Doctorate vs. Master's....

[blondie1oed83]

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Hi!...I have tons of questions...and need for opinions. Anyways, I mentioned in a different thread that I just got accepted to both the PhD and PsyD programs at Nova Southeastern University. Unfortunately, I got denied at every other doctorate program I applied for (Nova was the only PsyD I applied for, everyone else was a PhD). I got accepted to several Master's schools and am still waiting to hear from a few more. My question is...would it be smarter to go through a master's program first and then try to get into a doctorate program again after I complete the master's....or should I just go straight into Nova? I'm just concerned because I feel as if Nova may not bee "as good" as some of the other schools I applied to...because I wonder why they are accepting me and no one else has. I'm not sure and am completely confused. Any advice would be terrific!

Thanks,
Erica🙂

 

[erg923]

If financial concerns are a motivating factor...Nova could be tough. It is expensive and there is little support available, even for Ph.D students. I think the Ph.D is a boulder model, put its probably not a typical Ph.D. program (they accept alot of students (even for the Ph.D) and its pretty clinically orientated. It has trained some fine people who are very visible in the neuropsych field, has solid faculty (especially neuropsych), and has a good (average) internship placement record.

This is a personal decision based on many factors, but getting a masters first increases the length of time it will take to get through all this (not all credits will transfer to a doctoral program), you'd have to go through the pain and anxiety of the application process all over again, and you run the risk of not being accepted in the next round as well. Bottom line is Nova is a solid middle of the road program (different environment from more traditional Ph.D programs), but with crappy funding.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Student Doctor Network Forums - Reply to Topic[/URL]04]If financial concerns are a motivating factor...Nova could be tough. It is expensive and there is little support available, even for Ph.D students. I think the Ph.D is a boulder model, put its probably not a typical Ph.D. program (they accept alot of students (even for the Ph.D) and its pretty clinically orientated. It has trained some fine people who are very visible in the neuropsych field, has solid faculty (especially neuropsych), and has a good (average) internship placement record.

I think the incoming Ph.D. class is ~15. Ph.D. and Psy.D. classes are the same (except for more research credits, advanced stats, and multivariate stats vs. more intervention courses).

Definitely a balanced program, as 2 years of practicum are required, with 1 having to be face to face. If you go neuropsych, your other one is with the neuro prac.....which is through the neuropsych assessment center on campus. Internship placement is average, I think the last few years it's been in the mid 80%'s.

 

[blondie1oed83]

I'm not applying for the Neuropsych track...I'm doing Clinical Psychology.....any info on that program?

 

[blondie1oed83]

Also...is there a better chance of getting into a more traditional phd school if i go through a master's program first?

 

[erg923]

The neuropsych track is just a specialization within the clinical program. Everyone still takes the same clinical core course work. I just mentioned the neuropsych area because they have some well known faculty in neuropsych world. The faculty have diverse interests from what Ive heard. My comments applied to the clinical psychology program as a whole.

In general, a masters is little help in getting into ph.d programs, unless you have no research experience and/or low undergrad GPA. In that case, students can demonstrate research skills by doing a thesis and raise their GPA to demonstrate they are on par with graduate level work. If your GPA is 3.5 or above and you have decent undergrad research experience, it wont help that much. Taking a position as Research Assistant (RA) in a research lab is much more appealing to ph.d programs because it shows hardcore dedication to, and experience in research. That is what the traditional Ph.D programs need to see.

 

[blondie1oed83]

Ya, I have had good research experience in my undergrad (i'm published once) and presented my thesis last year at the EPA Conference in Philadephia. My undergrad GPA is also 3.65.....

 

[erg923]

Ya, I have had good research experience in my undergrad (i'm published once) and presented my thesis last year at the EPA Conference in Philadephia. My undergrad GPA is also 3.65.....

In that case, a Masters will not do much to beef up your app. Sounds solid. Its just a hard field to get in, and often, its a crap shoot. If you are really not wanting the Nova program (that amount of debt would be somewhat burdensome), doing a year or 2 as an RA and boosting GRE scores is the best bet. A Masters program would just not give you much at this point.

 

[blondie1oed83]

I calculated that i would be about $90,000 in debt just for the 5 years of nova..is that about right. And I dont NOT want to go..I just want to make the best decision for my future career. IT's hard....

 

[erg923]

I calculated that i would be about $90,000 in debt just for the 5 years of nova..is that about right. And I dont NOT want to go..I just want to make the best decision for my future career. IT's hard....

I dont know about the debt...I don't go there and not sure what their tuition rates are. Yes, its a hard decision. Don't feel pressured and use the time before April 15th to weigh the pros and cons