Coverage of PhD/PsyD differences in undergraduate clinical psychology textbooks.

Abstract

Instructors and advisers of prospective applicants to graduate school in clinical psychology recognize that such students face many decisions, one of the most fundamental of which is the choice of the PhD or PsyD degree. This decision is undoubtedly influenced by the information students receive as undergraduates about the differences between these two degrees. We analyzed 10 undergraduate textbooks in clinical psychology for coverage of these PhD/PsyD differences. Results indicate widely varying coverage of specific PhD/PsyD distinctions. Some distinctions, such as the emphasis on clinical work versus research, the average cohort size, the setting (university or free-standing school), and the percentage of applicants admitted are described in the vast majority of sources. Other distinctions, such as rate of internship placement, likelihood of for-profit status, average undergraduate grade point average and Graduate Record Examination and Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology scores, and average length of time to earn degree, are reported in only a minority of sources. Educators and interested students are encouraged to make deliberate efforts to seek more comprehensive information beyond that provided in undergraduate clinical psychology texts.