PhD/PsyD Masters degree required for some internship sites?

[bigpsychguy]

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I am preparing to apply to internship this Fall in the coming cycle (2027-2028) and am seeing the occasional site that stipulates that a masters degree is required, I'm wondering if anyone who reviews applications can speak to if this is a hard rule and if so, why?

For context I'm at an R1 PhD program and have chosen to forego the en-route non-terminal masters degree to spare myself some extra coursework (rudimentary statistics, non-relevant-to-me practice areas, extra electives) and shave a year off my time in school. Most post-bacc students in my department do this since we'll leave with a PhD. I plan to apply mostly to AMCs. I've seen some sites mention that milestones need to be met before starting internship, which makes sense to me, but why list conferral of a masters degree as a requirement?

 

[RxPsych]

I apologize for not answering your question and instead replying with my own question, but is this a common thing at programs? My program doesn't even have an option for this, as all courses (except those for specific tracks or courses waived) are required for all students.

 

[futureapppsy2]

I am preparing to apply to internship this Fall in the coming cycle (2027-2028) and am seeing the occasional site that stipulates that a masters degree is required, I'm wondering if anyone who reviews applications can speak to if this is a hard rule and if so, why?

For context I'm at an R1 PhD program and have chosen to forego the en-route non-terminal masters degree to spare myself some extra coursework (rudimentary statistics, non-relevant-to-me practice areas, extra electives) and shave a year off my time in school. Most post-bacc students in my department do this since we'll leave with a PhD. I plan to apply mostly to AMCs. I've seen some sites mention that milestones need to be met before starting internship, which makes sense to me, but why list conferral of a masters degree as a requirement?

I believe it is required for credentialing at some sites (and maybe helps with billing supervised work?).

 

[jdawg2017]

I believe it is required for credentialing at some sites (and maybe helps with billing supervised work?).

That’s my speculation, too, though I also wonder if this could also relate to an implicit assumption that more years in grad training = more (and hopefully better) clinical experiences. Programs that don’t have en-route masters I think are usually shorter than programs which do have master’s en-route. Anecdotally I would say most masters en-route applicants are applying in their 5th year of study, vs 4th year for non-masters en route. Just another speculation…

 

[mypointlesspov]

It was for billing purposes for my site (AMC). I faced this issue when I applied for internship way back when. We got a master's en passant after we passed comps. I didn't have my master's degree at the time I applied for internship, but (after giving me slight issues because they'd "never heard of that before") my DCT wrote a letter saying I'd have it conferred by the January of the year.

 

[cara susanna]

That’s my speculation, too, though I also wonder if this could also relate to an implicit assumption that more years in grad training = more (and hopefully better) clinical experiences. Programs that don’t have en-route masters I think are usually shorter than programs which do have master’s en-route. Anecdotally I would say most masters en-route applicants are applying in their 5th year of study, vs 4th year for non-masters en route. Just another speculation…

My program gave us an en-route Masters and most people applied for internship during their fourth year.

 

[WisNeuro]

My program gave us an en-route Masters and most people applied for internship during their fourth year.

Likewise, this was the modal experience in my program.

 

[quickpsych]

It is my understanding that most programs offer a non-terminal masters enroute to one's doctoral degree. It sounds like from your post you somehow were allowed to opt out of the non-terminal masters. Did they inform you of the benefits/reason for completing the non-terminal masters (I.e. some internship sites require it) before allowing you to opt out? I would ask them for further information about this, you'll certainly find internship sites that do not require the masters but strange they would "let" students opt out knowing it reduces some access to required training.

 

[cara susanna]

It is my understanding that most programs offer a non-terminal masters enroute to one's doctoral degree. It sounds like from your post you somehow were allowed to opt out of the non-terminal masters. Did they inform you of the benefits/reason for completing the non-terminal masters (I.e. some internship sites require it) before allowing you to opt out? I would ask them for further information about this, you'll certainly find internship sites that do not require the masters but strange they would "let" students opt out knowing it reduces some access to required training.

I think it's also weird that they apparently require extra coursework for it? Like, other programs don't and still give you the Masters, so what's up with that?

 

[WisNeuro]

I think it's also weird that they apparently require extra coursework for it? Like, other programs don't and still give you the Masters, so what's up with that?

Yeah, it's weird. Most graduate programs (the school/university policy, not the clin psych program) have a minimum credit requirement for graduation. This option would likely not have impacted our time in program at all. Seems like all downside with very little upside.