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Both degrees are doctorate degrees. PsyD stands for Doctor of Psychology, whereas
a PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy.
A person can obtain a PhD in any academic field (e.g., history, math, experimental
psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, clinical Psychology), but a PsyD
is specific to clinical psychology.
The type of doctorate degree tends to dictate the emphasis an individual has in their
career. For example, it is typical for individuals with a PsyD to be actively engaged
in the provision of clinical services and it is more common for individuals with a
PhD to be involved in teaching and/or research.
However, a doctorate degree in clinical psychology has a lot of flexibility for individuals
to tailor their career toward their skills and interests. In both cases an individual
would be a Health Service Psychologist and would be eligible to become licensed.
Typical activities associated with this profession include providing clinical services
(e.g., conducting psychological assessments, psychological consultations, and providing
therapy), teaching in higher education (e.g., community colleges, undergraduate institutions,
PsyD graduate programs), conducting original research and engaging in academic writing
(e.g., publishing journal articles, book chapters, textbooks, trade books).
Doctoral level psychologists also frequently are involved in leadership roles such
as supervising other providers or directing service delivery programs.
The program includes 14 consecutive semesters, including fall, spring and summer.
The first four years include on-campus course work and practicum experiences, and
the fifth year includes dissertation work and a pre-doctoral internship.
The PsyD is a full-time on-campus program with courses meeting in-person on campus
during the first four years of the program. During this time, students complete a
series of practicum experiences and a comprehensive exam. During the fifth year, students
will complete a pre-doctoral internship and a dissertation.
Applicants should meet our admission requirements and selected applicants will be invited to complete an interview process. We utilize
a holistic admissions approach to reviewing applications; this means that we use multiple
sources of information to obtain a well-rounded view of each applicant’s potential.
These sources include quantitative data such as GPA and GRE scores as well as qualitative
information from essays, statements, letters of recommendations and experiences. Our
evaluation criteria include areas such as academic, clinical and scholarly preparation
as well as applicants’ alignment with the program, commitment to diversity, equity,
inclusion, and justice, and personal and community engagement.
We aim to create an inclusive and diverse clinical psychology program and encourage
applicants from a variety of backgrounds to apply.
Yes, all applicants will need to submit scores for the GRE General Test (verbal reasoning,
quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing). The MSU GradCas GRE code is 6665.
Scores are typically available 10-15 days after the test is taken but may take longer
to be sent to individual schools. Please allow sufficient time as your application
is not considered complete until the official GRE scores have been received.
Applicants who do not have an undergraduate or graduate degree in psychology are required
to submit scores from the GRE Psychology Subject Test. These tests are only offered
three times each year, so it is important to prepare in advance.
The PsyD program has a transfer credit policy. You may receive limited transfer credits based on this policy; however, you should
not anticipate a reduction in the overall length (five years) of the program.
Invited applications will be asked to participate in an interview process, which will
be completed in an asynchronous online format that includes a video-recorded and written
essay. In addition, invited applicants will have an opportunity to attend a virtual
informational Q&A session with program faculty.
All students will be required to successfully complete 14 credit hours of Practicum
in Clinical Psychology and nine (9) credit hours of Internship in Clinical Psychology.
The MSU PsyD program has a partnership with Burrell, a local non-profit community mental health organization, to provide practicum placements
within Burrell clinical sites for students. All students will complete practicum experiences
at Burrell sites during their second year and at least once during their third or
fourth year.
Yes, all students will be required to successfully complete and defend a dissertation
project to complete the PsyD program at MSU.
