NJ clinical/counseling doctorate?

[kyraelle]

Hello all!

I'm new here. I currently have an MA in child/adolescent clinical psych as well as a school psychologist certification. I am working as a school psychologist at a high school in northern NJ, but now that I've settled in there, I've been strongly considering taking my interest in the field even further. I've started looking into doctoral programs -primarily PsyD- in the area.

Do any of you have any input on particular programs? Are there any that would allow me to keep my full time job and complete their programs part time?

Any feedback you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

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[erg923]

Doctoral study is a full time job. No reputable program will allow you to attend part-time.

The only APA-accredited Psy.D. program in New Jersey is Rutgers and it's very competitive. Geographic restrictions is the kiss of death in doctoral study. You will likely need to move for internship and postdoc, so being tied to New Jersey may not be compatible with success on this path.

The typical full-time doctoral student in clinical psychology works 50 hours a week, easily. The median time to completion is 5.5 years. Break that into a part time program, which doesn't even exist as far as I know, and that about 13 years. Uh, yea....

 

[PsyDr]

There's a book that lists doctoral programs that will answer all of these questions.

You are going to come across two things:

1) doctoral education for psychology is not going to be part time. You're looking at 15hrs of class time, another 30 of studying, another 20 of clinical rotations, and research (even if you want a psyd). Year round school. Some variations in this schedule. Sometimes less class, sometimes more. Sometimes practicum is going to be 30hrs, etc. you usually have a limited number of years to complete the program before you lose your spot (I.e., they'll kick you out)

2) in order to graduate you have to do a residency. It is highly competitive. You apply to sites via a registry. A computer matches you. Most people have to move. The east coast is even more competitive. That is more complicated than that though

3) even after you graduate, you are still not licensees. You'll need a post doc for that. East coast is again more competitive for finding one of these.

4)now that you're licensed; the jobs are limited. Geographically that is bad

 

[mcvcm92]

If you would consider a Psy.D in School Psychology, check out Farleigh Dickinson. They have a program aimed towards full-time school psychologists who want to earn their doctorate part-time. It generally takes 3-4 of part-time study.

http://view.fdu.edu/default.aspx?id=6294

 

[smalltownpsych]

If you would consider a Psy.D in School Psychology, check out Farleigh Dickinson. They have a program aimed towards full-time school psychologists who want to earn their doctorate part-time. It generally takes 3-4 of part-time study.

http://view.fdu.edu/default.aspx?id=6294

What would be the benefit of attending a non-APA accredited school? If you want to be a psychologist, that is not the route to take and if you don't want to be a psychologist, then please don't get the doctorate in psychology as that can be misleading to the public. An EdD degree with an emphasis in school counseling might be more appropriate.

 

[mcvcm92]

What would be the benefit of attending a non-APA accredited school? If you want to be a psychologist, that is not the route to take and if you don't want to be a psychologist, then please don't get the doctorate in psychology as that can be misleading to the public. An EdD degree with an emphasis in school counseling might be more appropriate.

Oh whoops didn't even see that it was not APA-accredited, my mistake.