The amount of time needed to complete a program varies with the student`s background, academic progress, and extent of practicum training or assistantship aid, but cannot exceed university-imposed time limitations.
The programs require a minimum of four years of full-time study from the bachelor`s level of entrance-three years of graduate course work and practicum placement, including summer sessions, plus a year of internship. With the faculty`s encouragement, many students choose to spread their course work and dissertation over four years, accepting an internship in their fifth year. The internship requires a minimum of 10 months of full-time work.
The modal number of years from entrance until graduation for students who entered with a B.A. and who graduated in May 2002 was 5.0 years. The average was 6.5 for students entering at the B.A. level and 5.5 for part-time students entering at an advanced level.
All beginning-level applicants, including applicants with advanced degrees in allied mental health fields but not in psychology or with nonpractitioner master`s degrees in psychology, should be prepared to attend GSAPP on a full-time basis for at least the first three years.
Students who have completed some previous graduate work in psychology usually are able to transfer courses. This allows greater freedom for the student in the choice of electives or the option of a lighter course load in the later terms of study.
Students admitted at an advanced level in school or organizational psychology are eligible for part-time study. In the school psychology Psy.D. program, advanced level is defined as either a current New Jersey school psychologist or one certified by the state Department of Education as a school psychologist or "certification eligible." The organizational psychology program considers advanced applicants to be those with master`s degrees in organizational psychology or equivalent studies.
Part-time study for all advanced students requires a commitment equivalent to two full days at the university for a minimum of two academic years and two summers.
Advanced students who have either a practicum or a job equivalent to two days per week, and full-time graduate assistants, can register for only three courses. Those with a practicum or job equivalent to three days per week can register for only two courses. Students beyond their first year whose practicum or job requires more than 15 hours of work per week need an additional year to complete the program.
