Loyola University Maryland Psy.D. Psychology Review
Loyola University was the first in the state of Maryland to offer a full-time, five-year Doctor of Psychology program, which has been accredited by the American Psychological Association for the past two decades. This rigorous program is based on Loyola’s campus in Baltimore but will take students far beyond those borders as they combine classroom work with hands-on clinical experience.
What should students who may be interested in the program know about its pluses and minuses, including cost, selectivity and time investment?
About the Program
Learn more about the vital statistics surrounding Loyola’s Psy.D. program and its history.
Basics
- Institution type: Private, not-for-profit
- Main campus: Baltimore
- Accreditation: APA
- First year of program: 2000
Tuition and fees
- Full-time, in-state tuition: $31,500
- Full-time, out-of-state tuition: $31,500
- Per credit-hour tuition for part-time students: NA
- Institution fees: $115
Student outcomes
- Median years to completion: 5 (2009-2019)
- Percentage completing in <5 years: 10% (2018-19)
- Percentage completing in 7+ years: 0% (2018-19)
- Degrees conferred, 2009-2019: 143
- Percentage of students obtaining internships: 100% (2018-19)
- Percentage of graduates earning professional licensure: 97% (2007-2017)
Degrees & requirements
- Psy.D. degrees offered: Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology
- Non-Psy.D. degrees offered: Combined M.S./Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology
- Number of credit hours required: 120
Admissions
- Application method: Online or by mail
- Application fee: $60
- Admission requirements: Transcripts from all degree-granting institutions; essay; three professional or academic letters of recommendation; passage of criminal background check; in-person interview; GRE score in the past five years; resume; TOEFL or similar test for non-native English speakers; GPA of at least 3.0
- Admissions office address: 2034 Greenspring Drive, Timonium, MD 21093
Biggest Pros
What factors play into Loyola’s favor for the average Psy.D. student who may be interested in pursuing a degree from the institution?
Clinical experience right away
During the first four years of the program, all Loyola students will spend part of their time in the classroom and part of their time in clinical settings. Ensuring students are receiving clinical experience throughout their educational journey rather than at the end, as is the case in some other programs, allows them to put what they’re learning in the classroom into practical use in near-real time.
Exceptional outcomes
In the most recent year for which data was published, all internship-seeking students were placed in an APA-accredited internship, and over the past decade, 97% of Loyola’s Psy.D. graduates were successfully licensed to practice psychology, in Maryland and elsewhere in the country. The rigors of the program are clearly beneficial for those who want to begin practicing right away.
Small class sizes
Only about 15-17 students are admitted to the program in a typical year, and about 7% of those who apply are offered a place in the program. This selectivity makes Loyola a sought-after Psy.D. program, and it ensures that students get close and thoughtful attention from their instructors and mentors.
Financial assistance
Without any help, a Loyola Psy.D. will cost about $150,000, and while the program doesn’t make it a standard practice to fully fund tuition for students, fellowships and other assistance are offered, and students don’t need to apply separately for these benefits.
Biggest Cons
We’ve learned about what sets Loyola’s Psy.D. apart in a good way. What about some of the red flags that students may want to avoid?
Lack of flexibility
Currently, no courses in Loyola’s Psy.D. program are offered online, so students must be located in the Baltimore area to attend. With its proximity to the nation’s capital, typical rents in Baltimore are higher than the national average.
Additionally, the program cannot be completed on a part-time basis, and it’s recommended that students work no more than 10 hours per week at any outside jobs, which means that the program may not be an option for students who need to continue working while they pursue a degree.
Only one degree
Students can make their own specialization where possible through electives, but Loyola’s Psy.D. comes in only one flavor — a general clinical psychology degree. That means students who want to focus on a particular population group or form of psychology may be better served by a different program.
The Bottom Line
Still not sure if Loyola’s Psy.D. program is right for you? It’s true that every learner’s needs and academic journey are unique, so this chart might help you determine if this is the place where you’ll take your next step to becoming a licensed psychologist.
| Is the Loyola University Psy.D. Program Right For Me? | ||
| Need | Yes | No |
| I need to take my classes online | x | |
| I’m interested in clinical psychology | x | |
| I want to focus on a particular population group | x* | |
| I’m interested in applied psychology | x | |
| I’m interested in school psychology | x | |
| I’m interested in industrial-organizational psychology | x | |
| I have a very limited budget for a Psy.D. program | x | |
| A well-established program is important to me | x | |
| I want to work in a real-world mental health clinic | x | |
| I want to contribute to cutting-edge research projects | x | |
| I don’t want to take the GRE | x | |
| * No specialized Psy.D. degrees are available, but students can create a population area focus through electives and their choice of internships | ||
Conclusion
Loyola’s Psy.D. program, while being less flexible than some other institutions’ offerings, is one of the most affordable prestige programs out there. There’s no doubt that most applicants won’t get in, but for those who do and who are interested in receiving a generalized and rigorous education, Loyola is an excellent choice.