Department of psychology

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions about our Graduate Programs

How are admission decisions made? In evaluating applications, the Department focuses on your grades and the courses in which they were earned, your personal statement, which should reflect your professional goals, areas of specialized interest, research experience and other relevant background experiences, your letters of recommendation, and your scores on the GRE. The Department will, of course, consider your complete application, including any special experiences or circumstances you might want to call to our attention.

What scores do students admitted to your program typically have? The Department evaluates each applicant's entire package and does not require any minimum scores for GPA or GRE. The table below shows the average scores of applicants recently admitted to the clinical and experimental programs.

When must you have my applications materials? In order for an application to be considered complete, the Department must have received all application materials, including official transcripts and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. Since our deadline is January 1, we suggest that you request your transcripts be sent to Kent State at the earliest possible date and that you take the GRE's no later than November.

What kind of financial support is available? In the past, nearly all students have received full financial support in the form of a graduate assistantship, which includes a full tuition waiver, a stipend, and some health insurance benefits. We expect to be able to maintain this level of support in the future.

How long does it take to complete the program? The typical time for completing the Ph.D. program has been four to five years in the experimental program and about six years, including the internship, in the clinical program.

Will graduate level courses/degrees from other institutions apply toward the psychology Ph.D. at Kent? Graduate courses/degrees completed at other institutions are evaluated for equivalency with our requirements on an individual basis.

If I am accepted in the experimental program, may I switch to the clinical program or vice versa? Students admitted to either the experimental or clinical program may not change automatically to the other; such a change requires a complete re-evaluation of the student's credentials.

Do you offer degrees in counseling or industrial psychology? We do not have a program in either counseling or industrial psychology in the Department of Psychology. For the former, you may wish to consider programs offered in our College of Education in community, rehabilitation, or school psychology. Requests for information about these programs should be directed to the College of Education, White Hall, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242.