Personal Goals Statement
Regent University’s School of Psychology & Counseling is a Christian graduate school with a deep commitment to academic excellence, professional competence and spiritual development. The admissions process is very competitive. To assist us in your evaluation, please complete these admissions essays as part of the application procedure. These goals will be reviewed by the admissions committee in conjunction with the other items required in the admissions process.
Provide responses that apply only to the program to which you seek admission.
BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR FULL NAME ON EVERY PAGE YOU SUBMIT USING A HEADER OR FOOTER TOOL.
Guidelines
- Strive for clarity and specificity
- Single space
- 12-point font (Times or Times New Roman)
- Response should follow the word limits assigned for each question
- Responses should NOT be listed on separate pages but rather one continuous document
View a sample of the required format
Core Application Questions (common to all applicants)
1. Review the program descriptions below and describe how a degree from the School of Psychology & Counseling would facilitate your personal and professional goals. (50-100 words)
Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology:
A pre-professional doctoral degree leading to licensure as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Greater emphasis is placed on the practice of clinical psychology than research, though research is still a component of the studies. A master’s degree is not a prerequisite.
Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision:
The terminal degree relevant to the counseling profession. This is ideal for counselors who want to teach in academic settings, supervise and train other counselors, and research elements of counseling, especially counselor preparation. A master’s degree in counseling or closely related study is a prerequisite.
2. Considering your personal, spiritual and professional background, why have you chosen Regent as the place to pursue your degree? (50-100 words)
3. How have your academic and professional experiences and achievements prepared you to be successful in this degree program? (250-550 words)
Please elaborate on skill sets, attributes and other personal strengths you will bring into the program. Applicants for online programs should speak to their performance in prior online learning environments and/or comfort level/skill with the use of technology in learning.
4. Program Specific Response – Answer only for the program to which you are applying (100-200 words)
Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology:
Describe your understanding of the professional identity of a clinical psychologist, and how it differs from that of licensed professional counselors, social workers, psychiatrists or clergy.
Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision:
Describe your understanding of a counselor educator and how it differs from master’s level counseling, social work, psychology, and marriage and family therapy.
5. Psy.D. Students Only
All students in Psy.D. programs are trained in a generalist model of training. This means the majority of your time is spent in broad and general training that all clinical psychologists receive. Regent’s program has concentrations and ongoing research teams with some focus on particular areas within clinical psychology. Please select your top two research interests from the following list and explain in two sentences why you are interested in this area:
- Broad Interests in Clinical Psychology
- Child &Adolescent Psychology
- Forensic Psychology/Forensic Assessment
- Assessment in Psychology
- Marriage & Family
- Sexuality & Sexual Identity Issues
- Culture/Ethnicity/Diversity Issues
- Health Psychology
- Technology in Psychology
- Neuropsychology
- Positive Psychology
- Other (write in)