Achieve your Calling with Rigorous and Supportive Training
Now Accepting Applications for Fall 2023
Stevenson’s Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) program prepares you to become a Clinical Psychologist and provide evidence-based, culturally competent clinical services to individuals and their communities. The program combines classroom instruction, clinical placements, and internship experiences, so you gain the core competencies and discipline-specific knowledge required for effective clinical practice. Upon completion of the program, you will be prepared to sit for licensure exams.
Stevenson’s Psy.D. Program Cornerstones
- This is a full-time, five-year program, which includes a year-long, full-time internship in the final year of the program.
- You will gain practical application and preparation skills to fortify your professional future.
- In the second through fourth years of the program, you will complete externships in clinical settings—generally 16-20 supervised hours per week.
- Faculty mentoring and guidance extend through coursework, internship support, and dissertation direction.
- The program is rooted in theory and research with particular attention that respects human diversity for effective work with individuals and groups from a variety cultural backgrounds.
Stevenson’s Psy.D. program has been developed to be consistent with APA accreditation standards. APA permits programs to apply for accreditation once the first cohort has been enrolled and made progress in the program so that an accreditation decision can be made before that cohort graduates from the program. The program has been approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Our Faculty’s Commitment to You
Our faculty’s diverse real-world clinical expertise and one-on-one mentoring drives our commitment to Stevenson’s student-centered mission. Psy.D. faculty are active scholar-practitioners and licensed clinical professionals in broad, diverse areas such as, but not limited to:
- Psychological resilience and liberation
- Learning, attentional, and neurodevelopmental disabilities
- Pregnancy, childhood, and early motherhood
- Assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of stress, anxiety, and related disorders
- Ethnic identification, cultural expression, and psychological well-being
Our faculty provide you with real-world clinical expertise, as well as a commitment to excellence in instruction and mentoring. Check out our faculty and their interests on the Meet our Faculty tab.
Admissions Information
The following information outlines the application process for the Doctor of Psychology program. Stevenson’s Office of Admissions is here to assist you with the process and address your questions and can be reached by email at PSYDadmissions@stevenson.edu or 443-352-4446.
Required Application Materials:
- Application Form
- Priority Consideration due by December 1.
- Best Consideration due by March 1.
- Personal Statement: A brief personal statement (2-3 pages double-spaced) should address the following questions:
- Why are you interested in pursuing a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology at Stevenson University?
- What academic and professional experiences have prepared you for this next step?
- The Psy.D. program emphasizes inclusion and working effectively with individuals and groups from diverse cultural backgrounds. Please discuss your approach to and/or experience with promoting inclusivity and working with diverse populations.
- CV
- Three professional/academic letters of recommendation and accompanying recommendation form. At least one letter must be from an academic reference.
- Official GRE scores from the general exam taken within the past five years. We recognize that for many students, gaining access to GRE testing during the COVID-19 pandemic has proved challenging, so the GRE is optional for the Fall 2023 Application cycle.
- Official transcripts from all degree-granting institutions attended.
- International students who have attended or who are currently attending a U.S. post-secondary institution must submit official transcripts from all institutions. Students who have completed post-secondary academic coursework outside of the United States must submit an official course-by-course transcript evaluation from an organization that is a current member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). A member list is available on the NACES website.
- International students must demonstrate a satisfactory level of English proficiency. Any student whose native language is not English must submit an official TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score. The following TOEFL scores are required for admission: 213 or higher (computer-based); 80 or higher (Internet-based); or 550 or higher (paper-based). Students who have taken the Internet-based TOEFL test should have no individual section score lower than 20. Students who have taken the IELTS should have a minimum overall band score of 6.5 and no individual score lower than 6.0. The website for TOEFL information is ets.org and the website for IELTS is ielts.org.
- A legible and high-quality, color copy of the unexpired passport identification page is required of all international students. International students currently attending a high school or college/university in the United States must also submit a high quality copy of his or her current Departure Record (I-94) and U.S. visa. International students currently holding an F-1 or F-2 visa must submit a copy of his or her Certificate of Eligibility (I-20). Please submit this documentation to the Undergraduate Admissions office before April 1 for the fall semester.
Interviews (by invitation only): Following initial applicant review, candidates for admission will be invited to campus for an interview. This interview provides program faculty the opportunity to learn more about the candidates and provides candidates with the opportunity to learn more about the program. The interview is required for consideration for admission to the doctoral program. Additional information about interviews will be provided to applicants during the application process.
Background Check: Students must pass a criminal background check prior to enrollment to Psy. D. Following recommendation for admission, students are required to obtain, pay for, and pass a criminal background check. These background checks are regularly required by the clinical sites at which students will complete practica and internships. Failure to pass a criminal background check may result in revocation of your acceptance to the program.
Post-Acceptance Requirements for all international applicants:
In order to receive a current I-20 and proceed with full-time enrollment, please follow the instructions below submitting each official document to the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Please pay close attention to the deadlines listed for EACH official document below.
- Official Bank Statements
All international students holding or intending to seek an F-1 student visa must submit current official bank statement(s) in English verifying the student’s financial resources in U.S. dollars for the total cost of attendance, including tuition and fees, other academic expenses, living expenses, and transportation, for the year of intended enrollment. The current year’s Estimated Cost of Attendance Chart is listed here. Please submit this documentation to the Undergraduate Admissions Office before April 1 for the fall semester.
- Financial Resource Statement
All international students holding or intending to seek an F-1 student visa must complete the International Student Declaration of Finances form, including the Sponsor form if applicable. Please submit this documentation to the Undergraduate Admissions Office before April 1 for the fall semester.
- Enrollment Deposit
The enrollment deposit of $300 and the enrollment form must be submitted before April 15 for the fall semester. The deposit is non-refundable after these dates. The Certificate of Eligibility (I-20) will not be processed until the deposit is received.
- Stevenson University Health Profile
The University’s health profile must be completed in its entirety and mailed to the Stevenson University Wellness Center before July 1 for fall entrance. All students planning to live on campus are also required to be immunized against meningococcal disease, per Maryland State law.
- SEVIS Fee
Accepted F-1 international students are responsible for paying the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee. See fmjfee.com.
Important Note to ALL International Students:
Doctorate F-1 visa students must take a full-time course load each semester and continue in good academic standing to remain eligible.
Academic Curriculum
Stevenson’s Psy.D. provides a comprehensive curriculum that covers all areas of Clinical Psychology. The program’s generalist approach allows you to tailor your research and clinical experiences to pursue individual interests, so you can best meet the needs of the expanding workforce.
Our course sequence, Year 1 through 5, is designed to develop your discipline-specific knowledge and profession-wide competencies.
Tuition & Fees
2023-2024
Annual tuition and fees for Psy.D. students starting Fall 2023 are $18,988 for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Core Faculty
Marie C. McGrath, Ph.D.
Graduate Program Director, Clinical Psychology
Professor of Psychology
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Dr. Marie McGrath earned her Ph.D. in School Psychology from Temple University in 2005 and joined the Stevenson faculty in Fall 2020. Before coming to Stevenson, Dr. McGrath was a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at Immaculata University, where she served as core faculty in the Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program; directed the School Psychology M.A./Ed.S. program; and received the Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award in 2012. Dr. McGrath is a licensed psychologist and a certified school psychologist in the state of Pennsylvania, as well as a nationally certified school psychologist. She is the most recent past-president of the Pennsylvania Psychological Association (PPA) and has served on the PPA Board of Directors for the past 10 years in various roles. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Psychological Foundation. She was selected to the American Psychological Association’s Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology in 2019.
Soonhee Lee, Ph.D., ABPP
Director of Clinical Training
Associate Professor of Psychology
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Dr. Lee earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Rochester in 2011. Prior to joining Stevenson University in Fall 2022, Dr. Lee worked at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Washington, DC, as Associate Director of Clinical Training. She also has extensive experience in college counseling with diverse roles including Training Director for an APA-accredited doctoral internship in Health Service Psychology. Dr. Lee considers social justice as a core value and approach in psychology, has held leadership roles in diversity committees and affinity groups, and led community outreach efforts to raise critical consciousness in race and racism for Korean-American communities. Dr. Lee is a Licensed Psychologist and is board certified in Counseling Psychology. Her clinical interests focus on couples therapy, life transitions, grief, and diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.
Colleen Spada, Psy.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology
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Dr. Spada holds a Doctor of Psychology (Clinical Psychology) from Loyola University, and has taught at Stevenson since 2010. She served as a Doctoral Supervisor while at Loyola, supervising master’s level clinical and counseling students who were completing their externships. Her clinical experience includes individual therapy for clients presenting issues such as depression, anxiety, addiction, and interpersonal struggles as well as conducting workshops and training for organizations and businesses on topics such as stress reduction, self-esteem building, and relaxation. She currently maintains her own private clinical practice and provides educational services for pregnant women offering information about evidence-based practices during pregnancy, labor and childbirth, as well as labor management through the use of mindfulness techniques.
Deondra Smith, Psy.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology
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Dr. Smith earned her Psy.D in Clinical Psychology from the American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University, Washington DC Campus. She has taught at Stevenson University since 2018. She is a Licensed Psychologist and owns her own private practice where she provides both therapeutic and psychological assessment services to children, adolescents, and adults. She has extensive experience in supervising and training undergraduate and graduate students within the field of psychology. Her clinical interests focus on the integration of play therapy and other non-directed modalities in therapy to enhance overall emotional identification and expression in children and adolescents. Also, her clinical work focuses on increasing accessibility of mental health resources to BIPOC communities. Her research interests include examining the relationship between ethnic identification, cultural expression and psychological well-being.
Associated Faculty
Jeffrey D. Elliott, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor of Psychology
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Dr. Elliott earned his Ph.D. in Human Services Psychology (Clinical Track) from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He is a Maryland Licensed Clinical Psychologist. He has taught at Stevenson since 2001 and served as Department Chair of Psychology since 2010. At Stevenson, he is a recipient of the Rose Dawson Award for Excellence in Teaching, which is awarded to one faculty member each year. In the past, he served as a Clinician, Clinical Coordinator, and Clinical Supervisor for the Domestic Violence Center of Howard County (1995-1998, 2000-2010) and has experience in inpatient settings for the seriously mentally ill and in addictions. His current clinical work focuses on enhancing educational opportunities and outcomes for at-risk teenagers. His research interests focus on attitudes affecting relationship violence and relationship indiscretions as well as social psychological factors affecting clinical work. His most recent collaborative research with students focused on diverse topics such as self-care and stress, early parental bonding and loneliness, confrontation of micro-aggression, and compliance with law enforcement officers. He particularly values mentoring students.
Virginia N. Iannone, Ph.D.
Interim Vice Provost for Student Success
Professor of Psychology
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Dr. Virginia (VJ) Iannone received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Catholic University of America and joined the faculty at Stevenson University in 2002. Her research interests include examining mental toughness in youth athletes as well as examining the role of injury, retirement, and other transitional events on quality of life. She was appointed as a Teaching Fellow for the Center for Teaching and Learning in 2019 and was awarded Excellence in Teaching Awards from the National Society for Leadership and Success (2015) and Stevenson University (2017). Outside of Stevenson, Dr. Iannone is a licensed psychologist with an active and vibrant practice working with athletes and coaches as a sport psychology consultant. She is a founding and executive board member of the Mid-Atlantic Consortium for Sport and Performance Psychology and holds active memberships in several professional organizations related to the science and practice of sport psychology.
D. Ryan Schurtz, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
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Dr. Schurtz is a graduate of Towson University and earned his Ph.D. at the University of Kentucky in Experimental Psychology. He has taught at Stevenson since 2010, and has focused his research on love and relationships, social comparisons, suicide and suicide prevention, and social emotions. He also teaches social psychology and research methods classes at the undergraduate level.
Angie Setzer, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer in Psychology
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Dr. Angela Setzer is an Experimental Psychologist, and earned her degree (Biopsychology Track) at The American University in Washington, D.C. She completed her postdoctoral training with a NRSA Grant in gustatory neuronal research of the Geniculate Ganglion in the Behavioral Sciences Department of the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. She began teaching at Stevenson in 2014 as an Adjunct Professor and became a full-time Lecturer in Fall 2018. Aside from running alcohol studies in the Crayfish lab, Dr. Setzer is also interested in Alzheimer’s research, specifically how diet and exercise affect memory.
James Schaeffer, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Mindy Milstein, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
Visiting Senior Lecturer, Psychology
John Rosicky, Ph.D.
Chair & Professor, Counseling and Human Services
Adjunct Faculty
Rich Metzger, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychology
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Dr. Metzger holds a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology (Cognitive) from the University of North Dakota, with additional training at The Institute of Child Development (Minnesota) and the Lineberger Cancer Center (North Carolina). He has a broad experience in basic memory research as well as applications in health, education, and the legal system. He has supervised undergraduate and graduate theses, as well as dissertations, and regularly presents work with student collaborators at national and regional conferences. His current projects have examined the impact of disguises on the recognition of people you know, and the changes in attention that arise from the mere presence of your cell phone. He also has experience in the management and analysis of big archival datasets, currently mining data from the Longitudinal Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When is the deadline to apply?
A: The priority deadline is December 1. The best consideration deadline is March 1.
Q: Is there an application fee?
A: There is no application fee.
Q: What do I need to major in?
A: Applicants with a strong academic background in psychology, counseling, human services, or a related field are preferred. Applicants who did not major in Psychology or a closely related field at the undergraduate level will be considered for admission, but must complete the following prerequisite courses:
- Statistics
- Psychopathology
- Human Development
- Research Methods
A course in Test and Measurements is recommended, but not required.
Q: How will I know if I am getting an interview?
A: Applicants who are offered an interview following initial review of their application materials by the Psy.D. Admissions Committee will be notified via email.
Q: Is the program accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA)?
A: The Psy.D. program is a new program that is not currently accredited by APA. The program is in the process of preparing its initial accreditation application materials and collecting the data needed for accreditation application. We plan to submit an initial self-study to APA during the 2023-2024 academic year.
Q: What transcripts need to be submit?
A: Official transcripts from all colleges or university attended need to be submitted to the Admission Office. An official transcript is one that comes from the school directly to Stevenson in either a sealed envelope or in a secure email. Students can use psydadmissions@stevenson.edu to send transcripts to.
Transcripts and Certificates of Previous Academic Work International Transfer students who have attended or who are currently attending a U.S. post-secondary institution must submit official transcripts from all institutions. Students who have completed post-secondary academic coursework outside of the United States must submit an official course-by-course transcript evaluation from an organization that is a current member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (https://www.naces.org/members) (NACES). A member list is available on the NACES website.
Resources for Stevenson Graduate Students
The Doctor of Psychology program is located on Stevenson’s Greenspring campus located in the heart of Maryland’s beautiful Greenspring Valley. The campus offers the following facilities and amenities for graduate students:
- Ample parking & easy access to I-695 and I-83
- Library with dedicated resources and study spaces for graduate students
- Graduate Computer Labs
- Graduate Lounge
- Cafeteria
- Fitness Center
- Labyrinth & Meditation Center