Graduate
Program and Application Information
SHAPING OUR FUTURE
Programs
The department offers a Ph.D. in Applied Psychology with specialization in one of two areas: Applied Biopsychology and Applied Developmental Psychology. Links to obtain extended descriptions of these two doctoral programs are provided below.
Applied Developmental Psychology
It is critical that applicants carefully review the program brochures before applying to make sure that these programs fit with their career objectives. Further, students must choose which program will be their major course of study in their application and they must designate their top choices for major advisor from the these programs.
Departmental Application Information
The goal of the department is to admit between 8 and 12 new students each Fall. Admission into the Department of Psychology is determined by a two-step process.
Step 1: All student application material is reviewed, including undergraduate transcripts, Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores, letters of recommendation, and the departmental application. Although all applications are considered, applications that exceed a score of 6.1 or greater using the following formula are more likely to be accepted: ([verbal GRE + quantitative GRE] / 400) + undergraduate GPA.
Step 2: The top applications to each of the two doctoral specialties are reviewed by faculty members who were listed as possible major advisors in the student’s application. At least one faculty member must be willing to accept the applicant into his or her laboratory and serve as the student’s major professor. Applicants are encouraged to directly contact the faculty members with whom they may wish to work.
Departmental Admission Requirements
A list of the required application materials are provided at the following link:
Please follow these procedures closely since incomplete applications can affect a student’s chance of being accepted.
Applicants are required to have a minimum of 21 credit hours of psychology to be considered for admission. Among those hours must be introductory psychology, statistics, and experimental psychology. The remaining 12 hours may be psychology electives and should include some senior level courses.
Completed applications must be on file by February 15 for initial acceptance and funding decisions. Applications received after that date will still be considered but these students have a markedly reduced chance of admission.
The University application fee is $40; an additional $30 late fee is charged after July 1. Admission is restricted to the fall semester only, and no provisional admissions are made.
Financial Aid
The Department of Psychology is committed to funding all students admitted to the program and the number of students admitted each year is partly dependent on the available funding. Student funding comes from a variety of sources. The most common funding is through teaching assistantships funded through the department or research assistantships funded through faculty grants. Twenty hours of work each week are typically required with these assistantships and they include a stipend and tuition waiver. Other common sources of student funding include fellowships and scholarships awarded by the Graduate School or external assistantships funded by agencies outside of the university. All applicants are considered for financial assistance and there is no separate application form.
Housing
Rental prices in the New Orleans area are quite reasonable. Also, affordable off-campus housing is available within walking distance of the university. Thus, most graduate students choose to live off campus. There are, however, dormitories and on-campus apartments for single students and there are married-student apartments on campus. The Office of Housing has further information on these options (504/280-7479).
last modified 07/16/08
