Prospective Graduate Students

The University of Oregon offers Doctoral and Individualized Master’s Programs in Psychology. Prospective students should review the Department of Psychology website for more information about these programs, including how to apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please note that all responses in this document reflect my views and not those of the University of Oregon or other faculty in the Psychology department.

Why did you make this document?

The graduate school admissions process is an uneven playing field. Applicants without access to strong mentors or professional connections may have less access to the information provided in this document. By sharing this FAQ document, I hope to help “level the playing field” by ensuring that this information is available to all prospective students applying to our lab.

Many thanks to Dr. Jessica Schleider (Stony Brook University) for her FAQ template.

Will you be accepting a new student?

I will not be seeking a new graduate student for Fall 2024.

How do I know if I am a “good fit” for the ADDRESS Mental Health Lab?

When reviewing prospective students’ applications, I am most interested in the fit between (1) students interests, experiences, and goals, and (2) our lab’s mission, current research projects, and my own capabilities as a mentor.

Specifically, applicants with the following interests may be good fits with our lab:

  • Increasing the cultural compatibility of evidence-based psychotherapies for youth of color

  • Using research evidence and practice-based evidence to inform clinical decisions, from assessment to case conceptualization to treatment planning

  • Implementing evidence-based psychotherapies in community mental health settings

  • Enhancing the general public’s mental health literacy

I am especially interested in recruiting applicants with experience in some or all of the following areas (however, none is required of applicants):

  • Working on community-engaged research

  • Studying social determinants of health, mental health services, implementation science, and/or library and information science

  • Translating materials from English to Spanish and Chinese

  • Managing and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data

  • Contributing to scientific presentations and publications

As a mentor, I feel best-prepared to support students who are interested in careers that involve mental health services research. This includes but is not limited to academic careers (e.g., tenure-track positions in a psychology department), clinical-research careers (e.g., positions in an academic medical center), and careers in mental health services administration and policy.

What expectations do you have for students?

Detailed information about doctoral student expectations can be found in our lab manual.

What is your mentorship style?

I strive to provide my graduate students with supportive and individualized scientific, academic, and professional mentorship that is aligned with their values and goals. In general, I meet with graduate students every other week to check in about graduate program requirements, ongoing research projects, and any other collaboratively nominated topics. I aim to provide graduate students with opportunities that will move them closer to their short- and long-term goals, including fostering community partnerships, conducting quantitative and qualitative data analysis, and contributing to scientific presentations and publications. I provide graduate students with regular oral and written feedback and ask that they provide candid feedback on my mentoring in return.

Should I email you to express my interest in applying to your lab?

I welcome emails from prospective students, especially if you have specific questions that are not addressed on our website. That said, your decision to email me (or not) will have no impact on your odds of receiving an interview invitation or an offer of admission. Because my graduate students and I cannot equitably accommodate the number of requests for meetings with potential applicants, we do not offer to meet with applicants outside our program’s formal interview process.

I am an international student. Will this remove me from consideration?

All applications will be reviewed regardless of residency or citizenship. However, it is important to be aware of the University’s English Language Proficiency Requirement. Specifically, international students must demonstrate proficiency in speaking English to be eligible for teaching-related graduate employment.

What should I include in my statement of purpose?

I find it helpful when applicants provide a strong rationale behind their decision to pursue graduate training under my mentorship. Graduate training in clinical psychology requires a tremendous commitment of time and effort, so I want to make sure that prospective students have a sense of the journey that they are about to embark on and still feel excited about it. This can be conveyed by:

  • Describing your research interests and career goals (even though this may change over time - mine certainly did!), and how they relate to the work of our lab.

  • Describing your research experience(s), and what you have learned from them. This should not be a summary of your CV. This should be a synthesis of the knowledge and skills that you have developed, and a description of how your knowledge and skills will help you pursue graduate training opportunities that will lead you closer to your career goal. Specifically, I suggest describing: (i) a project that you worked on and your role on that project; (ii) the knowledge and skills that you gained from working on that project; (iii) the knowledge and skills that you still need to reach your career goals; (iv) how graduate training will help you obtain the knowledge and skills from iii. Repeat i through iv if you have contributed to multiple projects.

  • Describing how graduate training at the University of Oregon under my mentorship or co-mentorship will help you achieve your career goals. How do you see the mission, values, and/or resources of the University of Oregon aligning with your goals? How do you see my content and/or method expertise helping you achieve your goals?

I have never had to prepare a CV. How should I organize this document?

I recommend the following resources:

Where else can I find information and guidance on the graduate admissions process?

I recommend the following resources: