Home > Graduate Programs > View By Program > Graduate Programs in Psychology > Frequently Asked Questions
  • Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Graduate Admissions Questions

 

Answers to General Questions

  • What are the department’s office hours?
    The Psychology Department office is open Monday through Friday, 8:45 AM to 4:45 PM. The office is open during the winter intercession, during Spring Break, and during the summer, but the office closes for all federal and city holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
  • Who is the Department Chairperson?
    The Psychology Department Chairperson is Dr. Krisanne Bursik. She can be contacted at (617) 573-8295 or kbursik@suffolk.edu.
  • Who is the Director of Clinical Training?
    The Director of Clinical Training for our Ph.D. program is Dr. Gary Fireman. He can be reached at 617-305-6368 or gfireman@suffolk.edu.
  • What are my professor’s office hours?
    The contact information and office hours of all of our instructors can be found on the Faculty Page.
  • How can I contact my TA?
    All TA contact information can be found on the Teaching Assistants Page.

Answers to Graduate Admissions Questions

  • When is the program application deadline?
    All application materials must be postmarked to the Office of Graduate Admission by December 15th.
  • Can I set up an informational interview?
    We have many applicants every year, and, unfortunately, we cannot accommodate requests for individual informational interviews. However, we have scheduled online Information Sessions. Please also explore our website as we have posted a great deal of information about our program!
  • What is the difference between a Ph.D. and a Psy.D. program?
    Our program leads students to a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. Ours is a Boulder-model program that equally emphasizes both research and clinical aspects of psychology to produce competent scientist-practitioners. Most Ph.D. programs incorporate elements of research and clinical training in their curricula. In contrast, Psy.D. programs typically train students in a practitioner model and focus on clinical aspects of training.
  • How long will this program take?
    Our program involves three years of full-time study, one year of full-time internship, and a dissertation. Full-time students may be able to finish all program requirements within five years.
  • What qualifications are you looking for in an applicant?
    We do not believe that there is a "typical" Ph.D. student, and so we cannot describe a "typical" successful applicant. However, we have outlined some general guidelines on the Admission Requirements Page.
  • Do you have a minimum GRE/GPA score?
    As noted in the question above, we cannot describe a "typical" candidate, and this extends to both GRE and GPA scores. These scores are examined in the context of a candidate’s entire application. We have found that students with a combined GRE verbal and quantitative score of less than 1200 or a psychology GPA of less than 3.5 are less likely to be admitted, but this is not always the case, especially in the presence of extenuating or compensating factors. Please feel free to discuss any perceived discrepancies between your scores and your abilities in your personal statement.
  • Is an interview required? Is a telephone interview acceptable?
    A select group of applicants will be contacted in mid-February to attend an Interview Weekend to be held in early March. The interview is an important part of the application process, and selected candidates should make every effort to attend. However, if scheduling conflicts or expense will prevent you from making a trip to Suffolk, a phone interview may be arranged. A telephone interview will not negatively impact an application.
  • Where do I send my application paperwork?
    All application paperwork should be sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admission.
  • What courses can I transfer in?
    Once a student has been accepted into the program, he or she may file a petition to transfer credit with the Graduate Academic Coordinator. Transfer requests are evaluated on an individual basis and credit is ordinarily given only for courses whose content is similar to those offered within our own program.
  • Is graduate housing available?
    Suffolk does not provide housing for its graduate students. Any student interested in obtaining assistance in locating housing the Boston area can contact our Office of Off-Campus Housing at (617) 573-8647. Additionally, graduate students may choose to apply for a Resident Assistant (RA) position in one of our undergraduate dorms. RAs fulfill many duties in the areas of student development, programming, and administration, and they receive housing free of charge as compensation.
  • Can you tell me why I wasn’t accepted into the program?
    Our department receives 300+ applications each year. Unfortunately, the overwhelming volume of applications keep us from providing individualized feedback to applicants.
  • Is it possible to take a graduate level psychology course if I’m not a student in the clinical psychology Ph.D. program? Prospective non-matriculated students interested in taking a graduate level course in the Psychology Department should contact the faculty member teaching the course via email for consent. Course offerings can be found here. When permission is obtained, the graduate Continuing and Professional Studies (CAPS) application should be submitted along with the email from the faculty member. The application is posted on the University’s website and can be found here.