Overview
Stony Brook University, the flagship campus of the SUNY system, is a world-class, student-centered research university. Stony Brook is one of the top fifteen research institutions in the U.S. and one of the top three public research universities. Stony Brook’s new responsibility for the management of Brookhaven National Laboratory is testimony to the high quality of its programs in science, engineering, and health sciences. The University has more than 20,000 students, including nearly 7,000 graduate students.

The Department of Psychology, one of Stony Brook’s largest graduate departments, has awarded more than 600 Ph.D. degrees since its inception more than forty years ago. In 2007-08, 47 graduate students were enrolled in the clinical program (72 percent women, 4 percent black or Hispanic). For the class entering in fall 2007, there were 270 applications; 10 were accepted, yielding an entering class of 5. The program seeks bright, socially skilled students with strong research backgrounds and interests compatible with those of core clinical faculty members.

The clinical program has an outstanding placement record; almost 80 percent of recent graduates have taken academic or research positions in universities, colleges, medical schools, and research institutes. In a recent study examining which clinical psychology programs have trained the most faculty members in other doctoral programs across the country, Stony Brook ranked second. Over the past ten years, Stony Brook has trained more faculty members in APA-approved clinical psychology doctoral programs than any other program in North America or Europe.

The Location and Community
Stony Brook is located on the North Shore of Long Island, in a region of beaches and small historic villages. It is 60 miles east of New York City, conveniently connected by the Long Island Railroad, which stops at the edge of the campus. Nearby research facilities at Cold Spring Harbor and Brookhaven National Laboratories provide additional advantages for the scientific community.

Programs of Study and Degree Requirements
The Department of Psychology includes four graduate training programs: clinical, biopsychology, cognitive/experimental, and social and health. Students must be admitted to one of these four areas. The Graduate Training Program in Clinical Psychology offers courses and research training leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in clinical psychology. The program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).

The clinical program trains students to expand the scientific understanding of behavior problems and psychopathology and to apply this knowledge as skilled clinicians. A mentorship model of research training is employed. Students are involved in active research laboratories from the time of admission, and a second-year research paper is required. Within the first three years, required courses are completed. These include statistics, first-year lectures, a sequence of required courses within the clinical area, and three breadth courses. A quantitative minor is available. Students receive practice in teaching that typically involves at least two semesters of substantial direct instruction of undergraduates. Students are expected to complete a specialties examination and advance to candidacy for the Ph.D. at the end of the third year. Clinical preparation includes work with individuals and families from the community in the Psychological Center under the supervision of the faculty during each year of the program. After advancing to candidacy, students complete a dissertation and a one-year internship. Although students are not required to meet New York State’s licensure requirements, most requirements can be met with careful course selection. Additional information about requirements and training opportunities may be obtained by writing to the Graduate Program Coordinator or the Director of Clinical Training at the address listed in this In-Depth Description.

Facilities & Resources
Faculty members maintain active laboratories for research and graduate training. Clinical facilities include the Psychological Center, a training, research, and service unit that provides psychological services and consultation to the community as well as a site for graduate practicum and internships. The department-sponsored University Preschool enrolls children from eighteen months to five years of age, permitting both research and observation. The University Marital Therapy Clinic provides therapy for couples and individuals in the community who are experiencing relationship difficulties. The Autism Help Center is a private local agency that deals with school and family issues for children with autism and related developmental disabilities. The Developmental Disabilities Institute, another local agency, also offers services for people with a variety of disabilities. Affiliations have been established with the University’s Health Sciences Center, local public schools, an agency for the mentally retarded, and a nearby VA hospital.

Expenses and Aid
Full-time tuition for the academic year is $7,800 for New York State residents and $12,500 for out-of-state residents. As described in the Financial Aid paragraph, Ph.D. students in good standing receive full tuition waivers. Miscellaneous fees (including health insurance) can be as high as $700.

Financial Aid:
Ph.D. students are normally admitted with financial support, which was at least $14,655 for the academic (nine-month) year. This funding is associated with teaching or research responsibilities. Clinical students making good progress receive additional summer funding from sources such as summer teaching assignments, work-study, and faculty research grants; summer support currently averages more than $4000. A fifth year of support is available on a competitive basis. Some students receive competitive fellowships from the Graduate Council, the W. Burghardt Turner Foundation, or other sources.

Housing/Living Expenses:
Some graduate students live in residence halls on campus; there are limited accommodations for married students. Private housing is available off campus. Residence halls have limited cooking facilities; prepaid meal plans and à la carte food service is available. Information about campus residences can be obtained from http://www.sunysb.edu/stuaff/residence/. Off-campus housing information can be found at http://naples.cc.sunysb.edu/FSA/fsa.nsf/pages/housing.

How to Apply / Application
The application deadline is January 15 for fall admission. The GRE General Test is required; the Subject Test in psychology is optional. For more information, students should visit http://psychology.psy.sunysb.edu/psy/gradprog/gradmain.htm. Application materials may be also be obtained by contacting the address listed in this In-Depth Description. Alternatively, applications may be submitted to the Graduate School online at http://www.grad.sunysb.edu/applying/applying.htm. The Department of Psychology requires an additional application page, available on the Web or via postal mail.

Go To Profile Index Page

Go To Top Of Page