Clinical Psychology (MSCP)

New students begin the program only in the Fall semester. Although applications are accepted at any time, the review process begins on April 1st for the following Fall and available seats may fill quickly. Students who apply after the entering class is full may have their names placed on a waiting list if they are admitted. They will be contacted if a seat becomes available prior to the start of Fall classes. To apply, submit all of the following documents to the Graduate School:

1. Completed Application for Admission to the Graduate Program form (NOTE: application fee waived for academic year 2023/2024).
2. Two letters of recommendation from faculty, current employer/supervisor and/or professionals familiar with the applicant’s college performance or work. Academic recommendations are preferred. Personal recommendations are not acceptable. 
3. Personal statement (specific requirements can be found below.)
4. Official transcripts sent directly to the Graduate School Office from every undergraduate and graduate institution attended.
5. Completed Criminal Background Information form.

After all these materials are received, the file is sent to the Psychology Department for review. After reviewing the completed files, the department then invites applicants who meet threshold criteria to campus for an application interview. At the time of the interview, applicants also complete an extemporaneous writing sample on an issue related to clinical psychology. The Dean of the Graduate School sends a letter regarding the decision, usually 2-3 weeks after the interview. An applicant receiving an offer of admission must respond to that offer within the time frame specified in the Dean’s letter. An applicant accepting an offer of admission must pay a non-refundable admissions deposit equal to one semester-hour of current graduate tuition. The deposit will be applied toward your second semester of enrollment. The deposit is non-refundable and will not be returned if you enroll then drop or withdraw prior to or during the first semester. Until this deposit is paid, a seat will not be held and may be given to another incoming student. Seats are limited in number. For further information, please contact the Graduate School.

Admission to the Master of Science in Clinical Psychology is based on the faculty’s evaluation of the applicant’s suitability for clinical training, as reflected in the following elements:

1. Possession of a bachelor degree from an institutional-accredited institution, with an overall undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Strong preference is given to applicants whose undergraduate GPA is at least 3.5.
2. Evidence of successful completion of at least 15 undergraduate semester hours in psychology, including abnormal psychology, research methods, physiological psychology, and life-span developmental psychology. (May be partially waived by the Program Director.)
3. Human service experience that has prepared you to work in the mental health field, on a volunteer or paid basis.
4. Submission of a personal statement written using the directions found below.
5. For selected applicants, an admissions interview with the Graduate Program Director.
6. Two letters of recommendation from faculty, current employers/supervisor and/or professionals familiar with the applicant’s college performance or work. Academic recommendation sources are preferred. Personal recommendations are not acceptable.

Applicants to the Master of Science in Clinical Psychology (MSCP) are required to submit a personal statement. To be most helpful to the admission committee, the statement should explain the student’s rationale for pursuing clinical training. What led to your decision to become a psychotherapist? What experiences have led you to seek training in this field? Describe any human service experience or field placement that has prepared you to work in mental health or social services. This information will help the committee assess whether an individual appears well-suited to work in this field. In addition, the statement should provide some information regarding your career goals. While many applicants may not know exactly what they would like to do, usually they have some general ideas. Some may wish to work in a clinic with children. Others wish to work in a forensic setting or with older adults. Some plan to combine their degree with other training or seek a doctorate. Applicants should provide as much information as they can about their plans and their reasons for those plans.

The statement should also address why the applicant is particularly interested in attending the MSCP at Madonna. What qualities of the program did the applicant find appealing? Why is the applicant well suited to our program, given our contemporary psychodynamic perspective? What is the basis for your interest in contemporary psychoanalytic psychotherapy?

Finally, the statement should highlight any personal qualities or capacities the applicant believes makes him or her well qualified to pursue a career as a therapist. The admission committee is particularly interested in determining whether prospective students are “psychologically minded.” This term refers to an individual’s propensity to seek psychological explanations for human behavior, and their capacity to do so. While there are not particular requirements for the length of the statement, as a general guideline, it should be at least five double-spaced pages.

Accreditation

• Applicants often inquire about accreditation. It is important to understand that the American Psychological Association (APA) accredits only doctoral programs. Therefore, the MSCP program is not APA accredited, but neither is any other institution’s master’s degree program in psychology.

Licensure in Michigan

• The MSCP is designed to fulfill the course work requirements and the field requirements for a Temporary Limited License in Clinical Psychology (TLLP) in the State of Michigan. While an individual holds the TLLP, he or she is required by licensing regulations to obtain 2,000 hours of supervised post-degree professional experience and obtain a passing score on the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), a national exam administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards. Upon fulfillment of these requirements, and in the absence of a criminal history, a permanent Limited License in Clinical Psychology (LLP) is granted by the State of Michigan.