Graduate Program Application Information
Applying to the Program
Applicants to the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience must complete the general Graduate School application form. The application can be started and saved as many times as you need. Once you hit the submit button, however, NOTHING can be changed, added or updated. Please check out the application FAQ before calling with questions.
What we are looking for:
Acceptance into our program will be based on prior coursework, research experience, and a good fit
with the research programs of our faculty. Although students with a wide range of experiences may be
accepted, students with a research background tend to be the strongest candidates. Successful applicants
to the Behavioral Neuroscience subplan often have taken courses such as cell biology, organic
chemistry, neuroscience, biopsychology, biochemistry, research methods, and statistics. All other
subplans require a strong background in statistics and research methods. The Clinical subplan is the
only subplan that absolutely requires a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
General Information
- Prospective Psychology and Neuroscience Graduate Student Guide
Program Area Information
- Behavioral Genetics Program information
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program information
- Clinical Program information and frequently asked questions
- Cognitive Program information
- Social Program information
Application Deadline:
All application materials must be received by December 1.
Steps to Applying for the PhD Program
In applying for the PhD program, you will be required to:
- 1) Have a bachelor’s or equivalent degree from an accredited institution. (For Clinical subplan, one must have a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.) Complete the Graduate Application.
- 2) Include a Personal Statement in which you describe that which contributes to your being a strong candidate for the program, examples include your research or volunteer experience, or anything that you think makes you a strong candidate.
- 3) GRE scores: Use the UNIVERSITY CODE 4841 to insure your scores are reported. GRE scores must arrive by the deadline December 1 to insure that the application is complete for consideration. Only the General GRE is required for the subplans Behavioral Genetics, Behavioral Neuroscience, Cognitive and Social. For the Clinical subplan, the General GRE plus the Psychology Subject GRE are required. You can visit the GRE website for more information about the exam.
- 4) TOEFL: Applicants whose education was not in English must earn a score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
- 5) Pay an application fee of $50 for US citizens, $70 for international applicants upon submitting your application.
- 6) Provide 3 letters of recommendation. Upon submitting your application, an email will be sent to each recommender cited on your application.
- 7) Provide ONE official copy of each transcript from any institution at which you have previously studied. Transcripts may be sent prior to submitting the application; just be sure the name on the transcript matches the name on the application. Transcripts and other supporting materials must either be submitted electronically or sent to one of the following addresses.
Interview and Admissions Process
Graduate applications will be reviewed through January. After all applications have been reviewed, individual faculty members will contact prospective candidates and generally invite them to the campus for a departmental interview. Behavioral Genetics, Clinical, Cognitive and Social subplans conduct interview weekends while Behavioral Neuroscience invites candidates for individual interview dates.
Final decisions of acceptance are generally made in March after the admissions committee has met and all candidates have been evaluated.
