Ph.D. Program in Clinical-Community Psychology

Offered Jointly by the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Alaska Anchorage

Admissions

Minimum Admission Requirements

The following are general university requirements that must be met to be considered for admission to the Ph.D. Program in Clinical-Community Psychology with Rural, Indigenous Emphasis:

• Compliance with the University Requirements for a doctoral degree and admission to graduate studies as detailed in the current UAF Catalog.

•  Bachelor’s degree (B.S. or B.A. or B.Ed.) from an accredited institution; major in psychology or related field preferred.

• Minimum of a 3.0 (B) cumulative undergraduate Grade Point Average.

• Minimum of a 3.0 (B) Grade Point Average in your major.

•  Coursework in the areas of abnormal psychology, statistics, research methods, and at least one of the following: personality, clinical psychology, social psychology, or community psychology.

Application Procedures

Before your application is complete, the below-listed materials must be received in two identical packets, one sent to the UAF Ph.D. Program Coordinator AND one sent to the UAA Ph.D. Program Coordinator (both addresses are listed below).  Students may prepare one original packet and one photocopied packet (except where otherwise noted).

•  UAF Graduate Application for Admission

Payment must accompany each UAF Graduate application for admission form retrieved from http://www.uaf.edu/admissions/pdf/grad_app.pdf. The UAF $60 non-refundable application fee should be paid by check, credit card or money order in U.S. funds to the University of Alaska Fairbanks in the Fairbanks packet.  A separate $60 non-refundable processing charge should be paid by check, credit card or money order in U.S. funds to the University of Alaska Anchorage and placed in the Anchorage application packet.  DO NOT APPLY ONLINE TO UAA!   Please do not send cash. One copy of UAF application form and one payment are to be included in each packet, one of which will be submitted to the UAF Ph.D. Program Coordinator and the other to the UAA Ph.D. Program Coordinator.  Total application cost is $120.00 (ONE $60.00 check to UAF and ONE $60.00 check to UAA). 

• Program Application Form
  
  The supplemental program application form must be completed legibly.  Include copies of the completed form in both application packets you submit (i.e., one for the UAF Ph.D. Program Coordinator and one for the UAA Ph.D. Program Coordinator). 
   

• Official Transcripts
  
  Official transcripts need to be received under separate cover from all post-secondary institutions attended and degree-awarding since high school.  Request that official transcripts be sent by your prior universities directly to the UAF Ph.D. Program Coordinator and the UAA Ph.D. Coordinator.  If official transcripts are being sent in your application packet, please make sure the envelopes are sealed and have not been opened; otherwise, they are not considered official.
   

• Letter of Intent (see additional guidelines)
  
  A detailed letter of interest and intent following the guidelines provided on the Application Form and above must be submitted. This letter of intent requests information on clinical and/or community experience; research experience; interest in Rural and Indigenous Psychology; and a personal statement describing your professional goals and interests.  Include copies of the Letter of Intent in both application packets you submit (i.e., one for the UAF Ph.D. Program Coordinator and one for the UAA Ph.D. Program Coordinator). 
   

• Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)
  
  GRE scores are not required for admission to the Ph.D. Program. However, candidates who believe their GRE scores are more indicative of their potential in the Ph.D. program than their GPA are encouraged to submit them.  If you opt to send us these scores, please include copies of GRE scores in both application packets you submit (i.e., one for the UAF Ph.D. Program Coordinator and one for the UAA Ph.D. Program Coordinator). 
    

• Professional Vita
  
  Professional vita, including documentation regarding academic, research, and professional experiences; special projects and activities; and recognitions or honors.  Include copies of your vita in both application packets you submit (i.e., one for the UAF Ph.D. Program Coordinator and one for the UAA Ph.D. Program Coordinator).   
   

• Reference Letters (see additional guidelines)
  
  Minimum of three professional references (preferably curriculum or research advisors, major course instructors with whom the students had contact in more than one course, and/or supervisors). Each reference must have been contacted to provide a signed and completed Reference Rating Form and letter of support.  Letters of support and reference rating forms must be received in a sealed envelope, signed by the reference across the envelope closure.  Be sure to obtain two copies of each signed and sealed letter of support and reference rating forms from your references so that one may be included in each application packet (i.e., one for the UAF Ph.D. Program Coordinator and one for the UAA Ph.D. Program Coordinator).   
   

• Disclosure Form and Criminal Background Check
  
  Students must complete a criminal background check and a disclosure statement. The first national-level criminal background check must be submitted by students invited to a personal interview at least two weeks prior to the interview.  The required criminal background check must be initiated and completed by the student through the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The Ph.D. Program will not accept a copy of a background check performed by another agency.  As obtaining a criminal background check may take 2 to 3 months, it is recommended that students mail in their first request at the same time as submitting the program application. International students should submit their VISA background check in lieu of the FBI criminal background check.  
  
  To complete a background check through the FBI, students will need to complete the following steps:

•  Obtain a properly completed set of fingerprints (there are several places in Anchorage and Fairbanks that do this; in Anchorage, students can go to CAS Tech Fingerprinting and Independent Fingerprinting Consulting, Inc., in Fairbanks, student can go to the Fairbanks Police Department, the North Pole Police Department, or UAF);

• Obtain a certified check or money order for $18.00 made out to the U.S. Treasury (personal checks will not be accepted);

• Obtain a photocopy of a picture ID (e.g., Driver’s license);

• Use the sample letter format to request the criminal background check.  The letter should be typed or copied onto personal stationery with an original signature. 

Mail all of the materials to the following address:

Federal Bureau of Investigation
CJIS Division
Attn:  SCU Mod D – 2
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, WV 26306

It is important that students do not alter the wording or format of the sample letter, as such alteration may result in delays in the processing of the request. Students can check on the status of their criminal background report by calling (304) 625-3878 or by sending an email to do@leo.gov.  Students are advised that if they do not receive a report back from the FBI two months after having filed the request, they check on the status of the request.   

In addition to completing the criminal background checks, students must complete a disclosure statement.  The disclosure statement must accompany the student’s application to the Ph.D. program and it must disclose all criminal convictions as well as substance abuse and or other social/emotional problems.  Disclosure of this information does not automatically preclude admission.  However, students must have no recent history of impairment due to alcohol or substance abuse which may hamper their ability to complete the program in a professional and ethical manner.  The PhD Admissions Committee will, in its discretion, deny an applicant admission if it finds that the applicant’s history of felony or misdemeanor convictions make the applicant unsuitable for the practice of psychology.  The committee will consider the type, number and recency of any convictions.  Notwithstanding the above, a person who has been convicted of a felony crime against a person within the ten years before the date of application is unfit for admission to the program and will be denied.  Please do not pre-sign the form as the Notary Public needs to witness applicants signing the form.  

• Course Equivalency Form
  All applicants with a existing graduate or equivalent degree who are applying must complete this form. To view current course descriptions click here.  The information applicants provide on this form will help the admissions committee determine eligibility for advanced placement and will allow for an estimate of which courses may need to be taken by the applicant. If a candidate is officially admitted to the program, a more thorough examination of course equivalency will be conducted to determine whether specific course requirements have been met.
   

• UAA Master of Science, Clinical Psychology Option   
  Applicants admitted into the PhD program have the option of obtaining the UAA M.S., Clinical Psychology degree en route to the PhD.  Those who are invited to the interview and are interested in obtaining the M.S. degree are asked to bring with them the UAA Application for Admission including the admission payment of $60 (Do not apply on-line, applications and payment will be processed after applicants have been admitted to the PhD Program).  Application for Admission will only be processed for those who are admitted into the PhD program. 
   

International Students are also required to submit the following items:

• TOEFL or IELTS
  (Minimum TOELF  score required is 80 internet-based, 213 computer based, 550 paper-based.  Mimium IELTS score required is 6.5)

• Financial Statement & Supporting Documentation
  (required for F-1 student visa) 
  Financial Statement is part of the UAF Application for Admission

• Copy of passport and/or current visa
  Copy must be legible

•  Additional requirements for international applicants may be found at http://www.uaf.edu/admissions/international/grad/

All application materials must be sent to both the UAF Ph.D. Program Coordinator AND to the UAA Ph.D. Program Coordinator as detailed above.  It is the applicant’s responsibility to mail these TWO separate application packets (all originals must be sent to the UAF Ph.D. Program Coordinator; copies of any originals should be sent to the UAA Ph.D. Program Coordinator). 

Application packets must be received by February 1. There will be no exceptions – incomplete applications and applications received AFTER February 1 or applications received in only ONE place will NOT be processed!

Addresses:

Physical Address for Cathy Morgan for FedEx:

UAF Psychology Department
314 Cooper Drive, Suite 706
(7th Floor Gruening Building, Suite 706)

Fairbanks, AK 99775

Student Handbook

Course Descriptions

Application F.A.Q's

Graduate students are admitted into the program to begin in the Fall of each academic year. 

If applying on-line to UAF, please enclose a copy of the email receipt from UAF.

DO NOT apply on-line to UAA (UAF is the University admitting and granting the degree)

Students who have attended a University of Alaska university do not need to submit official transcripts - please indicate on program application what University of Alaska university you attended.

More than 3 letters of reference maybe submitted in the application packet. 

Letters of reference may also be sent directly to the Program Coordinators.

All application documents MUST be received by the Program Coordinators by February 1.

Admission Reapplication Process:  Applicants who are reapplying to the program will be required to submit an entirely new application.  If there are specific items that would be difficult to replicate, applicants may request that the original be retrieved from the initial file.

University of Alaska Fairbanks
Department of Psychology

P.O. Box 756480
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775

telephone 907.474.7012
fax 907.474.5781

University of Alaska Anchorage
Department of Psychology

3211 Providence Drive, SSB 303
Anchorage, Alaska 99508

telephone 907.786.1640
fax 907.786.1669