Psy.D. Program Details
Learn how to advance your career with Rivier's Doctor of Psychology degree. Explore the curriculum, meet faculty, and review career outcomes.
Rivier’s Psy.D. program prepares students to become successful, ethical mental health service psychologists.
This is a fall-start cohort program. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The application closes on August 15, 2024, but early application is highly recommended.
For admission to the Doctor of Psychology program, you will need the following general requirements as well as program-specific requirements listed below.
The Program accepts and enrolls a diverse student group each fall semester. Students need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree to be considered for admission to the Program. The number of credit hours required to complete the Program is dependent on previously completed coursework. There is no upper limit to the number of foundation (graduate) courses that can be counted toward completion. However, only 9 credit hours of doctoral course(s) at the 800 level can be transferred into the program.
Students are never admitted to the Program for the purpose of completing another degree. Students enrolled in the Program do not complete a master’s degree en route.
Admissions Criteria
Applicants are reviewed and evaluated on the following criteria and materials:
Each applicant is required to submit at least three (3) letters of reference that speak to the applicant’s professional and/or academic work, potential for successful completion of doctoral study, and character.
Applicants are encouraged to provide individuals making the recommendations with a copy of their personal written Statement of Purpose to ensure that the recommendation addresses these topics. Letters of Reference must have been written within six (6) months of the date of the completed application.
Letters of Reference may be written by current members of the faculty of the Division of Counseling and Psychology or the Division of Education of Rivier University. If a current faculty member agrees to write a letter of reference and that faculty member is serving on the Core Faculty Committee, said faculty member must recuse him/herself from the admission decision process while the applicant’s application for admission is being considered. Similarly, if a faculty member of the Core Faculty Committee has recruited an applicant to the Doctoral Program, that faculty member must also recuse him/herself from the admission decision process while the applicant’s application is under consideration.
The Core Faculty Committee may invite members of the faculty members who have provided letters of recommendation to speak on behalf of an applicant while the Committee is deliberating.
Applications are forwarded to the Admission Committee for review and rating after all required application items have been received and processed by the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies Admissions.
On the basis of ratings and Committee review, applicants considered for admission are invited to campus for an interview; while an in-person interview is preferable, alternate interview options can be accommodated. In this interview, applicants are asked to clarify and/or expand on aspects of their application, including but not limited to their personal Statement of Purpose and reasons for seeking doctoral study. Shortly after the interview, the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies Admissions notifies applicants of their admission status.
Rivier University does not discriminate in its application process. Read our non-discrimination policy.
Learn how to advance your career with Rivier's Doctor of Psychology degree. Explore the curriculum, meet faculty, and review career outcomes.