Graduate School & Forensic Psychology Resources

This page includes information for students interested in graduate training in the PLC Lab, as well as general resources for students considering graduate school, forensic psychology, and related careers.

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Applying to the PLC Lab

Graduate Study in the PLC Lab: 2027 Admission

I anticipate accepting one graduate student at Simon Fraser University through the Fall 2026 application cycle (for September 2027 admission), either in the Clinical Psychology program (Forensic emphasis) or the Psychology and Law program, depending on the applicant and program fit.

I receive many emails from prospective graduate students each year, so I have tried to answer the questions I receive most often on this page and elsewhere on our lab website. I especially encourage you to look through our Training in the PLC Lab and Current Research pages, which provide more information about what we are working on, how the lab works, and what graduate training in the PLC Lab looks like.

You do not need to contact me before applying, and there is no advantage to introducing yourself by email in advance. I review every application that lists me as the applicant’s first-choice supervisor, regardless of whether we have corresponded beforehand. For equity reasons, I also do not meet individually with prospective applicants before applications are submitted.

If you have a specific question about working with me or the PLC Lab that isn’t answered on the website, you are very welcome to get in touch. Questions about supervision, mentorship, lab dynamics, and fit are generally better saved for the interview stage, when we have a chance to talk about these things in more detail.

Is the PLC Lab a Good Fit for Me?

Graduate students working with me are expected to have a strong interest in forensic psychology and research. For students pursuing clinical training, I am particularly interested in applicants whose career goals combine research and forensic clinical practice.

Much of our research focuses on producing evidence that can improve assessment, services, and outcomes for diverse and underserved adults involved in the criminal legal system. Equity, intersecting identities, culture, and justice are therefore central to our research rather than separate areas of interest.

I also value a lab environment in which students bring different backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences to the work. I aim to provide mentorship that is responsive to students’ individual training goals, circumstances, and support needs, while maintaining shared expectations for rigorous and collaborative research.

Broadly, my research program includes:

  • Mixed-method research examining forensic mental health services, service use, and consumer-centred outcomes;
  • Research examining the utility and limitations of forensic psychological assessment measures and practices; and
  • Research examining cross-cultural, linguistic, and equity issues in forensic mental health assessment and services.

I am particularly interested in how cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic, gendered, and other intersecting identities shape people’s experiences within forensic systems and influence clinical and legal decision-making.

A note about current research areas: Although some of my previous research examined stalking and stalking-related behaviours, the PLC Lab is no longer conducting research in this area, and I am not currently accepting graduate students primarily interested in stalking research. Please see our Current Research page for the best indication of the graduate projects I am currently able to supervise.

What Does Graduate Training in the PLC Lab Involve?

Graduate students in the PLC Lab are expected to be actively involved in research beyond their own thesis or dissertation. Depending on their program and stage of training, this may include collaborating on ongoing lab projects, developing independent research, contributing to manuscripts and conference presentations, and mentoring or working alongside other lab members. Students are encouraged to develop their own research identities and perspectives within the broader areas of the lab’s work, rather than simply reproducing my research program.

Students are also expected to participate in the broader psychology-law community, including attending and presenting research at conferences such as the American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS) and the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services (IAFMHS). Clinical students should expect to pursue practica and other clinical experiences relevant to forensic psychology.

What Do I Look for in Graduate Applicants?

There is no single background or set of experiences required to join the PLC Lab. I evaluate applications holistically and recognize that access to research opportunities, conference presentations, publications, clinical experiences, and mentorship varies considerably across institutions and applicants.

In general, strong applicants demonstrate a developing forensic research focus, relevant research experience, and a clear understanding of why the PLC Lab is a good fit for the questions they want to study. I am particularly interested in applicants who can identify potential research questions or projects that align with my current research program while also reflecting their own interests and perspectives. You do not need to have a fully developed research proposal before applying, but you should be prepared to discuss a potential research question, how you might go about studying it, and the feasibility, strengths, and limitations of your proposed approach. Experience disseminating research through conference presentations or publications can strengthen an application, but publications are not a requirement.

Clinical Psychology or Psychology and Law?

I may supervise graduate students through either Clinical Psychology (Forensic emphasis) or Psychology and Law, depending on the student’s training goals and research interests.

  • Clinical Psychology is the appropriate route for students seeking training as a clinical psychologist. In addition to research training, students complete the clinical coursework, practica, assessment and intervention training, and other requirements associated with professional clinical psychology training.
  • Psychology and Law is intended for students whose primary goal is research training in psychology and law rather than professional training and licensure as a clinical psychologist.

Applicants should review the requirements and training models of both programs carefully when determining which is appropriate for their goals.

Learn more:

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to contact Dr. Nijdam-Jones before applying?

No. Contacting me before applying is neither required nor expected, and it does not influence how I evaluate applications. Our faculty work collaboratively in reviewing applications. I review every application that lists me as the applicant’s first-choice supervisor, and we may discuss applicants across potential supervisors where there may be a good fit. Applications that list me as a second- or third-choice supervisor are typically reviewed first by the faculty member(s) listed as a higher choice, who may bring an application to my attention if they think the applicant could be a good fit for the program and my lab. Therefore, there is no need to email me in advance simply to introduce yourself or make sure I am aware of your application.

Can I meet with Dr. Nijdam-Jones before I apply?

I do not hold individual meetings with prospective applicants before applications are submitted. Because I cannot offer these meetings to everyone, I use this page to make the same general information about my lab and application expectations available to all prospective applicants.

Can I send my CV or other materials to find out whether I am competitive?

I am not able to pre-assess CVs, transcripts, or other application materials, or provide individual evaluations of an applicant’s likelihood of admission. The information above describes what I generally look for in applicants, and the SFU program websites provide information about admission requirements. I evaluate applicants through the formal application process.

Do I need publications and presentations to apply?

No. Publications are not required to apply, and I recognize that access to publication and conference opportunities varies considerably across applicants and institutions. However, experience disseminating research through publications and conference presentations can significantly strengthen an application, as it provides evidence of research experience, engagement, and readiness for graduate-level research. I consider these experiences in the context of the opportunities that have been available to each applicant.

What GPA do I need, and how do I know if I am competitive?

SFU requires a minimum undergraduate CGPA of 3.0 for consideration for graduate admission. However, the Psychology Department notes that applicants with a CGPA below 3.5 are unlikely to be admitted to its graduate programs. Applicants generally have a CGPA of at least 3.5, and the average GPA of students admitted to the Clinical Psychology program is approximately 3.9 on SFU’s 4.33 scale.

Meeting these GPA thresholds does not guarantee admission, as applications are considered holistically and our programs are competitive. I recommend reviewing the Psychology Department’s admission information and, for Clinical Psychology applicants, the program statistics for recent cohorts.

If you are unsure whether your degree, GPA, or other academic credentials meet SFU’s formal admission requirements, please review the Graduate Studies admission requirements or contact the program directly.

Do I need to have a thesis or dissertation project planned before applying?

No. I do not expect applicants to arrive with a fully developed proposal. However, applicants should be able to describe the kinds of research questions they are interested in pursuing and how those interests connect with research being conducted in the PLC Lab.

Should I apply through Clinical Psychology or Psychology and Law?

This depends primarily on your training and career goals. If your goal is to become a registered/licensed clinical psychologist and conduct forensic clinical work, you should review the Clinical Psychology program. If your primary goal is research in psychology and law without clinical psychology training, review the Psychology and Law program.

Should I apply for external funding before applying to SFU?

Yes, if you are eligible, I strongly encourage you to apply for external funding during the same application cycle. Canadian applicants should particularly look into the SSHRC Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master’s (CGRS M) and Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Doctoral (CGRS D) programs, as appropriate to their stage of training. You do not need to hold external funding to be admitted to the PLC Lab, but applying for funding is an important part of graduate research training and can provide additional financial support during your degree. Please review the current eligibility requirements and application deadlines carefully, as these vary by competition and funding program.

International students may also be eligible for the CGRS D once they are enrolled in a doctoral program at an eligible Canadian university. This means that international students applying to SFU for graduate admission would not normally apply for the CGRS D during the same application cycle, but may become eligible to apply after beginning their doctoral program. Up to 15% of awards are available to international applicants.

What is supervision and the lab environment like?

I’ve included information about our lab environment, training philosophy, and what graduate and undergraduate involvement looks like on the Opportunities and Training page. I encourage prospective applicants to review that information when considering whether the PLC Lab might be a good fit for them.

Questions about my supervision style, mentorship, lab dynamics, and what it is like to work together are generally better saved for the interview stage. Applicants invited to interview will have opportunities to ask me these questions and to speak with current lab members about their experiences.

Can I apply to volunteer in the PLC Lab if I am planning to apply for graduate school?

If you are planning to apply to work with me as a graduate student in the upcoming application cycle, please do not apply for a volunteer position as a way of connecting with me or the lab before applying. Volunteering in the PLC Lab is not an informal pathway to graduate admission and does not provide an advantage in the graduate application process.

This does not mean that volunteering in the lab prevents you from applying to graduate school with me in the future! Students’ plans change, and undergraduate or volunteer lab members may later decide that the PLC Lab is a good fit for their graduate training. I simply ask that applicants be upfront about their plans when applying for volunteer positions.

When should I email Dr. Nijdam-Jones about graduate applications?

If you have reviewed this page and the relevant SFU program information and still have a question specific to working with me or the PLC Lab, you are welcome to contact me. Please also feel free to contact me if you need clarification because the available information is inaccessible or does not address your circumstances.

You do not need to email me to introduce yourself, express your interest in the lab, send application materials for review, or ask whether you are likely to be competitive for admission. If you do have a specific question, please keep your email brief and specific. A short, genuine email is much more helpful than a polished, generic introductory message.

Resources for Applying to Graduate School

You do not need to be applying to the PLC Lab to use these resources. I have collected resources that may be helpful to students considering graduate training in psychology more generally, including information about choosing programs, finding potential supervisors, preparing application materials, and navigating the application process.

Getting Started with Graduate Applications

If you are preparing for the application process, I recommend starting with Mitch’s Uncensored Advice for Applying to Graduate School in Clinical Psychology, which covers much of what applicants need to know about applying to clinical psychology programs (as well as how to determine whether another graduate training pathway might be a better fit).

I also recommend Psyching Out and Project SHORT, which offer resources for applying to grad school and mentoring for individuals from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds applying to graduate school.

Should You Take Time Before Applying?

There is no need to go directly from your undergraduate degree into graduate school. Taking a year (or more!) to work, gain research or clinical experience, travel, or do something completely different is not going to hurt your application.

If you are interested in a research-based graduate program but have not had much opportunity to do research yet, I would focus on that before applying. An honours thesis is one way to get this experience, but it is not the only way. You might consider an independent study or research project, working as a research assistant, or looking for a post-baccalaureate research position. Ideally, look for opportunities where you can actually be involved in the research process rather than simply trying to add another line to your CV.

What if I don’t have an Honours degree or thesis?

This will depend on the program, so check the admission requirements for the programs you are considering and contact them directly if you are unsure whether you are eligible.

If an Honours degree or thesis is not required but you have had limited research experience, I would still think about how you can build that experience before applying. Independent research projects, research assistant positions, and post-baccalaureate research positions are all possible ways to do this.

Choosing Programs & Finding a Supervisor

Researching Graduate Programs

Before contacting a potential supervisor or program with questions, spend some time looking through the program, graduate studies, faculty, and lab websites. A surprising amount of information about eligibility, admissions, and what it is actually like to work with a particular supervisor can usually be found there.

For the program itself, look at the admission requirements, required degrees or research experience, application materials and deadlines, funding, and any statistics the program publishes about previous applicants or admitted students. Some programs report things like average GPAs, number of applicants, and number of students admitted. These numbers can give you a much better sense of how competitive a program is than the minimum admission requirements alone.

If you are considering a particular supervisor, do your research before contacting them. Read their faculty and lab websites, look at their recent publications, and see what their current graduate students are working on. Pay particular attention to what they have published recently rather than assuming that an older paper represents an area they are still actively researching. This will also help you think about whether your own research interests genuinely fit with the work they are currently doing.

If you aren’t sure whether your degree or academic background meets a program’s formal requirements, contact the program directly. This is particularly important for international or non-standard credentials, as individual faculty members may not know how a particular credential will be assessed.

Preparing Your Application

Understanding the “Hidden Curriculum” of Graduate Applications

These resources provide practical guidance on how programs evaluate applicants, how to identify mentor fit, what to expect from doctoral training, and how to navigate parts of the application process that are not always made explicit.

The Psychology PhD (YouTube Channel)
Broad overview of doctoral training, including program structure, accreditation, funding, internships, and career outcomes.

Dr. Joseph Hammer: Video Series (Counseling Psychology PhD)
Focuses on the “hidden curriculum” of applications, including how files are evaluated and what programs are really looking for.

Dr. Mitch Prinstein: Uncensored Advice
Comprehensive overview of clinical psychology training, including applying, interviewing, and understanding different degree types.

Learning About Forensic Psychology

If you’re curious about forensic psychology in theory and in practice, the resources below provide introductions to the field and links to major professional organizations, many of which have student sections and opportunities to get involved.

What Is Forensic Psychology?

Forensic psychology broadly examines the intersection of psychology and the legal system. Some forensic psychologists are clinically trained and conduct assessment or intervention work, while others focus primarily on research questions related to legal decision-making, offending, victimization, policing, courts, corrections, and forensic mental health.

In clinical and applied practice, forensic psychologists may conduct psychological assessments and provide consultation in criminal, civil, and family law contexts. This may include independent evaluations, expert opinions for courts and legal professionals, and, in some cases, expert witness testimony. The focus is typically on addressing specific legal or forensic questions rather than providing ongoing treatment.

Forensic psychology also includes a broad range of research examining how psychological science can inform legal systems and decision-making. Researchers may study topics such as eyewitness memory, juror decision-making, policing, violence and risk assessment, correctional and forensic mental health services, victimization, and the ways psychological evidence is interpreted and used in legal contexts.

Forensic psychologists work across universities, hospitals, community mental health services, correctional facilities, private practice, government, and other justice-related settings. Many hold blended roles that combine research, teaching, clinical work, consultation, or supervision.

Learn more:

Exploring Psychology & Mental Health Careers

If you are interested in a career in mental health services and are not quite sure what options there are beyond clinical psychology, check out this Dr. Stephanie Craig’s Clinical Pathways Resource to explore different career pathways. You may also want to explore these more general psychology resources: