Ph.D. Program in Clinical-Community Psychology

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

 Prospective Students

The Ph.D. Program in Clinical-Community Psychology with Rural, Indigenous Emphasis desires to attract mature, committed, and responsible individuals of diverse personal, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds who are interested in both clinical and community research and practice with a rural and indigenous emphasis.

Given this philosophy, the program has many unique features that combine to make for a rigorous training experience that requires a student's full-time commitment.  The following features of the program are particularly noteworthy and more detail can be gleaned from the Student Handbook: 

• The program does train one-on-one psychotherapists, but the primary mission and goals of the program are to train students to be skilled in rural clinical-community practice; the program leads to license eligibility as a psychologist.
• Although the program is designed to meet the current psychologist licensure requirements in Alaska, the program is not designed to train one-on-one therapists. 
• Although students may reside in different communities (Anchorage or Fairbanks), each student is one of a cohort that includes students in both communities.
• Students are not permitted to switch campus of residence once admitted into the program.
• The program requires cultural experiences and requires cultural integration in all courses and activities.
• The program provides extensive teleconferencing and telehealth experience, in that all courses are instructed via audio-visual teleconferencing across both campuses.
• The program has to be completed full-time; part-time study is not allowed to assure cohort cohesiveness.
• Students cannot be in the program successfully and maintain full-time employment; Indeed, given that the program is always considered a full-time commitment and classes are taught during the daytime hours, the faculty strongly discourage employment or studies outside of the university.
• At present, the program is able to offer paid teaching, research or service assistantships to all interested students.
• The program is difficult, course intensive, and demanding; students are advised to enter the program with full knowledge and awareness about the program demands.
• The program requires intense study for five full-time years; there are no short-cuts; transfer of previously taken courses are determined on a case-by-case basis and are not guaranteed.
• There are at least two face-to-face retreats per year at which all doctoral students attend.

The program functions on a cohort model and admits eight students per year.  It is anticipated that half of the cohort will reside and do the bulk of their graduate studies in Fairbanks; the other half of the cohort will reside in Anchorage. All courses will be co-taught across campuses via video-conference.  Students are strongly encouraged to be full-time students (i.e., not engage in other full-time gainful employment or other studies) throughout their attendance in the Ph.D. Program in Clinical-Community Psychology with Rural, Indigenous Emphasis.  Admissions to the program occur only once yearly, specifically for the Fall Semester. 

To identify candidates, the Ph.D. faculty has designed a screening and selection process intended to evaluate all applicants in a manner that is comprehensive, fair, and objective. All candidates who are finalists for admission are required to attend an in-person interview.  Fairbanks interviews will take place the first Wednesday in March.  Anchorage interviews will take place the first Friday in March.  The interview process is an opportunity for you to learn about our program as well as for us to learn about you. This interview is an essential part of the application process; thus, we will not be able to conduct telephone interviews or further consider applicants who choose not to appear for interviews. 

The deadline for RECEIPT of applications is February 1.  Please note that any applications received after this date will not be considered under any circumstances.

Final decisions regarding admissions to the Ph.D. Program in Clinical-Community Psychology with Rural, Indigenous Emphasis will be completed by April 1, as recommended and adopted by the Council of University Directors Clinical Psychology. 

Student Handbook

Course Descriptions

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