curriculum and training model for the Psy.D. program was developed in accordance with the American Psychological Association (APA) accreditation standards (Guidelines and Principles for Accreditation of Programs in Professional Psychology) and the practitioner-scholar training model of the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP). The program is not accredited by the American Psychological Association and intends to seek APA accreditation as soon as it is eligible. In order to apply, the program needs to have learners at all stages in the program toward the completion of the degree.

Q: What are distance education, distributed learning, and blended learning?
These are models of organized education that includes both in-person elements and online courses. We believe this is the best of all worlds. We have the collaboration, intimacy, self-knowledge, and skill-building that is often possible only through meeting your classmates and professors in person, as well as the flexibility offered by state-of-the-art online education.

Q: How do you deliver the online courses?
The Psy.D. program utilizes a web-based online delivery system called eCollege and has full online technological support available to its learners. This system provides complete services for learners to fully engage in their graduate work, including high levels of interactive learning activities.

This includes full-featured communication resources, allowing for both synchronous and asynchronous interaction between learners and their faculty and peers, email management, drop boxes for paper submissions, Web links for references, and the ability to keep an online journal that can be shared with the instructor or be kept private.

Q: What is the focus on social justice all about?
The program offers training in the full range of psychological services, including psychotherapy, assessment, consultation, education, and supervision. The program also pays special attention to the needs of marginalized people. The program takes a critical look at the current mental health delivery system, and works toward new models that empower individuals and communities. The program emphasizes prevention as well as intervention. In addition to being skilled clinicians, program graduates will have the skills needed to influence the legislative process, combat racism, heterosexism, sexism, ageism, and other forms of injustice, and make their workplaces more equitable.

Q: What is the family psychology emphasis area?

Learners in the UI&U Psy.D. program have the option of taking an emphasis area in family psychology. This emphasis includes a series of courses in family therapy and psychology, the opportunity to work in field placements that specialize in family issues, and the opportunity to write your dissertation in this area. In addition to required and elective courses in family psychology, learners taking this emphasis area are supported by faculty with expertise in this area. Associate Dean of Psychology William Lax has written extensively in the field of family therapy and continues to work as a couples and family therapist with a specialty in postmodern approaches. He was also the director of training at the Brattleboro Family Institute. Director of Clinical Training Margarita O’Neill has conducted clinical work and supervision with families and was the director of culture-specific services at Worcester Youth Guidance Center, training pre-doctoral interns in family therapy. Core Faculty Lisa Fontes has written extensively about family therapy and most particularly about issues of family violence in cultural and linguistic minority families. She is the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship, training family therapists in Argentina. Core Faculty Richard Sears has training and experience in parent-child interaction therapy.

Q: I’m not quite ready to apply to the program. What should I do to prepare so my application will be strong?
There are a number of ways that you can strengthen your application. For instance, if you have a lot of coursework in psychology, try to get some practical experience. If you have a lot of practical experience, consider taking a graduate course in a new area. Feel free to call current program faculty to discuss ways to strengthen your application. Here are some ideas:

• Try to obtain work or volunteer experience in a helping relationship in a mental health or social work setting. Women’s crisis centers, homeless shelters, emergency services, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAS), public schools, and departments of children and family services are all strong possibilities, and most of these offer valuable training programs both for beginning workers and volunteers.
• Deepen your connection with diverse populations of people. Have you spent time professionally or personally with people who are deaf? Do you speak a foreign language? Have you lived or worked in a low-income urban community? Have you known or worked with people with mental, intellectual, or physical handicaps? These kinds of experiences enhance your application.
• Develop a special area of interest within psychology if you do not have one yet. Often applicants’ personal or professional experiences will lead them to want to deepen their understanding of a particular area. You can begin to engage in reading, coursework, and direct contact with particular problems, populations, or approaches. These interests may eventually become the focus of your writing and research in graduate school.

Q: Where do I conduct my practica and internship?
Practica need to be conducted within a five-hour driving radius of either Brattleboro, Vermont or Cincinnati, Ohio. Internships may take place anywhere in the United States.

For further information contact us at:  admissions.psyd@myunion.edu or 800.336.6794 ext. 8408 or 802.254.0152 ext. 8408