Applying to the PsyD in Counseling Psychology Program

Admission Requirements

A Baccalaureate degree of Arts or Science from an accredited college or university is required to qualify for admission to the program. If your undergraduate or graduate degree is in an area other than psychology, you must complete all six prerequisites before beginning the program (you do not need to complete these prerequisites when you apply). Please note, a minor in psychology will not suffice the admission requirements unless it includes all of the following prerequisites:

1. General Psychology or Intro to Psychology
2. Theories of Personality or Theories of Psychotherapy
3. Developmental Psychology or Lifespan Development
4. Abnormal Psychology or Psychopathology
5. Statistics
6. History and Systems of Psychology (This course needs to be completed by all incoming students regardless of their major. If you were a psychology major, please check your transcript to see if you took this course.)

Additional Admissions Requirements Include:

• A 3.0 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale.
• GRE general test.
• Completion of application.
• Group interview.

Applicants who meet or exceed the above criteria must also exhibit qualities consistent with the ethos of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. The cohort model places great responsibility on faculty and students to work together to create a positive, supportive, collaborative learning environment. Students must be committed to personal responsibility, time management, professional ethics, interpersonal integrity, and social justice to be successful in the program. The admissions committee seeks to ascertain each student’s degree of readiness for this type of learning milieu. Ultimately, it is the responsibility and authority of the admissions review board to determine an applicant’s degree of compatibility with the ethos of this program.

Application Procedures

Psy.D. Application Deadline for Fall 2023: December 15th, 2022.

Please finalize and submit your application no later than December 15th. All application materials, GRE scores (Verbal, Quantitative, and Writing), recommendation letters, and unofficial transcripts must be electronically submitted or received by mail, by January 15th. Late applications will only be reviewed on an availability basis and are not guaranteed a review. For more information about submitting a late application, please contact our enrollment office.

Please Submit the Following:

1. Completed Online Application Form
2. Application Fee: The graduate application fee is $30.
3. Short Essay Response Questions
   • Please provide a typed response to each of the following essay questions. Each response should be approximately 300 words and in double-spaced format:
     1. Please describe what you have been doing in the past few years in the area of psychology or a related field.
     2. If you were to obtain a Psy.D. in Counseling Psychology, how do you see yourself using it in the future? Describe what your anticipated scope of practice would be five years after completing the degree.
     3. As you look to the future, how do you envision yourself creating a healing environment for an increasingly globalized community? For example, you may intend to use your skills overseas or you may desire to serve the refugee community in a local context.
     4. Describe your faith/belief/spiritual journey.
4. References
   • Please request references from three persons qualified to judge your professional expertise, character, and capacity for graduate-level study in each of the following areas:
     1. Academic
     2. Professional
5. Resume
   • Please provide a detailed description of your past work experience and any volunteer experience that may be relevant to your success in the Psy.D. program.
6. Degree and Transcripts
   • A Baccalaureate degree of Arts or Science (or an equivalent degree) from an accredited college or university is required to qualify for admission to the program. It is preferred that you have a major in psychology. However, if your degree is not, you must have completed the following prerequisites: General Psychology; Theories of Personality or Theories of Psychotherapy; Developmental Theory or Life Span Development, Abnormal Psychology or Psychopathology; Statistics.
   • Every applicant, regardless of their undergraduate major, will need to show that they completed a History and Systems of Psychology course prior to entering the program.
   • Send official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended directly to Admissions at Northwest University. Colleges may charge a transcript request fee.
7. GRE
   • We will continue to require the GRE general test for Fall 2023 admission. ETS is currently offering the GRE at home for applicants unable to take the exam at a testing center. Official General GRE Scores should be sent through your ETS account using our institution name/code: Northwest University 4541; Counseling Psychology 2005

There are several additional application requirements for international students.

Download a PDF of the Psy.D. Application Procedures for International Students.

Interview

When all of the above materials are received, your application will be reviewed and qualified applicants will participate in a group interview. The group interview is held in February. Following the application deadline and interview process, qualified applications will be considered for admission and the results will be emailed to the applicants shortly thereafter.

Please send official transcript(s) to:

Electronic (preferred) can be sent from one of the following approved companies:

• National Student Clearinghouse
• Parchment
• eSCRIP-SAFE

Paper:

Admissions
Northwest University
P.O. Box 579
Kirkland, WA 98083-0579