Are you accepting PhD applications this year?
I typically mentor a new clinical psychology PhD student every other year.
I plan to review applications for the 2024–2025 application season, for a mentee to begin fall 2025.
Should I contact you about my interest in MSU's PhD Program in Clinical Psychology?
While prospective PhD applicants are welcome to contact me to ask questions that are not answered on this website, on the website for the PhD Program in Clinical Psychology, nor in the PhD Program's Handbook, doing so will not impact one's chances of selection for an interview nor admission.
In the interest of equity to all applicants, I do not conduct "pre-interviews." Rather, I direct all prospective candidates to review the extensive posted information about the PhD Program in Clinical Psychology at Montclair State, consider attending Montclair State's Graduate Virtual Open House in the fall or spring (at which there is a session about the program), and review my answers to FAQs from PhD applicants posted below. I holistically review all completed applications that identify me as a mentor of interest and recommend a small number of these applicants to the program to be invited to the program's interview day. It is with these interviewees with whom I meet to discuss their experience and interests, and whether we might be a good fit to work together.
Where do you see your research going over the next few years?
I am currently pursuing the following directions within my research themes.
Forensic psychology and mental health law:
- Law and practice concerning forensic psychological testing.
- Law and practice concerning hybrid psychological–legal concepts for evaluation.
Correctional psychology:
- The clinical utility of incorporating the self-perceptions of persons involved with the criminal legal system and digital technologies into correctional human services, including the development of the latter.
- The interpretability of measures of developmental maturity and criminal sophistication, as used in evaluations of youth involved with the juvenile legal system, by examining the comparative performance of young adults involved with the criminal legal system on these measures.
- Validation of theories underlying correctional human service principles.
Police and public safety psychology:
- Multicultural sensitivity in conducting pre-employment psychological screenings for police officer candidates.
- The utility of structured professional judgment in conducting pre-employment psychological screenings for police officer candidates.
There are typically numerous research and other writing projects going on in my lab at any given time. Mentees are also encouraged to pursue master's theses and doctoral dissertations in line with my current directions.
Many of my publications can be viewed using Google Scholar.
You can also review my CV and MSU faculty profile page for additional information.
Do you have any suggestions for how I can increase my competitiveness?
I do not advise non-Montclair State students about their doctoral aspirations, beyond the below. Prospective applicants are encouraged to avail themselves of advisors at their current institutions, and resources such as the American Psychology–Law Society Student Committee.
Admission to a PhD program in clinical psychology is undoubtedly highly competitive (e.g., many faculty in clinical psychology PhD programs receive many, many applications each year).
The ways to increase one's competitiveness are fairly rote, and because they take several years to accomplish, often extend beyond the undergraduate years.
- Developing very strong writing, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
- Obtaining a high GPA as both an undergraduate student (very typically majoring in psychology) and, potentially, as a master's student.
- *Obtaining a high score on the GRE (*recently, many doctoral programs in health service psychology have discarded or made the GRE optional, in light of concerns about diversity, equity, and inclusion)
- Amassing significant research experience (e.g., serving as an RA in several research labs, completing an undergraduate or master's thesis, co-authoring presentations and publications).
- Amassing relevant field experience (e.g., completing part-time externships or working part-time in the field).
- Amassing experience demonstrating a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Having prior research and field experience that reflect a good fit with my research (i.e., current directions) and practice interests.
- Potentially completing a relevant master's degree to enhance #s 1-6.
- Submitting strong letters of recommendation from writers who know you very well and, ideally, roughly share some of my professional interests (e.g., research mentors, clinical supervisors).
- Submitting a well-edited CV that clearly reflects all of the above.
- Submitting a well-written personal statement that narrates all of the above; demonstrates a mature appreciation of the different training routes in human services generally and applied psychology specifically; presents a compelling case for why a clinical psychology program and a PhD program are the best fit for one's professional goals; and is well tailored to the PhD Program in Clinical Psychology at Montclair State and me.
Multicultural diversity, and an applicant's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, is also important in the selection of clinical psychology PhD students.
Geographically limiting oneself, rather than applying to "good fit" programs/mentors wherever located, is generally not advisable (though it is sometimes unavoidable due to personal circumstances, rather than preferences).
Because of the complexities involved in the competitiveness for admission to a PhD program in clinical psychology, prospective applicants are encouraged to work closely with their current academic, research, and clinical mentors for further advising about increasing one's competitiveness. However, the below selection of resources is worth review by all prospective applicants.
Council of University Directors of Clinical Training [CUDCP]. (n.d.). Clinical psych grad school. https://clinicalpsychgradschool.org/
Council of University Directors of Clinical Training [CUDCP]. (n.d.). Resources for protective PhD students. https://cudcp.org/Prospective-PhD-Students
Getting into Grad School. (n.d.). Applying to Ph.D. programs in clinical psychology. https://www.clinicalpsychphd.com/home
The Hamilton Lab at Rutgers University and Science Simplified Network. (n.d.). What are the steps to a clinical psychology PhD? https://cudcp.org/resources/Documents/Overall%20Guide%20for%20Clinical%20Psychology%20PhD.pdf
I'm disappointed that I didn't receive an interview or admission offer. Do you have any advice for me?
I do not advise non-Montclair State students about their doctoral applications, beyond the below. Such students are encouraged to avail themselves of advisors at their current institutions, and resources such as the American Psychology–Law Society Student Committee, and the references cited above.
The funding offers common to PhD programs in clinical psychology are appealing, but also notably increase competitiveness for admission.
Students who may not be competitive for, or succeed at, admission to a PhD program in clinical psychology should not give up on their human services aspirations. Of note, the field of forensic psychology continues to need to reflect greater inclusiveness with respect to the sociocultural identities of trainees and professionals, to be more culturally responsive to the wide range of sociocultural identities of persons with whom forensic psychologists work. For these identities intersect and shape worldviews through the lenses of privilege and oppression. Accordingly, I encourage students from all walks of life to pursue education and a career in forensic psychology, or the broader field of human services in the public interest. These fields will be richer to have you.
In addition to potentially trying to increase their competitiveness for future admissions cycles, applicants who received disappointing news might also seriously consider alternative training routes and allied disciplines. For example:
- PsyD programs in clinical psychology (leading toward licensure as a psychologist)
- Counseling psychology programs (leading toward licensure as a psychologist)
- School psychology programs (leading toward certification as a school psychologist or licensure as a psychologist)
- Clinical social work programs (leading toward licensure as a clinical social worker [LCSW])
- Professional or mental health counseling programs (leading toward licensure as a professional counselor [LPC] or, in some states, an mental health counselor [LMHC])
- Marital and family therapy programs (leading toward licensure as a martial and family therapist [LMFT])
- Drug and alcohol counseling programs (leading toward certification as a drug and alcohol [aka alcohol and drug] counselor [CDAC or CADC]
- Public safety employment (e.g., as a probation or parole officer)
- Law school (leading toward a career as a licensed attorney [and/or possibly as an administrator] with relevant practice foci/areas of expertise)