Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Counseling Psychology
Aims and Learning Competencies:
The aims of the program are to produce graduates who are:
Aim 1. Proficient in addressing individual and cultural differences while engaged in professional psychological practice, and demonstrating a commitment to social justice.
Competency 1.a
Students will recognize their own attitudes and biases and demonstrate knowledge, awareness, sensitivity, and skills when working with diverse clients including, but not limited to age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, national origin, race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.
Competency 1.b
Students will develop knowledge, awareness, and skills in providing multiculturally sensitive and ethically-sound supervision and consultation.
Competency 1.c
Students will demonstrate a commitment to social justice as reflected in a range of professional activities.
Aim 2. Prepared with the foundational knowledge in psychology which will enable them to continue their training in counseling psychology and the ethical practice of health service psychology as early-career professionals.
Competency 2.a
Students will acquire and apply knowledge of affective, biological, cognitive, developmental, and social bases of behavior in the ethical practice of health service psychology.
Competency 2.b
Students will acquire and apply knowledge and skills related to legal, professional, and ethical standards in all professional activities.
Aim 3. Proficient at providing ethically sound professional services anchored in science and integrating research and practice.
Competency 3.a
Students will be proficient as science-informed practitioners in conducting professional psychological assessment and intervention services, integrating evidence-based research into practice.
Competency 3.b
Students will be able to evaluate client outcomes in order to improve treatment effectiveness, demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal skills, know their limitations as treatment providers, and seek supervision and consultation as appropriate for the delivery of ethical and effective services.
Competency 3.c
Students will be able to critically evaluate and conduct psychological research with the goal of contributing knowledge to the field of health service psychology.
First Academic Year: 24 credits
Fall 9 credits:
| PSY702 | Recent and Advanced Theories of Personality | 3 |
| PSY708 | History and Systems of Psychology | 3 |
| PSY720 | Techniques in Counseling Psychotherapy | 3 |
Spring 9 credits:
| PSY700 | Developmental Aspects of Behavior | 3 |
| PSY704 | Cognitive and Affective Aspects of Behavior | 3 |
| PSY716 | Advanced Adult Psychopathology | 3 |
Summer 6 credits:
| PSY701 | Social Aspects of Behavior | 3 |
| PSY706 | Physiological Psychology | 3 |
Second Academic Year: 24 credits
Fall 9 credits:
| PSY710 | Advanced Psychometrics | 3 |
| PSY719 | Foundations of Counseling Psychology | 3 |
| PSY732 | Doctoral Practicum I | 3 |
Spring 9 credits:
| PSY712 | Advanced Cognitive and Personality Assessment | 3 |
| PSY730 | Counseling Research and Program Evaluation Research | 3 |
| PSY733 | Doctoral Practicum II | 3 |
Summer 6 credits:
| PSY714 | Advanced Child and Adolescent Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSY726 | Applications of Social Justice in Psychological Treatment | 3 |
| PSY748 | Inter-semester Practicum | 0 |
PSY748 will be taken when: a) Students taking a Spring semester Practicum course continue at their training site for a significant time period past the end of the Spring semester, or b) Students taking a Fall semester Practicum course begin at their training site for a significant time period prior to the start of the Fall semester.
Third Academic Year: 19 credits
Fall 6 credits:
| PSY728 | Advanced Research Methods and Statistical Design | 3 |
| PSY734 | Doctoral Practicum III | 3 |
Spring 7 credits:
| PSY731 | Supervision and Consultation for Counseling Psychology | 3 |
| PSY735 | Doctoral Practicum IV | 3 |
| PSY740 | Doctoral Dissertation I | 1 |
Summer 6 credits:
| PSY722 | Theories and Techniques of Career Counseling | 3 |
| PSY742 | Doctoral Dissertation II | 3 |
| PSY748 | Inter-semester Practicum | 0 |
PSY748 will be taken when: a) Students taking a Spring semester Practicum course continue at their training site for a significant time period past the end of the Spring semester, or b) Students taking a Fall semester Practicum course begin at their training site for a significant time period prior to the start of the Fall semester.
Fourth Academic Year: 12 Credits (6 Equivalency Credits)
Fall 6 credits:
| PSY736 | Doctoral Internship I | 3 |
| PSY744 | Doctoral Dissertation III | 3 |
Spring 6 credits:
| PSY738 | Doctoral Internship II | 0 |
| PSY746 | Doctoral Dissertation IV | 0 |
*Equivalency Credits (EQ) are granted for required activities necessary for the student to progress toward the degree. The acceptable activities are PSY738 Doctoral Internship and PSY746 Dissertation. Equivalency credit is not granted to finish work in order to remove a grade of Incomplete.
Practicum/Internship Requirements
Practica
Students are expected to participate in a minimum of four doctoral level practica for a total of 1,200 semester hours. These advanced clinical experiences, beginning in the fall of the second year, are designed to assist students in moving toward competence as future psychologists and to provide preparation for the doctoral internship. Each practicum semester requires a minimum of 300 hours, 150 of which are spent in the provision of direct client service.
Students participate in weekly individual on-site supervision, as well as receive weekly group supervision on campus through active participation in the practicum seminar, taught by a Psy.D. faculty member who is a licensed psychologist. Typical practicum activities include direct client care, attending case conferences, writing reports and writing clinical notes. Students must have site approval from the Associate Director for Clinical Training prior to confirming placement, and submit all forms that are required.
Internship
During the student's final year in the doctoral program in Counseling Psychology, the student participates in a year long, full-time (or two year, part-time), supervised internship which is a total of 2,000 hours, including client contact and supervision hours. This pre-doctoral internship affords students the opportunity to employ the knowledge and skills acquired during their doctoral studies under the supervision of experienced practitioners of psychology.
With approval from the Director of the Doctoral Program and the Associate Director for Clinical Training, students apply for internship following successful completion of 1) necessary coursework, 2) comprehensive examinations, and 3) proposal of the Doctoral Dissertation. Students are expected to participate in the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Center's (APPIC) match program and to apply to an average of 10 APPIC/APA internship sites.