Program Requirements

The program is designed to be a five year-full time program for those entering with a bachelor’s degree. The first four years will include coursework and graded practicum experiences. The fifth year will involve the completion of a full-time full-year approved internship or a two year, part-time approved internship. All students entering at the bachelor’s level will be expected to enroll full-time each semester. Applicants accepted will be required to demonstrate that they have completed all BA/BS level prerequisite coursework. As is noted above, careful evaluation of student progress is ongoing. Students are required to demonstrate ongoing development of academic and professional skills, as well as ethical judgment and sensitivity. Documented poor performance in any of these areas will be the basis of efforts by the adviser and program faculty to assist the student in forming and completing a plan for improvement; continued poor performance within specified time frames will be the basis for terminating a student’s enrollment in the program. Specific program curriculum requirements can be placed into the following categories: Undergraduate prerequisites, Foundational coursework, Foundational clinical training, Advanced professional coursework, Advanced clinical training and Research training.

Sample Curriculum Courses

  • Individual Psychotherapy/Interviewing
  • Integrated Assessment Course and Practicum *
  • Psychotherapy (which includes theory and treatment approaches in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Behavior Therapy; and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy)
  • Advanced Psychotherapy
  • Differential Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
  • Ethics
  • Cognition and Emotion
  • Social Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Studies in Human Sexuality
  • Cross Cultural Psychology
  • Biological Bases of Behavior
  • Child and Family Diagnosis/Therapy
  • Clinic, Community, and Rural Practicum *
  • History and Systems
  • Geropsychology
  • Clinical Health Psychology
  • Supervision
  • Addictions
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Group Therapy
  • Clinical Research Methods
  • Advanced Quantitative Methods or Advanced Qualitative Methods
  • Rural and Community Psychology

* Please note that personal self-disclosure may be an aspect of this course.

Research Training

Our professional practitioner-training model includes a strong emphasis on applied research. The research sequence is structured as an integrated series of methodological seminars for practitioners. Building upon prior coursework in experimental psychology, introd uctory and intermediate statistics and psychometrics, students will learn more advanced strategies for conceptualizing applied research problems, designing appropriate strategies for data collection and using appropriate methods to analyze and interpret results. Course content will emphasize data based approaches to solving the applied problems that psychologists are likely to face in their professional roles, such as evaluating clinical outcomes, conducting needs assessments, validating clinical assessment tools, and developing and evaluating clinical programs. The sequence culminates with each student conducting a Doctoral Research Project supervised by a doctoral committee and research chair.

Practicum

Beginning in the first year, all students will participate in Vertical Supervision teams. These teams will consist of students and all phases of training, with the exception of internship, and will be lead by a faculty clinical supervisor. Students in the second year of training will complete two semesters of practica in the university training clinic. Third year students will complete two semesters of practica in approved community settings. Fourth year students will complete two semesters of practica at an approved rural site. Students should note that rural training sites require a substantial time commitment. These sites are often quite a distance from campus and may, in some cases, involve overnight stays. All practicum placements will be at training sites with which the psychology department has prior written agreements concerning training and supervision criteria. Additional information regarding practica can be obtained by consulting the website or contacting the Program Coordinator. Students who enter with advanced standing will have their clinical therapy and assessment skills evaluated during an initial semester placement in the training clinic. If they are able to meet the specific competency benchmarks set by the clinical faculty, they will be eligible to begin practicum placement with the third year community placements. They will be required to complete two semesters in an approved community setting as well as two semesters in an approved rural setting, in addition to the evaluation time spent in the training clinic.

Internship

All students will complete a doctoral internship in professional psychology at an approved site during the final year of the program. Internships in professional psychology are the equivalent of one year of full time training completed in no less than 12 months and no more than 24 months. APA-accredited internships are preferred but exceptions can be made, particularly for sites that are not accredited but are listed in the APPIC national match. A limited number of slots will be available in local internships but these are not sufficient to serve all students. All incoming students are strongly encouraged to apply for internships through the national APPIC match.

Residency Year Requirement

All students will be required to complete an academic year of “residency”. The purpose of the residency year is to enhance students’ identities as professional psychologists, promote active, cooperative learning beyond the formal classroom environment and foster a sense of cohesion among students and faculty. During this academic year, students will be required to enroll for a minimum of 9 credits per semester (i.e. full-time status), and will be required to participate in designated activities beyond specific course requirements. For all students (Route 1 and Route 2 admissions, part- and full- time) the residency will correspond with the year in which they are enrolled for doctoral research credits and 2 semesters of practicum. Required residency activities will include, at a minimum, seminars, coursework and doctoral research activities throughout the academic year.