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Distinctively
Fuller
Fuller Theological Seminary, the founding center for
the study of Christian faith and psychology, remains
a pioneer in integration.
Our model, which brings together serious theological
study and thorough graduate-level preparation in
clinical psychology and in marriage and family
therapy, is one of the most rigorous and extensive
training programs available.
A Ph.D. student describes the Fuller advantage:
"Between Fuller’s high academic standards and the
amount of clinical training we receive, our
candidates are competitive with people from any
program in the country. And there’s a movement now
to bring religion and psychotherapy closer
together—something Fuller has been doing for years.
Fuller gives us an edge."
Faculty
Community
Experience
Paths
Purpose
Profile
Degree Programs
Admissions Calendar
Faculty
As a diverse community of committed Christian
scholars, our faculty members in the School of
Psychology bring a mature understanding of the
Christian faith to the tasks of research, teaching,
and clinical practice—along with a thoughtful
interest in the professional, personal, and
spiritual development of their students. Their
integrity is grounded in their commitment to the
teachings of Christ and to the highest ethical
standards of the profession.
Among this outstanding group of professionally
active researchers, teachers, and practitioners are
men and women recognized internationally for their
scholarship. Their published articles appear in
leading peer-reviewed journals, and many of their
books address concerns of those in the discipline as
well as a broader church audience.
The faculty serves the wider profession by extensive
involvement in the governing and accrediting bodies
that shape the preparation of marriage and family
therapists and clinical psychologists. They have
been active leaders in the American Association for
Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), American
Psychological Association (APA), Christian
Association of Psychological Studies (CAPS),
International Neuropsychological Society (INS),
National Council of Schools of Professional
Psychology (NCSPP), and National Council on Family
Relations (NCFR).
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Community
Like the larger community of Fuller itself, which
currently includes at the Pasadena campus more than
1,600 students from 100 denominations and nearly 60
countries, the School of Psychology attracts people
from a variety of backgrounds.
A School of Psychology class might include not only
recent college graduates but also pastors,
missionaries, social workers-even, a Navajo tribal
administrator-and people representing many
traditions: Presbyterian. Roman Catholic. American
Baptist. Methodist. Church of the Nazarene.
Assemblies of God. Charismatic. Nondenominational. Postdenominational. The possibilities go on and on.
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Experience
In keeping with Fuller’s emphasis on diversity, a
rich array of excellent options is available for
students? Clinical training. Students receive
wide-ranging experience in Fuller’s own
Psychological Center as well as in social service
agencies, clinics, and hospitals in the ethnically
diverse San Gabriel Valley and Greater Los Angeles
area. "I chose Fuller because I wanted to be a
well-rounded therapist, not just another Anglo-Saxon
male," says one of our students. Another adds, "In
my internship at the hospital, I’ve worked with
Anglos, Hispanics, Armenians, Filipinos, and
African-Americans. All of those people are valuable
to me; I need to understand their perspective."
Fuller’s Psychological Center, widely recognized as
a superlative model of training, offers practica,
clinical experience, and traineeships. Through the
center, students work with a variety of groups:
children, adults, families and couples, the elderly,
and people who are persistently mentally ill.
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Paths
After Fuller's School of Psychology, what's next?
Predictably, responses vary:
"I want to go into private practice,
specializing in men's issues."
"My main interests are teaching and
research."
"I
hope to establish a nondenominational retreat
setting for pastors."
"Among Native Americans, there's a great
need for mental health workers."
"I'll continue to serve as an associate
pastor, providing more sensitive and empowering
pastoral care."
"I'd like to work with missionary families and
kids—when they're out in the field and when they
come back."
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Purpose
Along with their Fuller diploma, our graduates carry
an essential gift to the world: a Christ-centered
vision that can help individuals and families on
their journeys to wholeness and salvation.
A Ph.D. student explains, "As a developing
therapist, I’ve worked with individuals, couples,
and children; as an active member of my church, I’ve
led worship, taught adult Sunday school classes, and
volunteered as a Big Sister. Every day I see how
powerfully ministry and psychology can work together
for good. That realization-and that great
blessing-started with my experiences at Fuller."
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Profile
Established. Fuller’s doctoral programs in
Clinical Psychology draw on more than 30 years of
experience and expertise. The master’s program in
Marriage and Family began in Fuller’s School of
Theology in the early 1970s, and then moved into the
School of Psychology in 1987.
Productive. Graduates of the School Psychology
programs serve on hospital staffs; in private
practice; in church-sponsored counseling centers; in
business, industry, and government; and as faculty
members in higher education.
Varied. Fuller offers its
students an environment of cultural, ethnic, gender,
and denominational diversity. The diverse ethnic
makeup of our faculty and student body, combined
with that of our training sites, provides a rich
preparation for serving people in urban settings and
around the world.
Comprehensive. Students in all
School of Psychology programs receive abundant
opportunities for direct clinical contact with
clients, along with ample supervision.
Participatory. By long
tradition, Fuller has a strong student government
system; students serve on various seminary
committees and have voting privileges at our faculty
meetings. The Psychology Graduate Union has both a
women’s resource coordinator and an ethnic resource
coordinator.
Warm. Besides the personal
warmth that characterizes the School of Psychology
community, Fuller’s location offers a mild climate
and the lively cultural attractions of Pasadena and
the greater Los Angeles area. Beaches and mountains
are nearby, and outdoor recreational opportunities
abound.
Challenging. Each program
within the School of Psychology has its own
admission deadline and requirements, as detailed in
the Fuller Theological Seminary Catalog and in
program-specific information sheets. An applicant
should expect to submit transcripts showing
prerequisite degrees earned and prerequisite course
work; scores from the Graduate Record Exam (if a
clinical student) or from either the Graduate Record
Exam or the Miller Analogies Test (if a MF student);
a statement of purpose; and letters of
recommendation. Admission decisions are made by a
committee of faculty members and students.
For more information about a specific
program within the School of Psychology, consult
Fuller's current catalog (available
online) or the information sheet for that
particular program (see the links below). To apply
on-line, click
here.
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Degree
Programs
Department of Clinical Psychology
Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology
(Ph.D.)*
(minimum of 76 units of theology)
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)**
(minimum of 64 units of theology)
Both of the above programs are approved by the
American Psychological Association (APA).
Department of Marriage and Family
Master of Science in Marital & Family Therapy
(M.S.M.F.T.)**
(Up to 24 units of theology.
The Master of Science in Marital & Family Therapy is
approved by the California Board of Behavioral
Sciences as meeting the educational requirements for
licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist in
California.)
Master of Arts in Family Studies
(M.A.FS)**
(20 units of theology and 20 units of coursework
from any of Fuller’s three schools to comprise a
concentration.)
Certificate in Marriage & Family Enrichment
* This degree
includes a Master of Arts in Christian Leadership.
Students have the option of taking further courses
to pursue a Master of Arts in Theology or a Master
of Divinity degree instead.
**
Students have the option of taking further courses
to complete a master's-level degree in theology,
such as the Master of Arts in Christian Leadership,
the Master of Arts in Theology, or the Master of
Divinity degree.
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Admissions
Information
For deadlines click on the clock
To
request an application packet or more information
about the application process click
here.
If you would like to apply on-line, click
here.
Fuller Theological Seminary does not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
national origin, gender, age, disability, status as a veteran, or other
characteristics protected by law in any of it's policies, practices, or
procedures.
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