Deans Message

Welcome to the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP) at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, a wonderful and unique provider of training, research, and service in psychology!

How would you like to study and work in a truly one-of-a-kind environment? At GSAPP, that starts with being a part of Rutgers University-New Brunswick, a Big Ten campus with big-city neighbors. Can you envision interning during the day at a prestigious hospital in the city, before catching the latest Broadway show in the evening? Contributing to world-class research and practice during the week, and then enjoying a rivalry game on the weekend? Training at a University so great that everyone will know your degree, in a school so intimate that everyone can know your name? All of these things are not only possible at GSAPP, they are our business as usual!

GSAPP is a contemporary school of psychology that benefits from a rich tradition that includes being one of the first schools to offer the Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Degree. We awarded our first doctoral degree in 1976, and among that cohort of distinguished alumni is past APA President, Dr. Dorothy Cantor. Since then, our school has maintained a standard of excellence in preparing students for the professional practice of psychology. Relatively small class sizes afford students individualized attention and opportunities to work closely with our distinguished faculty in developing students’ professional skills and identities as practitioners and scholars. As a student, graduate, faculty member, staff member, or administrator of GSAPP, you will also have access to a vibrant network of successful GSAPP alumni. These relationships last beyond our students' graduation as evidenced by our active and robust alumni organization.

We pride ourselves on preparing outstanding practitioners and scholars who benefit from the mentorship provided in our departments of Applied, Clinical, and School Psychology. Our doctoral programs in School Psychology and Clinical Psychology are both nationally recognized and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA)*. Our doctoral program in Organizational Psychology also has a long and proud history and has recently become active again, to the delight of alumni, faculty, and prospective students. Our Master’s degree programs offer instruction in foundational knowledge of psychology through training in applied areas (e.g., applied behavioral analysis, applied psychology, multi-tiered systems of support). 

Clinical training is the centerpiece of our education. Our students benefit from training in a wide array of practicum sites-both at GSAPP and through partnerships with its external affiliates. At GSAPP, students have the opportunity to refine their clinical and assessment skills through clinics such as the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services (RCAAS), the Center for Psychological Services (CPS), and the Douglas Developmental Disabilities Center (DDDC). We also maintain strong partnerships with agencies serving children and adults with diverse mental health needs in the New York City, New Jersey, and Philadelphia areas. Our dedicated faculty, staff, and supervisors are committed to our growth and development, the benefit of the clients we serve directly, and the wellbeing of those served by our alumni over the years.

In addition to enhancing clinical training, our centers connect with the community to help meet our public service commitment. For example, Answer (Sex Ed, Honestly) provides training, community service, and professional development on sexual education. The Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies (CAS) houses multiple research projects that both advance the field and provide students with opportunities to contribute to scientific inquiry. Collectively, GSAPP’s centers and departments annually win an average of about $10 million in external funding per year.

GSAPP boasts faculty representing national and international excellence in teaching, research, supervision, and scholarship in the field of psychology. Our faculty epitomizes the profession of psychology, holding leading roles as primary investigators on research projects, service grants, and contracts; psychologists in private practices, clinics, and schools; and consultants for organizations and communities. Among schools of professional psychology, GSAPP is uniquely positioned for collaborative academic relationships such as those through the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, afforded Rutgers as a member of the Big Ten.

GSAPP has embraced its responsibility to prepare psychologists equipped to face contemporary challenges and to facilitate ongoing professional training for postgraduates and members of our community. At GSAPP, we support ongoing professional development and education for practitioners through our continuing and professional studies offerings.**

GSAPP is committed to diversity - diversity of theoretical orientations, individual differences and cultural competence, and training in respect for persons from all backgrounds. Our diverse student body and student-led clubs reflect this commitment. GSAPP is also poised to address many challenges facing our underserved communities. We prepare our students to work on a range of issues including, but not limited to, children and adults with autism, schools and other systems, and pediatric behavioral health.

Please consider making the next step in your professional career an entirely unique one: The Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology invites you to explore our website and to learn more about our graduate and professional psychology programs, our diverse collection of centers, and our array of live and on-demand continuing education opportunities. The faculty, staff, and administration are available to answer any of your questions or discuss your interest in GSAPP. 

We look forward to connecting with you.

Sincerely,

Ryan J. Kettler, PhD, NCSP

Interim Dean, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

deansoffice@gsapp.rutgers.edu

*The Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology and School Psychology Programs at the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA).

GSAPP Diversity Statement

The Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP) at Rutgers University-New Brunswick is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). We view individuals from a variety of backgrounds, lived-experiences, identities, and perspectives across our community members as critical to our threefold mission of world-class education, scholarship, and public service. We aim to honor diversity through a variety of means, such as inclusive groups, events, initiatives, curricula, and our organizational composition. We strive to create and maintain a safe space in which all voices are heard and valued, consistent with Rutgers University’s Beloved Community. GSAPP acknowledges the current, historical, and systemic practices that have been used to marginalize and oppress some identities and give power and privilege to others in and beyond the United States. Additionally, we are keenly aware of the destructive effects, including on mental health and personal well-being, of prejudice, stigma, microaggressions, and violence in all its forms. We engage in a critical examination of our own biases and behaviors, both past and present. We utilize evolving methods to address, incorporate, and celebrate DEI through our scholarship, service, and training of future health service professionals.